QB Watson injured in Clemson’s win over Louisville B1 LOCAL
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Tax project would pave a safer path BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories examining $75 million worth of new construction needs in Sumter County, as identified in the proposal for a renewed penny sales tax. Sumter County voters will be asked to approve the tax in
November, and funds raised by the tax, should it pass, will go toward a series of building, infrastructure and other projects throughout the county. Often overlooked as an important part of a city’s infrastructure, sidewalks provide not only a safe passage, but also quite literally
connect communities and help to promote an active lifestyle. As part of the proposed Penny for Progress tax renewal, $2.3 million would be used to build sidewalks on nine roads in the county if the tax passes Nov. 4. Sidewalks would be put in on North Columbia Drive, Crestwood Drive, North
Guignard Drive, Highland Avenue, North Lafayette Drive, Lewis Road, Lynam Road, West Oakland Avenue and West Red Bay Road. City Councilman David Merchant, who represents Ward 6, will see a number of new sidewalks going into his area. As a father of four children, he knows firsthand
the benefit of a simple sidewalk. “My family and I are active; we run and ride bikes. I’m at that age with my four kids, ages 11, 9, 6 and 3, we’ve got little ones that you always want to keep safe,” Merchant said. “With children of any age, being
SEE SIDEWALKS, PAGE A9
A different set of Friday night lights The flying swings light up the Sumter County Fair at sunset on Friday night. Today is your last chance to visit this year’s fair. MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM
SUMTER COUNTY FAIR SCHEDULE TODAY, OCT. 12 1:30 p.m. — GATES OPEN, $6 general admission 1:30 to 9 p.m. — All rides open 6 a.m. — Livestock removed 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Commercial exhibits removed 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Poultry and baby animals removed 2 to 3:30 p.m. — Individual entries removed 2 to 3:30 p.m. — Premium checks picked up Free performances: 2 and 4 p.m. — Barnyard Review 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. — The Magic of Lance Gifford 3 and 5:15 p.m. — Lady Houdini
3:30 and 6 p.m. — Rosaire’s Royal Racers 9 p.m. — Midway closes
Festival’s parade is back on downtown Bishopville street BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Main Street in Bishopville was lined with spectators as the Cotton Festival Parade returned to Main Street for the first time in several years. On a beautiful Saturday morning with just enough breeze to cool the spectators but not enough to aggravate the vendors, life in Bishopville seemed to be returning to normal. Nerves have recently been frayed in the small community by the shooting deaths of two local teens and the arrest of nine people, including eight local
SEE PARADE, PAGE A4
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Holocaust survivors’ son speaks to eighth-graders BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com Growing up, Henry Miller never heard his parents talk about terrible nightmares, and he never woke up in the middle of the night to their bloodcurdling screams, even though they had survived one of the worst tragedies in history. But Miller knows his parents — survivors of the Holocaust — did everything they could once they moved to the U.S. to move forward, regain their freedom and provide for their children. “My parents suffered years of slavery but still considered themselves forMATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM Henry Miller talks to a Mayewood tunate because they survived,” Miller said to a group of more than 40 eighthMiddle School eighth-grade class grade students at Mayewood Middle about the Holocaust on Friday.
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DEATHS, A11 Betsy Hatcher John L. Stewart Jesse L. Howard Sr. Addie Mae H. Rose Dianne L. Maillard Monica Mathis Thomas B. Olesen
School on Friday afternoon. “I’ve never even seen a picture of my grandparents because they perished. My father had virtually lost everyone, and he was alone at 23. They took everything from them.” Miller, a recently retired optometrist, and his wife, Minda Miller, visited Mayewood Middle School and shared the story of Miller’s parents — David and Cela Miller. Allison Hepfner, an eighth-grade English teacher at Mayewood, arranged with a representative from Columbia’s Holocaust Education Commission for the students to hear from the Millers in conjunction with the students’ recent studies, which included
SEE SURVIVORS, PAGE A9
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