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THE CLARENDON SUN

Elected county officials, deputies sworn in A6 THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

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Committee provides recommendations have already been addressed and will be presented officially to the board tonight at a special called meeting where he will present an emergency financial plan. The board requested the plan from Baker at a special called meeting Dec. 20 in the wake of the audit’s findings. Tonight’s special called meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road. Per instruction from the board, Baker worked with the auditor at the end of December to produce a mid-year

School board superintendent to present emergency financial plan BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com Sumter School District Finance Committee recommended the board of trustees address staffing, review financial reports and consolidate schools as solutions to a district debt crisis on Wednesday at its monthly meeting. The committee’s list of recommendations to the board for cost-saving measures come after the district’s

2015-16 audit report, released last month, showed the district had gone over budget by $6.2 million in the fiscal year ending June 30. The audit also revealed the district had $106,449 in its general fund at the end of the fiscal year — a critically low level, according to auditor Robin Poston. Other committee recommendations Wednesday included freezing capital spending, adding an appropriate fulltime person in the district’s finance department to monitor spending as

closely as possible, and conducting a mid-year budget review, which was initially recommended by Poston when she presented the audit report in December. Committee Chairman and board member Johnny Hilton also suggested that cost-cutting measures should affect classroom instruction as little as possible. Superintendent Frank Baker told committee members Wednesday that several of their recommendations

SEE COMMITTEE, PAGE A10

Snowfall could be in forecast for Sumter

Baker wants to improve learning experiences

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

adrienne@theitem.com

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS

Snow may be in Sumter’s forecast for the weekend. While the prospect for snow is still uncertain, cold temperatures are not, said National Weather Service Columbia Warning Coordinator John Quagliariello. “Whether it snows or not, it will be cold,” he said. Saturday’s high temperature may not get out of the 30s, he said. “Overnight lows next weekend and next week may be in the 20s, so it’s really going to be a cold spell we are looking at for the weekend,” Quagliariello said. As of Wednesday morning, he said forecasters are seeing a mix of sleet and possibly some freezing rain late Friday into Saturday morning. “It’s questionable where that transition occurs at this point,” he said. “Does it become all snow, is there a mix, do we get some sleet in there?” Quagliariello said the biggest impacts will probably come Saturday morning. “We could see sleet and freezing rain mixing in, turning over to snow on Saturday,” he said. “We still want to monitor for some accumulating snow on Saturday morning, but right now it is still limited confidence as to where that transition will occur.” Snow requires the atmosphere to be at or below freezing from the ground to the clouds, and that appears to be likely for this weekend, he said. “You start getting things like sleet if you have a layer of warm air just above the surface so the snow melts,” Quagliariello said. “In this case, we are looking at temperatures near or just below freezing from the clouds down to the surface.” He said besides the timing, a lot of uncertainty in the forecast is if there are any warm layers and how deep they might be. He said the good news is that if it snows, it will be during the weekend. “That limits the potential for traffic problems,” he said.

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spoken 22-year-old white man said calmly as he stood in front of a podium, occasionally glancing at notes. “I am not going to lie to you. ... Other than the fact that I trust people that I shouldn’t and the fact that I’m probably better at constantly embarrassing myself than anyone who’s ever existed, there’s nothing wrong with me psychologically.” Roof’s attorneys have indicated that he chose to represent himself during the sentencing phase of his trial because he was worried they might present embarrassing evidence about himself or his family. As early as last summer, they said

Sumter School District Superintendent Frank Baker did not touch on the subject of the school district’s budget while he spoke during Sumter Vision in Progress’ meeting on Wednesday but discussed ways to improve learning experiences for students. Baker said the district’s efforts to introduce technology in the classrooms has been a success by providing laptops BAKER for students. The concept behind providing the computers is to prepare students for college where technology is heavily integrated into assignments, he said. Baker said teachers are able to monitor what the students are doing on their computers during class, and parents have been educated on how students should be using the laptops while at home. Another project the district is tackling is trying to stay ahead of the state’s Read to Succeed law, which requires teachers to retain students who are not able to read at grade level by the time they complete the third grade, Baker said. District administration is discussing ways to identify

SEE ROOF, PAGE A10

SEE BAKER, PAGE A10

AP FILE PHOTO

This undated photo that appeared on Lastrhodesian.com, a website investigated by the FBI in connection with Dylann Roof, shows him posing for a photo holding a Confederate flag. Roof, who would later admit he wanted to start a race war, fatally shot eight black worshippers and their pastor at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.

Roof talks to jury Claims ‘nothing wrong with me psychologically’ CHARLESTON (AP) — Convicted Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof spoke to the jury for the first time at his death penalty trial Wednesday, telling them there’s nothing wrong with him psychologically and that he is not trying to keep any secrets from them. But perhaps most important is what he didn’t say: He didn’t ask jurors to spare him from the death penalty. The jury last month unanimously found Roof guilty of hate crimes and other charges in the shooting deaths of nine black church members during Bible study. The jurors will now decide whether he should be sentenced to life in prison or death. “My opening statement is going to seem a little bit out of place,” the soft-

City residents seeking answers to discolored water woes BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Orange sidewalks and stained driveways and lawn statues marked with a rich, rust-colored patina are some of the signs that something isn’t right on Sun Valley Drive. After complaining to City of Sumter numerous times about the red discolored water that has reportedly plagued the area for years, some residents say they’ve had enough. KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM “We are fighting right now,” said Brianna Carter talks about the rust stains that are Brianna Carter, who lives on the street. discoloring her home off Kolb Road. Carter has At Tuesday night’s regular city tried pressure washing and industrial cleaners council meeting, several residents showed up to air their concerns. but has had no luck removing the stains.

CONTACT US Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1246 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News and Sports: 774-1226

DEATHS, B4, B5 Raymond Holliday William E. Smith Lillian J. Ghrael Samuel Jefferson Ethel P. Edwards Tracy Morales William J. Epps

Roosevelt Miller Ruby B. Williams Margaret P. Parker Lillian R. Tarvin Beulah T. Hollis Martha Bennett

Carter attended the meeting with a friend, but she said she had no idea her neighbors who have had the same problem would show up as well. “I am glad they did,” she said. Carter and other people who spoke at the council meeting said they are tired of not getting answers. “We were dumbfounded when the mayor (Joe McElveen) and Mr. Harris (Assistant City Manager Al Harris) said they knew about the problem,” she said. “Harris even has a

SEE WATER, PAGE A10

WEATHER, A12 Roberta Boatner Theodore Wright Jr. Peggy Ann Wilson Clara W. Carter Turner A. Green Jesse J. Stuckey Annie Oaks

SUNSHINE

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INSIDE

2 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES VOL. 122, NO. 59

Classifieds B8 Comics B7 Opinion A11 Television B6

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

THE SUMTER ITEM

Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: pressrelease@theitem.com

Legislators to outline plans for 2017 session BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The South Carolina General Assembly will host its annual workshop with members of the South Carolina Press Association today in Columbia. During last year’s luncheon, legislators were dealing with a badly underfunded roads system, a mandate from the South Carolina Supreme Court to improve education in rural school districts, ethics reform and the aftermath of a 1,000-year flood. They were also anticipating a $1.3 billion surplus, something Sen. Harry Peeler likened to putting money in a trough and yelling “Sooie!” Many of the issues on the General Assembly’s plate a year ago were not addressed and will return to the Statehouse this year. Once again this year, the General Assembly will attempt to come to grips with a still badly underfunded roads system, the Supreme Court education mandate and ethics reform. In addition, legislators are under pressure to fix a $30-billion deficit in the state pension system. All of this comes in the midst of a slowdown in anticipated revenues, according to the S.C. Office of the Comptroller General. At today’s workshop, State Budget Director Les Boles will give an overview of revenue and spending projections. Unobligated funds will likely be in the range of $400 million, Boles said Wednesday. According to the meeting agenda, legislators will also discuss tax reform, gun control and Freedom of Information Act reform. A report on the workshop will be included in Friday’s Sumter Item.

Economist sees manufacturing rebound in rural metro areas BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com A recent report shows more rural metropolitan areas in the Carolinas, such as Sumter, have lagged the larger metro cities in job growth in the last year, but a regional economist thinks a rebound in U.S. manufacturing will soon provide an uptick for those communities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor recently released its Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Report for November 2016, detailing annual trends in the 387 metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. South Carolina consists of eight MSAs, or major employment markets. Some are individual counties, while others consist of contiguous counties considered part of a single market area. For example, Sumter is its own MSA, as well as Spartanburg County. Meanwhile, the Florence MSA consists of two counties: Florence and Darlington. According to Rick Kaglic, senior regional economist with the Charlotte branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, nonfarm payroll employment is one of the more comprehensive employment indicators from BLS be-

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Marcus Wilson, a material handler in the Finished Goods Warehouse at Continental Tire the Americas, stacks tires for shipment. cause it covers about 85 percent of employment on the national level. According to the recent BLS KAGLIC report, the Sumter MSA had a net payroll employment increase of 100 jobs from November 2015 through November 2016, growing from 39,300 jobs to 39,400 jobs or 0.3 percent. BLS statistics exclude military employment. For a relational perspective, the Florence MSA grew in net payroll employment by 0.5

STATE BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Legislator indicted on domestic violence charges COLUMBIA — A South Carolina legislator accused of beating his wife has been indicted on charges that could net him up to 25 years in prison. State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Wednesday that an Aiken County grand jury indicted Rep. Chris Corley on felony charges of domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature and pointing a firearm. The domestic violence charge alone can bring a maximum sentence of 20 years.

percent or 400 jobs — from 87,700 to 88,100 — in the same time frame, according to BLS. Kaglic attributes the slower overall growth in the smaller MSAs in the last year to a sluggish U.S. manufacturing sector. Manufacturing is generally a dominant industry sector in these MSAs. “Manufacturing has struggled across basically all industry segments in the last year,” Kaglic said. “The global economy has not been growing as robustly, and a stronger U.S. dollar cripples U.S. manufacturers because it makes the goods and ser-

The Graniteville Republican was arrested last week on a lesser charge: first-degree domestic violence, which carries up to 10 years. In a 911 call from Corley’s home, young children could be heard screaming “just stop daddy” in the background. Wilson’s office says Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr. asked Wilson to take the case.

Templeton postponing decision on governor’s race COLUMBIA — One of the top Republicans expected to enter South Carolina’s governor’s race is postponing her decision. Catherine Templeton told The Associ-

vices we produce here more expensive on the global marketplace.” Kaglic thinks U.S. manufacturing is starting to grow again and will benefit the smaller MSAs, including Sumter. “The good news for a place like Sumter is it does appear manufacturing is starting to rebound,” Kaglic said. He said the global market is stabilizing and will grow a little faster while the dollar has come down against foreign currencies. That makes U.S. manufactured goods less expensive, he said.

ated Press Wednesday that encouragement from those urging her to run “has been overwhelming.” Templeton says she’ll wait until spring to make a final decision however, adding that “running for governor is not something to be taken lightly.” Templeton said she spoke out after an AP story on next year’s race. The expected early departure of Nikki Haley to serve as U.N. ambassador means current Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster will likely be running as an incumbent in 2018. The anti-union attorney has run South Carolina’s labor and public health departments. Templeton says, “right now, I just want to listen to the people of South Carolina.”

Woman killed with kids called 911 as ex-boyfriend broke in BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press COLUMBIA (AP) — Marissa Reynoso’s voice was calm at first when she called 911 on New Year’s Day, saying her ex-boyfriend was trying to break in through a window. It was her third plea for help in the weeks since he threatened suicide and told her “I’ll see you in heaven.” But about 40 seconds into Sunday’s call, a voice screamed “he’s got a gun!” For the next several minutes, the emergency operator unsuccessfully tried to get her back to the phone.

Deputies arrived about a minute after they were dispatched but, by then, she and her children were already dead. Jorge Chavez, 25, shot his way through the back door of the West Columbia home, shooting his 26-year-old former girlfriend several times in the chest, their 3-year-old son in the back and their 1-year-old daughter in the chest before killing himself with a gunshot to the head, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said in a statement late Tuesday night. The bodies were all found in a bedroom of the home, and it appeared Reynoso had no time to try to hide or

lock herself inside the room after Chavez broke in, Lexington County Sheriff’s Capt. Adam Myrick said. For more than a decade, South Carolina has had some of the highest rates of domestic violence killings in the nation. Sunday’s deaths follow a pattern of frequent, disturbing threats and unwanted visits by men who physically and mentally abuse their former partners. Reynoso and Chavez broke up in October after five years together. She first called 911 about her ex-boyfriend on Nov. 14, telling Lexington County deputies that Chavez threatened to kill

himself, showed her a rope in his passenger seat and said “I can’t do this anymore. I’ll see you in heaven” before driving off, according to a police report. Chavez returned unannounced on Dec. 12 after Reynoso agreed to let him see their children. He knocked on her bedroom window asking her to come outside so they could talk. She refused, a police report said. The gun Chavez used was reported stolen in the town of Clinton several years ago. Deputies aren’t sure how Chavez got it, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said in a statement.

HOW TO REACH US IS YOUR PAPER MISSING? ARE YOU GOING ON VACATION? 36 W. Liberty St., Sumter, S.C. 29150 (803) 774-1200 Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher / Advertising jack@theitem.com (803) 774-1238 Michele Barr Rick Carpenter Business Manager Managing Editor michele@theitem.com rick@theitem.com (803) 774-1249 (803) 774-1201 Gail Mathis Jeff West Clarendon Bureau Manager Customer Service Manager gail@theitem-clarendonsun.com jeff@theitem.com (803) 435-4716 (803) 774-1259

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People look at an LG OLED 4K TV display in January 2016 at the LG booth during CES International in Las Vegas. Flashy new TV sets with buzzwords such as 4K, quantum dot and OLED are appearing at the annual CES gadget show in Las Vegas.

Big TV sets a hit this year

LAS VEGAS (AP) — What’s new in TV sets this year? Incrementally better pictures, larger screens and cheaper prices — and that’s about it. True, set manufacturers are bombarding consumers with a whole series of buzzwords — OLED, 4K, 8K, HDR, QLED, wide color gamut — intended to spur excitement and generate sales. Flashy new sets with these supposedly “must-have” features were getting the spotlight Wednesday at the annual CES gadget show in Las Vegas. But when it comes down to it, none of these amount to revolutionary improvements for your living room. Set manufacturers may not have run out of technological tricks yet, but for this year, at least, they’re reduced to improving what’s already out there.

TRAPPED IN THE BOX Set manufacturers are in a bind. Gadgets such as virtual-reality headsets and smartphones have snagged much of the buzz that flashy new TVs once had. So TV makers like Samsung and LG have doubled down on what they know best: screen technology. These days, you’re seeing a lot more marketing buzz about “4K” sets, which offer twice the screen resolution of today’s high-definition, or HD, sets. 4K technology is making a push into the mainstream this year, as prices come down and video providers offer more 4K streaming and channels. The next step in picture clarity is on its way with so-called 8K sets, which offer four times the resolution of HD, although the technology remains out of reach for most people.

SEEING IN COLOR Some TV makers are pushing curved-screen models, which aim to provide more immersive viewing by giving viewers a wider image via their peripheral vision. They’re also touting improvements in color. OLED screen technology produces better colors in part because it doesn’t have to be backlit the way standard TVs do. But it’s more expensive. So far, LG has sold the majority of OLED sets, though other manufacturers including

Sony may announce OLED plans at CES. Samsung, meanwhile, has been touting “quantum-dot” technology, including a refined version called “QLED” announced Tuesday at CES. Quantum dot is essentially a layer of materials for purer colors and brighter displays. LG, Samsung and others also have “high-dynamic range,” or HDR, for brighter whites, darker blacks and a wider range of colors. Whether the average human eye can really appreciate all this — particularly on smaller screens — is another matter. 4K sets, for instance, offer sharper pictures than older HD screens, but the difference is nowhere as dramatic as the change from older standard definition to HD. And some of these technologies improve video only for the few movies and shows that support them. For now, technologies like HDR are high-end features for high-end sets, just as 4K was a few years ago. “There’s always a push and pull between what TV companies try to sell consumers and what they actually need,” IHS Markit analyst Paul Gagnon said.

in the presidential campaign after Trump objected to her questioning in the first Republican presidential debate a year and a half ago. He tweeted angry messages about her and boycotted another Fox debate after the network refused to replace her as one of the debate moderators. She also became a central figure in the downfall of former Fox News chief Roger Ailes, telling in-house investigators of inappropriate conduct by Ailes that supported women who had made similar accusations. Details about Kelly’s new

jobs at NBC will be revealed in upcoming months, said Andrew Lack, chairman of the NBC Universal News Group. Kelly said in an interview with The Associated Press in November that the factors she was weighing “mostly involve a 7-, 5- and 3-year-old,” her children. She stressed that point in closing remarks on her program Tuesday, which she addressed to the audience. Kelly said she valued the “human connection” the show gave her with viewers but said she needed more of that connection with her children.

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A BUYING OPPORTUNITY High-end screens and other technologies that were out of reach for most TV shoppers are becoming much more affordable. Consumers are snapping up bargains. NPD says there were 37.4 million TV units sold in the U.S. in the 12 months ending in September, up 4 percent from a year ago. During that time, the average TV selling price dropped 3 percent to $432. For some buyers, lower prices mean a chance to upgrade to bigger sets. Jon Abt, copresident of Abt Electronics retail store near Chicago, said the 55-inch “sweet spot” TV size for the family room seems to have jumped to 65 inches and larger. NPD said that 23 percent of all TVs sold were 55 inches or bigger, up from 20 percent a year earlier. “We’ve seen strength across all categories, small screen, large screen, older technology and newer tech,” NPD analyst Stephen Baker said. He said the combination of lower prices, picture quality and screen size has “brought a lot of customers back into the market.”

DOES IT MATTER?

