January 17, 2017 by The Sumter Item

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Church adds 2nd campus in Pocalla Springs/Lakewood TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

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Shaw commander: We can defeat ISIS in Syria BY JEFF WILKINSON The State Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett is the commander of U.S. Army Central, based at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter. The three-star command is housed in Patton Hall, the modern, super-secure building screened from busy U.S. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT. BRANDON HUBBARD 378 by a pine thicket, high razor wire-topped Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett, commander of U.S. Army Central, address- fences and heavily armed guards. es the crowd during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Arifjan, From there, Garrett and his staff of about Kuwait, on Dec. 19. 4,000 provide all of the support — from ammu-

nition to medical care to helicopters — for the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, as well as operations in 17 other countries from Yemen to Kazakhstan. The command, also known as Third Army or ARCENT, is a component of U.S. Central Command, based in Tampa, Florida, which plans and commands the wars and operations in the region. Garrett was chief of staff for CENTCOM, as it is called, for nearly three

SEE COMMAND, PAGE A6

‘We Cannot Turn Back’: 700 attend annual MLK Walk

PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Hundreds of walkers turn out to walk in the 17th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Walk on Monday despite foggy conditions.

Walkers share importance of unity, legacy

Elementary school principal gives speech during the annual event at USC Sumter BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com “We Cannot Turn Back” was the theme of a tear-jerking speech delivered by F.J. DeLaine Elementary School Principal Maria NewtonTa’Bon at the 17th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Walk on Monday. More than 700 people attended the 3-mile walk and program involving speeches, songs and celebratory readings, held at University of South Carolina Sumter. The event was a collaborative effort of the university, Morris College and Central Carolina Technical College. Newton-Ta’Bon’s speech focused on what she said were key points of achieving a dream: having the dream, the vision to foresee the

dream, the courage to pursue it and the endurance to follow it through to the end. “We have to continue dreaming,” she said. “Don’t turn back as you walk ahead; our children are depending on it. I’m not turning back; I don’t know about you.” Newton-Ta’Bon said although much has been achieved since the Civil Rights Movement, there is still much that needs to be done. “Our forefathers had the courage to fight for us so that signs of ‘colored’ would no longer be displayed,” she said. “So that we would be able to walk through every door of a business and receive equal treatment.” She also gave many other examples of courage that were displayed during the

BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY and KASEY MEREDITH konstantin@theitem.com Why did you walk in the 17th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Walk? “I do it to show appreciation for what Dr. King did and what he means to the world,” said Pastor James Blassingame of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter. “He stood for equality, justice and peace. It’s important not to forget the sacrifices he made. We cannot turn back; we have to keep pressing forward.” “I marched in the streets with Dr. King,” Ruby Miller

Delta Sigma Theta sorority sisters Tompka Harris, left, and Alazia Williams display the Greek symbol for Delta while walking in Monday’s annual event. According to the sorority’s Sumter website, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to provide services and programs to promote human welfare. Civil Rights Movement, including sit-ins, marches and acts of nonviolent protest. “Many lost their lives so that we could have the same equal rights,” she said. “Have the courage to stand for what is right.” Newton-Ta’Bon said en-

durance is also important. She defined endurance as having the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue or other adverse conditions. “In this journey of not

SEE EVENT, PAGE A9

SEE WALKERS, PAGE A9

Fireside Fund helps injured mother and her daughter stay warm BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Bill Langford, a member of the Crisis Relief staff at Sumter United Ministries, said Fireside Fund can make a life challenge bearable. “In the common course of life,” Langford said, “sometimes there are events that stop us in our tracks.” One such event, Langford said, happened when a young lady suffered a serious workplace injury.

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“She is a hard-working lady raising a teenage daughter, and all was going well,” Langford said. “Then her injury became a life-changing event.” She was no longer able to work with her skill set, and her income was elim-

inated, Langford said, yet living expenses continued. In an effort to get back into the workforce, she is working with Vocational Rehabilitation to reset her work skills and make herself a valuable asset to one of our local companies, he said. “However, at this time, funds are still very limited,” Langford said. “The Fireside Funds available from the wonderful folks of Sumter and distributed through Sumter United Minis-

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tries are making a huge difference.” Because of the generous donations of Sumter people to Fireside Fund, she will be able to heat her home, Langford said, her daughter can continue to develop her career progression, and the woman can continue to seek new training for new employment. “Very soon, life will be back to normal,” he said.

SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A9

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Electrical short possible cause of home fire that killed 2 sisters BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Fire investigators have determined that the house fire on 2nd Avenue that claimed the lives of two women on Thursday was possibly caused by an electrical short behind the stove. Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker identified the deceased as Gladys Gilmore Scarborough, 88, and Blanche Williams, 82. The women were sisters and both lived at the residence, he said. Autopsies were scheduled for Saturday. The fire department received the call about 1:25 p.m. on Thursday and arrived on scene at 1:30 p.m. On Thursday, Sumter Fire Department Division Chief Brian Christmas said there was heavy smoke and fire coming out of a window on the side of the house when fire crews arrived. The fire started in the kitchen and spread to the adjacent rooms and attic, according to the incident report. A rescue team was sent into the house to locate occupants, while another crew attempted to ventilate the structure by cutting a hole in the roof. Firefighters were signaled to exit the house when conditions became too dangerous to be inside, according to the report. Once the flames had been extinguished, a second search was conducted, and the two occupants were located. The coroner's office and Sumter Police Department were then called to the scene. Approximately $50,000 of the house and $15,000 in contents were destroyed during the fire, and about $25,000 of the structure and $5,000 in contents were saved, according to the report.

LOCAL BRIEF FROM STAFF REPORTS

Sumter man dies after Thursday wreck A Sumter man died on Friday after being involved in a wreck on Thursday in Clarendon County. Jonathan Luke Hermanson, 18, was traveling east on Silver Road in a Ford Ranger pickup when his vehicle entered a curve, ran off the right side of the roadway and swerved back onto the roadway, before overturning, according to Lance Cpl. Matt Southern with the S.C. Highway Patrol. Hermanson was ejected from the vehicle. Clarendon County Deputy Coroner Bucky Mock said that Hermanson was transported to a Columbia hospital and died from head trauma a day later.

Black River Electric nears completion of solar array BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Black River Electric Cooperative will soon begin generating as much as 250,000 watts of electricity at a new community solar array on Diebold Road in Sumter, BREC CEO Charlie Allen said. Allen said the community solar project will offer a way for co-op members who wish to invest in solar electric power generation to get involved. “The thinking for the community solar is that rooftop solar is biased toward the affluent,” he said. “You have to have $15,000 to $20,0000 to invest, you can’t put it on an old roof, and you have to be in a neighborhood that will allow it. Some neighborhoods have home associations that frown on solar panels.” He said the idea of community solar projects has been used by numerous electric utilities across the nation. “We had a lot of members who are interested in community solar.” The co-op also has members who have installed their own solar equipment, he said, mostly on rooftops. “We have about 27 of those right now, about 15 of them were up the whole time last year, another 12 came up later in the year,” Allen said. Allen said the perception is that installing solar leads to immediate savings, but he said it is more of an investment. “You are really not going to see any savings for some time.” The concept with community solar is for the utility to install a larger array. “There is some economy of scale when you can put 250,000 watts all in one place as opposed to having to build it in smaller units on people’s roofs,” Allen said. BREC will charge members a monthly fee, he said, probably about $20 a

JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Workers spread gravel around solar arrays constructed by Black River Electric Cooperative near Diebold Road in Sumter. Spreading the gravel is one of the final tasks in preparation for taking the 250,000-watt facility online, BREC CEO Charlie Allen said. month, for 1,000 watts generated from the sun, which is applied back to the member’s bill. Allen said he has been told the average customer will use about 175 kilowatt hours a month for that fee. “Obviously, in the summertime it will be more than that and less than that,” he said. “It will be set up so the monthly fee is added to the bill, and the kilowatt hours would be deducted from the bill,” he said. “Whether you live on the bottom floor of an apartment building or live in a community with a homeowners’ association that frowns on solar, or if, you don't have the enough money to go out and invest in solar, it affords anybody the opportunity to get into solar.” Allen said that for now, members

would end up paying about an extra $1.50 a month on their bill if the fee is $20. “The nice thing about solar is that rate is not going to go up, so as the rates go up it would offset, and you would save some money,” he said. He said that most incentives in the solar industry are in the form of tax breaks, but because BREC is a nonprofit cooperative, it will not receive any incentives. “We are doing this solely for the benefit of our members and to take down some of the barriers to investing in solar,” Allen said. A formal ceremony will be held in the next few weeks to celebrate the opening of the facility, he said. For more information, call BREC at (803) 469-8060.

