Wrongful death lawyer in Sumter, SC

Less than a week after Drew Marlowe officially stepped down as the head football coach at (SC), he has landed on his feet at another program in the same position.

According to a report by The Sumter Item, Sumter (SC) has hired Marlowe as the program’s next head football coach. Marlowe led South Florence to SCHSL Class 4A state championships in 2022 and 2024.

During his time as the South Florence head coach, Marlowe over the course of six seasons compiled an overall record of 63-16, which included four state championship game appearances and falling just short of a third 4A title in 2025, losing to South Pointe, 35-14.

The Bruins have seen a long-term level of success, with the last time the team having a losing season coming back in 2012. Since then, South Florence has racked up 13 straight winning seasons, including six double-digit victory campaigns.

Sumter finished with a 9-2 record and as the No. 5 ranked team in the state, according to the final South Carolina 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

More about Sumter High School

Sumter High School, located in Sumter, South Carolina, is a public high school serving grades 9 through 12. With an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students, it is the second-largest high school in the Midlands of South Carolina and the fifth largest in the state. The school’s mascot is the Gamecocks, named after General Thomas Sumter, known as “The Fighting Gamecock.” Sumter High offers a comprehensive athletics program with a rich history of success in various sports.

How to Follow South Carolina High School Football

For South Carolina high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Palmetto State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across South Carolina.

Sumter County, SC – The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing phone and text scam targeting locals and prompting renewed safety concerns.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, scammers are impersonating law enforcement officers or court officials and allegedly pressuring victims to pay fake fines or fees under threat of immediate arrest.

Sheriff Anthony Dennis said callers often demand payment through credit or debit cards, mobile payment apps, or gift cards. In some reported cases, victims were allegedly kept on the phone while purchasing gift cards and even transferred to a second individual posing as another officer to “verify” the warrant.

Officials said scammers have also placed conference calls that display the actual phone number of a local law enforcement agency, making the calls appear legitimate.

In a recent update, the Sheriff’s Office said scammers have begun targeting Tinder users and are using the name of Investigator D. West as part of the scheme.

The agency emphasized that it does not collect payments over the phone and does not handle warrants or arrests by telephone. All fines must be paid in person at the courthouse, and individuals with warrants must appear in person with identification.

Residents are urged to avoid sharing personal or financial information by phone, text, or email, and to verify suspicious calls by contacting the Sheriff’s Office directly using a publicly listed number.

Officials say students, online dating app users, and older adults may be especially vulnerable to these impersonation tactics.

Anyone receiving a call threatening arrest or demanding payment should hang up immediately and contact the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The search for Sumter School District’s next superintendent is moving into its next phase, with the Board of Trustees naming three finalists for the position and scheduling opportunities for public input.

The school district has been without a permanent superintendent following the sudden resignation of former superintendent William Wright in August.

Applications for the job closed on Jan. 3 five months after Wright’s departure and after multiple communtiy engagement sessions were held by the consulting firm the district hired to help find candidates, BWP Consulting.

The three finalists bring a mix of local ties, statewide experience and national leadership backgrounds.

H. MiUndrae Prince

Prince currently serves as the Executive Director of Schools for Richland County School District One, where he oversees PK-12 programs at 48 different schools. He has held this role since 2015.

While in his current role, Prince launched an Aspiring Leaders Program, with 90% of participants later becoming principals.

He began his career in education as an English teacher in Darlington before moving to Richland One, where he later became an assistant principal.

Prince was named principal of Columbia High School in 1999, becoming its first African-American principal. He later worked with the South Carolina Department of Education as the coordinator for the High Schools that Work program.

From there, he worked as an associate superintendent in the Kansas City, Missouri, public school system before becoming Associate Chancellor of the Education Authority in Michigan.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from SC State University, a master’s from the University of South Carolina and two doctorates from the University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri.

He is also the author of “Mending Broken Wings: Seven Strategies for Improving the Academic Performance of Males of Color,” and was a finalist for Sumter superintendent in 2022.

Gerald Gary

Gary, a Sumter native and Sumter schools graduate, is currently the Chief Operations Officer for Lexington-Richland School District Five, where he oversees facilities, technology, transportation and student nutrition services for the district’s 27 schools.

He also assists with long-range and strategic planning for district-level staff.

In his current role, he oversees Lexington-Richland Five’s changes to school attendance zones and its $240 million in construction projects.

Gary began his career as a teacher in Richland School District Two before becoming an elementary school principal in Kershaw County. He has served as an elementary, middle, and high school principal throughout his time in Lexington-Richland Five. 15 of his former assistant principals have now become principals

Gary also taught summer school for a year in Sumter.

He holds a bachelor’s from Francis Marion University, a master’s from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.

Cassandra Barker

Barker is currently the Deputy Superintendent of the Lancaster Independent School District in Texas and has spent 30 years in K-12 education.

