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VOL. 118, NO. 228 WWW.THEITEM.COM
Local home sales climb
TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013 | SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
FOUNDED OCTOBER 15, 1894
60 CENTS
Judicial center gets grand opening
BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com The housing market in Sumter continues to show rapid improvement, as both home sales and sale prices continued to climb in June. According to the South Carolina Board of Realtors, the Sumter area market saw home sales increase by 19 percent in June when compared to last year, making this the 11th time in the past 12 months area housing sales have outpaced sales from the same time a year before. Because of this continued growth, halfway through 2013, Sumter sales were 21 percent ahead of 2012 levels. Marking its highest point in nearly three years, the median home sale price in the Sumter market also climbed nearly 10 percent to $142,500 in June, nearly 10 percent ahead of the median price of a year ago. Lisa Svetlik, broker-in-charge at the Sumter office of ERA Wilder Realty, said activity at their office has picked up substantially recently, which she attributes in part to people feeling more comfortable with current economic conditions. “I think when people see interest rates move up a little bit, it makes them maybe go ahead and decide to do something when they’ve maybe been sitting on the fence for a little while,” Svetlik said. Even with sales increasing, Svetlik said the local market continues to offer a wide array of home choices for the potential buyer. “There’s a good selection out there, but that good selection is shrinking,” Svetlik said. “We’re beginning to see recovery, and people’s confidence
ABOVE: Though business technically started in the Sumter County Judicial Center on June 10, local officials waited roughly a month to hold a grand opening ceremony. That time came Monday afternoon, with state and local legal authorities marveling at the 80,000-square-foot structure. LEFT: South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Jean H. Toal said the new Sumter County Judicial Center is an “asset to the justice system in Sumter and in South Carolina” during the grand opening ceremony. PHOTOS BY ROBERT J. BAKER / THE ITEM
Legal officials celebrate 3-story, $20 million project starting earlier this year so that Sumter Clerk of Court Jamie Campbell could move his offices and others in by the end of May. It was a deadline he missed by only a couple of weeks, and the building officially opened June 10. “This is just a grand facility,” Campbell said Monday. “I’m proud to be able to show it off.” The three-story, $20 million project began taking shape in September 2011, although Campbell and other county officials began talking about replacing the Sumter County Courthouse as early as 2008. Though
BY ROBERT J. BAKER bbaker@theitem.com It will be several months at least before 3rd Circuit Judge Howard P. King will preside over court in the new Sumter County Judicial Center. But he was sure to take his time showing others through the new building on Monday, both before and after local officials held a grand opening ceremony for the building, which was paid for through the Penny for Progress tax approved by voters in 2008. “(This building) is a tremendous asset to the administration of justice in Sumter County,” King said.
SEE HOME SALES, PAGE A9
Sumter County Clerk of Court Jamie Campbell said the new Sumter County Judicial Center is about 80,000 square feet and includes more than 300 doors and 35 miles of cable.
“It’s something we’ve needed for a long time, and I think it will enable everyone to do their jobs better.”
Crews from Sumterbased Thompson Turner Construction worked on the facility seven days a week
SEE JUDICIAL CENTER, PAGE A9
Carolina Skies seeks outside contractor to run eatery BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com Officers and enlistees alike come to the Carolina Skies Club to relax and have a bit to eat. Today, the club’s food services fall under the onbase 20th Force Support Squadron, which oversees
much of Shaw Air Force Base’s recreational activities. But by the end of the year, airmen and soldiers will be eating in the only base eatery in the country outsourced to a private business. Shaw is currently taking bids for any interested restaurateur to take over food ser-
20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150 (USPS 525-900)
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INTERESTED? Details of the solicitation process are posted on the website FedBizOpps.gov under the solicitation number FA4803-13-R-A004.
vices at the club and catering functions for any events held there, essentially providing
Force Support Squadron, who oversees Carolina Skies. “If someone wants to be an entrepreneur and has a culinary background, you’ve got a targeted audience here.” Bids will be accepted by the 20th Contracting Squadron SEE CAROLINA SKIES, PAGE A12
OUTSIDE BREAK IN RAIN
DEATHS Amanda G. Richardson Charlie Davis Jr. Anne Y. McDonald Livingston A. Scott Clifton Wells Jr.
the space and equipment for someone to expand their business. “It’s a good opportunity to make money, even though the clientele might be smaller than you would get at a place downtown,” said Sandra Heredia, chief of sustainment services flight with the 20th
Deborah B. Thomas Isaac Jackson Vurh Ruby H. Moses Alexander Lowery
Partly sunny today; partly cloudy tonight B6
HIGH: 94 LOW: 73 A8
INSIDE 3 SECTIONS, 26 PAGES
Clarendon Sun C1 Classifieds B7 Comics C6 Daily Planner A12 Opinion A11 Television A10