Historic Sumter cemetery gets reprieve

LAKE PANASOFFKEE - Descendants of those buried in a historic Sumter County African American cemetery can claim victory.

Relatives protested the county's plans to relocate about 70 graves in the Lake Panasoffkee Cemetery. The burial grounds date back to the late 1800s.

Last night, county commissioners voted unanimously to keep the cemetery as it is. In fact, commissioners gave the go-ahead to make improvements with new fencing and easier access.

Sumter County originally planned to move the graves to make way for a new business development.