Students, faculty celebrate new Miss Morris College
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Tigers continue winning streak Clemson’s defense has been its strength in recent games
SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
75 CENTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014
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Group talks up Sunday alcohol sales Committee wants you to know a ‘yes’ vote will help community economically BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com A 53-word referendum will be on the ballot for city of Sumter residents Nov. 4, giving people the chance to decide whether Sunday alcohol sales will be permitted in city restaurants. While the legalese of the issue may leave many voters scratching their
heads at the polls, a group is hitting the streets to make sure all the facts are heard. Rick Levy, the chair of the Citizens in Business for the City of Sumter committee, spoke to members of Sumter Rotary Club on Monday to provide information on the issue. The referendum, posed as a yes or no question, reads as:
“Shall the South Carolina Department of Revenue be authorized to issue temporary permits in this municipality for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours to allow the possession, sale, and consumption of alcoholic liquors by the drink to bona fide nonprofit organizations and business establishments otherwise authorized to be licensed
for consumption-on-premises sales?” “I don’t know how many lawyers we have in the group, but we can thank them because this is rather confusing,” Levy said. “I think people don’t really have a good appreciation to the limitation to the referendum. What city council is putting before the voters is for on-site in the res-
taurants only. What we’re really doing is hurting our small businesses and our economic development.” The referendum includes beer, wine and liquor and will affect restaurants licensed by South Carolina Department of Revenue and not “to-go” businesses such as grocery
SEE ALCOHOL SALES, PAGE A8
BD holds family picnic
PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM
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D held its family picnic
Levern Peoples, above, and his grandson Aiden Peoples shoot arrows through targets at the family picnic.
Saturday on the company grounds, 1575 Airport
Lance Thode, 6, left, tries to win a prize during a game.
Road. The event drew close to
A blow-up dragon, below, offered hours of entertainment.
1,400 workers and family members. Attendees enjoyed slides, bouncy houses, casino games, Bingo, midway games, sand art, face painting, all-you-can-eat refreshments and more than 20 local wellness vendors. There was also an open house and tour of the plant for all BD associates.
Authorities: Sex offenders will be monitored on Halloween BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Ghouls and goblins will haunt the tri-county area a little more than a week from today as costumed children roam the streets for Halloween.
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But while candy will be the main thing on the mind of most trick-or-treaters next Friday night, safety will the biggest concern for local law enforcement. County agencies in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties will spend the night patrolling
neighborhoods to keep children out of harm’s way. And state officers will monitor the homes of registered sex offenders in those areas. “The best crime prevention rule in the world: You can only go to people’s houses that you know. Only people
DEATHS, B6 James F. McCray Wallace Adams Curtis J. Dawkins Gertrude W. Dozier Joseph Klee Jr.
Roosevelt Williams Sr. Martha Steen Catherine Spiegel Carrie Gethers Carolyn M. Bolden
you know,” Cpl. Eddie Hobbs of the Sumter County Sheriff’s office said. Hobbs is a crime prevention officer who works in the sheriff’s office’s sex registry unit. He noted deputies make home visits to check up on registered sex offenders multiple
times a year, not just for Halloween. Hobbs said children should travel in packs and urged parents to consider Halloween events at local churches or community centers as a way
SEE HALLOWEEN, PAGE A8
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2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 6
Mostly sunny and pleasant today; partly cloudy and breezy tonght HIGH 78, LOW 50
Classifieds B7 Comics B5 Lotteries A10
Opinion A7 Television A9