Alice Drive Baptist Church adds 2nd campus BY KASEY MEREDITH intern@theitem.com Sumter's largest church plans to expand its ministry by adding a second campus. Alice Drive Baptist Church, which averages 1,450 attendees each week, will open a campus on Feb. 5 in South Sumter to meet the needs of its congregation from the Pocalla Springs/ Lakewood area. Lead pastor, the Rev. Dr. Clay Smith, said the church based its decision on a study done by Jim Tomberlin and MultiSite Solutions that indicates the closer people live to a church, the more active they become. “Once people get about a 10-minute drive away from the physical location of the church, their involvement based on their attendance, their giving and their service drops about 50 percent,” Smith said. "People want a high-quality church, but they don’t want to drive very far to get it,” he said. The church plans to build a campus in three to five years but will partner with Pocalla Springs Elementary School to expand the church there until it builds a sanctuary. Church statistics show that about 200 households living in the Pocalla

Springs/Lakewood area attend Alice Drive Baptist Church. Smith said if households can't make the trip on a regular basis, the church will go to them. “Our mission is to help as many people as possible and take their next step toward Jesus Christ," Smith said. Smith said he wants to turn marginally engaged parishioners into fully engaged members. SMITH Alice Drive Baptist Church sends missionaries to places such as New York and Haiti, so why not Sumter? “Some missionaries go all the way across the ocean, but sometimes they go across town,” Smith said. About 130 church members helped make the expansion possible. Alice Drive Baptist Church's 65 acres and 9,500-square-foot campus at Loring Mill Road and Wise Drive intimidate some churchgoers, Smith said. He said he hopes the Pocalla Springs campus will help combat that problem, he said. “We’re not trying to build big numbers; it’s one soul, one person, one family at a time,” said Jock Hendricks, pastor of campuses and outreach. Smith said the church plans to

broadcast about 70 percent of the sermons to the Pocalla Springs campus with the rest ministered by Hendricks. That’s the only difference. Hendricks said the music will be live, the message the same and there will still be plenty of small group gatherings and programs for children and adults, just like the Loring Mill Road campus. "Each site will have the same DNA, but each site HENDRICKS will have its own congregation," Smith said. "It will be the people that will make each campus unique." Alice Drive Baptist Church ultimately wants to be more accessible to the community. For Smith and Hendricks, that means bringing the church to the churchgoers. In 10 years, Smith envisions Alice Drive Baptist Church to expand to at least seven locations within a 100-mile radius of Sumter. He said some members currently drive from as far as Manning or Bishopville just to get to the church. “For me, ministry means you have to be walking toward people," Hendricks said. "You can’t just welcome them into your world but find a way for them to welcome you into theirs."

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

Go barefoot in the bluegrass on Saturday night Sumter Opera House will host band that always plays shoeless

ris when they were high school seniors. Later joined by guitarist and vocalist Alex Conerly and then by bass player-vocalist Katie Blomarz, the band began its rise to the top of the bluegrass charts; it’s been featured in numerous industry

and popular magazines — such as Rolling Stone — on TV and radio and more. In addition, the Barefoot Movement has performed for many of the most prestigious bluegrass festivals and regularly tours the U.S. In fact, they’ll play Denver right after

the Sumter concert, then head to Canada to play nine cities. Critical press has been consistently positive for the Movement, and renowned mandolinist Adam Steffey wrote of the band: “The Barefoot Movement is a group that

embodies all the things that I love about what is referred to as ‘traditional’ music ... . They are great players, singers and arrangers of original songs ... they know the importance of having and building an identity of their own. And it’s these original songs and the way that they have arranged and delivered these tunes that really captures your attention and keeps you wanting more.” The International Bluegrass Music Association presented the band a Momentum Award, naming them Band of the Year in 2014. The band has released three albums, the most recent a Christmas CD, and extended play CD. The Saturday concert will feature traditional music, original songs and even some pop. Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St., presents the bluegrass band The Barefoot Movement in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Tickets are $25, $23 and $20 and are available at the Opera House box office, by phone at (803) 436-2616 or online at www.SumterOperaHouse.com. For more about The Barefoot Movement and to hear some of their music, visit www.thebarefootmovementofficial.com.

er dual D-ring belt valued at $500, a Buckingham BuckSqueeze harness valued at $500, titanium gold hooks and pads valued at

$750 and a rope lanyard valued at $200 were reportedly stolen from a vehicle while it was parked in the 1900 block of Gion

Street between Tuesday and Thursday. A refrigerator, unknown brand, valued at $500 and an electric stove, unknown

brand, valued at $500 were reportedly stolen from an apartment unit in the 100 block of Engleside Street between Jan. 5 and Jan. 12.

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com It’s still a little cool to go barefoot outside, but you can kick off your boots while listening to some bluegrass music at Sumter Opera House on Saturday night. That’s when the band called The Barefoot Movement brings its show to Sumter. The band has been around for 10 years, singing a variety of music, although it is mostly bluegrass, much of it original, and they play many traditional covers. They’re based in Nashville, and they really do play shoeless, all singing into one standing microphone. According to bluegrass critics, they put on an exciting yet relaxing show, inviting their audiences, as in the old Southern tradition, to “come in, take your shoes off and stay a while.” It is fiddler Noah Wall whose idea it was to play barefoot, thinking it might relax the audience. Wall, from Oxford, North Carolina, is the lead singer and songwriter for Barefoot Movement. She met mandolinist Tommy Nor-

POLICE BLOTTER CHARGES Timothy Johnson, 50, of 246 Gamble St., was arrested on Friday and charged with second-degree burglary after he allegedly took a space heater from the scene of a house fire on 2nd Avenue. According to an incident report from Sumter Police Department, officers smelled a smoky odor on Johnson’s clothing and saw ashes on his hands and clothes and the space heater. The report also stated Johnson moved things around inside the house and possibly uncovered areas where a fire could reignite. He was transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. STOLEN PROPERTY A white gold ring with sapphires valued at $500 was reportedly stolen from a purse while the victim was at a business in the 800 block of Broad Street between 5 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. A black CamelBak backpack containing a Crown Royal bag filled with approximately $300 in change, an HP laptop valued at $450, an Epson Mobile printer valued at $90, an envelope containing $500 in cash, a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses valued at $200, an external hard drive valued at $80, unspecified medication valued at $175, a blackand-camouflage pullover valued at $90, a Roku stick valued at $40, a black .40-caliber Glock 27 handgun and identification and financial cards were reported stolen from a vehicle while it was parked in the 1700 block of Nicholas Drive about 12:20 p.m. on Thursday. An orange Estex bag valued at $200, a black leath-

PHOTO PROVIDED

Tommy Norris; Noah Wall; Hasee Ciaccio, who recently left the band; and Alex Conerly are The Barefoot Movement, the popular bluegrass band that will appear at Sumter Opera House on Saturday night.

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Oman accepts 10 Guantanamo Bay detainees BY JON GAMBRELL The Associated Press

earlier this month, and the United Arab Emirates took 15 in the largest single transDUBAI, United Arab Emir- fer during Obama's adminisates — Oman said Monday it tration in August. Oman, ruled by Sultan Qaaccepted 10 detainees from boos bin Said since 1970, has the U.S. prison at Guantanaserved as an interlocutor bemo Bay ahead of President Obama leaving office, part of tween the West and Iran. It his efforts to shrink the facil- also has negotiated a number of prisoner releases in reity he promised to close. cent years for Western counOman's Foreign Ministry tries. said in a statement that it Yemen, the Arab world's had accepted the prisoners at poorest country, remains in Obama's request. It did not the grip of a civil war and a name the prisoners. Saudi-led military offensive "In consideration of their against the rebels — making humanitarian situation, 10 returning Guantanamo depersons have been released tainees there impossible. from detention and arrived Days earlier, authorities in the sultanate today for a said 19 of the remaining 55 temporary residence," the prisoners at the U.S. military statement said. base in Cuba were cleared The U.S. Defense Department did not immediately re- for release and could be spond to questions about the freed in the final days of Obama's presidency. transfer. Obama has been unable to A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of an- fulfil promises to close the facility in part because of onymity as the transfer had yet to be publicly announced congressional opposition to transferring any of the deby the U.S., confirmed the tainees to U.S. prisons. Conprisoners had been sent to gress ultimately banned the Oman. The official declined transfer of prisoners to U.S. to elaborate. soil for any reason. The Omani Embassy in Donald Trump, who will be Washington said it had no inaugurated Friday as Amerother information about the transfer. The U.S. Embassy in ica's 45th president, said during his campaign that he not Muscat declined to immedionly wants to keep Guantaately comment. The sultanate of Oman, on namo open, but also "load it up with some bad dudes." the eastern edge of the AraThat's put pressure on the bian Peninsula, previously Obama administration to accepted 10 Guantanamo find places to send as many prisoners from Yemen in of the prisoners abroad as January 2016. Oman also possible this week. took an additional six in The U.S. began using its June 2015. Neighboring Saudi military base on southeast Arabia took four prisoners

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Shown is the entrance to Camp 5 and Camp 6 at U.S. military’s Guantanamo Bay detention center at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Oman’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday it accepted 10 inmates from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba's isolated, rocky coast to hold prisoners captured during the Afghanistan invasion, bringing the first planeload on Jan. 11, 2002. At its peak, 18 months later, the facility held nearly 680 detainees. There were 242 prisoners when Obama took office in 2009, pledging to close what became a source of interna-

tional criticism about the mistreatment of detainees and the notion of holding people indefinitely, most without charge. A September report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said 122 of 693 detainees transferred out of the prison, or 17.6 percent, returned to fighting. An addi-

tional 86 detainees are suspected of having returned to the battlefield, according to the report. The majority of Guantanamo prisoners released have been sent to Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Associated Press writer Ben Fox in Miami contributed to this report.