Kelly leaving Fox News on Friday NEW YORK (AP) — Megyn Kelly, the Fox News star who’s had a contentious relationship with President-elect Donald Trump, said Tuesday that she’s leaving the network for NBC News, where she will host a daytime talk show and a weekend newsmagazine, as well as contribute to breaking news coverage. NBC News made the announcement KELLY Tuesday, ending months of speculation about whether she would re-up with Fox, where she has flourished while suffering bruised feelings in recent months, or start a new chapter in her career. Her contract with Fox expires this summer. Her last show on Fox will be Friday night. Kelly’s departure deprives Fox News of its second-mostwatched host, behind only Bill O’Reilly, and a hole at 9 p.m. in its prime-time lineup. “While I will greatly miss my colleagues at Fox, I am delighted to be joining the NBC News family and taking on a new challenge,” Kelly said in a message on Twitter on Tuesday. Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox, said that “we thank Megyn Kelly for her 12 years of contributions to Fox News. We hope she enjoys tremendous success in her career and wish her and her family all the best.” Kelly’s star power grew after she became a flashpoint

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Define your day with a call to worship

n most of the thousands of church services I’ve attended in my life, there is one element of weekly services that seems to be commonplace: the call to worship. It’s often listed right after the morning’s prelude and includes a song, a call and response or Scripture reading. The intention is to beckon parishioners to focus on the task at hand and the very thing that brings them inside the church: worship. When executed well, the call to worship is both spiritually uplifting as well as convicting, two aspects which might seem in conflict to someone who has yet to experience a God who wants the best for his children. I’ve been party to several calls to worship that have brought me before the throne of God’s mercy and reminded me of His amazing gift of grace. Whether your church does a call to worship is a matter of the leadership’s preference or theological convictions and I’m not here to argue either. I’m here to tell you that a daily call to worship as you approach this new year is certainly a worthy pursuit — something that will shape your 2017. Last year was chaotic by many people’s standards. Although it certainly wasn’t the worst year in human history, it did give us a reason to worship a God who holds the future in his hands. We certainly can’t completely trust any human institution — the economy, the government and certain media sources. It’s hard to recognize the daily opportunities to worship our Heavenly Father because

the word itself has the connotations of a religious focus and fervor that most of us don’t feel like we Faith Matters can muster on a typical JAMIE H. day. I’ll readiWILSON ly admit that my morning alarm clock should sound like a starter pistol because every day is filled with a litany of to-dos and obligations. God’s call to worship, unfortunately, often gets lost in the fray. But even above the noisy din of my daily routine, I hear the persistent and gentle call to worship the one who promises to give me the grace I need for today (2 Cor. 12:9) and a peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). It’s that call to worship that brings me perspective; a knowing that regardless of that day’s expectancies or surprises, God is ultimately in control. It’s that call to worship that gives me the strength to approach friends and enemies with the same grace and understanding that was first shown to me by my loving God. It’s the call to worship that helps define us as believers; it helps us realize our need for God, and we should make no apologies for that decision. Here, at the beginning of the year, I hope you properly answer that call to worship the God of peace. Contact Jamie H. Wilson at faithmatterssumter@gmail. com.

RELIGION

THE SUMTER ITEM

Judge: Requiring more parking for mosque is unconstitutional NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — An upscale New Jersey town violated anti-discrimination laws by insisting that a proposed mosque have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues because of its unique worship times and traditions, a federal judge has ruled. The ruling issued Saturday by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp stated that Bernards Township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act by applying a different standard to Muslims. Shipp found the township’s planning board had “unbridled and unconstitu-

tional discretion” because of its vague parking requirements. The Islamic Society’s application to build the mosque was denied after more than three years and 39 public hearings. The group sued the township in March. The Islamic Society’s attorney, Adeel Mangi, had argued that parking requirements were the tool municipalities used to thwart construction of mosques. “This truly is a landmark ruling with national impact,” Mangi told NJ.com. Bernards Mayor Carol Bianchi issued a statement

criticizing the judge’s ruling. The town had argued that it was completely appropriate to insist a mosque provide more off-street parking than a comparably sized church or synagogue because of its unique worship times and traditions. “The Township vehemently disagrees with the court’s decision and awaits a full analysis of the 57-page decision by its attorneys, who only learned of the decision on New Year’s Day,” the statement said. “The Township will consider how to best move forward including appealing the decision when ripe for appeal.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Israeli solider Sgt. Elor Azaria waits with his parents for the verdict inside the military court in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. The Israeli military court has convicted the Israeli soldier of manslaughter in the deadly shooting of an incapacitated Palestinian attacker, capping a nine-month saga that has deeply divided the country. Read the full story at theitem.com.

The great investment Israeli soldier’s manslaughter

few days ago we began 2017. As we said goodbye to 2016 and hello to 2017, many began thinking about resolutions. Today, I want to challenge you to think about investing as part of your resolutions for 2017. The investments I want us to consider are the investments in other people. In Matthew 5:14 and 16 we can read these words: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” As we consider letting our lights shine we should ask the question, “How am I investing in others?” When I think of investing in others, I first think about investing in my family. The first institution God created was the family, thus one of the greatest investments we can make is taking time to be with our families. Invest in our spouses by talking with them, walking with them, supporting each other in our endeavors. We can invest in our children by attending their events, playing catch, reading a book, going fishing or just listening to how their day went. One of the greatest investments to pass onto our family is our love for God. We can pray together, do devotions and worship together.

How will you invest in your family? We can also invest in others. If we have ever had a teacher, Family coach, preachEncouragement er or youth worker invest RICHARD in us, then we HOLMES should pay that forward by investing in others. We can be a tutor, a coach or a mentor to others. Lessons we have learned can be passed on to others. The author John Maxwell once said, “You are not a success until you have a successor.” We build successors by investing in people. Who are you investing in? Today may we let our light shine by making lasting investments in other people? Next week our focus will be on giving. Family Encouragement Corner is a weekly inspirational thought from Richard Holmes. Holmes serves as a chaplain at Shaw Air Force Base. The opinions expressed in this article do not express the views of Shaw Air Force Base or the United States Air Force. For more information regarding Family Encouragement Corner or to offer your suggestions or comments please feel free to email familyencouragement2016@gmail.com.

CHURCH NEWS Concord Baptist Church, 1885 Myrtle Beach Highway, announces: * Sunday — Gospel concert at 6 p.m. featuring Dr. Dennis Benton. A love offering will be received.

will be held during the 11 a.m. worship. The Rev. Eugene Dennis, pastor of Joshua Missionary Baptist Church, Dalzell, will speak.

Faith Missionary Baptist Church No. 1, 115 Laurel St., announces: * Today — Bible study “A commitment to give” at 7 p.m.

High Hills AME Church, 6780 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14 — “Bridging the Gap Forum” from 10 a.m. to noon with local law enforcement representatives.

First Baptist Missionary Church, 219 S. Washington St., announces: * Sunday, Jan. 15 — The eighth pastoral anniversary of Pastor George P. Windley

Knitting Hearts Ministry, meets at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14 — Knitting Hearts will meet from 10

conviction divides country TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The rare manslaughter conviction Wednesday of an Israeli soldier who fatally shot a badly wounded Palestinian attacker exposed a deepening rift between proponents of the rule of law and a burgeoning nationalist movement. The military court verdict against Sgt. Elor Azaria marked a victory for commanders seeking to preserve a code of ethics, but it also brought calls for a pardon from prominent hardline politicians, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who expressed sympathy for the soldier or depicted him as the victim of a detached elite. In a statement on Facebook, Netanyahu urged the public to “act responsibly” toward the military, Israel’s most respected institution. “We have one army that is the basis for our existence. IDF soldiers are our sons and daughters, and they must remain above all disputes,” he said. But making no direct mention of the military court, he said: “I support granting a pardon to Elor Azaria.” With the statement, Netanyahu plunged into a vis-

a.m. to noon. Debbie Dyches, of Fort Mill, will speak. Light breakfast included. A love offering will be received. Mount Sinai AME Church, 5895 Mt. Sinai Church Road, Lynchburg, announces: * Sunday — Gospel fest at 3 p.m. featuring the Singing Cousins and others. Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 325 Fulton St., announces: * Sunday, Jan. 15 — The 33rd pastoral anniversary worship celebration honoring the Rev. and Mrs. James Blassingame and family at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Ivory T. Thigpen, pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church, Columbia, and member of the S.C.

ceral dispute that has deeply divided Israel, where military service is compulsory and support for young soldiers is widespread. Since the March shooting, the military leadership has come under unprecedented criticism, as members of Netanyahu’s coalition accused top generals of abandoning a serviceman on the battlefield. The uproar helped fuel the resignation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, who staunchly defended the army from the assault from within. It is rare for a military court to rule against a soldier over lethal action taken in the field, not only in Israel but also elsewhere in the world. But for a country that claims to have the “most moral army in the world,” it had no choice but to come down hard on a soldier that the top brass was convinced had strayed, said Amichai Cohen, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Israeli Democracy Institute think tank. “If you want the justice system to be taken seriously, you have to punish something like this,” he said. “The court can’t be influenced by the changing polit-

House of Representatives, will speak. New Fellowship Covenant Ministries, 316 W. Liberty St., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14 — Clothes giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon. Free snacks will also be given out. Providence Christian Church, 1100 Dozier Mallett Road, Manning, announces: * Sunday, Feb. 5 — Family and friends day at 3 p.m. The Rev. Carnell Witherspoon will speak. St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, 7650 Summerton Highway, Silver community, Pinewood, announces:

ical climate.” Azaria, an army medic, was caught on video by a human rights worker fatally shooting Abdel Fattah alSharif, a wounded Palestinian attacker who had stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. AlSharif was on the ground, unarmed and virtually motionless, when Azaria fired a single bullet in his head as other soldiers milled about. The head of the threejudge panel, Col. Maya Heller, broke down Azaria’s defense arguments in painstaking detail in delivering the verdict over nearly three hours. She said there was no evidence to support his conflicting claims that the attacker was either already dead or had posed a threat. She called Azaria’s testimony “unreliable,” said he could not have “both sides of the stick,” and concluded the shooting was “needless.” “We found there was no room to accept his arguments,” she said. “His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die.” That made little difference to Azaria’s many supporters.

* Sunday, Jan. 15 — The young adults will hold a pastor’s aide program at 3 p.m. Triumph Ministries, 3632 Broad St. Ext., announces: * Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 18-20 — 2017 Prophetic Encounter at 7 nightly. Speakers as follows: Wednesday, Apostle Michael Ripley; Thursday, Prophet Albert Mcleod; and Friday, Apostle Michael Washington. Walker’s Chapel Freewill Baptist Church, 99 Walter Ave., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14 — Quarterly southern gospel singing at 6 p.m. On the program: Next Chapter, Burning Bridges, “Nat” and Carleen Brown.

NATION

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

Mortgage rates, home sales, prices seen rising in 2017 BY ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer

“With higher mortgage rates, you’re increasing the cost, challenging the budgets, challenging the ability to qualify and, as a result, likely reducing somewhat the pool of potential buyers,” said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for Realtor.com. Long-term mortgage rates tend to track the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note. The yield goes down when investors bid up bond prices. The reverse happened after Election Day. Investors bet that a Republican-controlled White House and Congress will have a clear path to implement policies that will drive inflation and interest rates higher. A sell-off in U.S. bonds drove the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to the highest level in more than two years. Mortgage rates have been inching higher ever since. Smoke predicts mortgage rates will reach 4.5 percent in 2017. Other economists expect rates will remain above 4 percent but not go beyond 5 percent next year. That range would mean mortgage rates that would be low compared to the last decade. Average long-term mortgage rates were above 6 percent during the height of the last housing boom, and they hadn’t

Nate Lowenstein has been shopping for a home in Los Angeles, on and off, for more than a year. His search has been stymied by a stubbornly low roster of homes on the market and the hurdles that come with it: multiple competing bids and higher prices. “It’s not a great market, from a buyer’s perspective,” said Lowenstein, a lawyer. “The one good thing is that interest rates were quite low.” As recently as this summer, homebuyers had ultra-low mortgage rates on their side. But that was then. While mortgage rates remain low by historical standards, they’ve risen sharply during the past couple of months, pushing the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage to 4.32 percent this week. That’s the highest level since April 2014 and well above the year’s average of 3.65 percent. Economists predict mortgage rates will continue to climb this year, just one of the trends that suggest 2017 could be a more challenging year for homebuyers.

AP FILE PHOTO

A house is for sale in December 2016 in Coral Gables, Florida. Economists predict mortgage rates will continue to climb this year, just one of the trends that suggest 2017 could be a more challenging year for some homebuyers. hit 5 percent before 2008. So someone looking to buy a home in the next few months doesn’t need to panic, said Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow, a real estate information company. “My advice to buyers would be to not freak out and feel a sense of urgency,” she said. The stakes are a bit higher for buyers in expensive markets, where housing can eat up a much larger share of household income. If mortgage rates continue to climb, there are moves would-be homebuyers can make to better offset some of

the higher borrowing costs. Consider lowering the interest rate by paying a fee to the lender up front, something known as buying down the interest rate. Or go with an adjustable-rate mortgage, which has a low fixed-interest rate for a few years, typically five or 10, then adjusts to a higher rate. Another move: Ask the seller to pay the buyer’s closing costs. That can free up more cash for buyers to manage the higher borrowing costs. Higher mortgage rates could have one silver lining: As some buyers are priced out, sellers may have to be more flexible

Church Directory Adventist

Assembly of God

Sumter Seventh-Day Adventist 103 N Pike West 775-4455 Pastor Harry Robinson Sat. Sch: 9:15 am, Worship: 11:00 am Tues Bible Study 7 pm www.sumter22.adventistchurchconnect.org

First Assembly of God 1151 Alice Drive * 773-3817 www.sumterﬁrstag.org Jason Banar, Pastor Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Worship: 10:30 am

803-775-8054 Reverend Dr. Cartrell, Jr. Pasto Sun. School 9:00 am Praise Worship 9:55 am Worship 10:00 am

of Christ Baptist - Southern Church Plaza Church of Christ Grace Baptist Church 219 W Calhoun St * 778-6417 Dr. Stephen Williams S.S. 9:45 am; Worship 11:00 am Evening Worship/Bible Study 6:30 pm Wed. Prayer Meeting 6:30 pm Wed. Bible Study: 6:30 pm

African Methodist Baptist - Missionary Episcopal Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church 803 S Harvin St. * 775-4032 Wayman Chapel AME Church Marion H Newton, Pastor 160 N Kings Hwy • 803-494-3686 Sunday Worship: 7:45 & 10:45 am www.waymanchapelame.com Sunday Youth Service: 10:45 am Reverend Dr. Dennis W. Broughton, Jr. Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm Church School 9:00 am Worship 10:15 am Baptist Church Wed. Bible Study 12:00 pm & 6:30 pm Salem Missionary 320 West Fulton Street

Hickory Road Baptist Church 1245 Cherryvale Dr 803-494-8281 Dr. Ron Taylor Pastor Sunday School 9:45 am Worship 10:55 am Evening Worship 6:00 pm Shaw Heights Baptist Church 2030 Peach Orchard Rd. • 499-4997 Rev. Robert White, Pastor Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Worship:11 am & 6 pm Bible School June 20th - 25th 6:00 - 8:30 PM 4 year old & up

WINTER’S SILENT MAJESTY

Catholic - Roman Photo Credit

he snow-covered landscape sparkles brightly under the blue winter sky. How beautiful is the first snowfall, how peaceful is the winter season! Some days we are well in need of a restful break from the busy pace of our lives. Our Father’s house provides us with a place for quiet reflection. As we gather at our house of worship this week, let us thank Him for winter’s silent majesty, and for the panoramic kaleidoscope of all the seasons as each one passes before us and presents us with beauty beyond compare. John 1:1-18

John 1:19-34

Daily Devotional Reading John Matthew Matthew 1:35-51 1:1-17 1:18-25

Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2:13-23

Scriptures Selected by the American Bible Society

Saturday: 6:00 pm Sun. 9:15 - 12:00 Noon, 5:00 pm (in Spanish) Confession: Sat. 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

The Catholic Community of Sumter, St. Anne Site 216 E Liberty St • 803-773-3524 Parochial Pastor Rev. Frank Palmieri, CRM Vicar Rev. Noly Berjuega, CRM Weekend Masses: Sat. 4:30 pm Sun. 8:00 and 12:00 Noon Confession: Sat. 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm The Catholic Community of Sumter, St. Jude Site 611 W. Oakland Ave • 773-9244 www.stjudesumtersc.org Pastor Rev. Frank Palmieri, CRM Parochial Vicar Rev. Noly Berjuega, CRM

1402 Camden Hwy. • 905-3163 Stewart Schnur cell 361-8449 Sunday School: 10 am Sunday Worship: 11 am & 6 pm Wed. Bible Class: 7 pm

Interdenominational

Methodist - United Aldersgate United Methodist 211 Alice Dr • 775-1602 David W. Day, Pastor Traditional Service 9:00 am Sunday School 10:15 am Contemporary Service 11:15 am Bethel United Methodist Church 5575 Lodebar Rd • 469-2452 Rev. Jeremy Howell Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 am Sunday School: 10 am www.yourbethel.org BMethodist@ftc-i.net

City of Refuge Church 16 Carolina Ave 938-9066 Barbara & Johnny Davis Sun School 10:00 am Worship 11:15 am Bible Study (Wed.) 7:00 pm www.cityofrefugeministry.com

St John United Methodist Church 136 Poinsett Dr * 803-773-8185 www.stjohnumcsumter.com Rev. Larry Brown Sunday School 9:45 am Worship 11:00 am Wed. Bible Study 11:00 am

Spiritual Life Christian Center 4672 Broad St. Ext • 968-5771 Pastors Randolph & Minerva Paige Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm

Trinity United Methodist Church 226 W Liberty St • 773-9393 Rev. Steve Holler Sunday School 9:30 am Worship Service 10:30 am trinityumcsumter.org

Victory Full Gospel Interdenominational Church 601 Pitts Rd • 481-7003 Joann P. Murrill, Pastor Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Youth Bible Study 7:00 pm

Non-Denominational

Lutheran - ELCA St James Lutheran Church 1137 Alice Dr, Sumter 773-2260 / www.stjamessumter.org Pastor Keith Getz Sunday School: 9:00 am Sunday Worship: 10:00 am Wed. Bible Study 10:30 am Holy Communion: 12:00 pm

Christ Community Church(CCC) 320 Loring Mill Rd., Sumter www.cccsumter.com 803-905-7850 Sunday Worship 10:00 am First Church of God 1835 Camden Rd • 905-5234 www.sumterfcg.org Ron Bower, Pastor Sunday School: 9:30 am Sunday Worship: 10:30 am

on prices. Over time, that could help stem home prices. Low inventory and strong demand helped push prices higher in 2016 at the fastest pace in 10 years, according to an analysis by Zillow. The company predicts that U.S. home prices will increase about 3 percent in 2017, down from a gain of about 6.5 percent this year. Declining affordability is one reason the National Association of Realtors predicts U.S. home sales will rise 2 percent next year. Compare that to the 15 percent increase in sales through the first 11 months of 2016. Even buyers who can weather higher mortgage rates may have to brace for a long home search this year. The inventory of homes for sale is expected to be tighter in 2017 than it was last year. While it varies by market, nationally, fewer than 1.9 million homes were on the market in November, down 9 percent from a year earlier, according to the NAR. Homebuilders are not building enough homes to make up for the shortage, citing a lack of ready-to-build land, labor shortages and rising building materials costs.

