off to the races in track finals — Sports, 1B
Remembering Zeta — news, 3A The Fishing Rodeo returns May 18 from 8 a.m. until noon at the Barnwell DNR office on Dunbarton Blvd.
news, 2A www.thepeoplesentinel.com
Volume 137, No. 4
WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2013
2 Sections/ 20 pages/ 75 cents
Hospital, county hit with federal lawsuit
Olympians compete
Susan C. Delk Managing Editor susan.delk@morris.com
Susan C. Delk /Managing Editor
Athletes and their student buddies begin the 2013 Barnwell County Special Olympics held at WillistonElko High School May 13. Susan C. Delk Managing Editor susan.delk@morris.com
Students from Barnwell and Allendale counties joined forces to compete in the Special Olympics held this year at Williston-Elko High School. Athletes and their student buddies strolled along the walking track at the practice field for the opening ceremony.
What today is known as the Special Olympics began in the 1950s and early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. She also saw that many children with intellectual disabilities didn’t even have a place to play. She decided to take action. Soon her vision began to take shape, as she held a summer day camp for young people with intellectual disabilities in her own
backyard. The goal was to learn what these children could do in sports and other activities – and not dwell on what they could not do. From those humble beginnings, just last month the Special Olympics program welcomed its onemillionth registered athlete. See additional photo can be found on page 5B and on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thepeoplesentinel.
A federal lawsuit was filed against Barnwell County and its hospital May 2 after the death of a patient, Josehpine Workman, at Barnwell
County Hospital Oct. 9, 2009. The suit, filed by Workman’s son Kendrick Workman in U.S. District Court in Aiken, alleges numerous “egregious Constitutional violations.” He is asking for damages with the amount to be determined by a jury. Court documents state, “These Constitutional claims are allegations of intentional and/or delibertly indifferent action by the defendants.” Court documents allege Josephine Workman entered the Barnwell County Hospital to have an elective surgical procedure but began having chest pains before being taken to surgery. Although medications were administered to Workman, the pains persisted. She was still taken into surgery for what is normally a two-hour procedure. Workman was in surgery for four hours and died on the operating table, according to the suit. The suit alleges that the hospital, Dr. Majeed Kaun, Aubrey DeWaine Thomas, CRNA, Michael Collins, Mary Valliant, Alexander Altman and other individuals to be named, made policies which put the financial gain of performing surgeries above patient care and safety. According to court documents, at the time of the surgery, Altman was the CFO of the hospital, Valliant was the CEO, COO and/or Director of Nursing/Medicine/Operations, Thomas was a certified nurse anesthetist and Collins was a licensed nurse. The unnamed individuals refer to persons who are believed to have had policymaking authority over the hospital’s employees during that time. The suit maintains their identities will be revealed during the “discovery process” of the case. The patient rating of a “4” given by the nurse anesthetist indicatedWorkman’s condition was “life-threatening” because of the chest pains. In a deposition, Thomas said he did not want to perform the surgery because of Workman’s chest pains. He also said he went to Dr. Kaun with his concerns but Kaun said they were going to See SUIT, 10A proceed.
Barnwell cocaine dealer gets life in prison Staff news@thepeoplesentinel.com www.thepeoplesentinel.com
Barnwell native, Terrance Lamar Wiggins, 33, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on May 9 in federal court. Wiggins was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm in December. Court evidence showed Wiggins dealt in hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, acted as a leader in his
drug distribution organization, and obstructed justice. Evidence presented at trial and at the sentencing showed Wiggins distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from 2005 until he was arrested in 2012. During that time, Wiggins regularly purchased as many as ten kilograms at a time and utilized others to distribute the cocaine in an around Barnwell. On March 28, 2012, local, state, and federal authorities raided Wiggins’ trailer in Barnwell. There, they found Wiggins and cocaine, along with scales, a bag-sealer, sealing bags, and five kilogram cocaine
wrappings. Additionally, officers found a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol sitting on the bed, a loaded SKS assault rifle under the bed, a loaded pistol-grip shotgun in the living room under the couch, and another rifle in an outbuilding. Officers also found hundreds of thousands of dollars hidden throughout the house - in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator, in the laundry room, in a secret hiding place behind the fireplace, in a pillowcase, and under the tub in the bathroom. More cash was found that the defendant had stashed at
his relatives’ houses. All told, officers recovered $741,257. The case was investigated primarily by the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office, the State Law Enforcement Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of the interagency Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s continued efforts in and around Barnwell County. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay N. Richardson and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey B. Wall.
Terrance Lamar Wiggins
SCA celebrates regional economic success Commerce secretary says relationships translate into jobs for region/state Laura j. Mckenzie Regional Publisher laura.mckenzie@morris.com
Economic and political leaders from six counties came together May 9 to celebrate the success of economic development in the region. It was an annual event that was more upbeat than in recent years. SCA president Danny Black said 2012 was a “ground-breaking year” with over $101.2 million in capital investment and the creation of 291 jobs in the counties of Allendale, Barnwell, Bamberg, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper. It was also an expansion year with Colleton and Jasper counties joining the SouthernCarolina Alliance. www.thepeoplesentinel.com
|
These included five new announcements and three major expansions by industries to infuse money and provide jobs. Black told those assembled that the SCA has had “175 face-to-face meetings” with prospects in the last year. He said the addition of Colleton and Jasper counties enables the region to “speak with a stronger voice”. Black also said, “We must be proactive in preparing our people” to fill the jobs industry has to offer. Adding his voice to those comments were South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Robert M. Hitt III. Hitt said he understands and is familiar with the needs of this
What’s Inside
region since his grandparents lived and ran a newspaper in Bamberg County. A former newspaperman himself, Hitt said, “I look at all parts of the economy” when considering economic opportunity. “We are one of the few states in the Southeast that is growing,” said Hitt. “Twenty years ago we were a textile state. Now we are an automotive, aeronautics, agribusiness, and complex manufacturing state.” He said, “The world we live in is a relationship world.” He said Gov. Laura McKenzie/Publisher Nikki Haley and his office have worked hard over the last two-and- Speakers at the SouthernCarolina Alliance annual regional celebration half years to establish and cement May 9 included (left to right) SCA President Danny Black, S.C. Secretary of Commerce Robert M. Hitt III, USC-Salkehatchie Dean Dr. Ann See SCA, 10A Carmichael, and SCA Vice Chairman Carl Gooding.
|
OPINION.................4A ARRESTS...............5A SOCIETY..............6-8A SPORTS...............1-4B CALENDAR..............5B Wed., May 15 CLASSIFIEDS.....7-10B Sunny TELEVISION.........9B High 88 Low 62
Weather Forecast
Thurs., May 16 Mostly sunny High 88 Low 63
Fri., May 17 Partly sunny High 87 Low 63
Sat., May 18 Mostly sunny High 87 Low 65