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National park visits hit record high SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Visits to U.S. national parks set a record in 2016 for the third consecutive year as landmarks such as Zion, Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain experienced historic levels of popularity that brought collateral headaches stemming from overcrowded roads and trails and increasing visitor misbehavior. At many parks, visitors waited an hour or more in cars to get through entrance gates and then spent the day trying to outmaneuver fellow visitors for parking spots and room on popular trails. They left behind enormous amounts of trash and sometimes human waste. Encountering a crowded, Disneyland-like situation when people were expecting peaceful serenity can lead to aggression and bad decisions, park officials said. "The level of frustration, we've certainly seen an increase in that," said Kyle Patterson, Rocky Mountain National park spokeswoman. "Sometimes they take it out on each other, and sometimes they take it out on the park.” It created a good news-bad news story for park managers. They praise the increased interest but are struggling to preserve iconic mountains, slot canyons and wildlife habitat for future generations. The National Park Service budget has remained basically flat, leaving parks to grapple with the problems without higher staffing levels. "We love having people come to the park," said John Marciano, Zion National Park spokesman. "But our No. 1 goal, our mandate, is to preserve the park into perpetuity and to ensure our visitors have a best of kind and safe experience." Overall visitation to national parks is on track to surpass 325 million in 2016, breaking last year's all-time high of 307 million, federal figures show. The record-breaking threeyear stretch came after parks visitation ebbed and flowed between 255-287 million for nearly three decades. The National Park Service launched a major marketing campaign to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2016, including free passes for every fourth-grader and their families. That renewed attention coupled with reasonable gas prices and an improved economy likely fueled the increase, said National Parks Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson. The agency's "Find Your

Orlando shooter’s widow arrested

Visits to Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah, as well as other U.S. national parks, have reached historic levels in the last three years.

Various headaches, misbehavior come with the increase

Park" campaign will continue this year, and officials expect to surpass 300 million visitors again even if there's no record, Olson said. Absent December totals, the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona hit 5.9 million visits. Yellowstone, which stretches into Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, had 4.3 million visits. The final year tally for Rocky Mountain in Colorado was 4.5 million. Zion in southern Utah had 4.3 million visitors — nearly double the 2010 total. Cramming all those people into the narrow confines of Zion, where most visitors want to see the same iconic slot canyons and trails, has led many days to hour-long waits to get in the park, lots that fill up by 9 a.m. and crowded shuttles, Marciano said. "Then, you hike like ducks in a row up the trail because there are so many going up the same trail," Marciano said. "That's not what we want."

One employee spent her entire summer hiking every day to the popular Angels Landing trail to clean and put more toilet paper in two portable toilets designed for 40 visits daily that had 200, he said. Both Zion and Yellowstone are reassessing how to create better crowd plans, and Zion is considering a reservation system for park entries and a daily visitor limit. Even though it is prohibited, more people are taking dogs on trails in the Rocky Mountain park. Visitors are also parking cars on native vegetation or fragile alpine tundra and leaving human waste right near backcountry trails, Patterson said. This summer, the park on certain days for the first time limited the number of cars allowed on two popular roads, she said. After Yellowstone hit 4 million visitors for the first time in 2015, park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said the

park last year created the "Yellowstone Pledge," urging visitors to follow guidelines that include not stopping on the side of the road to look at bears and staying on boardwalks. A man who stepped off a boardwalk died last year after falling into a boiling, acidic spring. Yellowstone has also implored visitors to take "safe selfies" by staying far away from wild animals. "They want that perfect picture, so they're driven to get closer and closer to the point they're risking their own safety," Warthin said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. law enforcement official said the FBI has arrested the wife of the Orlando nightclub shooter. The official said Noor Salman was taken into custody Monday morning in the San Francisco area and is due in court Tuesday in California. She's facing charges in Florida including obstruction of justice. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Noor Salman moved to the San Francisco area after her husband, Omar Mateen, was killed in a shootout with SWAT team members during the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Forty-nine patrons were killed.

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COMMAND

and that’s where the commanders ... are spending a lot of their time working through — how do we deal with that?

FROM PAGE A1 years before taking over the reins of Third Army in November 2015. A three-star general, he is the highest-ranking military officer in South Carolina. In this exclusive interview, Garrett talked with The State newspaper about his job; the challenges of the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan; and functioning in an age of deep military budget cuts.

WHAT IS YOUR JOB? I spend almost 60 percent of my time in Camp Arifjan (Kuwait). As Gen. (Joseph) Votel, commander of United States Central Command, executes his plans for the theater, (to ensure) stability and security in a very difficult region to protect the vital national interests of protecting the homeland, the free flow of resources and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, we are there with 20,000-plus soldiers that provide everything from personnel to every war effort you can think of. I do not direct combat operations. There is a three-star joint task force commander in Iraq who provides mission control, command and control, in Iraq and Syria, and there is a four-star general in Afghanistan. I support them with everything that they need. We provide medical capability. We provide logistical capability. We provide communications. We provide engineering. We provide rotary wing aviation support. We also do a lot of the contracting work and oversight that is required in the theater. And then we provide support to other services.

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IRAN IS OUR PRINCIPAL ADVERSARY IN THE REGION. ISN’T IT IRONIC THAT WE HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ, AND THE IRANIANS HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ WITH THE SAME GOAL, DEFEATING ISIS? PHOTO BY U.S. ARMY SGT. VICTOR EVERHART JR.

Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett, U.S. Army Central commanding general, makes remarks during the USARCENT Organization Day on Nov. 4 at the Shaw Air Force Base Fight House. Organization days are used to build esprit de corps within a unit and give soldiers the opportunity to have a little friendly competition. tle more problematic, only because it’s a very complicated battle space today. It’s not just the coalition against ISIL. It’s the Turks and the Syrians. It’s the Russians and the Syrians. It’s the Russians and the Turks. It’s the Kurds and the

Iraqis. It’s the Kurds and the Turks. And what’s amazing about all of this is (that) where there is convergence, we’ve made great progress. But you quickly get to a point where national interests start to diverge,

It gives you a sense of the complexity of what we’re doing. … The plans we are executing today were written almost three years ago. They have certainly been refined, but the methods have not changed: (The plan) has been (executed) by, with and

through our partners, through a coalition. If we want this to endure … we really have to do this by, with and through our partners or else it won’t be durable.

WILL WE EVER GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN? Afghanistan is our primary focus and has been since 2001. We went in in response to the 9/11 attacks, and we’ve been there ever since. Under the vital national interest of protecting our homeland, Afghanistan is going to be important going into the future, based on the number of terrorist organizations (and) the fragility of the Afghan government.

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ARE WE WINNING AGAINST ISIS? (He pauses.) Yes. You know the reason I even pause when you ask me if we’re winning (is that) it depends what our goals and objectives are: to go back to our vital national interests of protecting our homeland? Absolutely. We still have (threats). We are sorting our way through new threats to the homeland. We weren’t talking about lone wolf attacks. We weren’t talking about the impacts of ideology before, but we certainly are now. Look at the movement of terrorists and violent extremists in the region back to the United States. We do think we have reduced that flow. And with our presence in Afghanistan, our presence back in Syria, our presence in the Middle East, (we) keep pressure on these organizations. The other piece in this is (that) our goals in Iraq are clearer than the goals in Syria. One of the things that will be interesting is the direction we get in Syria from the new administration. But the bottom line is our partners are getting better. They are becoming more capable. Our relationships, our personal relationships, with our partners are better. And those are the things we need to be doing today to avert a major confrontation in the region.

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CAN WE DEFEAT ISIS IN SYRIA? Absolutely, we can defeat ISIL in Iraq. Syria will be a lit-

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This Is Us: The Big Day Jack’s birthday slips Rebecca’s mind. (N) (HD) Bull: Teacher’s Pet Bull helps with a suit against a teacher (N) (HD)

Chicago Fire: The People We Meet Bone marrow donation is in jeopardy. (N) (HD) NCIS: Off the Grid Gibbs goes NCIS: New Orleans: Let It Ride undercover with a militia. (N) (HD) Sebastian goes undercover to trap Garcia (N) (HD) The Middle: Pitch American Fresh Off the The Real O’Neals Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Imperfect (N) Housewife: Boat Thankless Kenny and Brett. Patriot Coulson and Mack uncover a (HD) Surprise (N) (HD) job. (N) (HD) (N) (HD) secret. (N) (HD) American Experience: Frontline: Divided States of America (N) (HD) Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Hunting an assassin. (HD) New Girl: Cece’s (:31) The Mick: (:01) Bones: The Final Chapter: The WACH FOX News at 10 Local news Boys (N) (HD) The Fire (N) (HD) New Tricks in the Old Dogs report and weather forecast. Retirement home drama. (N) (HD) The Flash: The Present Barry finds it No Tomorrow: No Sleep ‘Til The X-Files: Piper Maru Hostdifficult to focus. (HD) Reykjavik Xavier confirms his jumping alien uncovered by ship. asteroid theory. (N) (HD)