Presbyterian USA

Greater St. Paul Church 200 Watkins Street • 803-778-1355 Founder Bishop W.T. English Sunday School - 10:30 am Worship - 11:30 am Evangelistic Service 6:30 pm Wed. Mid Week Service - 7:30 pm

First Presbyterian Church of Sumter 9 W Calhoun St (at Main St.) (803) 773-3814 • info@fpcsumter.org Rev. Nick Cheek Sunday School (classes for all ages) 9:30 a.m. Hospitality & Fellowship (Fellowship Hall) 10:10 a.m. Worship (Sanctuary) 10:30 a.m.

Sumter Bible Church 420 South Pike West, Sumter 803-773-8339 • Pastor Ron Davis Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am & 6:30 pm Wed. Bible Study & Prayer 7:00 pm

Pentecostal First United Penecostal Church 14 Plowden Mill Rd • 775-9493 Pastor Theron Smith Sunday Service: 10:00 am & 6:30 pm Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 pm Sumter First Pentecostal Holiness Church 2609 McCrays Mill Rd • 481-8887 S. Paul Howell, Pastor Sunday School: 10:00 am Sunday Worship: 10:45 am & 6:00 pm Wed. Bible Study/Youth Group: 7:00 pm

Presbyterian - ARP Lemira Presbyterian Church 514 Boulevard Rd • 473-5024 Pastor Dan Rowton Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am

Presbyterian PCA Westminster Presbyterian Church 230 Alice Dr., Sumter • 803-773-7235 Pastor Stuart Mizelle Sunday School 9:15 am Worship Service 10:30 am

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To Advertise On This Page Call 800-293-4709

To view church information online go to www.theitem.com or www.sumterchurchesonline.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE CLARENDON SUN Call: (803) 774-1295 | E-mail: konstantin@theitem.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office deputies recite the oath of office during the county’s swearing in ceremony Tuesday at the Clarendon County Courthouse in Manning.

Elected officials, deputies sworn in BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Seven Clarendon County elected officials were sworn in Tuesday at Clarendon County Courthouse in Manning. Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office deputies also took the oath of office. Newly elected officials who were sworn in included Sheriff

Tim Baxley, Probate Judge Margaret “Peggi” Jackson Sorrell and Deputy Probate Judge Rebecca Massey. Sorrell, an attorney, was named deputy probate judge in November 2015. She has served in various capacities in the legal field throughout her career, including assistant solicitor for the Third Circuit, municipal judge for City of Manning and a trust officer

for NBSC bank in Sumter. She joined the Clarendon County Probate Office as a part-time clerk in the summer of 2013. While working as an attorney in private practice in Manning, she was on a task force that created Clarendon County Drug Court. Massey was hired as a parttime records clerk in March 2015. She holds a master’s de-

Sheriff Tim Baxley takes oath

gree in education from University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Spelman College in Atlanta. Massey was previously employed as a high school physical science and chemistry teacher for six years at the School District of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Incumbents who were sworn in included Clarendon

Travel with

the Governor’s Retaliation Against Illegal Drugs Team of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Narcotics Division. He joined DNR in the early 1990s as a field officer. He rose up the ranks to lieutenant, in which he had 12 counties under his command. He retired as a captain and had the entire state under his command in the above previously mentioned divisions. Baxley also served for 20 years on DNR’s dive team, which conducts recovery efforts in reservoirs across the state. Baxley was born in Charleston and raised in Barnwell. He is a graduate of Barnwell

High School and attended courses at University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. He described himself as a people person and a Christian, and that faith is an important part of his life. He said two of the major crimes he would like to focus on include drug and property crimes, and he said that the two are interrelated. “Most of the property crimes occurring here are drug related,” he said. “We need to combat both.” Baxley said he will be tough on traffic violations and even tougher on drunken driving. “We want to make our county

SEE BAXLEY, PAGE A7

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June 12-16, 2107

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July 6-14, 2017

ALASKA CRUISE –Inside Passage & Glaciers $3530 pp Deposit: $250 pp. Pre-night Hotel in Vancouver. Airfare to/from Charleston. Ship: Celebrity Millennium. Only Balconies. PASSPORT

August 3-17, 2017

ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE CRUISE 15 days-London, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh $5600 pp (balcony) $5400 pp (Oceanview) Incls. airfare. First night hotel in London, transfer fees to/frm airport, hotel, pier, port charges, cruise fees, taxes, Bus to/from Manning-Charleston Airport. Excursion Tickets to Int’l Military Tattoo @Edinburgh Castle. PASSPORT NEEDED. Ship: Princess $375 pp to book (SOLD OUT)

Sept. 4-17, 2017

YELLOWSTONE, BADLANDS, MT RUSHMORE $2075 pp $100 pp Deposit. Driver/Guides gratuities included. 23 meals. (SOLD OUT)

Oct. 26-30, 2017

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Nov. 7-10, 2017

PENNSYLVANIA AMISH HOLIDAY TOUR $523 pp Deposit: $75 pp. Buffet Breakfasts, Amish Farmhouse Dinner, Holiday Matinee Show, Amish Homestead, Kreider Farm Tour & more.

Nov. 16-17, 2017

CHARLESTON, SC – Mini Get A-Way Tour

$305 pp Deposit: $75 ea. 1 breakfast, 1 dinner, 2 lunches, H. L. Hunley Submarine Museum Tea Plantation, City Tour, City Market, SC Aquarium and more.

Harvin Library to close in observance of MLK Day The Harvin Clarendon County Library will close for the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday,

Jan. 16, and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 9 a.m. For more information, call (803) 435-8633.

MANNING RESTAURANT Lunch buffet served Sunday through Friday

Where Friends & Family Meet, Eat, & Greet

Holidays are around the corner! Whether you need somewhere to host an event or help with cooking, call us! Please order your casseroles and desserts early.

476 N. Brooks St. • Manning, SC | 803-435-4212 Monday - Friday : 6am - 2pm | Saturday: 6am-11am | Sunday: 10:30am - 2pm

in 2017

April 18-26, 2017

KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Newly elected Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley, right, shakes hands with Ellie Smith, 4, as her grandfather, Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ralph Roberson, left, looks on. Baxley was sworn in to the position on Tuesday at the Clarendon County Courthouse in Manning.

SEE OFFICIALS, PAGE A7

PAT TOURS

NO TOURS BOOKED WITHOUT A DEPOSIT

BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Sheriff Tim Baxley said his lifelong dream was fulfilled Tuesday when he was officially sworn in as the top law enforcement officer in Clarendon County. Baxley, 53, a retired captain with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, has a total of 33 years of law enforcement experience. He defeated incumbent Sheriff Randy Garrett in the June 14 Democratic primary, and since there was no Republican opposition for the seat, he became sheriff-elect that same month, although a write-in candidacy was still an option. “This is probably the high point of my career,” Baxley said. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to work for the citizens of our county.” Baxley retired from DNR in January as captain of staff operations, managing about 50 employees. His duties included overseeing the emergency management division, homeland security, a telecommunication center, aviation section and law enforcement procurement. Baxley came to Clarendon County in 1985 after being assigned to the area as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. While working for highway patrol, Baxley was assigned to

County Council Chairman Dwight L. Stewart Jr., District 2 County Councilman A.C. English Jr., Coroner Hayes F. Samuels Jr. and Clerk of Court Beulah G. Roberts. Stewart entered his fifth term after 16 years as council chairman. He served as councilman on Summerton Town Council for

CLARENDON HALL

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AUSTRALIA, HONOLULU AND SAN FRANCISCO (14 DAYS) $6,283 pp (Current passport needed) Melbourne, Cairns & Sydney. Airfare, hotels and transfers. 2 nights Honolulu, 2 nights San Francisco. Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour Bridge, City Tours. 14 meals in Australia . $500 deposit per person to book. Early Bird discounts. (4 OPEN PLACES)

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THE CLARENDON SUN

THE SUMTER ITEM

BAXLEY FROM PAGE A6 and its residents as safe as they possibly could be,” he said. He also would like to increase patrols throughout the county, especially in more rural areas. Baxley said that besides the Community Action Team, he is planning on keeping all of the special teams created under Garrett. He said he would like to see all of his deputies become “community-action officers,” instead of having a designated team. “This means I would like the presence of each of the deputies known in the neighborhood they are patrolling and for them to stop by and say ‘hello’ when they see a barbecue, for example, in that neighborhood,” he said. “This builds an important level of trust between the deputies and the citizens.”

Baxley praised Garrett on the success of the Interstate Community Enforcement (ICE) team and the K-9 tracking team. The ICE team has made dozens of drug busts, seizures of weapons and cash on Interstate 95. The team has also made dozens of arrests involving identity and credit card theft, and seizures of fake credit cards and credit card making machines. In April, the team confiscated the largest amount of cash in the department’s history, discovering more than $813,000 in the trunk of a vehicle during a traffic stop on I-95. Most importantly, Baxley said, he wants citizens to know that he will be personally aware of each case being investigated. “They will receive either a phone call or a letter from me,” he said. He also said the sheriff ’s office is looking to hire four patrol deputies. So far Baxley said he’s received at least 30 applications.

OFFICIALS FROM PAGE A6 Samuels entered his fourth term after 12 years as coroner. Samuels is owner/director of Samuels Funeral Home LLC and has been in the funeral business since 1964. He is a second-generation mortician. His father, the late Hayes F. Samuels Sr. founded the funeral home that bears his name in the 1940s.

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Surrounded by family, newly elected Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley is sworn in at the Clarendon County Courthouse on Tuesday by Third Circuit Judge R. Ferrell Cothran Jr. PHOTO PROVIDED

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Roberts entered her sixth term after 21 years as clerk of court. She has worked in the Clarendon County Clerk of Court’s office for 40 years. She was appointed clerk of court in 1995 to serve out the term of former Clerk of Court Doug McFaddin, who had died. Roberts was then elected in 1996. She was the first female in that position as well as the first black elected official in the county.

S N’

20 years before his election to Clarendon County Council. Stewart has operated his own forestry consulting business, Dwight L. Stewart Jr. and Associates LLC, in Manning since 1985. He is a registered forester in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. He is also a licensed real estate broker in South Carolina and North Carolina and a state certified general real estate appraiser in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. English is a retired president of The Bank of Clarendon. English has served on county council for eight years. He has also served on Clarendon School District 2’s school board and as a commissioner at Central Carolina Technical College.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

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All persons having claims against the following estates MUST file their claims on FORM #371ES with the Probate Court of Clarendon County, the address of which is 411 Sunset Dr. Manning, SC 29102, within eight (8) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or within one (1) year from date of death, whichever is earlier (SCPC 62-3-801, et seq.), or such persons shall be forever barred as to their claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements on the prescribed form (FORM #371ES) indicating the name and address of the claimant, the basis of the claim, the amount claimed, the date when the claim will become due, the nature of any uncertainty as to the claim, and a description of any security as to the claim.

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THE SUMTER ITEM

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CLARENDON COUNTY the original

Readers’ Choice CAST YOUR VOTE FOR...

The Best 1) Beer, Wine & Liquor ________________________ 2) Car Dealership ____________________________ 3) Used Car Dealership _______________________ 4) Church ___________________________________ 5) Cup of Coffee _____________________________ 6) Dance School _____________________________ 7) Doctor’s Office ____________________________ 8) Dry Cleaner _______________________________ 9) Fast Food_________________________________ 10) Financial Institution _______________________ 11) Floral Shop ______________________________ 12) Friendliest Bank __________________________ 13) Furniture Store ___________________________ 14) Gift Shop ________________________________ 15) Golf Course ______________________________ 16) Golf Pro Shop ____________________________ 17) Grocery Store ____________________________ 18) Hair Salon _______________________________ 19) Hardware Store ___________________________ 20) Heating & Air Co. _________________________ 21) Insurance Company _______________________ 22) Lawn Mower Shop _______________________ 23) Local Cellular ____________________________ 24) Nail Salon _______________________________ 25) Oil Change ______________________________ 26) Pharmacy ________________________________ 27) Pool Company ___________________________ 28) Real Estate Company _____________________ 29) Restaurant _______________________________ 30) Sub Sandwich ____________________________

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Offiicial Rules: You must be 18 or older to enter. Limit one ballot per person and only one answer per category. Your full name, address & phone number must appear on the ballot. You must vote in a minimum of 20 categories. No purchase necessary. Ballots can be mailed or dropped off at Jeffords Ins. Agency at 40 N. Mill Street, Manning, SC , 8am-5pm, Monday - Friday. Mailed ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by 5:00 pm January 9, 2017. Late entries will not be accepted. Employees of Osteen Publishing Co. and their families are not eligible for cash drawing. The winner of the $50 cash prize will be determined by a random drawing from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified by phone and will appear in The Clarendon Sun’s Readers’ Choice section January 26, 2017.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

Official says Manson’s alive; reports say he’s hospitalized BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) — Mass murderer Charles Manson was taken from his California prison cell to a hospital, according to several news reports. A prison official would only confirm that the 82-year-old Manson was alive Wednesday and gave no other information. Manson was convicted of orchestrating the 1969 murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others. The cult leader attracted disaffected young people who lived in a commune, followed his orders and were ultimately turned into killers. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that Manson had been hospitalized. TMZ said he had been taken to a medical center in Bakersfield, about 60 miles south of Corcoran State Prison where Manson was being held. Two vans from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation were parked early Wednesday outside Bakersfield’s Mercy Hospital Downtown, where state prisoners have been treated before. Some news media have gathered across the street from the hospital. But CDCR spokeswoman Terry Thornton said only that Manson was alive and still assigned to the prison in Corcoran. She declined to say whether he was at the hospital in Bakersfield, citing safety privacy laws prohibit her from discussing an inmate’s medical situation. Tate’s sister Debra Tate told The Associated Press on Tuesday night that, as a Catholic, she makes “no ill wishes” for the people who killed her sister and will reserve her feelings until hearing Manson has died. “I would probably say a prayer for them and shed a tear and ask God to have mercy on their souls, but so far I haven’t allowed myself to feel anything because it’s unsubstantiated,” Tate said. “I’m not allowing myself to feel anything until I know that it’s true.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

This undated photo provided by Heritage Auctions shows a glass U.S. penny. The rare coin was manufactured as a possible alternative to copper during World War II. The coin is expected to be auctioned today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This pretty penny could cost you a pretty penny

AP FILE PHOTO

Charles Manson is seen in court in 1986. Amid reports that Manson has been taken from his California prison cell to a hospital on Tuesday, a state corrections official would confirm only that the 82-year-old killer and cult leader was still alive. Manson and three female followers, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were convicted of murder and sentenced to death for killings at two gruesome scenes in the summer of 1969. Another defendant, Charles “Tex” Watson, was convicted later. All were spared execution when a U.S. Supreme Court ruling temporarily banned the death penalty in 1972. Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in an email that the agency had no information on Manson. The office prosecuted Manson and has objected to his release. He was most recently up for parole in 2012 — his 12th bid for freedom. The California State Prison, Corcoran, has medical facilities to treat inmates requiring urgent or emergency care as well as in-patient hospital stays.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Faced with a copper shortage at the beginning of World War II, the U.S. Mint authorized experiments to make pennies from other metals, plastic and rubber. A Tennessee company made some from glass and failed so spectacularly that only one known unbroken penny remains — and it is scheduled to be auctioned today. Another broken piece is also known to exist. The Fort Lauderdalebased Heritage Auctions will conduct in-person and online bidding for the coin that it hopes will exceed $30,000. The coin is owned by Roger Burdette, who wrote a book about World War II experimental coins and purchased the piece during a small online auction last summer “for several thousand dollars.” He declined to be more specific. “I knew pretty well what it was from the illustrations, but I couldn’t be sure without examining it, and that wasn’t a possibility without buying it,” Burdette said Tuesday. After the U.S. entered the war in late 1941, the military needed most of the nation’s copper to make ammunition and equipment. The U.S. Mint handed out

Pence, Obama face off at Capitol on health care WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s “first order of business” will be to repeal President Obama’s health care law and replace it, but Republicans must avoid hurting consumers as they do that, Vice President-elect Mike Pence said Wednesday. Sixteen days before leaving the White House, Obama championed his landmark overhaul before Democratic lawmakers and urged them to remind voters of how the statute has helped them. “Look out for the American people,” Obama said as he left the meeting in response to shouted questions. “Keep up the fight,” Obama told congressional Democrats at a strategy meeting in the Capitol visitors’ center, according to Rep. Tim Ryan, DOhio. “Tell the stories about the people who have benefited from it. The more you can get that message through, the better off we’re going to be.” Pence spoke to reporters after holding an hour-long session with House Republicans in the Capitol. Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., said Pence told them the goal was to get legislation dismantling the health care law to Trump for his signature by Feb. 20. “The first order of business is to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Pence said, using the overhaul’s nickname. He said Americans “voted decisively for a better future for health care in this country, and we are

