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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014
THE SUMTER ITEM
Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: pressrelease@theitem.com
LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS
Pinewood man added to most wanted list A 23-year-old Pinewood man is wanted by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office for reportedly distributing marijuana. Kevin Leshawn Coard, of last known address 5785 Bethel Church Road, Pinewood, was added to the sheriff’s office’s most COARD wanted list Tuesday afternoon. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information on Coard’s whereabouts should immediately call the sheriff’s office at (803) 436-2000 or (803) 436-2718.
Board moves forward on Head Start grant application, amending expulsion policy BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 Sumter School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved first reading of a change to the expulsion of students policy Monday as well as the Early Head Start grant application for fiscal year 2014. Board clerk the Rev. Daryl McGhaney was not present. The amendment changing the expulsion hearing policy would allow appeals to the
board to be made in person. Still, it keeps the scope of any appeal to the evidentiary hearing results. “It’s up to the family,” said trustee Karen Michalik, who is on the policy subcommittee, which recommended the change. “They don’t have to be in person. It can be written, but either way, we will not entertain any new information.” The Early Head Start grant included the school district providing the $144,811 shortfall created by
the requirement of the program moving from 40 to 46 weeks per Head Start regulations. Trustee Larry Addison asked if this money included supplying computers, and Superintendent Frank Baker said it did not. “That will come from another pot of money,” Baker said. “We’re always upgrading labs in several schools, and we get a better deal with volume. Those will be included in that order.” The board also unani-
Puddin’ Swamp Festival returns for its 7th year
Charter school now enrolling k-12 students The South Carolina Virtual Charter School recently announced that it’s now enrolling students entering grades kindergarten through 12 for the 2014-15 school year. According to a recent news release, students who enroll in SCVCS will receive an academic program that includes web-based lessons that expand on traditional education methods. SCVCS will send books, CDs, videos and other tools for lessons and instruction to the students’ homes. SCVCS offers a variety of courses including accelerated classes, foreign languages, Advanced Placement, SAT preparation and credit recovery, as well as the core curriculum comprised of English/language arts, math, science, history, music and art. For more information on SCVCS and how to enroll, visit http://www.k12. com/scvcs.
BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com (803) 774-1211
Academy’s enrollment date ends March 31 Parents still have time to enroll their child in the Pee Dee Math, Science and Technology Academy for the 2014-15 school year. Open enrollment is underway until March 31 for all new students. The school will offer grades kindergarten through 5th grades next year. PDMSTA is authorized by the South Carolina Public Charter School District and the South Carolina Department of Education. The school provides free education to all children in the Greater Pee Dee region. For more information, contact the school office for an enrollment packet at (803) 428-4200. Parents can also download the application from the school’s website at www.pdmsta.org.
CORRECTION If you see a statement in error, contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or pressrelease@theitem.com.
mously approved the following: • To move the next meeting, on April 14, to Crestwood High School to honor the basketball team making it to the playoffs; • Board meeting schedule for 2014-15 with the caveat of trying to schedule one at the Adult Ed location meeting in the future; and • Early Head Start Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance polices and procedures and prioritization guidelines.
SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO
A child plays on a slide during a past Puddin’ Swamp Festival. This year’s festival will be April 10-12 and will include the Taste of Puddin’ Swamp dinner, street dancing, live music, food and craft vendors and more.
Turbeville’s seventh-annual Puddin’ Swamp Festival is set for April 10-12. The fun begins with the Taste of Puddin’ Swamp dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at Pine Grove United Methodist Church, 1090 Morgan St., Turbeville. “We have lots of desserts made by local churches and a varied menu,” said Faye Atkinson of the Town of Turbeville. “We have had such things as frog legs and alligator, a table where you can fix mashed potatoes any way you want to and a kid’s table with all kinds of candy.” Atkinson said local restaurants will also provide more traditional courses. Entertainment will be provided by The Plaids. Tickets are $20 and will be available at the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, Turbeville Town Hall and Turbeville Hardware. Friday, April 11, features a street dance with live music by Riptide on the town square. Food and crafts vendors will be available all day and carnival rides available from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 12, features music on the main stage of the town square, as well as vendors and the cornhole tournament starting at 4 p.m. For more information, call the Turbeville Town Hall at (843) 659-2781 or visit www.townofturbeville.com.
Sheheen, Haley filing to be on ballot for governor COLUMBIA (AP) — State Sen. Vincent Sheheen has filed for his spot on the ballot to challenge South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Sheheen, D-Camden, filed his paperwork Tuesday morning with the state Election Commission. Haley followed several hours later. Their filings officially signal the
long-expected rematch between the 2010 general election opponents. Sheheen lost by 4.5 percentage points. Both sides are already pointing fingers. While Haley’s advocates have run ads highlighting Sheheen’s support for expanding Medicaid, Sheheen rattles off issues that he says show her lack of leadership. At the top of his list is the
fall 2012 hacking of the Department of Revenue in which a cyber-thief stole unencrypted personal data belonging to 6.4 million people and businesses. It’s time to “put the nightmare of the last four years behind us,” Sheheen said. Haley said her opponent is just cherry-picking parts of her record.
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