She currently chairs the District Advisory Committee, where she leads students, staff, parents, and other community leaders in developing annual improvement plans.

She also oversees the district’s annual budgets and has conducted multiple internal audits to identify recurring savings and move those from administration to classroom expenses.

Barker completely rebuilt the district’s infrastructure following a ransomware attack. Her leadership in the district has enabled it to achieve a 100% graduation rate for four consecutive years.

She is a first-generation college graduate and holds a bachelor’s in psychology and masters in counseling from the University of Louisiana-Monroe and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

The next phase of the process includes finalist interviews and community engagement events known as a “Day in the District,” scheduled for March 2, 3 and 4.

The school board says community involvement will be a key factor in the final decision. Some residents say that engagement is especially important given the district’s recent leadership turnover.

“Since we’ve been in town, I would suspect it might have been five superintendents, and we’ve been in town 43 years,” said Brenda Williams, a Sumter County resident. “I’m one to propose — and I’ve done it in the past — the school district go back to the old-fashioned thing. Actually go out to the community. Visit the community.”

Questions also remain about the district’s ongoing financial obligations arising from Wright’s resignation. Requests have been submitted to the district and the South Carolina Department of Education seeking records related to Wright’s employment and resignation agreement.

Each finalist is expected to participate in interviews and public engagement events during their scheduled visits. The Board of Trustees is expected to make a final decision after all three candidates complete their community visits.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Health officials confirmed the first measles case in the Midlands since South Carolina’s outbreak began late last year, with a case reported in Sumter County.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported that the Sumter case is among 29 new cases statewide, bringing the total to 876, mostly in the Upstate.

Of that number, data shows 800 were not vaccinated for measles as of Feb. 3.

Officials don’t know how the Sumter County person was infected.

The Department of Public Health warned the public about possible exposures at three Sumter locations between Jan. 23 and Jan. 25:

Doctors say measles is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets. The Department of Public Health recommends that anyone possibly exposed monitor for symptoms, which can appear seven to 12 days after exposure.

Symptoms include cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes and fever, followed by a rash.

The state saw a 7,000-vaccine increase in January 2026 compared to January 2025. State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said 95% vaccination coverage is needed to maintain herd immunity.

“It is that level of vaccination coverage that helped us achieve measles elimination,” Bell said. “That is a goal overall here in South Carolina and nationally- that we can maintain that high vaccination coverage that we saw twenty years ago.”

Sumter County resident Tee Roberts said the outbreak is not getting the level of concern it needs.

“It’s very concerning because people now are more worried about COVID and the Flu, they don’t realize the measles are around and have been for a long time and it’s very serious,” Roberts said. “I’m very concerned, I think in a few more weeks or months, we should start putting gloves and masks on like we did before.”

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed and developed symptoms should contact their healthcare provider before going in person.

This is a developing story. Stay with WIS for updates.

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State health officials are reporting 29 new cases of measles in the state since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in South Carolina related to the Upstate outbreak to 876.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) said there are currently 354 people in quarantine and 22 in isolation. The latest end of quarantine for these cases is Feb. 24.

DPH has also confirmed a case of measles in a Sumter County resident. At this point in the investigation, it is not yet clear whether this new case is linked to the Upstate outbreak centered around Spartanburg County or if the case may have been exposed where measles is occurring in other locations.

As of Feb. 3, 800 of those infected are unvaccinated; 16 are partially vaccinated; 22 are fully vaccinated and the vaccination status of 38 are unknown.

Spartanburg County has the highest number of cases, which is currently at 841.

DPH has identified numerous locations where exposures to infectious measles may have occurred. DPH has defined the times of potential exposure at the following locations:

DPH is not aware of any risk for measles exposure at these locations beyond the periods of time given.

People who were exposed at Mariachis Mexican Restaurant, Food Lion, and Walmart Neighborhood Market, especially those without immunity through vaccination or previous disease, should monitor for symptoms through Feb. 13, Feb. 14, and Feb. 15, respectively. Measles symptoms to watch for typically begin 7-12 days (but can occur up to 21 days) after exposure, and include cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes, and fever followed by a rash two to three days later that starts on the face then spreads to the rest of the body.

If anyone who may have been exposed develops an illness with fever (101°F or more), cough, runny nose or red eyes, with or without rash, immediately call a health care provider and let them know about the exposure and symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next. Arrangements like the use of masks or isolating you from others in waiting areas to evaluate you without putting others at risk of exposure may be utilized. You may be asked to stay at home until the doctor clears you.

In response to the ongoing measles outbreak in the Upstate, DPH will activate its Mobile Health Unit this week to offer measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination to the public at no cost on Friday, Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 520 S. Daniel Morgan Avenue, Spartanburg.

Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent measles and stop this outbreak. Vaccines are available at many primary care provider offices and pharmacies, as well as DPH Health Departments.