Charleston law school takes a new direction THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015
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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 2 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES | VOL. 121, NO. 13
Sumter native, attorney Ed Bell, named president FROM STAFF REPORTS The Charleston School of Law will induct Sumter native James Edward “Ed” Bell III as president and managing partner of the
school at a ceremony today at the offices of Garden & Gun magazine. “I’m honored to serve as president of The Charleston School of Law,” he said. “I’ve watched this school grow and take shape over the years, and I’m proud that our great state of South Carolina offers students two strong choices for a top-tier legal education.” Bell will aim to move the school from a for-profit to a nonprofit model. He said Wednesday that he will continue practicing law and
will receive a salary of $1 per year from the law school. “In order for me to get paid more, I’ve got to do something for this school,” Bell said. BELL Bell is an attorney, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has distinguished himself
SEE BELL, PAGE A14
Sharpening acting skills ‘Records are made to be broken’ Scott Kelly surpasses NASA’s longest single space shot A6 THE CLARENDON SUN
Clarendon Hall alumni mark 50 years A7 Chamber announces annual winners A7 DEATHS, B5 Bennie McConico Kay Y. Player Kathleen M. Affronte
Daniel L. Avins Irene L. Carrier Robert J. Tiller Sr.
WEATHER, A16 EXPECT SOME CLOUDS Less humid with clouds and sun today; clear to partly cloudy tonight. HIGH 78, LOW 54
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Ziare Levell, Donovan Adams and Larry Jackson make gestures to demonstrate a word as Melissa Reed, at right, from the Warehouse Theatre, directs them during a workshop at Crestwood High School on Wednesday. The theatre company went to Sumter, Crestwood and Lakewood high schools to give an hour class to the students, who will then get to see a production of “Hamlet” at the Sumter Opera House on Friday.
Sumter Planning Department conducts damage assessments BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter City and County Planning Commission received an update on flood recovery, and improvements to downtown during
its regular meeting Wednesday. Sumter Planning Department Senior Planner Helen Roodman said there are four crews from Federal Emergency Management Agency that are working with four planning department staff mem-
SEE TOSSED, PAGE A6
SEE PLANNING, PAGE A14
Shaw F-16 lands safely after in-flight emergency
Richland sheriff fires deputy COLUMBIA (AP) — A deputy who flipped a disruptive student out of her desk and tossed her across her math class floor was fired on Wednesday. The sheriff called his actions “unacceptable,” and said videos recorded by her classmates show the girl posed no danger to anyone. “What he should not have done is throw the student,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “Police officers make mistakes too. They’re human, and they need to be held accountable, and that’s what we’ve done with Deputy Ben Fields.” Civil rights groups praised the swift action against Fields, a veteran school resource officer and football coach at Spring Valley High School. Outrage spread quickly after videos of the white officer arresting the black teenager on Monday appeared on the Internet. Lott thanked the FBI for investigating whether civil rights were violated and school officials for promising to review how police are used for discipline. “They need to understand that when they call us, we’re going to take a law enforcement action,” Lott said. “Maybe that ought to have been something handled by the school without ever calling the deputy.” The sheriff also had stern words for the student who started the confrontation by
bers to assess damaged properties within the 100-year floodplain in Sumter. Roodman estimates that there are about 1,400 damaged properties
FROM STAFF REPORTS
ITEM FILE PHOTO
Sumter firefighters install smoke detectors in local homes for free.
Battalion chief stresses fire safety BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The start of cooler weather and the approach of the Thanksgiving holiday can be a perfect recipe for fires, Sumter Fire Department Battalion Chief Johnnie Rose warned Tuesday. During cool weather, people are switching their cooling systems over to heat after having them on cool all summer, he said.
“Our main concern is people have their systems checked before they go from cool to heat,” Rose said. “They should get someone to come out and look at it before they do that.” Rose said the systems collect dust throughout the summer and when people turn the heat on, dust burns off the elements inside the heating unit.
SEE SAFETY, PAGE A14
An F-16 stationed at Shaw Air Force Base experienced an in-flight emergency during a training flight at approximately 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Shaw Air Force Base media advisory. The 20th Fighter Wing pilot reportedly followed a procedural checklist before jettisoning two 370-gallon external fuel tanks over an unpopulated area near the town of North. The pilot was able to make a safe landing at the Air Force North Auxiliary Airfield, about 16 miles northwest of Orangeburg. “We’re very happy that no one was hurt and that the pilot was able to land safely,” said Col. William Jones, 20th Fighter Wing vice commander. The cause of the incident is under investigation, the media advisory said.