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Leah Remini: Scientology and the Leah Remini: Scientology and the Intervention: addicts. (HD) becomes heroin addict. (HD) Aftermath (N) (HD) Aftermath Hate crimes. (HD) Karissa (HD) The Shawshank Redemption (‘94, 180 (4:30) The Dark Knight (‘08, Action) Armageddon (‘98, Science Fiction) aaa Bruce Willis. When NASA spots a killer asteroid heading toward the Earth, they train an aaaa Christian Bale. (HD) unruly crew of oil drillers to go into space and blow it away. (HD) Drama) Tim Robbins. (HD) 100 Monsters Inside Me (HD) Monsters Inside Me (N) Monsters Inside Me (N) The Day I Almost Died (HD) Monsters Inside Me (HD) Monsters (HD) Being Mary Jane: Getting Nekkid Being Mary Jane (N) (HD) Being Mary Jane (HD) Martin Martin The Fresh Prince 162 Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself (‘09) Tyler Perry. (HD) New man. (HD) DJ’s attitude. DJ’s attitude. of Bel-Air The Real House wives of Beverly Beverly Hills So cial (N) The Real House wives of Beverly La dies of Lon don (N) What Hap pens The Real House wives of Atlanta 181 Hills: Amnesia Appetizers Hills Biological parents. (N) (N) (HD) 84 Billion Dollar Buyer (HD) Shark Tank (HD) Shark Tank (HD) Billion Dollar Buyer (N) (HD) Shark Tank Tree rental. (HD) Shark Tank 80 Erin Burnett OutFront (HD) Anderson Cooper 360° (N) (HD) Anderson Cooper 360° (N) (HD) CNN Tonight with Don Lemon CNN Tonight with Don Lemon 360° (HD) Tosh.0: Annie Tosh.0 “Deez Tosh.0 Stroll with Tosh.0 Gassy Tosh.0: Three Daily Show with (:31) @midnight (:01) Futurama 136 (:52) Futurama (:24) Futurama Tosh.0: Catfish (HD) (HD) Cooley (HD) Don’t Fall (HD) nuts” talk. (HD) dragon. (HD) woman. (HD) Cheese (HD) Trevor (N) (N) (HD) (HD) K.C. Un der cover Good Luck Stuck in the Good Luck Liv and Maddie Liv and Maddie BUNK’D (HD) BUNK’D (HD) Jessie Re al ity TV Jessie Dance Girl Meets World 200 (HD) Charlie (HD) Middle (HD) Charlie (HD) (HD) (HD) show. (HD) class. (HD) (HD) 103 Moonshiners (HD) Moonshiners: Outlaw Cuts (N) Moonshiners (N) (HD) Killing Fields (N) (HD) Moonshiners (HD) Killing (HD) 35 College Basketball: Kentucky vs Mississippi State z{| (HD) College Basketball: Michigan vs Wisconsin z{| (HD) SportsCenter (HD) SC (HD) 39 College Basketball: Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears (HD) 2017 Australian Open Tennis: Second Round z{| (HD) 109 Chopped: All-Burger Meal! (HD) Chopped Junior (N) (HD) Chopped: Military Vets (HD) Chopped (N) (HD) Chopped Jawbreakers. (HD) Chopped (HD) 90 The First 100 Days (N) (HD) The O’Reilly Factor (N) (HD) Tucker Carlson Tonight (N) Hannity (N) (HD) The O’Reilly Factor (HD) Tucker (HD) Bruce Almighty (‘03, Comedy) aaa Jim Carrey. A reporter who blames The 700 Club (HD) Gilmore Girls 131 Big Daddy (‘99, Comedy) aac Adam Sandler. A slacker adopts a five-year-old boy to convince his girlfriend he’s matured. (HD) God for his faltering life is given almighty powers. (HD) (HD) 42 NHL Hockey: Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets z{| (HD) Postgame Polaris Big East World Poker Tour no} (HD) Basketball Last Man Last Man Last Man The Middle Axl’s The Middle: The The Middle (HD) The Middle (HD) Gold. Girl Ex is Gold. Girl Sophia Gold. Girl: A Little 183 Last Man Standing (HD) Standing (HD) Standing (HD) Standing (HD) foot. (HD) Safe (HD) dumped. may moves. Romance 112 Fixer Upper (HD) Fixer Upper (HD) Fixer Upper (N) (HD) Hunters (N) Hunters (N) Fixer Upper Room to grow. (HD) Fixer Uppr 110 The Curse of Oak Island (HD) Curse of Oak Island: Dig (N) The Curse of Oak Island (N) (:03) Forged in Fire (N) (HD) The Curse of Oak Island (HD) Oak Island Criminal Minds: ‘Til Death Do Us Criminal Minds: Outlaw Triple Criminal Minds: The Night Watch Saving Hope: All Down the Line Alex Saving Hope 160 Criminal Minds: Plain Sight Rapist strikes in broad daylight. (HD) Part Brides murdered. (HD) homicide case in Las Vegas. (HD) Macabre art. (HD) confronts. (HD) (HD) Dance Moms: ALDC Ain’t Dead Yet Celebrity Wife Swap: Tami Roman; (:02) Celebrity Wife Swap: Verne (:02) Dance 145 Dance Moms: No Clowning Around Dance Moms: Dance & Chat: The Mothers clash. (HD) Fresno Curse (N) (HD) Graveyard inspired. (N) (HD) Kerri Walsh-Jennings (HD) Troyer; Hines Ward (HD) Moms (HD) 92 Hardball with Chris (N) (HD) All in with Chris Hayes (HD) The Rachel Maddow Show (N) Lawrence O’Donnell (HD) 11th Hour (HD) Hardball (HD) Maddow (HD) 210 Paradise (N) Thunderman Thunderman Shakers (HD) Full House Full House Full House Full House Friends (HD) Friends (HD) Friends (HD) 153 Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Campus P.D Campus P.D Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Campus P.D Campus P.D Cops (HD) The Core (‘03, Drama) aa Aaron Eckhart. Scientists 152 Final Destination (‘00, Horror) aaa Devon Sawa. Narrowly escaping a Final Destination 2 (‘03, Thriller) aac Ali Larter. A woman has a fatal explosion, the survivors are stalked by a specter. premonition about a massive accident and tries to cheat death. (HD) drill to the earth’s center. (HD) Seinfeld: The Lip Seinfeld: The The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang Conan Michael Lewis; Johnnyswim. 2 Broke Girls Tax 156 Reader (HD) Barber (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) (N) (HD) help. (HD) Jailhouse Rock (‘57, Musical) aac Elvis Presley. (:45) Weary River (‘29, Drama) aac Richard Barthelmess. Imprisoned Two-Way Stretch (‘60, Comedy) 186 The Sea Hawk (‘40, Adventure) Errol Flynn. English pirate. (HD) Jailbird becomes top recording artist. (HD) mobster’s song stirs freedom & tour, only to be heckled into ruin. Peter Sellers. Robbery scheme. 157 OutDaughtered (HD) OutDaughtered (HD) OutDaughtered: The Quints Take Manhattan (N) (HD) (:01) OutDaughtered Talk show invite. (HD) 158 Gravity (‘13, Drama) aaac Sandra Bullock. Astronauts work together to Disturbia (‘07, Thriller) aaa Shia LaBeouf. A teenager searches for the The Last Ship: Uneasy Lies the Head The Last Ship survive after a crash leaves them stranded in space. (HD) truth behind a murder at his neighbor’s house. (HD) Research progress. (HD) (HD) 129 Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Adam Ruins Adam Ruins Adam Ruins Billy On (N) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) 161 A Griffith (HD) A Griffith (HD) A Griffith (HD) Loves Ray. Loves Ray. Loves Ray. Teachers (N) Shade (N) Queens (HD) Queens (HD) Queens (HD) WWE SmackDown (HD) Shooter: Primer Contact Infiltrate (:01) Incorporated Executive (:01) Law & 132 NCIS: Prime Suspect Gibbs’ barber asks for his help. (HD) embassy. (N) (HD) infiltrates corporate world. Order: SVU (HD) 166 Law & Order: Virtue (HD) Law & Order: Scoundrels (HD) Law & Order (HD) Law & Order: Guardian (HD) Law & Order: Progeny (HD) Law & Ordr 172 Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Tremors (‘90, Horror) aaa Kevin Bacon. Worms attack town. (HD) Tremors (‘90, Horror) aaa Kevin Bacon. (HD)

Are we surprised ‘No Tomorrow’ has no future? For the record, “No Tomorrow” (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG) ends its first, and barring a miracle, only season tonight. That’s a little too bad. “No” was a novel stab at the modern romantic comedy, pairing a dull office drone, Evie, (Tori Anderson) with Xavier (Joshua Sasse), a wild free spirit. Only his seize-the-day attitude was inspired by his research-driven belief that an asteroid was on its way to destroy the world. In this season ender, Xavier gets official validation of his cosmic theory. Where does that leave us? Well, it probably means that the CW, soon to premiere a new melodrama loosely based on “Archie” comics, will dip deeper into the funny pages for story ideas. • “Frontline” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) presents the two-night fourhour special “Divided States of America.” While many of this week’s Obama retrospectives tend toward warm nostalgia, “Divided” dives deep into the ugliness of the past eight-plus years as a kind of prelude to the current political climate. We hear voices from both parties as “Frontline” discusses the president’s notion that he could change the capital’s hyper-partisanship. We’re also taken through the president’s reactions to the deep recession that greeted him in 2009 and the widespread public resentment of bank bailouts and deficit spending.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Parents sue a teacher for seducing their son on “Bull” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14). • A due date nears on “This Is Us” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14). • An idol becomes a rival on “Being Mary Jane” (9 p.m., BET, TV-14). • “Friday Night Tykes” (9 p.m., Esquire, TV-PG) enters a fourth season in San Antonio, Texas. • A new arrival upsets Delaney’s plans on “Taboo” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA).

