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DHEC demands dam repairs Structures not likely to harm people, could damage infrastructure BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com After the 1,000-year flood, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Friday it is ordering dam owners to take action at dams statewide, including three each in Sumter and Clarendon counties and
one in Lee County. “Many dams across our state were damaged and have been identified as needing repair,” DHEC Director Catherine Heigel said. “DHEC remains committed to ensuring public safety and will be aggressive in pursuing all necessary safety measures to make sure that dam owners are
making these needed repairs as quickly as possible.” As the state’s regulatory agency, DHEC’s role is to provide input and assistance to dam owners and operators and to advise owners on regulatory compliance. Dam owners are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of their dams.
According to orders issued by DHEC, the dams in the tricounty area are all “not likely to cause loss of life but may damage infrastructure.” In Sumter County, the owners of Cains Mill Pond, 2470 Cains Mill Road; Ellerbees Millpond Dam, 6375 TB Wright Road, near Rembert; and Lake View Pond Dam,
4915 Ridgewood Drive, also in the Rembert area, have received orders to take action. In Clarendon County, the owners of Cola Plantation Dam, 1900 HT Everett Road, Pinewood; O.E. Rose Dam, 2157 Rainbow Lake Road, near New Zion; and Lakewood
SEE DAMS, PAGE A7
Officials discuss recovery efforts Many agencies on hand to answer public’s questions BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com A town meeting Monday evening at Sumter Opera House allowed officials from several local, state and federal agencies to talk directly to local residents about what programs are available to assist them in recovering from the 1,000-year flood. The event was organized by members of the local delegation to the General Assembly including Sens. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, and Kevin Johnson, D-Manning, and Reps. Murrell Smith, RSumter; Grady Brown, D-Bishopville; David Weeks, D-Sumter; and Robert Ridgeway, DManning. “Our part in this is mostly to get out information,” McElveen said. “There are a lot of questions out there, and this is a chance to hear from different agencies.” Officials from the South Carolina departments of Transportation, Insurance and Social Services were on hand to answer questions as
RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
David Baise, assistant chief of the bureau of water for South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control, discusses the number SEE TOWN HALL, PAGE A7 of dams that have breached in Sumter County and the need to have them all inspected.
Was your pet lost during the flood? Local organizations offer some ways to help you locate Fido BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com PHOTO PROVIDED
SPCA manager Cindy Cook says that if you lost your family pet during recent flooding, don’t give up hope; it could take a month to six weeks before your pet finds his or her way home.
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Humans are not the only ones who have been displaced after the rain storm. Many pets have lost their way home and are waiting for their owners to find them.
Some lost pets have been taken to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1140 S. Guignard Drive. SPCA manager Cindy Cook said the shelter takes in strays every day, and each animal is automatically scanned for a microchip. Cook encourages pet owners to not give up on the search for their pets. It could take a month to six weeks for a pet to return home because other families may be taking care of the animals, she said. She said pet owners can file a lost
DEATHS, B4 and B5 Joseph Evans Benny Reynolds Jesse Carter Sr. Don Sansom Tommy L. Montgomery Marion Galloway Walter Anderson
Shakima N. Rutherford Richmond B. Crim Mary S. Walker William Nock Jr. Hazel Nixon Hannah M. Hickmon
pet report with the SPCA, local clinics or Sumter Animal Control. Cook said it is best to provide a photo, especially if the animal is a mixed breed, because it may be difficult to identify the animal based on a description alone. Pet owners should call surrounding shelters and stay vigilant, she said. On its website, SPCA encourages pet owners to post flyers throughout their neighborhoods describing
SEE PETS, PAGE A7
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