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Obama arrives Wednesday on Capitol Hill in Washington to meet with members of Congress and discuss his signature health care law. determined to give them that.” Pence said Trump’s team was already working with GOP congressional leaders on plans to undo Obama’s law with both legislation and executive action the president and federal agencies would be able to take. Pence did not specify what those actions would be. But House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters that they would involve “transition relief.” That phrase has been used to describe help for consumers and insurers while Obama’s law is being phased out and replaced with a GOP

alternative, a process expected to take years. Republicans are discussing delaying when the repeal of major provisions of that law would actually take effect, perhaps in 18 months or more. It is expected to take at least that long for GOP lawmakers to rally behind a plan to replace it. Minutes before Obama and Pence met with lawmakers, Trump tweeted that voters are faulting Democrats for the health care law and its rising premiums, deductibles and other problems. “Massive increases of ObamaCare will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the mess. It will fall of its own weight — be careful!” he wrote. Pence told reporters that the president-elect was referring to the need to protect consumers during the transition period. “Look, we’re talking about peoples’ lives, we’re talking about families,” Pence said. Trump pledged during the presidential campaign to erase Obama’s law, though he’s said he wants to retain popular provisions such as ensuring coverage for people with pre-existing medical problems. Obama’s and Pence’s strategy sessions came on the second day of the new, GOP-led Congress. When Trump enters the White House, it will put the party’s longtime goal of annulling much of the 2010 health care overhaul within reach.

dies to companies willing to make experimental, uncirculated pennies as it tried to find a suitable replacement. The Blue Ridge Glass Co., a Kingsport, Tennessee, manufacturer that no longer exists, made an unknown number of pennies from a hardened yellowamber glass — Burdette’s survivor looks something like a round cough drop. Burdette, a retired Potomac Falls, Virginia, technical researcher, says that according to a report the company filed with the Mint, the glass coins didn’t have the precise images needed and couldn’t be made a uniform size and weight. The coins also developed sharp edges that could cut fingers. He thinks the company destroyed or threw away most of its stock. He said he tried to contact the previous owner to find out where he got the survivor but without luck. In 1943, the Mint made pennies from low-grade steel covered with zinc. Those shiny coins came with their own problems, including looking too much like a dime. By 1944, the Mint began making copperbased pennies again, using shell casings collected from military training sites.

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A10

LOCAL | STATE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

BAKER FROM PAGE A1

WATER FROM PAGE A1

students early on who could fall into that category, he said. Baker said exposure to reading and information retention at a young age could increase a childâ€™s literacy as he or she gets older. Too many students graduate from high school without being able to read at an acceptable level and have a difficult time finding employment because of it, he said. And, although the graduation rate in the school district is higher than the state average, Baker said he wants to see that number increase. There has been an increase in students dropping out of school throughout the state and nation, he said. Itâ€™s not just students with behavioral problems but also teen parents, he said. Baker said the districtâ€™s Early Head Start program is offered to keep students who are parents in school. In order for their children to participate in the program, the parents must also take parenting classes, he said. Even though Early Head Start is a beneficial program, it can be challenging for some students to balance childcare and school assignments so the district and teachers work with students to make it work, he said. Baker said he is also interested in finding alternatives to expulsions and out-of-school suspensions to keep students educated and out of trouble. When they are out of school and parents are at work, no one is watching them, he said. Baker also discussed programs and classes offered by Sumter Career and Technology Center and Central Carolina Technical College that prepare students for jobs with local industries through work experience. While some parents may think their child needs an education from a four-year college, more than half of the vacant jobs in the area require a two-year degree, he said.

map on his wall. If they knew about it, why arenâ€™t they talking to us?â€? Carter said when people in the area complain to the city, someone comes out and samples the water, and hydrants are turned on to flush the system, but the results are only temporary. â€œI have good water today,â€? she said. â€œBut I donâ€™t want it to sound like they fixed it because they havenâ€™t.â€? Carterâ€™s neighbor Barbara Jackson said she has had problems with the water since she moved in more than two years ago. â€œI have rings in my bathtub,â€? she said. â€œYou can put it on anything, and it will rust,â€? she said. Jackson said her sister has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and said nothing has changed. Yvonne Prescott, who lives nearby, said she has lived there since 2005, and the water has been bad the majority of the time. â€œFlushing is not doing any good,â€? she said in reference to opening the hydrants. She said she copes with the problem by buying fast food. Carter said she also avoids cooking. â€œMy freezer is full of frozen food,â€? Carter said. Prescott said she doesnâ€™t want to find out in 10 or 15 years that the water has done something to her childrenâ€™s health. â€œIt dries your skin up,â€? she said. â€œI know a lady up the street who

COMMITTEE FROM PAGE A1 budget review to be presented tonight in his plan, he said. One noteworthy recommendation from the committee was a revised staffing plan to address the districtâ€™s 60 full-time equivalent positions over budget. Baker said the issue will be addressed in his emergency financial plan tonight. â€œIn regards to personnel, we have some hard decisions to make on support services,â€? Baker said. He said on Wednesday that heâ€™s analyzing every position in the district. On Wednesday, Hilton attributed the 60 positions over-budget to â€œmiscommunication between the districtâ€™s finance department and personnel department.â€? The audit report showed the district

was roughly $1.1 million in the hole for budgeted classroom instructional expenditures and $4.7 million in the red for budgeted support services expenses for the fiscal year. Support services include operations and maintenance, student transportation and general administration, among others. Another recommendation that drew much discussion was the potential consolidation of schools. Baker told the finance committee that three schools in the district have fewer than 200 students â€” Mayewood Middle School (155 students), DeLaine Elementary School (169 students) and Rafting Creek Elementary (163 students). Board Chairman Daryl McGhaney and finance committee member and

THE SUMTER ITEM

is going to the dermatologist tomorrow for a rash.â€? Carter said she feels a little better after attending the council meeting and speaking out. Even though city officials met with residents after the council meeting, Carter said many questions remain. She said another neighbor, Rose Mary Stewart, who also spoke at the meeting, has often called the city, and they come out, test the water and open the hydrants. When Stewart has asked for test results, she has not been given them, Carter said. â€œHarris said they will give you the results, and Rose Mary looked him right in the eye and said, â€˜No they wonâ€™t.â€™â€? On Wednesday, Harris said the city has no problem sharing test results with residents. â€œWe have people out there right now going to the homes of all the people who were at the meeting last night, and we will test the water and show them the results,â€? he said. Harris also said he had spoken with Stewart and was addressing her concerns. Carter said she hopes the city will take more interest in solving the problem. â€œI believe Mr. Harris has a concern and wants to get to the bottom of it, but I donâ€™t feel a sense of urgency,â€? she said. â€œWeâ€™re tired of hearing that weâ€™ve had water main breaks, weâ€™ve had construction â€” this has been going on for a decade.â€?

local business owner Greg Thompson took particular note of the low-enrollment schools. â€œI believe the board must take up the task of running a more efficient district and for the long-term health of this district and to be able to pay our teachers what we need to pay them, we need fewer physical schools to operate and do it more efficiently,â€? Thompson said. â€œAnd if weâ€™ve got three schools with less than 200 students per school, then Iâ€™m excited to see a plan going forward that allows this district to operate fewer schools and operate the schools we have more effectively and efficiently and focus on our instruction for the students of Sumter County. To have a more efficient school operation, I think that must be on the table.â€? Hilton was asked after the meeting how much of a surprise the audit find-

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ROOF

FROM PAGE A1 they had planned to introduce evidence that Roof suffers from mental illness. Since then, many motions have been filed under seal, purportedly to conceal sensitive information, but itâ€™s likely more details on what lawyers wanted to present. Itâ€™s clear, from his own writings, Roof doesnâ€™t believe in psychology. In a journal read in court during his trial, Roof called the specialty â€œa Jewish inventionâ€? that â€œdoes nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they donâ€™t.â€? Prosecutors said Roof deserves the death penalty because he painstakingly chose to target vulnerable people during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Williams said the â€œhorrific acts justify the death penalty.â€? Prosecutors plan to call up to 38 people related to the slain and the survivors. Williams told jurors they would hear extensive testimony about the nine victims, including pastor and state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, a â€œprodigy of the ministryâ€? who was a man of faith, service and family dedication.

ings were to the board. â€œIt sort of blindsided us,â€? Hilton said. â€œWe were not aware that we had this problem. We received a financial report at the end of the third quarter, and everything seemed to be on track at that time. So, it did come as a big surprise to us. â€œItâ€™s bad,â€? he said. â€œBut, we are going to come together as a team and weather this storm and come out on the other end stronger.â€? Hilton, a former longtime principal in Sumter School District 17, expressed his belief throughout Wednesdayâ€™s meeting that classroom instruction is an area where cuts should be limited as much as possible. â€œClassroom instruction is our business and No. 1 priority,â€? Hilton said. â€œA negative impact on instruction is the last thing we want to do,â€? Hilton said.

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THE SUMTER ITEM N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

A11

Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Rick Carpenter Managing Editor

20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894

COMMENTARY

Loner-loser syndrome C

HARLESTON — As convicted murderer Dylann Roof prepares to defend himself in the sentencing phase of his trial, a clearer understanding of his motives in gunning down nine AfricanAmericans during Bible study prayer has begun to emerge. In a word, he’s a loser — as random and ordinary as the proverbial tree falling in a forest bereft of listeners. Oh, sure, he hated blacks, Jews and anyone else who didn’t fit the white-supremacist Kathleen profile he adParker opted relatively recently. A living cliche of white rage, he posed in selfies with Nazi symbols and the Confederate battle flag and said he wanted to start a race war. But even a cursory review of his short résumé suggests that what Roof really wanted was attention. He wanted to be the somebody he never was. Despite our insistence that there must be some explanation — a “broken brain,” as a forensic psychiatrist proposed — there may be little more to Roof’s story than a sad young man who marinated in one existential crisis after another until deciding that killing people was a certain route to self-possession. What goes on inside Roof’s mind is anyone’s guess, but his actions during the first part of his trial — and now his insistence on representing himself during the sentencing phase — suggest that he is pursuing a plan of some sort, despite his passivity and seeming lack of interest in the proceedings. When offered a chance — possibly his only chance — to save himself from execution by allowing testimony this week related to his mental state, Roof declined. He will call no witnesses, he has said, and is otherwise contemptuous of psychological evaluations. In a journal found in his car after the night of the shootings in June 2015, Roof wrote: “Also I want [sic] state that I am morally opposed to psychology. It is a Jewish invention, and does nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they don’t.” Thus, one infers, Roof wants people to think he is neither insane nor emotionally damaged and that he committed a crime that was, in fact, premeditated. The jury of nine whites and three blacks apparently agreed and found him guilty on 33 federal

charges last month. Those same jurors this week will begin hearing prosecution witnesses, including survivors from that night, as they consider whether to condemn Roof to life in prison or to death. Roof seems to prefer the latter. Even though he has one of the nation’s best anti-death penalty lawyers, David Bruck, Roof is declining legal assistance other than advice. A hearing Monday convinced federal Judge Richard Gergel that Roof is competent enough to represent himself. His being competent, meaning that he understands the charges against him, doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s sane. Psychologists make a distinction between the two, even if the legal system does not. Roof’s history would seem to leave little doubt that his mental health was compromised throughout his young life. A child of divorce who attended at least seven schools in nine years, he dropped out after a repeat of the ninth grade. In interviews, his childhood friends and teachers described him as a loner, quiet, timid, physically underdeveloped, not popular but not disliked, smart and bored with school. In other words, he was just the type to feel himself an outsider for whom life was unfair. So Roof turned to drugs, worked odd jobs and scoured the internet in search of belonging. He found company among white supremacists, neo-Nazis and others feeling similarly dispossessed who had created an alternate universe of blame and revenge. In their deranged mindset, their miserable lives were the fault of other races and ethnicities, especially blacks and Jews. To a lonely Roof, who may have felt in that most narcissistic of self-delusional laments that no one really “knew” him, white supremacy provided both a salve and a solution. The losing-est loser gravitated toward the extreme of killing the “enemy.” Finally, he would be respected by a group that he admired and that, to his mind, accepted him as an equal. But Roof wanted more than acceptance. He wanted to be a legend. Now in the final act in his one-man play, Roof dares jurors to execute him. Tempting. But far better would be to deny him the false glory he seeks and make him live out his days in the knowledge of his insignificance. Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparker@ washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group

EDITORIAL PAGE POLICIES EDITORIALS represent the views of the owners of this newspaper. COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY are the personal opinion of the writer whose byline appears. Columns from readers should be typed, doublespaced and no more than 850 words. Send them to The Item, Opinion Pages, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, or email to hubert@theitem. com or graham@theitem.com. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are written

by readers of the newspaper. They should be no more than 350 words and sent via e-mail to letters@theitem.com, dropped off at The Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St. or mailed to The Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, along with the full name of the writer, plus an address and telephone number for verification purposes only. Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem. com/opinion/letters_to_editor.

COMMENTARY

Obama was indeed transformational Unfortunately so

ASHINGTON — Any summation of Barack Obama’s impact on domestic policy and politics should begin with this: In 2008, he assured supporters, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Soon he will be replaced by someone who says, “I alone can fix it.” So, Americans have paid Obama the compliment of choosing continuity, if only in presidential narcissism. The nation has now had, for only the second time, three consecutive two-term presidencies. (The other was “the Virginia dynasty” of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe.) The first trio culminated in an “era of good feelings” (Monroe was reelected unopposed). The second not so much. Obama, who called health insurance reform the “defining struggle of this generation,” was semiright, in two senses. Because Obamacare demonstrates the perils of trying to micromanage 18 percent of the economy (America’s health care sector is larger than all but four national economies), it might be the last gasp of New Deal/ Great Society-style government hubris. On Jan. 16, 2008, Obama told the Reno Gazette-Journal, “I want to make government cool again.” His paragraph in our national epic did not do that. On the other hand, Obama might have catalyzed a conviction already forming in the American mind, but in any case he leaves a nation that now believes public policy should enable everyone to have access to insurance. Obama has been among the most loquacious of our presidents, but can you call to mind from his Niagara

of rhetoric a memorable sentence or even phrase? If power is the ability to achieve George intended Will effects, his rhetoric has been powerless to produce anything but an empty, inconsequential reputation for speaking well. He assured congressional Democrats that they could safely vote for Obamacare because “you’ve got me.” He would demonstrate his magic when campaigning for it and for them. Seven years after he said this, it remains unpopular, and they are fewer than they were. There are 11 fewer senators and 62 fewer representatives than on Jan. 20, 2009. Three presidents — George Washington, Ulysses Grant and Dwight Eisenhower — were world figures before becoming president and are remembered primarily for what they did before. Eisenhower rebuffed his aides’ requests that he make more use of a new medium for marketing himself: “I can think of nothing more boring, for the American public, than to have to sit in their living rooms for a whole halfhour looking at my face on their television screens.” Eisenhower left office very popular. A former colleague of Obama’s on the faculty of the University of Chicago Law School described him as someone who never learned anything from anyone with whom he disagreed. He also never learned anything from anyone about constitutional etiquette. He combined progressivism’s oldest tradition and central tenet — hostility to the separation of powers — with a breezy indifference

LETTER TO THE EDITOR GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY HELPED THOUSANDS THROUGH GOODWILL As we embark on 2017 and reflect on the year gone by, I want to take a moment to recognize those who donated to our organization, shopped in our stores and supported our mission of helping people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work. Palmetto Goodwill serves 18 counties throughout lower South Carolina including Sumter. More than 90 cents of every dollar we make from the sales of gently used clothing and donated items helps us provide numerous employment services right here in our backyard.

to the Take Care Clause (the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed”) and to the first sentence of the Constitution’s first article (“All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress”). He began pioneering new dimensions in presidential lawlessness when, taking over George W. Bush’s bailout of the automobile industry, he shredded the rights of secured Chrysler bondholders. He seemed to believe there is an article in the Constitution that says presidents may make or amend laws that Congress will not make or amend. Perhaps this is the mysterious Article XII that his successor has referred to. Obama’s adventures in green energy produced the $535 million bankruptcy of Solyndra and 60 percent fewer electric cars on the road in 2015 than he had predicted. Gulliver on his travels met someone like Obama: “He has been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers, which were to be put in phials hermetically sealed, and let out to warm the air in raw inclement summers. He told me, he did not doubt, that, in eight years more, he should be able to supply the governor’s gardens with sunshine, at a reasonable rate: but he complained that his stock was low, and entreated me to give him something as an encouragement to ingenuity, especially since this had been a very dear season for cucumbers.” In 2007, Obama said, “Let us transform this nation.” Judging by the nature of his successor, Obama somewhat succeeded. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost. com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group

Because of the generous support from our community members, we were able to provide services to 43,297 people. We placed 1,847 people into new jobs and provided clothing assistance to 8,424 people. With the support of our community we helped people improve their lives and we are truly thankful for the impact we were able to make. On behalf of our Board of Directors, devoted employees and most importantly, the people we serve, we thank you. We are truly grateful for your contributions that allow us to serve people every day. Sincerely, ROBERT SMITH President & CEO Palmetto Goodwill North Charleston