SERIES NOTES Gibbs goes undercover on

“NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Jess can’t decide on “New Girl” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * Axl has no postgraduate plans on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Barry needs help on “The Flash” (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) * A lesson for Sabrina on “The Mick” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * A surprise party on “American Housewife” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Murder at a retirement home on “Bones” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * Louis receives praise on “Fresh Off the

Boat” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14) * Kenny’s big news on “The Real O’Neals” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-14) * Pride’s team lays a trap on “NCIS: New Orleans” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Severide’s delicate procedure on “Chicago Fire” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * Mace revealed on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

Swim are booked on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Michael Keaton, Nina Dobrev and the XX on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Tracee Ellis Ross, Patrick Warburton, Bibi Bourelly and Leah Shapiro visit “Late Night With

LATE NIGHT Michael Lewis and Johnny

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COMMENTARY

The Patent and Trademark Office’s assault on speech

ASHINGTON — In 1929, Chief Justice William Howard Taft convinced Congress to finance construction of “a building of dignity and importance” for the Supreme Court. He could not have imagined what the court will ponder during oral arguments this Wednesday. The case concerns the name of an Asian-American rock band: The Slants. And surely Taft never read a friendof-the-court brief as amusing as one filed in this case. It is titled “Brief of the Cato Institute and a Basket of Deplorable People and Organizations.” The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is empowered, by the so-called “disparagement clause” of a 1946 law, to protect American sensitivities by denying trademark protection to “immoral, deceptive or scandalous” trademarks. These have included those that a substantial portion of a particular group perceive as disparaging that group — George an ethnic, religious, na- Will tional or other cohort. The PTO has canceled the trademark registrations of entities named Mormon Whiskey, Abort the Republicans, Democrats Shouldn’t Breed, Marriage Is For Fags and many more. The Cato/Deplorables brief urges compassionate libertarianism: “This Court should make the jobs of the employees at the ... [PTO] much easier and put an end to the disparagement clause.” Government officials cannot be trusted to “neutrally” identify speech that disparages. Besides, “disparaging speech has been central to political debate, cultural discourse and personal identity” throughout American history. The brief notes that a donkey became the Democratic Party’s symbol because someone called Andrew Jackson a “jackass” and he, whose default mode was defiance, put the creature on campaign posters. Entire American professions — e.g., newspaper columnists — exist in part to disparage. Many rock bands pick names obviously intended to disparage or shock: Dead Kennedys, Dying Fetus, Sex Pistols, etc. Does the title of the best-selling book “Hillbilly Elegy” disparage a group? The Cato/Deplorables brief says: “One of this brief’s authors is a cracker (as distinct from a hillbilly) who grew up near Atlanta, but he wrote this sentence, so we can get away with saying that.” Then comes a footnote: “But he only moved to Atlanta when he was 10 and doesn’t have a Southern accent — and modern Atlanta isn’t really part of the South — so maybe we can’t.” Furthermore, the lead counsel on the brief “is a Russian-Jewish emigre who’s now a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. Can he make borscht-belt

jokes about Canuck frostbacks even though the first time he went to shul was while clerking in Jackson, Mississippi?” When the government registers a trademark, it is not endorsing or subsidizing a product. It should not be allowed to use its power to deny registration in order to discourage or punish the adoption of controversial expressions. By registering trademarks, government confers a benefit — a legal right — on those who hold them. Trademarks are speech. The disparagement clause empowers the PTO to deny a benefit because of the viewpoint of the speech. This is unconstitutional. Trademarks are not commercial speech — essentially, advertising — which is accorded less robust protection than that given to other speech. Eugene Volokh, a UCLA law professor and one of The Slants’ lawyers, correctly says the band’s name is expressive speech. The Asian-Americans of The Slants agree. They say they adopted this name “to take on these stereotypes that people have about us, like the slanted eyes, and own them.” The PTO applies the disparagement clause by assessing “what message the referenced group takes from the applicant’s [trade]mark in the context of the applicant’s use” and denies registration “only if the message received is a negative one.” The PTO, which has denied trademark protection for The Slants, has given it to a band named N.W.A. which stands for [a version of the Nword] Wit Attitudes. The PTO’s decisions are unpredictable because they depend on the agency speculating about what might be the feelings of others in hypothetical circumstances. This vague and arbitrarily enforced law, if such it can be called, chills speech by encouraging blandness. The PTO last earned the nation’s attention, if not its approbation, in 2014, when it denied protection to the name of the Washington Redskins, in spite of polls showing that 90 percent of Native Americans were not offended by the name and only 18 percent of “nonwhite football fans” favored changing it. Now the PTO sees a national problem in provocative, naughty, childish or tasteless band names. By doing this, the PTO encourages something of which there already is an annoying surfeit — the belief that speech should be regulated hither and yon in order to preserve the serenity of those Americans who are most easily upset. George Will’s email address is georgewill@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 Sumter 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 Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St. or mailed to The Sumter 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.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CUTS SHOULDN’T AFFECT DISTRICT’S COACHES

DEMOCRATS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LOSS

I’m writing you concerning the extreme budget cuts of innocent hardworking coaches after the lack of responsibility of financing. Some coaches already have trouble making ends meet. They do not deserve this outrageous means of fixing the district’s problem. The coaches did not have any control of the situation and therefore do not deserve this scandalous complication. Coaches take time away from their families to give young women and men opportunities to enhance their playing ability and to teach young adults lessons of life. As athletes, we stand up for our coaches as well as others as they would do for us. On that account, we urge the Sumter School District to find another means of restoring their financial losses. SARAH RICHARDSON AND KATY MURRAY Sumter

I have been watching and listening to the news channels ever since the election and have several things I would like to comment on. Not one subject, just a few words on my opinion of this election cycle. I thought I had seen it all when the snowflake millennials threw their temper tantrums right after the election, but I was in error. I continue to see and hear it, day after day; the entire Democratic party is pulling their hair out, trying to figure out what went wrong. They know what went wrong but continue to throw the blame on the Russians. The simple fact is the DNC got caught. Their transparency was as clear as a 3-foot concrete slab. The mainstream media claims they are unbiased. I saw so many tears on election night, I could have used my television as a rain gauge. Go look on YouTube at the literally hundreds of videos about election night coverage. Pick any news network you

want. The moment their “experts” said Trump was the president-elect, you could almost hear the thump of their stomachs hitting the floor. I look at those videos quite frequently. I also smile quite frequently. I keep seeing “he’s not my president” in social media. I am reminded that eight years ago, I kept seeing “he won, get over it” and four years ago seeing “he won again, get over it.” It kind of sounded like the Democrats were rubbing it in to the Republicans’ faces. Well, the past eight years have gone by, and the Republicans have cleared off their faces and are firing back in a big way. Democrats put up a “sure-fire” candidate, virtual “guaranteed victory.” Leading in the polls. You name it. And in the end, and pardon my French, she got her ass kicked. My Democratic friends, Donald J. Trump is going to be the 45th president of the United States, so you might as well get over it. We did. DENNIS E. VICKERS Wedgefield

COMMENTARY

A smart choice for education BY MITT ROMNEY The nomination of Betsy DeVos for secretary of education has reignited the ageold battle over education policy. The heat is already intense not just because it involves the future of our children, but also because a lot of money is at stake. Essentially, it’s a debate between those in the education establishment who support the status quo because they have a financial stake in the system and those who seek to challenge the status quo because it’s not serving kids well. Both sides will take their case to the public hoping to sway senators who will vote on confirmation. Here’s my take. First, it’s important to have someone who isn’t financially biased shaping education. As a highly successful businesswoman, DeVos doesn’t need the job now, nor will she be looking for an education job later. Her key qualification is that she cares deeply about our children and will do everything in her power to offer them a brighter future. She founded two of the nation’s leading education reform organizations and helped open the door to charter schools in her home state of Michigan. I have known her for many years; she is smart, dynamic, no nonsense and committed. That’s why the education establishment is so animated to stop her.

Second, it’s important to have someone who will challenge the conventional wisdom and the status quo. In 1970, it cost $56,903 to educate a child from K-12. By 2010, adjusting for inflation, we had raised that spending to $164,426 — almost three times as much. Further, the number of people employed in our schools had nearly doubled. But despite the enormous investment, the performance of our kids has shown virtually no improvement. The establishment predictably calls for more spending and smaller classrooms — in other words, more teachers and more pay. But more of the same is demonstrably not the answer. The interests opposing DeVos’ nomination charge that charter schools in Michigan — and particularly in Detroit — haven’t lived up to their promise. But recent studies show that choice and competition are having a positive impact on kids’ learning in the state. A recent analysis by the Michigan Association of Public School Academies found that students in Detroit charters are performing better than their counterparts in traditional public schools in every subject tested by the state’s annual assessment. Meanwhile, recent studies by Stanford University found children in Detroit charters showing stronger academic improvement, gaining an extra two months’ learning in math

and reading per year, as compared with the typical public school student in the city. DeVos’ detractors have also accused her of opposing oversight and accountability for her state’s charter sector, leading to poor results. This is another misleading charge. What she opposed was a new government bureaucracy intended to stifle choice and limit competition in Detroit education. In fact, the organization she chairs did endorse an A-to-F letter grading system to hold schools accountable statewide. It has also been pointed out that while more than 100 Michigan charters have been shut down for various reasons over the past 20 years, not one traditional public school has been shuttered because of poor performance. I am truly excited that someone of Betsy DeVos’s capability, dedication and absence of financial bias is willing to take an honest and open look at our schools. The decades of applying the same old bromides must come to an end. The education establishment and its defenders will understandably squeal, but the interests of our children must finally prevail. Romney, a Republican, was governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. In 2012, he was the Republican nominee for president. This column was first published by The Washington Post.

LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

WALKERS FROM PAGE A1

EVENT FROM PAGE A1 turning back, you will run into walls of discouragement,” she said. “You will hear negative talks; close your ears, and ignore those conversations. You will fall, but you should get up, brush yourself off, evaluate your plan and vision and start over.” Newton-Ta’Bon said King would be disappointed by some of the things taking place today. “Dr. King would be disappointed to know though we have married across racial lines, we still have racism,” she said. “He would be disappointed to know that equal is not as equal as he would have wanted it to be. Nevertheless, we have made progress, and we can make more progress if we dream, have vision, courage and endurance.” The annual local walk was founded by Lynwood Watts, who recently retired as USC Sumter’s associate dean for student affairs. “Mr. Watts wanted to get the institutions of higher learning to collaborate together in this effort,” said Mary Sutton, the walk’s

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

STATE BRIEF FROM WIRE REPORTS

committee chairwoman and administrative assistant for the university’s office of student affairs. “The goal is for the community to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King. We’ve come so far, and it’s important for the next generation to know the struggles that we overcame.” Each year, the walk’s committee decides on a different theme derived from King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The speech was delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, in front of more than 250,000 civil rights supporters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The speech is considered a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.

said. “It’s good to see young people stand for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and what he was a part of.” “I love seeing everyone from different cultures and races come together,” Keasha Grant said. “It’s about preserving a legacy,” Dana Mitchell said. “It’s nice to see young people come together with those who might have marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” “It’s about unity and sharing Dr. King’s legacy and dream from so many years ago, even through trying times,” Eric Walters said. “It’s about from all walks of life marching in unity.” “I think with all of the racial turmoil, it’s important to be united,” Bekka Purvis said. “I think that’s what Dr. King’s message was about, uniting people.” “I do it to support the dream and what Dr. King stood for,” Julius Rembert said. “It’s very important to remember and honor his legacy.”

MLK Day marchers: Now is not the time to lose hope COLUMBIA — Speakers and marchers both called for minorities to not forget how hard civil rights leaders had to fight to gain equality for blacks and others Monday at South Carolina’s biggest civil rights rally as the U.S. prepares for a stark change in leadership later this week. This year’s King Day at the Dome rally at the Statehouse was much more subdued than past years, and there was a darker vibe in the smaller-than-usual crowd as they prepared for the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama, to leave office Friday. Donald Trump is taking over along with Republican majorities in Congress that many in the crowd fear want to roll back civil rights advances. “It’s going to be different, that’s for sure,” said Benedict College senior Diamond Moore. “I’m going to give Trump a chance. But I’m also ready to go march.”

FIRESIDE FROM PAGE A1 This winter’s Fireside Fund is dedicated to the memory of Sumter philanthropist Phil Edwards, who died in 2016. Edwards’ generosity can be seen across Sumter and the South Carolina Midlands. From Sumter County Museum to the expansion of Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, the WilliamsBrice-Edwards Charitable Trust, set up by Edwards and his wife, Flora, continues to enhance our community. The recipient of this year’s Fireside Fund contributions is Sumter United Ministries. Fireside Fund was established in 1969 to help needy families and individuals pay heating bills, buy firewood or heating fuels and stay warm during the winter months. Since its founding, Fireside Fund has brought in more than $1.4 million in donations from generous readers. Anyone in need of assistance with heating costs may call Sumter United Ministries at (803) 775-0757. Donations can be mailed to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151 or dropped off at the office, 36 W. Liberty St. Names, including groups, should be spelled completely. When making a donation in someone’s honor, the names will be printed as given. From Jan. 9-12, Sumter United Ministries Crisis Relief Ministry financially assisted 27 families for a total of $3,443.43 in assistance. Donations ending the week of Monday, Jan. 16: In honor of all firefighters by Bethel Volunteer Fire Department, $250; Circle II Women’s Ministries of Mayesville Presbyterian Church, $130; Scott and Tammy Mickey, $125; in memory of Marjorie Kohli by Stanley Kohli, $100; Patricia Boozer, $100; Janette Sisk, $50; Bible Study Group at Crosswell Baptist Church, $50; in memory of Charlie Freeman by Helen Freeman, $25; in memory of Charles Jenkins by Bobby Sigley, $5; in memory of Arthur James by Bobby Sigley, $5. Total combined anonymous: $550 Total this week: $1,390 Total this year: $40,416.18 Total last year: $52,959.60 Total since 1969: $1,533,404.24

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A10

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

AROUND TOWN p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, at McElveen Manor Assisted the Lincoln High School Living and Memory Care Dementia support / educational group to cafeteria, Council Street. Community will join Agape meet Cost is $8 per person and Hospice to host a dementia menu will consist of fried support / educational group fish or fried chicken, red from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. rice, lima beans, peach today in the conference cobbler, roll and a drink. room of McElveen Manor, Call James L. Green at 2065 McCrays Mill Road. (803) 968-4173. Call Danielle Welch at (803) 651-0144 to RSVP. VFW Post 10813 will hold a “Wine, Cheese, Music & “Chemo with Style” Support more ...” event from 5 to 9 Group will hold its first p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, at meeting from 5:30 to 7 610 Manning Ave. Call p.m. today at Hospice (803) 773-6700. Care of Tri-County, 2560 Tahoe Drive, and will conThe Sumter County Educatinue to meet every other tion Association — Retired third Tuesday of every will meet at noon on other month thereafter. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the North HOPE Center. ConThe Carolina Coin Club will tact Brenda Felder Betmeet at 7 p.m. today at hune at (803) 469-6588. the Parks & Recreation Department building, 155 The Ruach Bridal and Special Haynsworth St. The club Events Show will be held meets on the third Tuesfrom 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday of each month. Visiday, Jan. 29, at 245 Oswetors are always welcome. go Highway. For more inCall (803) 775-8840. formation, call (803) 7755416 or visit theruach.org. The Sumter Amateur Radio Association (SARA) will McElveen Manor Assisted meet at 7 p.m. today at Living and Memory Care the Sumter Elks Lodge on Community will host an Pinewood Road at Second American Red Cross blood Mill Pond. Open to all area drive from 10 a.m. to 3 hams and those interestp.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, ed in amateur radio. Visit in the conference room of http://www.sumterhamMcElveen Manor, 2065 Mcradio.org/ or find the Crays Mill Road. Walk-ins group on Facebook. are welcome or you may reserve a time slot by The Sumter County Chapter calling Danielle Welch at of AARP will meet at 3 p.m. (803) 651-0144. on Thursday, Jan. 19, at Sumter Senior Services Area residents are invited to Center, 119 S. Sumter St. participate in a three-day Doris Gleason, South Carpublic workshop and discusolina AARP outreach dision about the Shot Pouch rector, will speak. Open to Greenway, a 3.5-mile trail anyone 55 years or older. stretching from Dillon Call Johnny Jones at (803) Park to Swan Lake. The 773-9681. public events are scheduled to be held at the The General George L. Swan Lake Visitors Center Mabry, Jr. Chapter 817, Milias follows: 6 p.m. Tuesday, tary Order of the Purple Jan. 31, Public Visioning Heart will meet at 6 p.m. Presentation; 9-10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, at Wednesday, Feb. 1, Propthe Sumter Combat Vetererty Owner Drop-In; and 6 ans Group building, 529 N. p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, Wise Drive. All Purple Final Public Workshop Heart recipients and Presentation. For more inthose interested in assoformation about the Shot ciation membership are Pouch Greenway, contact invited. Call (803) 773Adams-Raczkowski at the 0658. Planning Department, 12 The Lincoln High School W. Liberty St., (803) 774Preservation Alumni Associ1639, or email jadams-racation will hold a dinner fundzkowski@sumter-sc.com. raiser from 11 a.m. to 5

PUBLIC AGENDA TAX ACCOMMODATIONS ADVISORY BOARD Today, 3 p.m., Swan Lake Visitors Center SUMTER CITY COUNCIL Today, 5:30 p.m., Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St. CLARENDON COUNTY PLANNING & PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Today, 6 p.m., planning commission office, Manning

CENTRAL CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE AREA COMMISSION Thursday, 5:30 p.m., building M500, second floor, president’s conference room, main campus, 506 N. Guignard Drive CLARENDON SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 Thursday, 7:30 p.m., district office, Turbeville

CLARENDON SCHOOL DISTRICT 2 Today, 6:30 p.m., district office

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Show EUGENIA LAST compassion. Speaking up, criticizing or complaining will not bring the results you hope for. Don’t let emotional matters infiltrate into the way you do your job or how you handle others. Take time to reflect before you challenge someone or something.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Refuse to let yours or someone else’s emotions interfere with what you are trying to accomplish. Be strong and show tenacity when faced with distractions or opposition. What you do will make a difference and could bring you accolades. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pick up the slack and make a point to take care of business. Dealing with relationships will be easy if you are honest about the way you feel and recognize the way you are being treated. Make a difference. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put more effort into work and consider how you can use your skills and knowledge to get ahead. Don’t let anyone use emotional tactics on you. Use your intelligence and you will prosper. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Look for a way to advance instead of wasting your time opposing people who don’t see things your way. It’s what you do that will make a difference. An opportunity will change the way you move forward. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Good fortune will come through the connections you make while networking, going in for interviews or traveling. Express your ideas and strategy to ensure success and you will gain popularity and support. Don’t make unreasonable promises or financial contributions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your emotions will make decisions difficult. Take a step back and decide exactly what you want to do, and what the best way is to reach your goals with the least amount of interference. Preparation and organization will be key.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Fog in the morning; some sun

Partly cloudy and mild

An a.m. shower; mostly cloudy

Mild with sun, then clouds

A morning t-storm in spots

Cloudy and warm; a p.m. shower

73°

59°

76° / 50°

66° / 53°

71° / 54°

72° / 54°

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 50%

SW 6-12 mph

W 8-16 mph

E 4-8 mph

SSW 8-16 mph

SW 4-8 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 67/60 Spartanburg 68/59

Greenville 70/59

Columbia 75/60

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 73/59

Aiken 73/60

ON THE COAST

Charleston 77/58

Today: Mild with clouds and sun; areas of fog in the morning. High 67 to 76. Wednesday: Mild with intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 69 to 77.

