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Sip and Stroll Ninth annual downtown wine-tasting festival benefits Sumter Senior Services C1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
$1.50
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015
IN SPORTS: Gamecocks fall, Clemson outlasts ’Pack
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Chamber hosts women leadership event FROM STAFF REPORTS The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce will host a Leadership for Women Conference on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the O’Donnell House, 120 E. Liberty St. The event began in 2010 with The Forum, a women’s group established decades ago. The mission was to bring
women together to discuss issues relevant to them in their lives and careers, said Nicole Milligan, vice president of operations for the Chamber. “The format of the event has evolved over the years, as have the topics of discussion,” she said, “but the overall theme is bringing women together to make connections, discuss relevant issues, share experiences and
learn from each other.” Milligan said feedback from previous events indicate participants not only appreciate the contacts they make with other women in the community but also gain insight into themselves and their interpersonal relationships. The event will include panel discussions with prominent Sumter area women including keynote speaker Tan
Kirby Davis, Sumter County Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney, YMCA’s Missy Corrigan, business owner Tammy Kelly, Capt. Alison Romanko and Sumter High School honor student Veronica Milke. A surprise guest will talk about her recent statewide recognition.
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SBA provides relief for businesses Agency picks up where FEMA leaves off in disaster recovery BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com William Hugh Epps, a Manning business owner and farmer, lost more than $100,000 worth of products in his store during the early October floods. Epps, who owns E&E Farm Garden & Pet on U.S. 521 near downtown Manning, had up to four feet of standing water in his store. Most of his products, including 250 to 300 bags of feed, farm and garden fertilizer, sunflower seeds and other items were destroyed in the flood. He has also had to replace the drywall in the building. Epps, 64, said he did not have insurance on the building or personal property lost. He applied with Federal Emergency Mamagement Agency and was referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration, because FEMA does not work with businesses. SBA provides lowinterest, long-term disaster loans to businesses, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters to repair or replace uininsured/underinsured disaster damaged property. However, the administration does not provide grants for disaster assistance, said Adrianne G. LaNeave, public affairs
specialist with the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance. Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets, she said. The interest rates are 4 to 6 percent for businesses and 2.6 percent for nonprofit organization with repayment plans of up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition, LaNeave said. Epps said he does not plan on applying for a loan with SBA and was hoping to be able to find a grant elsewhere that will help offset his losses. “I’m not really interested in an SBA loan,” he said. “How would that help me when I’m getting close to retirement?” For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA also offers economic injury disaster loans, LaNeave said. Those loans are available even if a business did not suffer any physical property damage, she KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM said. “These loans offset economic William Epps, 64, stands in the sales area of his store, E&E Feeds, in Manning with a pile of ruined work
boots. The recent floods caused $100,000 in damage to his store and inventory, and he is not elligible for SEE SBA, PAGE A11 aid, only a small business loan.
Police chief explains role of school resource officers BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Richland County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer Ben Fields was fired earlier this week after an incident in which he picked a student up with her desk and threw her across the room. The student refused to get up from her desk and leave the classroom, and she verbally challenged the
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officer’s actions during an attempted arrest. The Sumter Item sat down with Sumter Police Department Chief Russell F. Roark, III to learn about the role of school ROARK resource officers. Roark said the officers’ primary role is to provide security to the students, faculty and staff of the
school and ensure the safety of the campus. He said that when it comes to situations involving disciplinary actions, it is up to school administrators to enforce policies. However, it is a situational-based and fluid process, he said. “Our goal is to allow the leadership and administration of the school to mitigate problems by talking to the student,” Roark said. “We will be there in
support, but if they have an issue, then the administrator of the school will ask for our assistance. That is in a situation to where a student is being disruptive to other persons or property.” Roark said if there is an active situation that needs an immediate response from law enforcement, the department will take action. In those situations,
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