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

FYI

Palmetto Health Tuomey Hos- ly companionship, administrative support, meal pice is in need of volunteers. preparation, light houseA hospice appliAre volunteer you looking for volunteer opportucation can be found online hold projects, student edunities? cation and various other at www.palmettohealth. tasks. Contact Whitney org/giving/volunteer-programs/homecare-and-hos- Rogers, regional volunteer coordinator, at (843) 409pice volunteers . Hospice 7991 or whitney.rogers@ volunteers are an integral hospicecare.net. part of the Palmetto Health Tuomey Hospice Amedisys Hospice is in need team. Medicare requires 5 of volunteers. Volunteer oppercent of the total paportunities include: 1) spetients care hours of all cial projects of baking, paid hospice employees be sewing, knitting, crafts, provided by volunteers. carpentry and yard work; Volunteers are needed for 2) administrative/office both direct patient care duties of copying, light filand administrative duties. ing and answering phones; If you can provide support, and 3) patient companionrespite, companionship, ship — develop one-on-one friendship, acts of kindrelationships with hospice ness, file, answer the patients (training provided phone, do data entry, or free of charge). Contact mailings to families, Rhoda Keefe, volunteer coplease consider caring for ordinator, at (803) 469-3047 one patient by giving your or rhonda.keefe@ameditime, talents, or gifts of sys.com. kindness. Call the Rev. B.J. Hospice Care of Tri-County is Drayton at (803) 773-4663. in need of volunteers. VolunSumter County AARP Founda- teers offer support, comtion Tax-Aide is in need of panionship and care to the volunteers for the upcomcaregiver by running ering tax season. No tax rands, reading to patients, preparation experience is listening and just being needed. Volunteers only there for patients who need to have minimum need companionship. All computer experience and you need is a willing heart the desire to help local and some time to give to taxpayers. Volunteer at others. No medical backwww.aarpfoundation.org/ ground is required. Hostaxaide. Call Ms. King at pice Care of Tri-County will (803) 316-0772 if you have provide you with the tools questions. you need to become a hospice volunteer. Call Carol Make-A-Wish South Carolina is seeking volunteers to help Tindal at (803) 905-7720. make wishes come true for ROAD to RECOVERY is in need children across the state. of volunteers in the Sumter Bilingual volunteers are area. The program proespecially needed. Interest vides cancer patients with webinars are offered at transportation to and from 6:30 p.m. on the second treatments. Call the AmeriWednesday of each month. can Cancer Society at Preregistration is required. (803) 750-1693. Contact Brennan Brown at The Sumter Combat Veterans bbrown@sc.wish.org or Group holds weekly peer to (864) 250-0702 extension peer meetings at 11 a.m. 112 to register for the webinar or begin the applica- every Tuesday at the South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lation process. fayette Drive. These meetHospice Care of Sumter LLC ings are designed for vetis in need of volunteers in erans to help other veterSumter and surrounding ans with PTSD, coping counties. Opportunities skills, claims, benefits, available for you to use therapeutic counseling your time and talents to be sponsored by the Columof assistance include read- bia VET Center at 11 a.m. ing, musical talents, comeach Tuesday, and one-onpanionship, light houseone counseling 9 a.m.-3 keeping, etc. Call (803) p.m. every other Wednes883-5606 or hospicecareof- day. Open to all area vetersumter@yahoo.com. ans. Call James Thomas at (803) 765-9944. Agape Hospice is in need of volunteers. Whether your Having cancer is hard. Findpassion is baking, knitting, ing help shouldn’t be. Free reading, singing, etc., help for cancer patients Agape Hospice can find a from the American Cancer place for you. Contact Society. Transportation to Thandi Blanding at (803) treatment, help for ap774-1075, (803) 260-3876 or pearance related side eftblanding@agapsenior. fects of treatment, nutricom. tion help, one-on-one Hospice Care of South Caroli- breast cancer support, na is in need of volunteers in free housing away from home during treatment, Sumter County. Do you help finding clinical trials, have one extra hour a someone to talk to — all week? Opportunities are available for patient/fami- free. Call (800) 227-2345.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Personal EUGENIA LAST changes will affect your productivity. It will be necessary to live up to what’s expected of you. Taking on too much or setting unrealistic goals will require you to put in a call for help. Don’t jump to conclusions.

The last word in astrology

feasible and affordable. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Accept the inevitable and be ready to parley whatever happens into a winning situation. By staying on top of what everyone else is doing, you will be able to outmaneuver someone who is trying to bully or take advantage of you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll face a roadblock if you share too much personal information with an outsider. Talk to someone you trust about your concerns before you deal with an agent or someone in a key position at an institution. Romance is favored.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Home improvements should begin with open discussions. Everyone concerned or influenced by the plans you want to undertake should have a say. The input will lead to stellar results that will be conducive to pursuing a life-long dream.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Watch what’s going on around you. Refuse to get involved in gossip and take extra care when it comes to your health, appearance or trusting others with your secrets or financial affairs. Secrecy and a strict budget are encouraged.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll be given an opportunity to improve your reputation, status or standard of living. Not everyone will be happy with the decisions you make, but at this point you are the one who needs to feel satisfied.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’ll be tempted to overreact, indulge and spend on unnecessary items. Make a point to engage in programs that offer enlightenment and knowledge instead of doing things that are costly or lead to greater uncertainty. A personal improvement will brighten your day.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep your life simple. Don’t go overboard to compensate for an emotional void you are feeling. Look back and learn from past experiences. Let your charm lead to new beginnings and a better outlook. Revive old ideas and see what transpires.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Invite change and consider different options. Short trips, communication and meetings will help you gain stability and status. Express your thoughts and make your move. Network, present and promote. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ll be faced with demands that can leave you frustrated and angry. Don’t feel pressured if what’s expected of you is unreasonable. Change may be needed, but try to find a way to make improvements that are both

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll be eager to bring about changes that will help you advance this year. Negotiating contracts and reconnecting with people you have worked with in the past will lead to a brighter future. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Consider the changes you can make that will help you reach your goals. Don’t expect to receive help or rely on others. If there is something you want to accomplish, make the effort to do so on your own.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Mostly sunny and cooler

Considerable clouds

A couple of afternoon showers

Colder with some snow

Plenty of sunshine, but cold

Sunshine and cold

55°

39°

52° / 32°

34° / 17°

34° / 13°

32° / 17°

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 15%

Chance of rain: 80%

Chance of rain: 60%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 0%

E 4-8 mph

VAR 2-4 mph

N 4-8 mph

NNE 10-20 mph

NW 7-14 mph

ENE 4-8 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 48/35 Spartanburg 49/36

Greenville 49/35

Columbia 56/38

Temperatures shown on map are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 55/39

Aiken 53/39

ON THE COAST

Charleston 61/44

Today: A shower in the afternoon; cooler in northern parts. High 55 to 62. Friday: Mostly cloudy; a shower in spots in northern parts. High 55 to 61.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

65° 54° 54° 32° 77° in 2004 16° in 2002

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 355.22 73.90 73.80 98.83

24-hr chg +0.53 +0.08 +0.11 +0.22

RIVER STAGES

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date

0.00" 2.13" 0.50" 2.13" 0.01" 0.50"

River Black River Congaree River Lynches River Saluda River Up. Santee River Wateree River

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today City Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 55/34/pc Chicago 15/2/c Dallas 42/25/pc Detroit 22/13/sf Houston 67/41/c Los Angeles 61/53/sh New Orleans 65/50/pc New York 35/28/pc Orlando 76/51/pc Philadelphia 37/29/pc Phoenix 66/51/s San Francisco 52/38/pc Wash., DC 40/31/pc

City Asheville Athens Augusta Beaufort Cape Hatteras Charleston Charlotte Clemson Columbia Darlington Elizabeth City Elizabethtown Fayetteville

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 41/27/c 13/7/pc 34/19/c 20/11/pc 45/31/c 63/53/pc 50/33/sh 34/24/sn 75/61/c 37/23/pc 66/47/s 50/46/pc 38/23/pc

Myrtle Beach 57/44

Manning 54/40

Today: Partly sunny and cooler. Winds south-southeast 3-6 mph. Friday: A bit of snow and rain. Winds northeast 4-8 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 54/40

Bishopville 52/37

Today Hi/Lo/W 46/29/pc 54/37/pc 59/42/pc 62/45/pc 54/47/pc 61/44/pc 48/35/s 50/39/pc 56/38/s 52/38/s 48/37/pc 53/39/s 52/39/s

Flood 7 a.m. stage yest. 12 8.85 19 6.10 14 8.22 14 6.99 80 77.24 24 13.50

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 36/22/sf 45/30/c 52/38/sh 60/41/c 48/39/c 61/38/c 45/27/c 47/31/c 53/35/sh 50/31/sh 44/27/c 51/30/c 49/30/c

24-hr chg -0.12 +0.70 +1.37 +2.12 +1.61 +3.84

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 54/40/s Gainesville 73/47/pc Gastonia 48/37/s Goldsboro 50/37/pc Goose Creek 60/44/pc Greensboro 45/33/pc Greenville 49/35/s Hickory 44/32/pc Hilton Head 61/48/pc Jacksonville, FL 71/46/pc La Grange 58/37/pc Macon 61/41/pc Marietta 54/32/pc

Sunrise 7:28 a.m. Moonrise 12:11 p.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:27 p.m. none

First

Full

Last

New

Jan. 5

Jan. 12

Jan. 19

Jan. 27

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Fri.

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 53/32/sh 73/54/t 46/28/c 48/28/c 60/37/c 41/24/c 46/29/c 42/26/sf 60/39/c 70/51/c 42/28/sh 47/35/sh 38/25/c

High 1:31 a.m. 2:02 p.m. 2:35 a.m. 3:06 p.m.

Ht. 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.8

Low Ht. 8:34 a.m. 0.2 9:09 p.m. -0.2 9:42 a.m. 0.2 10:09 p.m. -0.3

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 45/32/pc Mt. Pleasant 61/47/pc Myrtle Beach 57/44/s Orangeburg 54/40/s Port Royal 61/47/pc Raleigh 50/35/pc Rock Hill 50/36/s Rockingham 50/37/s Savannah 64/45/pc Spartanburg 49/36/s Summerville 59/43/pc Wilmington 54/40/s Winston-Salem 44/33/pc

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 41/25/sf 61/39/c 57/36/c 54/33/sh 60/39/c 44/25/c 47/28/c 48/28/c 62/41/c 45/28/c 60/36/c 55/33/c 42/25/c

FREE FARE FRIDAYS Unsure how you can get around the City of Sumter or how the Commuter Route Services operate? Hop on board and ride for FREE on FRIDAYS and let us show you how. “People

Santee Wateree RTA Operations: (803) 775-9347 or (803) 934-0396

Moving People”

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC Martin Flax shares a photo he took while visiting Swan LakeIris Gardens.

HAVE YOU TAKEN PICTURES OF INTERESTING, EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL OR HISTORICAL PLACES? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Sumter Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandra@ theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150. Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please. Photos of poor reproduction quality may not publish. With the exception of pictures that are of a timely nature, submitted photos will publish in the order in which they are received.

SECTION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

4A showdown

Morant’s 31 leads No. 3 Crestwood past second-ranked LR 74-66

CAROLINA BASKETBALL

Thornwell’s return helps USC defeat Georgia BY CHARLES ODUM The Associated Press

head coach Dwayne Edwards, whose team improved to 11-4 on the season. “A lot of attention is put on him, so when the other players step up and contribute, that makes us a much better team.” The Lady Knights also took care of business, pressing LR into 26 turnovers in a 52-32 victory.

ATHENS, Ga. — P.J. Dozier scored 24 points and Sindarius Thornwell had 19 in his return from a six-game suspension to lead South Carolina to a 67-61 win over Georgia in the Gamecocks’ Southeastern Conference opener on Wednesday night. Thornwell, the SEC’s reigning defensive player of the year, had 11 rebounds, three blocks and six steals for South Carolina (11-3, 1-0 SEC). Yante Maten led Georgia (9-5, 1-1) with 18 points, including a 3-pointer with about 1 minute remaining to cut South Carolina’s lead to 62-61. Thornwell’s tip-in of his own miss pushed the lead back to three points. J.J. Frazier had 16 THORNWELL points for Georgia despite making only one of six 3-pointers. Thornwell returned as a starter after completing the suspension for an unspecified violation of athletic department policy. He apologized to teammates and fans on Monday but would not say why he was suspended. The Gamecocks were 7-0 and ranked No. 20 with Thornwell, who was averaging 18.7 points. They were 3-3 and fell out of the Top 25 during the suspension. Even while missing Thornwell’s defensive leadership for six games, South Carolina led the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 59.3 points per game. His return added more strength to the defense which swarmed Maten, the SEC’s second-leading scorer, near the basket and frustrated the Bulldogs’ outside shooters. South Carolina opened the second half with a 12-5 run to take its biggest lead at 48-39. Georgia cut the lead to 51-49 on Juwan Parker’s 3-pointer and Frazier’s fast-break layup on consecutive possessions.

SEE CRESTWOOD, PAGE B3

SEE USC, PAGE B3

KEITH GEDAMKE/THE SUMTER ITEM

Crestwood’s Ja Morant (12) drives the baseline after getting Lower Richland’s Tevaughn Higgins airborne in the Knights’ 74-66 victory on Wednesday at The Castle.

BY PATRICK ENZOR Special to The Sumter Item On Wednesday morning, the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association released its new rankings for teams across the state. The Crestwood High School varsity boys team came in at No. 3 in the 4A classification. The Knights’ opponent on Wednesday eve-

ning at The Castle - Lower Richland was No. 2. Ja Morant and company had something to say about that. Behind Morant’s 31 points, the Knights topped the Diamond Hornets 74-66 in a game that Crestwood lead by at least seven points from the first quarter on. “He (Morant) makes everyone else around him better,” said Crestwood

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

PREP BASKETBALL

Tiger WRs Williams, Cain face Alabama this time

Sumter High, Region VI-5A try new hoops scheduling

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press CLEMSON — Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott walked over to receiver Deon Cain shortly before the Tigers left the locker room to face Ohio State with a smile and a simple message: “Welcome to the playoffs.” It has been a long, fretful national title game journey for both Cain and Mike Williams, two of Clemson’s most dynamic receivers. Williams had to watch the 45-40 loss to Alabama last January from the sidelines, a frightening neck injury in the first quarter of the season-opener knocked him out for the year. For Cain, it was his own mistake that cost him. He was sent home along with two other players — suspended for breaking team rules — two days before Clemson’s 37-17 win over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Cain also missed the national championship loss. Now, both are back and eager to make an impact against No. 1 Alabama (14-

0) on Monday night. “They’re very excited,” teammate and fellow receiver Artavis Scott said. “Who wouldn’t be when you’re playing for a national title.” Williams was a 1,000-yard receiver clearly marked as Clemson’s main target in 2015 when he collided with the goal post stanchion making a touchdown catch against Wofford. Williams lay still for several, uncomfortable minutes until he was strapped to a backboard and taken off the field on a cart. The diagnosis was serious — a neck fracture — but Williams’ made a strong recovery and an even stronger return in 2016 with team highs of 90 catches, 1,267 yards receiving and 10 touchdown grabs. “I’ve gotten better in all parts of my game,” Williams said. “Running routes, blocking, reading defenses, that was my goal.” Williams thought he had nothing more than a bruise until he felt his body tingling and go numb. There

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams (7) will play against Alabama in the national title game on Monday after missing last season’s game due to an injury. was no surgery and Williams said the same day it happened doctors told him he’d be able to play again. But it was difficult for him to watch games and not be able to participate. “We were winning all the

time so I just thought, ‘Good job,’” the 6-foot-3 Williams said. “But we lost the national championship game and I thought, ‘What if I were out there?’”

SEE CLEMSON, PAGE B3

If you’re wanting to see the Sumter High School varsity girls basketball team take on South Florence in its Region VI-5A opener, you can head over to the SHS gymnasium today. And the Gamecocks boys team? That’s going to require a road trip to Florence on Friday. Confused? There’s really no need to be. Region VI has set its schedule up where the junior varsity and varsity girls teams play on one night at one site and the JV and varsity boys teams play the next night at the other site. “This is something the region decided it wanted to do at the end of the (2015-16) school year,” said Sumter athletic director Terrence Scriven, who pointed out it was a unanimous decision. “We’re going to give it a try and see how it works out. It really does help out on the travel.”

SEE SCHEDULE, PAGE B4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

TV, RADIO TODAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alabama offensive line coach Mario Cristobal calls Crimson Tide freshman offensive lineman Jonah Williams (73) “the best I’ve seen.” Alabama plays Clemson for the national title on Monday.

Bama’s Williams thrives on freshman O-lineman BY JOHN ZENOR The Associated Press TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jonah Williams never got caught up in recruiting rankings. And he knew that his high school success assured him of nothing once he arrived at Alabama. He doesn’t dwell on the praise. But there’s lots of it. Outland Trophy winner Cam Robinson thinks Williams is better than he was as a freshman. Crimson Tide offensive line coach Mario Cristobal calls his young right tackle “the best I’ve seen.” Williams, a 6-foot-5, 296-pound freshman, tries not to even consider the sentence “starting right tackle for the defending national champions.” But that’s what he has been all season and will be when the Tide plays No. 2 Clemson for another title Monday in Tampa, Florida. “That’s been my whole process for the past two years, ever since I started getting heavily recruited,” Williams said before the semifinal game against Washington. “My friends, my parents, coaches, everyone was always — not putting me down or keeping me down, they’re very supportive of me — but it’s like, ‘You’re doing a really good job against this high schooler that’s going to go to technical school after this. You’re about to be going against (Alabama defensive end) Jon Allen and all these guys in practice and all the superstars and incredible D-lines in the SEC.’ “That was always the thing for me, is that, yeah, you’re doing well but there’s someone better.” Like Robinson, Williams has started every game as a freshman. Both were fivestar prospects, and now Robinson is a unanimous All-American and projected high first-round draft pick. “I have to give it to him. He was probably better than me,” Robinson said. “I was just raw. I was just out there playing. I think he’s probably a little bit more focused and disciplined.” Bearded and analytical, Williams doesn’t really look, sound or play like a freshman.