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

56° 53° 54° 32° 79° in 2013 10° in 1994

LAKE LEVELS Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 355.99 74.38 74.23 97.99

24-hr chg -0.02 none none +0.06

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" 3.21" 2.09" 3.21" 0.93" 2.09"

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

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today City Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 73/60/c Chicago 41/32/r Dallas 55/44/c Detroit 48/35/r Houston 71/62/r Los Angeles 66/47/s New Orleans 77/61/c New York 44/41/r Orlando 82/59/pc Philadelphia 48/45/r Phoenix 64/46/s San Francisco 56/47/pc Wash., DC 56/52/sh

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

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 71/55/c 42/32/pc 58/42/sh 44/32/pc 71/58/r 62/50/pc 75/62/c 46/37/r 82/58/s 53/37/c 66/47/s 56/48/r 59/40/pc

Myrtle Beach 70/59

Manning 74/60

Today: Morning fog; cloudy and warm. Winds southwest 6-12 mph. Wednesday: Warm with clouds and sun. Winds west-southwest 6-12 mph.

LOCAL ALMANAC

Florence 72/60

Bishopville 71/60

Today Hi/Lo/W 65/53/sh 74/60/c 78/60/pc 76/57/pc 62/57/c 77/58/pc 67/60/c 71/63/c 75/60/pc 71/60/pc 61/56/r 70/60/pc 67/57/c

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 10.65 -0.12 19 3.30 none 14 9.95 -0.28 14 2.80 +0.42 80 76.15 -0.38 24 4.30 -0.02

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 63/43/pc 74/53/c 79/53/c 77/54/c 62/45/sh 78/53/pc 71/45/pc 74/53/pc 78/51/c 73/45/c 62/39/sh 71/44/c 71/43/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 72/60/pc Gainesville 81/52/pc Gastonia 67/60/c Goldsboro 67/60/pc Goose Creek 77/59/pc Greensboro 63/55/r Greenville 70/59/c Hickory 64/55/r Hilton Head 71/61/pc Jacksonville, FL 79/52/pc La Grange 75/62/pc Macon 76/60/pc Marietta 71/57/c

Sunrise 7:27 a.m. Moonrise 11:10 p.m.

Sunset 5:38 p.m. Moonset 10:49 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Jan. 19

Jan. 27

Feb. 3

Feb. 10

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Wed.

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 75/46/c 81/53/s 71/44/pc 69/41/pc 77/53/c 64/40/pc 74/50/pc 66/41/pc 72/55/pc 80/55/pc 71/56/c 74/55/c 69/53/c

High 12:26 a.m. 12:37 p.m. 1:16 a.m. 1:23 p.m.

Ht. 2.8 2.9 2.7 2.7

Low Ht. 7:08 a.m. -0.1 7:37 p.m. 0.0 7:59 a.m. 0.2 8:23 p.m. 0.2

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 64/53/sh Mt. Pleasant 74/60/pc Myrtle Beach 70/59/pc Orangeburg 75/61/pc Port Royal 74/58/pc Raleigh 65/60/sh Rock Hill 68/59/c Rockingham 67/59/c Savannah 79/57/pc Spartanburg 68/59/c Summerville 77/59/pc Wilmington 71/56/pc Winston-Salem 63/56/r

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 65/40/pc 75/54/pc 72/49/c 75/50/c 75/55/pc 68/41/pc 71/44/pc 70/40/pc 78/56/c 72/48/pc 77/52/c 70/44/c 63/39/pc

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PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put in the time and effort to do something nice for someone special. Your help will lead to ideas and an expansion of what you can do to bring in higher revenue. Explore your options and don’t limit yourself. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Anger will not solve your problems. Look for solutions and make suggestions. Your ability to compromise and work alongside others will help you avoid being left out or treated poorly. Someone you help out will influence your life. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to the rules, but don’t be afraid to do things differently. As long as you stay within your boundaries, you will stand out and give others something to think about. Show your capabilities and make your expectations perfectly clear. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Show discipline when handling money matters. Hang on to your cash regardless of the pressure put on you to spend. Ignore the temptations of those who are being frivolous and carefree. Don’t feel the need to donate or pay for others. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Emotional situations will surface. Do your best to find solutions, but don’t let anyone get away with treating you disrespectfully. Don’t make assumptions — look at the facts and do what needs to be done.

Teresa Oelze took this picture of a bird of paradise flower while visiting the Coronado Springs Disney Resort in Orlando.

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 self-addressed, 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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com Lakewood athletic director Frankie Ward said the Gators will soon have a replacement for head football coach Brian Jackson, right, who resigned after the 2016 season.

PREP FOOTBALL

Ward: Lakewood close to hiring new football coach BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com Lakewood High School is close to hiring a new head football coach to replace Brian Jackson, who resigned from the post after two seasons.

Lakewood athletic director Frankie Ward said he is hoping to announce a new head coach this week. Ward said Jackson resigned the post around Thanksgiving. Jackson was 1-19 in his two years as the Gators head

coach. Lakewood was 1-9 during the 2015 season before going winless in 10 games this past season. Jackson was a member of Keith Crolley’s coaching staff during his 16 years as the head coach at Crest-

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

wood. After Crolley stepped down at Crestwood, Jackson spent one year as the athlet-

ic director at Crestwood before taking the job at Crestwood.

USC MEN’S BASKETBALL

Among the best Gamecocks back in AP Top 25 poll LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — With its biggest week of the season in front of it, the University of South Carolina is back in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. The Gamecocks, who were ranked earlier this season before losing three of six games, are now ranked No. 24 after starting Southeastern Conference play with four straight victories. USC, which is 14-3 overall, is undefeated with Sindarius Thornwell in the lineup. Carolina started 10-0 before Thornwell was suspended during the 6-game stretch in which it went 3-3. That undefeated streak will be tested this week. South Carolina plays host to No. 19 Florida on Wednesday before traveling to Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday to meet No. 5 Kentucky. Villanova moved back to the top of poll, leapfrogging Kansas after Baylor lost in its first-ever game as the No. 1 team. The Wildcats received 28 firstplace votes and 1,580 points from a 65-member national media panel,

SAUL YOUNG/KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL VIA AP

Tennessee’s Grant Williams, center, is pressured South Carolina’s PJ Dozier (15), Sedee Keita (24), Ran Tut (14), and Justin McKie, during a game in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Wednesday. The Gamecocks re-entered the Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll. while the Jayhawks remained No. 2 despite getting more No. 1 votes. “It was great to be No. 1. I’d much rather be No. 1 than three,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said last week, after a stumble against then-No. 18

Butler dropped the reigning national champs a couple spots. Villanova (17-1) bounced back to win three straight in easy fashion, including a blowout of then-No. 15 Xavier that prompted Musketeers head coach

Chris Mack to spend ample time lauding the Wildcats. “Villanova is really good,” he said, “that’s no secret.”

SEE POLL, PAGE B4

USC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 5 South Carolina thumps LSU BY BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer BATON ROUGE, La. — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley left little room for interpretation while speaking to Alaina Coates before the Gamecocks visited resurgent LSU, telling the powerful 6-foot-4 center that “no one in the gym” could guard her. Coates proved Staley right, scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, and No. 5 South Carolina again overcame the absence of AllAmerican A’ja Wilson, beating LSU 84-61 on Sunday. “I did feel like I had a dominant presence down in the paint,” Coates said. “I feel like I was able to convert when I did go to the free throw line.” Coates scored 18 of her points in the first half — eight on 11 foul shots — en route to her 53rd career double-double.

“We had the make a concerted effort to get her the ball,” Staley said. “She also has to make a concerted effort to get open. She just imposed her will. Her teammates did a great job of finding her ... and she delivered.” Allisha Gray scored 21, and Bianca Cuevas-Moore added 17 points for South Carolina (15-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference). The Gamecocks have won nine straight. Chloe Jackson scored 24 for LSU (14-4, 3-2), which lost for the first time in four games. Raigyne Moncrief added 13 points, but lamented that her team gave South Carolina too many early opportunities to gain confidence and momentum. “We didn’t play any defense,” Moncrief said. “We started to turn the ball over. They got transition points ... Once the energy got in their hands, it was over.” LSU coach Nikki Fargas said she hoped to limit Coates’ production by having her guards and wing

players deny the Gamecocks’ physically imposing center the ball. But the Lady Tigers were too slow to recognize trapping opportunities and South Carolina kept finding passing lanes to Coates. “We’ve got to pay close attention to how the ball gets to players like her,” Fargas said. “We didn’t do a great job of disrupting the ball-handler.”

