August 18, 2015

Page 1

More workers are buying businesses from their retiring bosses A7 NATION

States raise taxes, fees, debt to repair America’s roads A4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015

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Cops nab naked bandit Man steals SUV, strips while running from law enforcement BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

This 2015 Cadillac Escalade was stolen at a Sumter business, and law enforcement was pursuing the vehicle northbound on U.S. 15 when it crossed over the center median and two lanes of southbound traffic, striking two vehicles, before crashing into a forested swamp west of U.S. 15. The driver then stripped and ran through the swamp before being apprehended.

Sumter’s Rubik’s Cube master

It’s the naked truth: A man stole and crashed a luxury vehicle, stripped and ran through a swamp trying to elude law enforcement officers Monday. Goldie Bellinger, 34, whose last known address was 24 Terry Lane

in Williston, faces a charge of grand larceny of more than $10,000. Sumter Police Department received a call about 2 p.m. in refBELLINGER erence to a stolen black 2015 Cadillac Escalade in the 500 block of Bultman Drive. The keys of

the vehicle were left in the ignition, and the car had been left running, unlocked and unattended at the time of the theft, according to Braden Bunch, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office spokesman. Using the installed GPS device inside the vehicle, deputies were able

SEE NAKED BANDIT, PAGE A9

Welcome back to school

Boy, 11, ranks 3rd in state for fastest puzzle-solving time BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com A Sumter boy’s calculated moves have placed him at third in South Carolina for his Rubik’s Cube-solving skills, which he recently displayed during a national competition earlier this month. Jacob Crowe, 11, competed in his first competition, the U.S. Nationals 2015 Rubik’s Cube Competition, on June 31 and Aug. 1 in Hilton Head. A sixth-grader at Thomas Sumter Academy, Jacob got his first cube last year when he saw it in a book store and bought it on a whim. He said he was able to solve the puzzle within five to seven minutes. Jacob has since solved a total of 25 Rubik’s Cubes of different shapes and sizes. The most common Rubik’s Cube, the 3X3, happens to be Jacob’s favorite. He said once you learn to solve this puzzle, solving other Rubik’s Cubes will get easier. Jacob said he does not know specifically why he likes Rubik’s Cubes other than the fact that he finds solving the puzzles fun. When asked why he

Anna Luzzi, a third-grade student at Alice Drive Elementary School, struggles to carry a book bag and school supplies on her first day of school Monday.

PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

SEE RUBIK’S CUBE, PAGE A9

Jalonn Brown, 6, gives her mother, Mona, a hug just before her mother leaves her for the first day of kindergarten at Alice Drive Elementary School on Monday morning.

Sadie Robinson gets a military escort to her first kindergarten class with her father, Matt, at Alice Drive Elementary.

Ministry provides woman assistance after fire BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Jacob Crowe, 11, recently participated in a Rubik’s Cube competition in which he finished with the third-fastest time in the state.

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Sumter United Ministries helped a Massachusetts woman receive assistance with furniture and household items last week after a fire in her home in July. The woman, along with her daughter and son-in-law, arrived at the ministry Thursday. Her daughter said she was going back to Massachusetts the next day and was trying to get assistance for her mother with furniture they could take with them the same day. Normally, a list is put together and

the client would have to call the in-kind coordinator to come back on another day. The woman was able to put together a list of items she would need, however, with the help of volunteers and the crisis ministry director and left the ministry with household items, medical supplies, a walker and furniture the same day. The mother was able to obtain residence at Southview Apartments for disabled and low-income seniors. The second-annual Summer of Caring launched Memorial Day weekend

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Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1237 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News and Sports: 774-1226

Roger N. Boone Sr. Nathaniel Sumpter Jr. Johnnie Aiken Sr. Rosa McFadden Charlie Washington Willie Jean R. Bodger Edward L. Rubin

and will continue through Labor Day. The Sumter Item is partnering with Sumter United Ministries to help raise as much money as possible to assist the ministry’s largest programs. This includes home repair; crisis relief, which assists people with emergency expenses and bills; and the emergency shelter, providing temporary housing for people in Sumter. The ministry also operates a free clinic where people can get medical assistance. Each year, the program includes a summer construction project in which

SEE SUMMER, PAGE A9

WEATHER, A12

INSIDE

NOT AS WARM

2 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 256

A shower and thunderstorm around today and tonight HIGH 86, LOW 72

Classifieds B7 Comics B6 Lotteries A12

Opinion A10 Television A11


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