He skipped the prep all-star games so he could enroll at Alabama last January and practice for a few days before that national championship game versus the Tigers. That provided him with an early welcome-to-the Southeastern Conference moment a few hours after arriving on campus. With loudspeakers blasting in crowd noise, Williams was a little slow moving and linebacker Tim Williams blew by him. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’” Jonah Williams said. I’d never gone against a guy that fast. I think that was probably the biggest ‘oh crap’ moment for me.” By fall camp, he was more comfortable. Williams prepared for his first game against Southern California partly by watching Robinson’s Alabama debut at left tackle against West Virginia. He said Robinson provided “a great template” of how to succeed as a freshman lineman in the SEC. Cristobal, for one, wasn’t surprised that Williams has consistently excelled so early. He visited Folsom High School during a recruiting period where he wasn’t allowed to talk with recruits. Cristobal said everyone at the California school sang Williams’ praises. The film wasn’t bad either. “I think my 7-year-old could have watched his film and said, ‘Yeah, we need to go this guy,’” Cristobal said. Now, Cristobal calls him the best tackle he’s been around, then backtracks just a bit to include Robinson. “Those two are the best that I’ve ever seen,” said Cristobal, a former FIU head coach and Miami Hurricanes assistant. It’s not just Williams’ talent that sets him apart, the coach said. He also calls him a football junkie, who would respond to Cristobal about high school games with lengthy, very specific texts that included detailed self critiques. “He’s humble and hungry. He’s ambitious,” Cristobal said. “Every time you communicate with him, it’s ‘I’m on my way to the gym.’ Or, ‘I’m going to eat half a chicken and four baked potatoes.’ Everything he does is geared toward greatness.”

NFL PLAYOFF GLANCE By The Associated Press

WILD-CARD PLAYOFFS SATURDAY Oakland at Houston, 4:35 p.m. (ESPN) Detroit at Seattle, 8:15 p.m. (NBC) SUNDAY Miami at Pittsburgh, 1:05 p.m. (CBS) N.Y. Giants at Green Bay, 4:40 p.m. (FOX)

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS JAN. 14 Seattle, Green Bay or N.Y. Giants at Atlanta, 4:35 p.m. (FOX) Houston, Oakland or Miami at New England, 8:15 p.m. (CBS) SUNDAY, JAN. 15 Pittsburgh, Houston or Oakland at Kansas City, 1:05 p.m. (NBC) Green Bay, N.Y. Giants or Detroit at Dallas, 4:40 p.m. (FOX) Conference Championships JAN. 22

AFC

TBD

NFC

TBD

PRO BOWL JAN. 29 At Orlando, Fla. AFC vs. NFC, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

SUPER BOWL FEB. 5 At Houston TBD, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)

NHL STANDINGS By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Montreal 38 23 9 6 52 115 87 Ottawa 37 20 13 4 44 94 98 Boston 40 20 16 4 44 95 97 Toronto 37 17 12 8 42 113 109 Tampa Bay 39 19 16 4 42 113 111 Florida 38 16 14 8 40 92 104 Detroit 37 16 16 5 37 93 107 Buffalo 37 14 15 8 36 82 102 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Columbus 36 27 5 4 58 126 74 Pittsburgh 38 25 8 5 55 133 107 N.Y. Rangers 40 26 13 1 53 136 101 Washington 37 23 9 5 51 105 83 Philadelphia 39 20 14 5 45 116 120 Carolina 37 16 14 7 39 95 101 New Jersey 39 16 16 7 39 92 115 N.Y. Islanders 36 15 15 6 36 104 113

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Chicago 40 23 12 5 51 109 98 Minnesota 36 23 9 4 50 113 76 St. Louis 38 20 13 5 45 108 111 Nashville 37 16 14 7 39 103 102 Dallas 38 16 15 7 39 97 113 Winnipeg 40 18 19 3 39 109 121 Colorado 37 12 24 1 25 76 125 PACIFIC DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA San Jose 38 23 13 2 48 95 82 Anaheim 39 19 12 8 46 107 109 Edmonton 39 19 13 7 45 111 104 Los Angeles 38 19 15 4 42 94 92 Calgary 39 20 17 2 42 105 111 Vancouver 39 18 18 3 39 97 116 Arizona 37 11 21 5 27 82 121 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

CLEMSON

FROM PAGE B1

It’s a question Cain wondered, too. He was so remorseful about his mistake — Cain still won’t discuss specifics about what he did wrong — that he shut off his phone and did not watch Clemson’s loss to Alabama. During his time away from the field, Cain decided to work his way back onto the Tigers and rebuild the trust with his teammates dented by his suspension during last year’s playoff run. “I put this program on a pedestal because they’ve done a lot of stuff to help me,” he said. “I just wasn’t mature enough to see the opportunity they were giving me.” Cain, like Williams, has made the most of his time back on the field. He leads the Tigers front line receivers with 19.1 yards a catch with 640 yards on 33 grabs. His nine touchdowns are second behind Williams. Williams’ time at Clemson will end after the national championship, the junior set to leave the Tigers for the NFL draft where projections have him as likely the first receiver to be picked. He could’ve left last season and finished his rehab in the pros, but instead returned for a final college season. “I’m really happy for him with all he’s been through,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “He’s better for having comeback.” Cain, from Tampa, Florida, hopes to finish off a redemptive year in his hometown at Raymond James Stadium on Monday

7:30 a.m. – Professional Tennis: Qatar Open Quarterfinal Matches from Dohar, Qatar (TENNIS). 3:30 p.m. – International Tennis: Hopman Cup Match from Perth, Australia – United States vs. Australia (TENNIS). 5 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Tennessee-Martin at Belmont (ESPNU). 6 p.m. – PGA Golf: Tournament of Champions First Round from Kapalua, Hawaii (GOLF). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 7 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Purdue at Ohio State (ESPN). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Connecticut at Memphis (ESPN2). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Davidson at George Washington (ESPNU). 7 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Missouri at Kentucky (SEC NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: New Mexico State at Missouri (Kansas City) (TIME WARNER 1250). 7:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Charlotte at Detroit (FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST). 8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Carolina at St. Louis (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 8 p.m. – Women’s Professional Tennis: Brisbane International Quarterfinal Matches from Brisbane, Australia (TENNIS). 8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Oklahoma City at Houston (TNT). 8:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Buffalo at Chicago (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: St. Mary’s (Calif.) at Brigham Young (BYUTV). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Farleigh Dickinson at Wagner (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: California at UCLA (ESPN). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Gonzaga at San Francisco (ESPN2). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Minnesota at Northwestern (ESPNU). 9 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Tennessee at Vanderbilt (SEC NETWORK). 10 p.m. – College Basketball: Utah at Arizona (FOX SPORTS 1). 10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers at Portland (TNT).

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Washington 6, Toronto 5, OT Columbus 3, Edmonton 1 New Jersey 3, Carolina 1 Buffalo 4, N.Y. Rangers 1 Winnipeg 6, Tampa Bay 4 Montreal 2, Nashville 1, OT Los Angeles 2, San Jose 1, OT

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Winnipeg at Florida, 7 p.m. Montreal at Dallas, 8 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia, 8 p.m. Colorado at Calgary, 10 p.m. Arizona at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Detroit at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clemson wide receiver Deon Cain (8) has kept himself straight after getting sent home during last year’s postseason and is ready to help the Tigers try to win a national title on Monday.

night. “It like a dream come true,” he said. Williams had six catches for 96 yards in Clemson’s 31-0 Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State last Saturday night. Cain had one 9-yard reception. Neither had a touchdown. Both, though, are prepared for what they missed last season against Alabama. “The only ones happier than those guys,” Scott said, “are the coaches and (quarterback) Deshaun Watson.”

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Edmonton at Boston, 7 p.m. Columbus at Washington, 7 p.m. Nashville at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Carolina at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Buffalo at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. Detroit at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Minnesota at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Arizona, 8 p.m. Vancouver at Calgary, 10 p.m. Detroit at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION W L Pct GB Toronto 23 11 .676 — Boston 21 14 .600 2½ New York 16 18 .471 7 Philadelphia 9 24 .273 13½ Brooklyn 8 25 .242 14½ SOUTHEAST DIVISION W L Pct GB Charlotte 19 16 .543 — Atlanta 18 16 .529 ½ Washington 16 18 .471 2½ Orlando 16 20 .444 3½ Miami 10 26 .278 9½ CENTRAL DIVISION W L Pct GB Cleveland 26 7 .788 — Milwaukee 17 16 .515 9 Indiana 18 18 .500 9½ Chicago 17 18 .486 10 Detroit 16 21 .432 12

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct GB San Antonio 28 7 .800 — Houston 27 9 .750 1½ Memphis 22 15 .595 7 New Orleans 14 22 .389 14½ Dallas 11 24 .314 17 NORTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct GB Utah 22 14 .611 — Oklahoma City 21 14 .600 ½ Portland 15 21 .417 7 Denver 14 21 .400 7½ Minnesota 11 24 .314 10½ PACIFIC DIVISION W L Pct GB Golden State 30 5 .857 — L.A. Clippers 23 14 .622 8 Sacramento 15 19 .441 14½ L.A. Lakers 13 25 .342 18½ Phoenix 11 25 .306 19½

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Philadelphia 93, Minnesota 91 Boston 115, Utah 104 Indiana 121, Detroit 116 Dallas 113, Washington 105 San Antonio 110, Toronto 82 Phoenix 99, Miami 90 Sacramento 120, Denver 113 L.A. Lakers 116, Memphis 102

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Atlanta at Orlando, 7 p.m. Oklahoma City at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Milwaukee at New York, 7:30 p.m. Chicago at Cleveland, 8 p.m. Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. Miami at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m. Portland at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Brooklyn at Indiana, 7 p.m. Charlotte at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Utah at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Atlanta at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Houston, 8 p.m. Phoenix at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. San Antonio at Denver, 9 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Houston at Orlando, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Washington, 7 p.m. Cleveland at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Boston, 7:30 p.m. New York at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m. Memphis at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

New York at Indiana, 7 p.m. New Orleans at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Denver at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. Toronto at Chicago, 8 p.m. Utah at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Atlanta at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Charlotte at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Detroit at Portland, 10 p.m.

TUESDAY’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

By The Associated Press

EAST

CS Bakersfield 64, Dartmouth 60 Dayton 90, St. Bonaventure 74 Rhode Island 88, Saint Joseph’s 58 Stevens Tech 91, Utica 73

SOUTH

Alabama 68, Mississippi St. 58 Arkansas 82, Tennessee 78 Bryan 74, Point (Ga.) 67 Florida 70, Mississippi 63 Freed-Hardeman 74, Williams Baptist 60 Indiana-East 93, Asbury 81 Jacksonville 124, Middle Georgia 85 Kentucky 100, Texas A&M 58 Lindsey Wilson 90, Brescia 87 North Carolina 89, Clemson 86, OT Ohio Christian 91, Alice Lloyd 63 UCF 48, East Carolina 45 UNC Asheville 70, Liberty 57 Union (Ky.) 100, Tenn. Wesleyan 81 Wake Forest 79, Boston College 66

MIDWEST

Akron 89, Bowling Green 84 E. Michigan 85, Cent. Michigan 63 Kansas 90, Kansas St. 88 Kent St. 100, Ball St. 90 Miami (Ohio) 69, N. Illinois 67 Minn. Duluth 66, Wis.-Superior 56 Ohio 89, W. Michigan 58 Presentation 86, Minn.-Morris 83 Spring Arbor 80, Goshen 59 Toledo 86, Buffalo 54 Wis.-Stout 87, Silver Lake 64 Wisconsin 75, Indiana 68

SOUTHWEST

TCU 60, Oklahoma 57 Texas Tech 77, West Virginia 76, OT

TRANSACTIONS By The Associated Press

BASEBALL NATIONAL LEAGUE MIAMI MARLINS — Agreed to terms with 1B Tyler Moore, LHP Kelvin Marte, OF Brandon Barnes, SS Ryan Jackson and RHPs Juan Benitez and Javy Guerra on minor league contracts. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS — Signed INF Alex Crosby and RHP Carlos Pinales. KANSAS CITY T-BONES — Signed RHP Kuehl McEachern. LINCOLN SALTDOGS — Traded LHP Jeff McKenzie to Gary SouthShore for RHP Richard Castillo. SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS — Released RHP Jordan Risse. ST. PAUL SAINTS — Signed INF Anthony Phillips. CAN-AM LEAGUE SUSSEX COUNTY MINERS — Released OFs Derrick Pyles and Brenden Webb.

FOOTBALL

FRIDAY’S GAMES

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — Resigned QB Dominique Davis and WR Gerrard Sheppard.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE CAROLINA HURRICANES — Placed G Eddie Lack on injured reserve. Claimed F Ty Rattie off waivers from St. Louis. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Reassigned F Yanni Gourde to Syracuse (AHL).

Nashville at Florida, 7:30 p.m. Toronto at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. Carolina at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Colorado, 9 p.m. Calgary at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Arizona at Anaheim, 10 p.m. Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Winnipeg at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Minnesota at Los Angeles, 4 p.m. Montreal at Toronto, 7 p.m. Washington at Ottawa, 7 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Columbus, 7 p.m. Boston at Florida, 7 p.m. Edmonton at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

HOCKEY

SOCCER

USA SOCCER — Named Matt Reis goalkeeping coach, Thomas Rongen chief scout and Dave Sarachan, Pat Noonan and Kenny Arena assistant coaches for the men’s national team. Major League Soccer

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

AREA ROUNDUP

Gamecocks knock off Hartsville 73-50

HARTSVILLE – Sumter High School’s varsity boys basketball team improved to 8-5 on the season with a 73-50 victory over Hartsville on Tuesday at the HHS gymnasium. Ahmad Peoples led the Gamecocks in scoring with 17 points. Isaih Moore added 16. Sumter plays at South Florence on Friday.

High on Tuesday at the MJHS gymnasium. Leslie Owens had six points to lead the Lady Wildcats.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL HOLLY HILL 45 CLARENDON HALL 22

HOLLY HILL 62 CLARENDON HALL 33 SUMMERTON – Clarendon Hall lost to Holly Hill Academy 62-33 on Tuesday at the CH gymnasium. Dylan Way led the Saints with 17 points and seven rebounds. Carson Cumbee had seven points and Thomas Sumter had nine rebounds.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL WILSON HALL 42 CALHOUN 26

SUMMERTON – Clarendon Hall lost to Holly Hill Academy on Tuesday at the CH gymnasium. Keri Shaffer led the Lady Saints with 11 points.

HARTSVILLE 59 SUMTER 50 HARTSVILLE – Sumter High School lost to Hartsville 59-50 on Tuesday at the HHS gymnasium. Nina Edlow led the Lady Gamecocks with 13 points. Latrice Lyons added 12. Sumter plays host to South Florence today.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL

ST. MATTHEWS – Wilson Hall improved to 7-1 with a 42-26 victory over Calhoun Academy on Tuesday at the CA gymnasium. Nathan Harris led the Barons with 12 points. Wise Seagars added eight.

CLARENDON HALL 21 HOLLY HILL 12 SUMMERTON – Clarendon Hall defeated Holly Hill Academy 21-12 on Tuesday at the CH gymnasium. Amberly Way led the Lady Saints with seven points and seven rebounds.

HOLLY HILL 33 CLARENDON HALL 10 SUMMERTON – Clarendon Hall lost to Holly Hill Academy 33-10 on Tuesday at the CH gymnasium. Kade Elliott led the Saints with four points and 10 rebounds.

B TEAM BASKETBALL CARDINAL NEWMAN 28 WILSON HALL 21 Wilson Hall fell to 2-3 with a 28-21 loss to Cardinal Newman on Wednesday at Nash Student Center. Heath Watson had seven points and seven rebounds to lead the Barons, while Doc Walker had six points and six rebounds.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL

B TEAM BASKETBALL THOMAS SUMTER 33 CALHOUN 10

KEITH GEDAMKE/THE SUMTER ITEM

DALZELL – Thomas Sumter Academy defeated Calhoun Academy 33-10 on Wednesday at Edens Gymnasium. Logan Scruggs led the Lady Generals with eight points and 13 rebounds. Porter Laney and Lindsay Daniel both had six points.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL HILLCREST 32 MANNING 20 MANNING – Zamani Fulmore scored 13 points to lead Hillcrest Middle School to a 32-20 victory over Manning Junior High School on Tuesday at the MJHS gymnasium. Mya Hayes and Daisha Morant both added eight points for the Lady Wildcats.

MANNING 55 HILLCREST 21 MANNING – Hillcrest Middle School fell to 2-8 with a 55-21 loss to Manning Junior

USC

FROM PAGE B1 TIP-INS South Carolina: Thornwell scored on the Gamecocks’ first possession and had six points in the first half. ... Dozier made two jumpers in the

final 40 seconds of the first half, including a 3-pointer that just beat the buzzer as time ran out, giving the Gamecocks a 36-34 lead. Georgia: Maten became the 48th 1,000-point scorer in school history. He needed 10 points to reach 1,000. Frazier reached the milestone on Nov. 14

Crestwood’s Brittany Epps (24) goes up for a shot against Lower Richland’s Ireona Brooks during the Lady Knights’ 52-32 victory on Wednesday at The Castle.

