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SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2016
N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
THE SUMTER ITEM
H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item
Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Rick Carpenter Managing Editor
20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894
One more tribute to Ray Davenport BY HUBERT OSTEEN
W
COMMENTARY
allie Jones posted a nice tribute to the late Ray Davenport in his Friday letter to the editor. However, there is one factual correction I must make to his letter: He wrote in part: “After reading everything else in the paper first, I joyously and sadly read the wonderful tributes. Sadness because I knew there would probably be no more written tributes to Ray Davenport ...” Wrong, Wallie; there’s one more tribute: Mine. I wanted to join the parade of Ray Davenport admirers who mourn his passing this week.
So here it is. My family and I have had a long history with Ray. I first knew him as a graphics designer at the Osteen-Davis school/office supplies and commercial printing company on West Liberty Street founded by my father and Joe Ed Davis. Ray contributed mightily to that business with his design skills in preparing print products for local businesses. To mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Item, he even created a special flag in 1994. From there he went on to establish
his own business as a freelance artist whose paintings in all mediums earned him numerous awards for his creativity in the visual arts. Many homes in Sumter proudly display Ray works by Ray, includDavenport ing mine. One of his works is a painting of my home, and another is a beautiful acrylic painting of an old buggy in a field at sunset. All of the accolades that Ray received after his death were richly deserved. He was one of the good guys
whom I never saw with a frown on his face. To the contrary, he was a warm, cheerful, upbeat, generous and delightful human being. Every time I saw him, he made the day better for me. To have him as a friend was a blessing. He was not a South Carolina native, but he became one of us in a short amount of time and stood the test of time in so many important ways helping make Sumter a better community because of his presence. In the time he spent with us, he became a treasure, one that will truly be missed. Reach Hubert D. Osteen Jr. at hubert@ theitem.com.
COMMENTARY
New CCTC program a great opportunity
F
ree is good, especially when it comes to offering advanced college education on the local level. Our top story of the week by a landslide on www.theitem.com was reporter Konstantin Vengerowsky’s Thursday piece on Central Carolina Technical College. Central Carolina President Tim Hardee announced an innovative new program offering free tuition to qualifying college students from Sumter, Clarendon, Lee Graham and Kershaw counties. It Osteen starts with this year’s 2016 graduating class — http://bit.ly/1WDZzre. This is a big deal, and Hardee puts it in perspective: “This is the first time in South Carolina that students will have access to tuition-free college education,” he said. “In addition to benefiting students and their parents, this scholarship opportunity will also serve as an economic development tool, which will attract new industry as well as benefit our existing businesses and industry.” A partnership between the college, all public and private high schools in all of the counties, county and city councils, economic development boards and commissions and various corporate sponsors will provide $250,000 a year for qualifying students, according to our reporting. A representative from Gov. Nikki Haley’s office said there are 66,000 open jobs in South Carolina and 100,000 people who are unemployed. The economic realities of the present and future require people of all ages to learn new skills in order to progress in most industries, and that often requires ongoing education. Area young people who finish high school and get right into the types of programs Central Carolina offers have a better chance of success because they learn this reality early. They’re not afraid of school. Older workers who want or need to learn new skills have the same great opportunities in their own community through Central Carolina. Just to get an idea of what’s available, here’s the current list of offerings: — http://bit.ly/1PukxTL ••• On a similar positive educational note, Adrienne Sarvis reported in that same Thursday edition about University
‘Sumter is fortunate to have two such strong, affordable higher educational institutions ...’ of South Carolina Sumter celebrating 50 years. Her story was accompanied by Keith Gedamke’s great front page photo of students taking a group selfie picture — http://bit.ly/1UiExNi We were reminded that USC Sumter began in 1966 as a Clemson University campus, then switched to a USC campus seven years later. Sumter is fortunate to have two such strong, affordable higher educational institutions, and their longevity and success have been the result of many outstanding leaders and strong public support through the years. Students of all ages can advance through USC Sumter’s wide range of programs, found here at www.uscsumter.edu. ••• Finally this week, we learned on Saturday that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is considering running for president as an independent. Given the current state of affairs, that’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time. It will certainly elevate the discussion. According to The New York Times, “One adviser said that Mr. Bloomberg’s preparations reflected the unsettled state of the race, and the perception that Mrs. Clinton was flagging against Mr. Sanders. Mr. Bloomberg, this adviser said, believes voters want “a nonideological, bipartisan, resultsoriented vision” that the early primary favorites have not presented.” Amen to that. Anyone but Trump, Cruz, Sanders or Clinton is OK with me. According to various political sites, “No third-party candidate has ever won a U.S. presidential election. The strongest showing for a thirdparty candidate came in 1912, when former President Teddy Roosevelt left the Republican Party. He ended up coming in second, with 27.4 percent of the popular vote and 88 electoral votes.” The odds are long, and it’s still early, but this is a race unlike any we’ve ever seen. Graham Osteen is Editor-AtLarge of The Sumter Item. He can be reached at graham@ theitem.com. Follow him on Twitter @GrahamOsteen or visit www.grahamosteen.