CRESTWOOD

FROM PAGE B1

Back on the boys side, Morant and Trevion Webber led the Knights out to a 22-12 lead after the first quarter from 3-point range. Each hit two, including Morant draining one from Dalzell at the buzzer. From there, the Diamond Hornets would get no closer than seven points. However, Crestwood would push its lead to as many as 14 in the third quarter. Crestwood spent much of the game in a 1-3-1 zone, with man-to-man defense failing it. “We felt like they had some kids that were very athletic,” said Edwards. “I thought the 1-3-1 kind of eliminated their athletic ability there for awhile. Any good team is going to make an adjustment, so we went to man and it just didn’t work.” LR had a chance to cut the lead to five with 17.6 seconds left in the game

after a technical foul was called on the Crestwood bench. Trailing by 9, LR went to the line for four free throws and the ball, but went just 1-for-4. Morant sealed it with a coast-to-coast drive on the ensuing Crestwood possession. Morant added eight assists. Dakota Jennings also tallied 12 points in the win. “Told the kids that we have to finish the game strong,” said Edwards. “We’re closing teams out and we have to finish strong to get there.” Ja’Cor Nelson led LR with 22 points and Clemson signee Clyde Trapp, Jr. had 17. The Lady Knights doubled LR up in the first quarter with a 14-7 lead. After a 20-13 lead at halftime, Crestwood extended it to 32-22 after three quarters and blew open the gates in the fourth with a 20-10 run to finish off the Lady Diamond Hornets. Crestwood pressed LR for most of the game, forcing at least five turnovers

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in every quarter - including 10 in the third. “ We wanted to put some pressure on the ball because we knew after watching film on them, their guards were a little loose with the ball,” said Crestwood head coach Tony Wilson. “With the type of team we have this year, we have to apply pressure - we don’t have as much size as we did in the past. We have to try and speed the game up.” Destiny Jamison led all scorers with 17 points for the Lady Knights, who improved to 13-2. The two schools will meet again on Saturday in Hopkins.

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SPORTS SPORTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

THE SUMTER ITEM THE SUMTER ITEM

PRO FOOTBALL

Falcons QB Ryan shrugs off MVP talk BY PAUL NEWBERRY The Associate Press FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Good luck trying to get Matt Ryan to discuss his MVP chances. His boss isn’t so shy. “If I had a vote for MVP, it would certainly be Matt,” Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. “He’s had a fantastic year in a lot of ways.” Ryan just finished up the best regular season of his career, leading the Falcons to a division championship and first-round bye in the playoffs. There is no doubt he is one of the top contenders for the NFL’s highest individual honor, usually included in the same breath with New England’s Tom Brady, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Dallas rookie Ezekiel Elliott. The Falcons have never had a player capture the MVP award. Ryan shrugged off his chances, again showing his adept ability to scramble away from saying much of anything that will draw attention to him-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Atlanta Falcons have never had a Most Valuable Player, but that might be about to change as Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had the best season of his career and should be in the running for the award. self. He truly is the ultimate team player, which is why the quarterback is so revered in the Atlanta locker room. “It’s obviously nice to be mentioned, for sure,” Ryan said. “That’s special. But at the end of the day, we’ve got bigger things in front of us.” As impressive as he’s been on the field, Ryan contributes

just as much to the Falcons’ success when he’s away from the spotlight. “There are so many things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” Quinn said. “How many people he’s affected on our team. He’s a fantastic teammate. That’s one of the highest praises you can give to a ballplayer.”

SPORTS ITEMS

Duke tops Ga. Tech in Coach K’s sendoff DURHAM, N.C. — Grayson Allen had 15 points and seven assists in his return from a one-game suspension for tripping an opponent, and No. 8 Duke routed Georgia Tech 110-57 on Wednesday night in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game before leaving the team to have back surgery. Jayson Tatum scored 19 points to lead the Blue Devils (13-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had seven double-figure scorers in arguably their most complete performance of the season.

(18) BUTLER 66 (1) VILLANOVA 58 INDIANAPOLIS — Kethan Savage scored five of his 13 points during a decisive seven-point run to give No. 18 Butler a 66-58 victory over No. 1

Villanova on Wednesday night, ending the Wildcats’ 20-game winning streak. Butler (13-2, 2-1 Big East) improved to 4-0 against ranked opponents this season and extended its home winning streak to 12 games, beating a topranked team for the second time in school history.

Bazemore and Millsap knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter to close the door on Orlando, which pulled within four points of the lead during the final period. Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon led the Magic with 15 points each, and Evan Fournier came off the bench to score 14 points.

HAWKS 111

HORNETS 123

MAGIC 92

THUNDER 112

ORLANDO, Fla. — Dennis Schroder scored 18 points, Dwight Howard had 13 points and 12 rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks pulled away late in a 111-92 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win. Kent Bazemore scored 17 points, and Paul Millsap had a big second half to finish with 16 points.

CHARLOTTE — Nicolas Batum had a season-high 28 points, and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Oklahoma Thunder 123-112 on Wednesday night to snap a two-game losing streak. Batum was 7 of 18 from the field and made 13 of 15 free throws. The Hornets were 40 of 49 from the foul line. From wire reports

OBITUARIES

nounced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

RAYMOND HOLLIDAY

SAMUEL JEFFERSON

A memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday to honor the life of Apostle Raymond Holliday, who departed this life on June 7, 2016. The memorial service will be held at Blessed Assurance Ministry, 104 Sumter St., and the speaker for this occasion will be Bishop Stephen Randall of Williamsburg, Virginia. Announcement by Fleming & DeLaine Funeral Home & Chapel of Manning.

Samuel Jefferson, 64, died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at Hospices of Charleston. Born on Sept. 21, 1952, in Sumter County, he was a son

WILLIAM E. SMITH William Edward “Smitty” Smith, age 82, beloved husband of Grace Smith, died on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, at his residence. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book. The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

LILLIAN J. GHRAEL Lillian Jasper Ghrael died on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Born in Sumter County, she was a daughter of David and Julia Jasper. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be an-

of Louis and Rosa Boykin Jefferson. The family will receive relatives and friends at the home, 53 Borden Road, Rembert. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

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Ryan endured some baffling mistakes last season, raising doubts that he’d ever be the guy to lead the Falcons to their first Super Bowl championship. Turns out, he had to work through an adjustment period with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who came aboard with Quinn after the firing of long-time coach Mike Smith. “We were just trying to get to where we needed to be,” receiver Julio Jones said. In Year 2, coordinator and quarterback are in total sync. “He picked up the offense,” Jones added. “He understands this read, that read, what Kyle wants. You can see the production. It would have been there last year, but we just didn’t gel as well.” Ryan was the league’s highest-rated passer, completing 69.9 percent of his attempts for a career-best 4,944 yards, with 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The most impressive part of this season is the way he’s gotten everyone involved, becoming the first quarterback to throw scoring passes to 13 different receivers.

SCHEDULE

FROM PAGE B1

Scriven said it helps travel because the JV and varsity teams of one gender can travel together, while the varsity teams made trips on separate buses. “The coaches also like it because they get to see what all of their players are doing,” Scriven said in pointing to the fact the varsity coaches will now be able to watch the region games of their feeder programs. The starting time for both sets of games is 6 p.m. with the junior varsity teams playing the opening games. There will be no rhyme or reason to who plays on the traditional nights of Tuesday and Friday either. Next week, the Sumter boys will play at home on Monday and Thursday, first facing Conway before taking on Carolina Forest. The girls teams will be traveling to the Grand Strand, playing at Conway on Tuesday before going to Myrtle Beach to face Carolina Forest on Friday.

ETHEL P. EDWARDS Ethel Rebecca Perkins Edwards, 79, widow of Bobby Calvin Edwards, departed this life on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born on Nov. 23, 1937, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

TODAY VARSITY AND JV BASKETBALL South Florence at Sumter (Girls Only), 6 p.m. JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL Lakewood at Darlington, 6 p.m. B Team Basketball Wilson Hall at Thomas Sumter, 5 p.m. Heathwood Hall at Laurence Manning, 5 p.m. MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL Chestnut Oaks at Alice Drive, 5 p.m. Furman at Bates, 5 p.m. Ebenezer at Manning, 5 p.m. Mayewood at Hillcrest, 5 p.m. Lee Central at Hannah-Pamplico, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY VARSITY BASKETBALL Darlington at Lakewood, 6 p.m. East Clarendon at Timmonsville, 6 p.m. Bethune Bowman at Scott’s Branch, 6 p.m. VARSITY AND JV BASKETBALL Sumter at South Florence (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Manning at Hanahan, 4 p.m. Pageland Central at Lee Central (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Wilson Hall at Porter-Gaud, 4 p.m. Palmetto Christian at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m. Clarendon Hall at Dorchester, 4 p.m. Sumter Christian at South Pointe Christian (No JV Girls), 4 p.m.

SATURDAY VARSITY AND JV BASKETBALL Crestwood at Lower Richland, 3 p.m. Manning at Scott’s Branch, 4 p.m.

she was a daughter of the late Lloyd B. and Ethel Gertrude Ragland Perkins. Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.

SEE OBITUARIES, PAGE B5

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“We get a lot guys involved,” Quinn said. “Our whole team has a real clear understanding of our identity.” Coaches and teammates may be campaigning for him, but don’t expect Ryan to talk up his chances. Just not his style. “I think I’ve played well,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think about it too much, in all honesty. You focus on trying to prepare well and trying to play well. That’s been a formula that’s worked pretty well.” Notes: With an extra week of recovery time, Quinn said he’s optimistic that everyone on the 53-man roster will be ready to go in the playoffs. That includes WR Taylor Gabriel (foot) and TE Austin Hooper (knee), who didn’t play in the regular-season finale against New Orleans. The Falcons will also keep an eye on LB-DE Vic Beasley (shoulder) and CB Robert Alford (knee), who were hurt in the Saints game. Quinn said some players will be limited this week, but they should be ready to go when the Falcons return to a regular practice schedule next Tuesday.

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OBITUARIES

THE SUMTER ITEM

TRACY MORALES Tracy Morales, 53, husband of Patricia Simon Morales, died on Saturday morning, Dec. 31, 2016, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. He was a son of Gracie Hilton Haynesworth and John Ralph MORALES Morales and was reared by the late John Westley and Louise Billups as well as his grandaunt, Ella Hilton Shuler, and stepfather, Arthur Haynesworth. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, Manning, with the Rev. George P. Windley Sr., pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in Union Cypress AME Church Cemetery, Manning. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

WILLIAM J. EPPS MANNING — William James “Cutter” Epps, 83, husband of Vivian Ardis Epps, died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at his home. Born on June 21, 1933, in New Zion, he was a son of the late EPPS Ferdinand Quinton Epps and Mary West Epps. He was a past board member of Clarendon School District 2 and the Manning Lions Club. He was the former owner and operator of Clarendon Furniture Co. and an avid Gamecock fan. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Manning, where he served as an elder. He is survived by his wife of Manning; two sons, William James “Billy” Epps of Manning and David Herbert Epps (Mandi) of Florence; a daughter, Allison Epps Mitchell (Stacy) of Lexington; and a sister, Lennie Jean Epps Curran of Florence. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Presbyterian Church at Manning with the Rev. Dr. George Wilkes officiating. Burial will follow in Midway Cemetery in New Zion. Pallbearers will be David Malone, Ricky Nettles, Jeremy Evans, Shawn Epps, Michael Farley and Quinton Epps. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service from 10 to 11 a.m. in the church fellowship hall and other times at the home, 530 Rudy Road, Manning. Memorials may be made to the Presbyterian Church at Manning, P.O. Box 207, Manning, SC 29102 or to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. The family would like to thank Embrace Hospice and his loving caregivers for all of their special care and attention. Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org

ROOSEVELT MILLER COLUMBIA — Roosevelt “Bubba / Rosie” Miller, widower of Rachel Johnson Miller, died on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Funeral services for Mr. Miller will be held at noon on Saturday at Rock Hill MILLER Missionary Baptist Church, 6569 Old Georgetown Road, Manning, with the Rev. Dr. Leon Winn, pastor. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

RUBY B. WILLIAMS Late on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, God reached down to select his prized possession, our gem that we lovingly called Ruby Butler Williams, at Sumter Health and Rehab CenWILLIAMS ter. Born on June 13, 1933, in Lee County, she was one of 17 children born to the late Willie and Lougenia Herriot Butler. She was edu-

cated in the public schools of Lee County and received her high school diploma from Lee County Adult Education at Mt. Pleasant High School. At an early age, Ruby joined Mt. Olive AME Church, where she served in several capacities until her health declined. She was a member of the Women’s Missionary Society (Woodrow Unit), Stewardess Board No. 4, and served as a probationary class leader for new members. On July 28, 1948, she was joined in holy matrimony to the late James “Sambo” Williams Sr., with whom she shared 51 years of marital bliss. Those that will cherish her memory include her children, James (Lillie) Williams, Eartha (James) Bradshaw, Abraham (Carol) Williams, Edward (Denise) Williams, John (Emma) Williams, Diann (Otis) Benjamin, Patricia (the Rev. Raymond) Cook, Geraldine (James) Stuckey, Debbie (Ronnie) Wilson and Beverly (Michael) Toney; her siblings, Winnie Wilson, John Butler and Emma James; eight sisters-in-law; 26 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; a very special and devoted caregiver, Mary Wiley; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Celebration of Life services will be held at noon today at Mt. Olive AME Church, 2738 Woodrow Road, Woodrow, with the Rev. Dr. Friendly J. Gadson, pastor, eulogist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 1897 Rembert Church Road, Sumter. The remains will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. The procession will leave at 11:30 a.m. from the home. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Memorial Garden, Pear Street, Woodrow. These services have been entrusted to the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www. williamsfuneralhomeinc.com.

MARGARET P. PARKER Margaret Player Parker, 86, widow of Adrian Parker, died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at her home. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late John and Bessie Hudson Player. Mrs. Parker was an active member of Southside Baptist Church, where she served as Sunday school secretary for more than 20 years. She was the retired owner and operator of Ace Parker Tire Service. Surviving are four daughters, Lillian P. Garner and Linda P. Sims of Sumter, Adrienne Parker of Cayce and Karen P. Chappell (Denny) of Sumter; a special daughter, Angela Wilson of Cayce; two sisters, Tess Wagner of Gainesville, Georgia, and Johnnie Corley of Lawrenceville, Georgia; four grandchildren, Robbie Walker, Wayne Sims (Lynn), Parker Chappell and Player Chappell; and four great-grandchildren, Chandler Sims, Cameron Sims, Carson Walker and Callie Walker. She was preceded in death by a brother, Lavern Player; two sisters, Jean Pritchard and Doris Kolb; and two sonsin-law, Jerold W. Garner and Wayne Sims Sr. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday in the chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with the Rev. Jimmy Holley and the Rev. Tommy Atkinson officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of her daughter, 2377 U.S. 521 South. Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church, 1116 Manning Road, Sumter, SC 29150. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Jeanne Crotts and the staff of National Healthcare Center

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

and to Tri-County Hospice. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

LILLIAN R. TARVIN CASSATT — Funeral services for Lillian Reynolds Tarvin, age 75, who passed away on Jan. 2, 2017, will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday at Cassatt Baptist Church. The Rev. Dean Elliott will officiate. Burial will be in the Cassatt Baptist Church Cemetery, directed by Norton Funeral Home, Hartsville. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Mrs. Tarvin was born in Bishopville, a daughter of the late William and Grace Shoemake Reynolds. She was a member of Cassatt Baptist Church. She loved her children and grandchildren. She loved to sew and make drapes. Surviving are four daughters, Sandra (Gerald Jr.) Ferdinand Jr. of Springfield, Virginia, Robin Pollock of Sumter, Carol Hansen of Sumter and Diane (John) Geddings of Sumter; six sons, Paul Hansen, Tony (Linda) Hansen, Jeff (Amy) Hansen, Joey (Tina) Hansen, Neil Hansen and Phil (June) Hansen, all of Sumter; two brothers, George Laverne (Jewell) Reynolds of Cassatt and Carl (Loana) Reynolds of Camden; 23 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Lee Tarvin; and a son, Shawn L. Tarvin. Norton Funeral Home is honored to serve the Tarvin family.

BEULAH T. HOLLIS Beulah Tindal Hollis, 97, widow of Curvie Hollis, died on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born in Paxville, she was a daughter of the late James Samuel Tindal and Henrietta Hankins Tindal. The family will receive friends at the home, 11 Baker St. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc.

MARTHA BENNETT Martha Bennett, 103, widow of Wade Bennett, died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at Sumter Health and Rehab Center. Born on March 16, 1913, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of Frankly and Renetta Johnson Blanding. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

ROBERTA BOATNER Roberta “Bert” Boatner, wife of Claude Boatner Sr., departed this life on Jan. 2, 2017, in Baker, Louisiana. Born on Aug. 20, 1941, in Sumter, she was a daughter of Bertha J. Logan and the late James “Sonny” Logan Sr. Bert, as she was affectionately called by her family, received her education in the public schools of Sumter County. She was a 1959 graduate of Lincoln High School. She was united in marriage

to Claude Boatner Sr. of Baker, Louisiana, and to this union two sons were born, Claude Jr. (Cynthia) and Andre (Katie), both of Louisiana. She also leaves to cherish her memories: her mother, Bertha J. Logan of Sumter; two sisters, Beverly Chapman of Sumter and Rhonda Presha (Arnette Klugh) of Columbia; four brothers, James (Jonnie) Logan Jr. of North Valley Stream, New York, Raymond (Loretta) Logan and Roosevelt (Maude) Canty, both of Sumter, and Roy (Alice) Canty of Fletcher, North Carolina; two aunts, Vivan Presha and Pansy Conyers, both of Pinewood; one sister-in-law, Valaida Taylor of Louisiana; one brother-in-law, Alfred Marshall of Louisiana; two very special grand-nephews, Logan M. Smith of Sumter and KeAndre Walters of Charlotte; seven grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Mrs. Boatner was preceded in death by her father, James E. “Sonny” Logan Sr. Richardson Funeral Home, 11816 Jackson St., Clinton, LA 70722 is in charge of arrangements. Announcement courtesy of Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter.

THEODORE WRIGHT JR. Theodore “Boy” Wright Jr. died on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Theodore Wright Sr. and Hester Nixon Wright. The family will receive friends at 7365 Scales Road, Rembert, SC 29128. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc.

PEGGY ANN WILSON Peggy Ann Wilson, age 70, died on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home.

CLARA W. CARTER Clara Wilson Carter entered eternal rest on Jan. 1, 2017, at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. The family is receiving friends at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Lucille and Deso Laws, 60 Pebblebrook Drive. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville.

TURNER A. GREEN Turner Augustus “Gus” Green, 87, husband of Barbara Copeland Green, died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at his home. Born in Clarendon County, he was a son of the late Thomas S. and Lillian Player Green. Mr. Green was a member of Turbeville Southern Methodist Church and attended First Southern Methodist Church in Sumter. He retired from the Sumter Fire Department after 30 years and after serving as fire chief for 10 years. He served in several other positions with the City of Sumter following his retire-

ment. He was a member of Fidelity Lodge No. 394 AFM in Turbeville and the American Legion Post No. 132 in Turbeville. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War. Survivors include his wife of 62 years; three children, Thomas M. Green (Christine) of Savannah, Georgia, Robert A. Green (Beth) of Duncan and Nan G. Weeks (Cray) of Sumter; seven grandchildren, Turner Green, Thomas Green, Anna Sams Green, Millie Malone (William), McCray Weeks, Mason Weeks and Madison Weeks; two great-grandchildren, Charlie Malone and Lucy Malone; and a sister, Elizabeth Balint of Columbia. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Ralph Alton Green and Robert Alvin Green. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Turbeville Southern Methodist Church with the Rev. Billy Griffith, the Rev. Ellison Evans and Bobby G. Baker officiating. Burial will be in the Turbeville Southern Methodist Church cemetery. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Turner Green, Thomas Green, McCray Weeks, Mason Weeks and William Malone, and close friend, Charlton Watts. Honorary pallbearers will be the firefighters that served with him and the Men’s Sunday School Class of Turbeville Southern Methodist Church. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Turbeville Southern Methodist Church and other times at the home. Memorials may be made to the Eastern Conference Camp Ministries of the Southern Methodist Church, 203 McClendon St., Lamar, SC 29069. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

JESSE J. STUCKEY BISHOPVILLE — Jesse James Stuckey, 77, beloved husband of Sarah J. Stuckey, passed at his residence on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. Born on Nov. 5, 1939, in Lee County, he was a son of the late Henry and Lydia Hickmon Stuckey. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Barnettsville Baptist Church, 106 Manville St. Charles Road, Bishopville, with the Rev. Wayne Montgomery, pastor / eulogist. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at Square Deal Funeral Home Chapel, 106 McIntosh St., Bishopville. The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 6 p.m. Condolences can be sent to the family at esquaredealfun@ sc.rr.com. These services have been entrusted to Square Deal Funeral Home, 106 McIntosh St., Bishopville.

ANNIE OAKS Annie Oaks, 56, wife of Levorn Oaks, died on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Sumter Health and Rehab Center. Born on June 21, 1960, in Marion County, she was a daughter of Archie and Louella Scott Gilchrist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 37 Harmony Court. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

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‘Nashville’ kicks off 5th season on new channel BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH “Nashville” (9 p.m., CMT, TVPG) enters its fifth season on cable after having survived cancellation by ABC. Part of the problem of salvaging a show that’s been canceled is keeping talent on board. Much has been made of star Connie Britton’s future on the series and the fact that she won’t appear in all of this season’s episodes. Among the new faces arriving is Joseph David-Jones (“DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”), who plays Clay, a young African-American musician on the cusp of Music City stardom. Cameron Scoggins has been cast as Zach Welles, a Silicon Valley gazillionaire who just happens to be a huge fan of Rayna James. We’ll have to see how many regulars return or stick around for any duration. The GunnarScarlett on-and-off romance saga has been written into this season opener, but Sam Palladio, who plays Gunnar, has been added to the cast of AMC’s “Humans,” returning in February. He’s also had a recurring role on Showtime’s “Episodes.” • I’ve always thought that makers and viewers of cable’s many paranormal series must have confused “Ghostbusters” for a documentary. The new docuseries “Ghosts in the Hood” (10 p.m., WE, TV-14) returns to comedy with a spoof of the genre. Wisecracking “experts” go through the motions of watching through night vision cameras and employing the newest gadgetry as they investigate reported specters in a funeral parlor in Compton and in a haunted pinata shop, as well as tales of a succubus residing in an old Korean brothel. • “Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers — American Sons, American Murderers” (9 p.m., ABC) devotes two hours to the sensational 1989 murder case and heavily covered trial. Occurring five years before the O.J. Simpson case, the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez and subsequent convictions of their sons Lyle and Erik for the killings created the template for near-round-the-clock cable coverage and the rise of legalexpert talking heads as television “stars.” This retrospective offers never-before-seen home movies and photos of the family and

From Texas” (2 a.m.) and “Tugboat Annie Sails Again” (3:15 a.m.). Wyman and Reagan were married from 1940 to 1949.

SERIES NOTES A trip back to feudal Japan on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * The lost and found yields a treasure on “Superstore” (8 p.m., NBC, TVPG) * Michael has advice for Chidi on “The Good Place” (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) * Survival training on “The Great Indoors” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Adam’s friends cause concern on “Mom” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Crying babies leave dead bodies in their wake on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * A glance back to Y2K on “Life in Pieces” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).

VIRGINIA SHERWOOD / NBC

Armand Schultz, left, stars as Marlin Heiden and James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in the “Lipet’s Seafood Company #111” episode of “The Blacklist,” airing at 10 p.m. today on NBC. interviews with friends, relatives and colleagues who share their knowledge of the brothers’ secret life, offering hints at the motivations that could have driven the prep school-educated siblings to savagery. It also includes a new interview with Lyle from prison. Last year saw two excellent series about the O.J. Simpson case and a spate of uninspired specials and a dreadful Lifetime movie about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The Simpson case had resonance. Its themes of racism, misogyny, celebrity and media distraction spoke to us in 2016. I’m not exactly sure why we were revisiting the JonBenet case. Does tonight’s special have anything new to tell us about the Menendez brothers? Or does it reflect media nostalgia for a milestone in televised trial coverage? • Fred and Carrie meet a storytelling consultant on the sev-

enth season premiere of “Portlandia” (10 p.m., IFC, TV-14).

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Tales of a terrible road trip on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG). • Actress Viola Davis appears on “Inside the Actors Studio” (8 p.m., Bravo, TV-PG). • Sizing up a heart transplant recipient on “Chicago Med” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14). • “Bringing Up Bates” (9 p.m.,

UP) enters its fifth season. • James uncovers a flaw in his tech hero on “Pure Genius” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14). • Revelations spark dissension in the ranks on “The Blacklist” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE TCM unspools four comedies co-starring Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan: “Brother Rat” (10:30 p.m.); “Brother Rat and a Baby” (12:15 a.m.); “An Angel

LATE NIGHT Tracy Morgan appears on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, r) * Adam Driver, Alexa Davalos and Whitney are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Martin Short, Steve Martin, Ruth Negga and Common featuring BJ the Chicago Kid on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC, r) * Rachel Maddow, Kelly Osbourne and Craig Finn visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r). Copyright 2017 United Feature Syndicate

2016-17

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF PHIL EDWARDS

EVERY DAY Please Mail To: The Sumter Item/Fireside Fund PO Box 1677 • Sumter, SC 29150

Or Drop Off At The Item 36 W. Liberty Street

COMICS

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Relative disagrees with family member fundraising DEAR ABBY: A family member keeps setting up fundraisers every time she wants to buy something for her Dear Abby family. If a child needs a ABIGAIL special class, VAN BUREN she asks the relatives to pitch in to pay for it. When her husband wanted to return to college, she brought all the extended family together to see who could contribute. She has now set up a fundraiser for family and friends to raise $6,000 to send her daughter to an expensive performing arts camp. I think this is extravagant. If they can’t afford it, they should select a camp they can afford or have the 16-year-

JUMBLE THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

old earn the money. I also think they should be saving for college rather than camp. This woman’s father was a preacher, and sometimes I think she never got the message that fundraising is usually for charity, not for individuals who happen to need some cash. Am I wrong to be embarrassed by what she’s doing, or is this a new normal? Embarrassed in Texas DEAR EMBARRASSED: You say your relative is the daughter of a preacher. There’s a saying in the Bible, “Seek and ye shall find.” Another way of putting it is, “It never hurts to ask.” If you feel your relative is using others for something that should be her responsibility, you’re free to say no, and to do so without embarrassment. DEAR ABBY: My husband

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

and I have been together for 21 years. I’m extremely social, while he’s not. For the past six to 10 years he has become increasingly resistant to going out in public places, especially when it involves getting together with my family or friends. During last year’s holidays, I pleaded yet another “sudden illness” on his behalf. I feel he makes himself ill with anxiety so he can bow out at the last minute. When I cancel plans — which is often — he generally “feels better” after we cancel. It’s frustrating. While I’m sympathetic, I’m tired of making excuses knowing he’s probably fine. What can I do? Social butterfly in Portland, Oregon DEAR BUTTERFLY: I think you should go without him, and stop making excuses.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

By Morton J. Mendelson

ACROSS 1 Gucci of fashion 5 Manual reader 9 Certain highlands musician 14 Celebrity 15 Salon service 16 Eco-friendly spa brand 17 >:-( 20 Gazpacho ingredient 21 Grammatical unit 22 Make up for skipping classes, perhaps 24 Scholar’s deg. 25 :-( 30 Carpooling calc. 33 Frigid end? 34 Straight man 35 Bust 36 Vegetation 38 Tarzan creator’s monogram 39 Virus named for a Congolese river 41 Trains above the road 42 Allows to attack 45 “Smack That” rapper 46 Manhattan part 47 ;-) 49 Pro

50 Cabinet dept. with an Office of Science 51 Dined at a table for one 56 Near-failing grade 60 :-O 62 Reached, as expenses 63 Veiny cheese 64 Work with needles 65 Med. specialty 66 Couture line 67 Gels DOWN 1 Came to rest 2 Long drive? 3 Brown digs? 4 Many an Albee play 5 Puts on the internet, e.g. 6 Poivre companion 7 Slow Churned ice cream 8 Swarming (with) 9 Where many aces can be seen 10 Like some academic walls 11 Menial worker 12 Part of NEA: Abbr. 13 Demolish, in Devon

1/5/17 18 Gillette brand 19 Remove wooden pins from 23 Sacred songs 25 Mass consumption? 26 Like links-style golf courses 27 Sprang up 28 Razzie Award adjective 29 Easy to prepare, as desserts 30 Mushroom in Asian cuisine 31 Raptor’s weapon 32 Go out with __ 37 “The Jazz Singer” singer 40 Applicants with low credit scores, to loan officers 43 Dutch banknotes

44 Günter Grass novel, with “The” 48 __-plié: ballet movement with knees half-bent 49 Like marbled steak 51 Houston pro, locally 52 Captain who says, “For hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee” 53 Sharp flavor 54 Well-used crayons 55 Creator of Perry and Della 57 Diamond complement 58 Minute, e.g. 59 Some NCOs 61 __ shooter

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

1/5/17

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2017

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES

803-774-12

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS SERVICES

OR TO PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE GO TO WWW.THE ITEM.COM/PLACEMYAD

EMPLOYMENT

Home Improvements

Help Wanted Full-Time

All out Home Improvements We beat everybody's price Licensed & Bonded 803-316-8969

Immediate unique opportunity for the right person. Must be reliable, able to work night shift, Must have a covered truck or van. Work Tuesday through Friday and Saturday nights, this is not a home delivery newspaper route. Above average income paid weekly. Apply in person only, bring vehicle to be used, current drivers license, proof of SC insurance and social security card. To: The Item 36 West Liberty St. Sumter, SC Apply to Jeff West, CD No phone calls!

H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904 SBC Construction of Sumter Plan now for your 2017 Property Enhancement Porches â€˘Windows â€˘ Concreteâ€˘ Doorsâ€˘Water Problems Call BURCH 803-720-4129

Legal Service Attorney Timothy L. Griffith 803-607-9087, 360 W. Wesmark. Criminal, Family, Accident, Injury

Tree Service

Help Wanted Part-Time Full Time Help Wanted for Busy Sumter office. Email Resume to Box 462 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721 Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

PETS & ANIMALS Dogs Purebred German Shephard puppies, 5 males, 4 females, ready Jan. 12th. $500 ea. Call 803-469-3196

MERCHANDISE Garage, Yard & Estate Sales LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 & $3 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend. Call 803-494-5500 Moving Sale 421 S Wise Dr., (Behind Wards Bbq) Fri & Sat 8-? washer, furn, misc, 1992 Plymouth Will buy furniture by piece or bulk, tools, trailers, lawn mowers, 4 wheelers, or almost anything of value. Call 803-983-5364

RENTALS Unfurnished Apartments

REAL ESTATE

FIREWOOD Seasoned/Green $75 Delivered. Notch Above Tree Service. 983-9721 Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves. Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311. Open 7 Days a week 9am-8pm Split Oak Firewood, $50 for truck load, $100 for trailer load. Delivered stacked. 843-536-6050

PUBLIC AUCTION SUMTER EAST SELF STORAGE 800 MYRTLE BEACH HWY. AUCTION January 14, 2017 10:00 A.M.

Manufactured Housing M & M Mobile Homes, Inc. Now selling New Wind Zone II Champion and Clayton Homes. Lots of floor plans available to custom design your home. Nice used refurbished homes still available also. Bank and Owner financing with ALL CREDIT SCORES accepted. Call 1-843-389-4215 Like us on Facebook M & M Mobile Homes.

Land & Lots for Sale

Refurbished batteries as low as $45. New batteries as low as $59.95. Auto Electric Co., 102 Blvd Rd. 803-773-4381

UNITS FOR AUCTION A-42 - Aaron Rouse A-47 - Latoya McCutchinson A-49 - Carrie L. Rubin A-55 - Adrienne Richardson B-16 - Shalonda Jones B-32 - Shaquilla Alston D-8 - Thaddeus Morris D-9 - Thaddeus Morris D-10 - Thaddeus Morris D-14 - Sharon B. McFadden E-13 - Marcus Barno G-13 - Robert Morris G-14 - Thaddeus Morris H-26 - Jerome Harris H-27 - Jerome Harris

For Sale! 5 acres, flat & cleaned residential comm. Sugar Hill area Manning, Sc. Call 803-473-3310

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*XDUDQWHHG VDODU\ IRU &KU\VOHU 7HFKV Â‡ )RUG 7HFKV 8VHG FDU PHFKDQLF Â‡ 6DOHV SURIHVVLRQDO

Huntington Place Apartments Rents from $625 per month 1/2 Month free* *13 Month lease required Powers Properties 595 Ashton Mill Drive 803-773-3600 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5

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&RPSDQ\ EHQHĂ€WV Â‡ %RQXVHV LQ SD\ SODQV *UHDW ZRUN HQYLURQPHQW Â‡ 6DWXUGD\ DQG 6XQGD\ RII

&RQWDFW /RRN IRU 6DQWHH $XWRPRWLYH RQ )DFHERRN

Unfurnished Homes

Santee Automotive SANTEEAUTOMOTIVE.COM

11 Creed St 2BR 1BA $400 mo. +$300 Dep ( Deposit required with application ) Call 803-775-2590 between 8am-5pm

FORD â€˘ CHRYSLER â€˘ DODGE â€˘ JEEP â€˘ RAM Â´'RQÂˇW PDNH D PLVWDNH 6KRS WKH ODNH Âľ HIGHWAY 261 â€˘ MANNING â€˘ FORD CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM â€˘ 800-671-0365

3 & 4 Br homes & MH, in Sumter County & Manning area. No Sect. 8. Rent + dep. req. Call 803-460-6216

are searching for Customers usinesses just like yours.

7 Gerald St 3BR 1BA $525 mo + $350 Dep. ( Deposit required with application) 803-775-2590 between 8am-5pm

Mobile Home Rentals

B Are they ďŹ ďŹ nding nding OU or your

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 Br, Sec. 8 803-494-4015 Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water//sewer//garbage pk-up incl'd. RV parking avail. Call 803-494-8350

competitors

3BR & 2BR, all appliances, Sumter area. Section 8 accepted. 469-6978. Scenic Lake MHP 2 Bedroom 2 bath , No pets. Call between 9am - 5 pm 803-499-1500

Classified ads can get you antiques for your home.

the

Classified ads put home-seekers on solid ground.

Classified ads make finding a job practically no work at all.

No matter what it is, you can always buy it, sell it or find it with The Item Classified ads. For information, or to place an ad. Call 774-1234.

Notice Of Application Notice is hereby given that Carter Social Club intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license permit that will allow the sale and ON premises consumption of Beer, Wine, & Liquor at 3289 Broad St Sumter, SC 29150. To object to the issuance of this permit / license, written protest must be postmarked no later than January 7, 2017. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the same county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protests must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ABL, P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214-0907; or Faxed to: (803) 896-0110.

Mobile Home Lot â€˘Scenic Lake Dr $5200 Call Burch Home Lot â€˘79 Capri St. $9500 Call Burch 803-720-4129

Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette. 775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Classified ads are great for finding those purrfect pets.

Beer & Wine License

15 acre farm land for sale by owner, owner financing. near St. Charles. Call 803-427-3888

BUY IT. SELL IT. FIND IT.

Classified ads make finding a car easy.

Legal Notice

Miscellaneous 4BR 2.5BA 2400 sq ft. Pringle Dr $137,500 Call 803-236-7110

We will be happy to change your ad if an error is made; however we are not responsible for errors after the first run day. We shall not be liable for any loss or expense that results from the printing or omission of an advertisement. We reserve the right to edit, refuse or cancel any ad at any time.

LEGAL NOTICES

Homes for Sale

For Sale or Trade New & used Heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364

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TUXEDOS AVAILABLE for rental or purchase

Winter Clearance Sale IN PROGRESS NOW!

If your suits arenâ€™t becoming to you, Itâ€™s a good time to be coming to Mayoâ€™s!

Wesmark Plaza â€˘ 773-2262 â€˘ Mon-Sat 10-7 â€˘ www.MayosDiscountSuits.com