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED My daughter, Paige Watts, was involved in and accident at Liberty and Guignard on Dec. 29, 2015. I was out of town at the time, however, her husband Brian and my son Jeremy went to the scene. It was a horrific impact, and Paige was really dazed, extremely anxious, at first not being sure what had even happened. All personnel on scene were not only attentive to Paige and others involved in the accident, but they kept Jeremy and Brian informed as to what was taking place. The personnel are: • Sumter City Police Department: James Sinkler and Melissa Buck; • Sumter County Sheriff’s Office: Robert Mitchum; and • Sumter County Emergency Medical Services: Lisa Rowell, Luice Baer, Chris Chuala, David Pendarvis and Elizabeth Case. There was also a young man, Matt Gregory, who works at the Valvoline Oil Change (quick lube) store on Liberty, who saw the accident, went to the scene, checked on the injured, called 91, and stayed there until emergency personnel arrived. Paige expressed to me how comforting it was to her as well as her husband and brother. My sincerest thanks go out to these personnel and all who serve others in time of need. Please know that my prayers are with you all daily. GLENN HARRELL Sumter
BE AWARE OF UNRELIABLE AND INVALID STATISTICS I read with interest the letter to the editor that was written by Sheriff Anthony Dennis on January 8, 2016. I, too, am proud of the way this community came together as a family to get through the October’s once-in-a-thousand years flood. I am also proud of how all of the agencies — federal, state and local performed their duties in the face of such a catastrophic event. I am also proud of the individuals who worked tirelessly to help their neighbors and friends and to once again, prove that Sumter County is a big village that comes together in the time of need.
I am also happy as a lifelong resident of Sumter County to have done my part during the flood by taking bottled water to the students at my Alma Mater (Morris College) and using my old pickup truck to check on as many people in Sumter County as I could, especially those in the low-lying area of Eastern Sumter County. I thank God that with a sense of purpose and unity, this great community is on the right track to recover and becoming an even stronger and vibrant place to live. I also read with keen curiosity and interest the 2015 accomplishments cited by Sheriff Dennis. Sheriff Dennis stated that from 2012 to 2015, Sumter County had an 80 percent reduction in homicides and an overall clearance rate of 50 percent with the national average being 33 percent. So armed with this bit of excellent information, I decided to do some research for facts to support these statistics. I read and analyzed data from three sources in order to come up with a more accurate record of crime in Sumter County. I researched the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and Criminal Justice Information Services Division, and I also analyzed information and data from the United States Census Bureau. What I was able to extrapolate from my research was a stark difference from what Sheriff Dennis wrote in his letter to the editor. BENNY L. WEBB Retired S.C. Law Enforcement Division senior agent Sumter Editor’s notes: Webb is a candidate for sheriff of Sumter County. Because this letter exceeded the 350-word length as stated in our Editorial Page Policies which appears regularly on this page, it can be read in its entirety under Opinion on The Sumter Item’s website, www.theitem. com.
THESE PEOPLE LEAD OUR CHILDREN? I wanted to take the time to publicly acknowledge a few individuals for their assistance recently. Who did it? The State or the District Office is the Question? Each of
them are blaming it on the other. Are these the kind of people we want leading our children? This situation is well overdue to be settled for stressing parents out. If you are trying to complete that task, you are doing a great job. We request that the bus stop be relocated because it was an accurate stop for all parents; and children and it has been a nightmare every since. To please the only Caucasian lady and her daughter in the neighborhood, the bus stop was moved one hundred feet from her driveway for unsafe reasons because of an intersection driveway. Now the children are getting off in the grass at the corner of a house rather than someone else’s driveway. No one wants their children to walk anymore; and they think why people in the world can’t control their children. Since the bus stop has been moved, we are dealing with the bus drivers. Listen to the parent and children as to where to let the children off the bus. Then we go back to the state and district office blaming each other. Then the state office coming out and saying that as long as they are on their porch and start to the bus, he (the driver) can wait on them or pick them up. Is this teaching them responsibility for the job world or what? Are the parents teaching them responsibility? If everyone starts doing the same, then no one would make it to school or breakfast on time. I can’t believe he said that, and he said it twice. When my children or I caught the bus and were not at the bus stop on time, we were left behind. I remember running the bus down many times with my youngest because she procrastinated in the mornings. The bus passes our home to go to the next bus stop which is more than four-tenths of a mile from the previous bus stop. CARRIE LONEY Sumter Editor’s note: Because this letter exceeded the 350-word length as stated in our Editorial Page Policies which appears regularly on this page, it can be read in its entirety under Opinion on The Sumter Item’s website, www.theitem.com.