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT LSU entered the weekend leading the nation in steals with 240. Staley has been known to remind her team that opponents who are adept at something find it unsettling when that something is done to them. South Carolina combined for 12 steals to LSU’s eight. South Carolina converted 18 LSU turnovers into 20 points. The Lady Tigers had just 10 points off of 16

BILL FEIG/THE ADVOCATE VIA AP

South Carolina center Alaina Coates (41) puts the ball up for two points as LSU forwards Alexis Hyder, second from left, and Tatum Neubert (44) defend during the Gamecocks’ 84-61 victory on Sunday in SEE USC, PAGE B4 Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

PRO FOOTBALL

Matt Ryan is keeping some special company these days Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, right, embraces Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson after the Falcon’s 36-20 victory on Saturday in Atlanta. AP PHOTO / DAVID GOLDMAN

BY BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Matt Ryan is keeping some special company these days. Well, maybe it’s Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger who should be looking up to Ryan. The Atlanta passer is, after all, the All-Pro quarterback. When the conference championship games commence next Sunday, three of the

most accomplished QBs of this millennium will be in action. Brady is seeking a seventh trip to the Super Bowl in his 17 NFL seasons, and an unprecedented fifth ring. Roethlisberger has gone three times, winning twice. Rodgers won in his only trip to the big game, and probably has been the league’s best all-around quarterback in the last halfdozen seasons. Then there is Matty Ice, who tended to melt in the

most pressurized games. Not this season, in which he led the NFL in passing and tore up Seattle on Saturday. He also gets a home game against Rodgers and the Packers next weekend. “We’ve got to praise Matt for what he’s done this whole year,” said right tackle Ryan Schraeder, one of the league’s most improved players in 2016. “He’s done a lot for us

SEE RYAN, PAGE B3

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

SCOREBOARD

NHL STANDINGS EASTERN CONFERENCE

TODAY

3 p.m. – International Soccer: FA Cup Match – Ipswich Town vs. Lincoln City (FOX SPORTS 2). 4 p.m. – International Soccer: Copa Centroamericana Match – Belice vs. El Salvador (UNIVISION). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WPUB-FM 102.7, WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 6:30 p.m. – International Soccer: Copa Centroamericana Match – Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua (UNIVISION). 7 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Memphis at South Florida (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Kentucky at Mississippi State (ESPN). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: South Florida at Central Florida (ESPNEWS). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas at Baylor (ESPN2). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Pittsburgh at North Carolina State (ESPNU). 7 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Oklahoma at Texas (FOX SPORTS 1). 7 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Carolina at Columbus (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Arkansas at Texas A&M (SEC NETWORK). 7 p.m. – Professional Tennis: Australian Open Men’s and Women’s Second-Round Matches from Melbourne, Australia (TENNIS). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Ohio at Akron (TIME WARNER 1250). 7:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Houston at Miami (NBA TV). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Wichita State at Evansville (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Michigan at Wisconsin (ESPN). 9 p.m. – Professional Tennis: Australian Open Men’s and Women’s Second-Round Matches from Melbourne, Australia (ESPN2). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Vanderbilt at Georgia (ESPNU). 9 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Chicago at Colorado (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Tennessee at Mississippi (SEC NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: St. Bonaventure at St. Louis (TIME WARNER 1250). 9 p.m. – International Soccer: Copa Centroamericana Match – Honduras vs. Panama (UNIVISION). 10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers (NBA TV). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: New Mexico at Boise State (ESPNU). 3 a.m. – Professional Tennis: Australian Open Men’s and Women’s Second-Round Matches from Melbourne, Australia (ESPN2).

NFL PLAYOFFS The Associated Press

138 117 105 128 106 123 111 97

112 113 107 120 122 132 127 119

METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

Washington Columbus Pittsburgh N.Y. Rangers Philadelphia Carolina New Jersey N.Y. Islanders

5 4 5 1 6 7 9 8

86 95 124 116 148 117 129 128

43 42 42 44 46 43 45 41

27 23 22 20 20 20 18 16

29 29 26 28 22 21 18 16

11 18 15 13 17 20 19 17

9 9 11 15 18 15 18 17

60 51 48 48 48 44 42 41

63 62 57 57 50 49 45 40

131 141 145 152 132 121 101 116

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

5 5 5 7 8 4 1

138 126 124 119 118 127 82

92 116 129 114 134 140 137

GP W L

OT Pts GF

46 45 43 46 43 45 42

9 7 2 3 4 6 6

116 121 100 125 108 130 134

Minnesota 42 Chicago 46 St. Louis 44 Nashville 43 Dallas 44 Winnipeg 46 Colorado 41 Pacific Division Anaheim Edmonton San Jose Calgary Los Angeles Vancouver Arizona

28 27 23 20 18 20 13 24 23 25 23 22 20 13

9 14 16 16 18 22 27 13 15 16 20 17 19 23

61 59 51 47 44 44 27 57 53 52 49 48 46 32

123 128 112 119 110 111 90

NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Washington 5, Philadelphia 0 Minnesota 3, Chicago 2 New Jersey 2, Vancouver 1, OT St. Louis 2, Anaheim 1, OT

MONDAY’S GAMES

Dallas at Buffalo, 1 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Boston, 1 p.m. Montreal at Detroit, 3 p.m. Winnipeg at San Jose, 4 p.m. Tampa Bay at Los Angeles, 4 p.m. Washington at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Arizona at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Carolina at Columbus, 7 p.m. Dallas at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Buffalo at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Ottawa at St. Louis, 8 p.m. New Jersey at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Florida at Calgary, 9 p.m. Chicago at Colorado, 9 p.m. Nashville at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Tampa Bay at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday, Jan. 22 Green Bay at Atlanta, 3:05 p.m. Pittsburgh at New England, 6:40 p.m.

PRO BOWL

Sunday, Jan. 29 At Orlando, Fla. AFC vs. NFC, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

SUPER BOWL LI

Sunday, Feb. 5 At Houston TBD, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)

NBA STANDINGS The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION W 27 25 18 13 8

L 13 15 24 26 32

Pct .675 .625 .429 .333 .200

GB — 2 10 13½ 19

W 24 21 20 17 11

L 17 19 20 26 30

Pct .585 .525 .500 .395 .268

GB — 2½ 3½ 8 13

W 29 21 20 21 19

L 10 19 20 21 24

Pct .744 .525 .500 .500 .442

GB — 8½ 9½ 9½ 12

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION L 9 11 18 26 27

Pct .775 .744 .581 .381 .325

GB — ½ 7½ 16 18

L 16 17 25 23 27

Pct .619 .595 .419 .410 .341

GB — 1 8½ 8½ 11½

L 6 14 24 27 30

Pct .850 .667 .400 .325 .333

GB — 7 18 21 21½

SUNDAY’S GAMES Dallas 98, Minnesota 87 Atlanta 111, Milwaukee 98 Toronto 116, New York 101 Houston 137, Brooklyn 112 Chicago 108, Memphis 104 Oklahoma City 122, Sacramento 118 Detroit 102, L.A. Lakers 97

MONDAY’S GAMES Atlanta 108, New York 107 Washington 120, Portland 101 Philadelphia 113, Milwaukee 104 Indiana 98, New Orleans 95 Denver 125, Orlando 112 Charlotte at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. Utah at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Oklahoma City at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Reynolds, JV Lady Barons top TSA to remain perfect Emily Reynolds led Wilson Hall’s junior varsity girls basketball team with 13 points — including 10 in the second half — during a 30-16 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy on Friday at Nash Student Center. Lindsay Daniel led the Lady Generals with 10 points. The Lady Barons improved to 9-0 and will host Heathwood Hall on Tuesday. THOMAS SUMTER 20 CALHOUN ACADEMY 16

DALZELL — Thomas Sumter Academy opened region play with a 20-16 victory over Calhoun Academy on Thursday at Edens Gymnasium. Karleigh Young led the Lady Generals with seven points and seven rebounds. Ellie Hunter had five points, five rebounds and four steals while Clara Burnett finished with four points, six steals and four assists. DARLINGTON 26 CRESTWOOD 24

Dallas at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m. Ottawa at Columbus, 7 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Washington at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Arizona at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Nashville at Calgary, 9 p.m. Colorado at Anaheim, 10 p.m. Tampa Bay at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Saturday Atlanta 36, Seattle 20 New England 34, Houston 16 Sunday Green Bay 34, Dallas 31 Pittsburgh 18, Kansas City 16

W San Antonio 31 Houston 32 Memphis 25 New Orleans 16 Dallas 13 NORTHWEST DIVISION W Utah 26 Oklahoma City 25 Portland 18 Denver 16 Minnesota 14 PACIFIC DIVISION W Golden State 34 L.A. Clippers 28 Sacramento 16 Phoenix 13 L.A. Lakers 15

6 5 4 8 8 4 6 9

44 46 41 41 45 44 43 42

THURSDAY’S GAMES

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

Cleveland Indiana Milwaukee Chicago Detroit

OT Pts GF

Montreal Boston Ottawa Toronto Florida Tampa Bay Detroit Buffalo

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Jan. 7 Houston 27, Oakland 14 Seattle 26, Detroit 6 Jan. 8 Pittsburgh 30, Miami 12 Green Bay 38, N.Y. Giants 13

Atlanta Washington Charlotte Orlando Miami CENTRAL DIVISION

ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L

Arizona at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. Boston at Detroit, 8 p.m. Florida at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

WILD-CARD PLAYOFFS

Toronto Boston New York Philadelphia Brooklyn SOUTHEAST DIVISION

AREA ROUNDUP

The Associated Press

TV, RADIO

DARLINGTON — Jaden Stokes scored 11 points, but Darlington edged Crestwood 26-24 on Thursday at the Falcons gymnasium. The Lady Knights fell to 3-6 and 1-1 in the region and will host Hartsville on Wednesday. CLARENDON HALL 23 JEFFERSON DAVIS 17

BLACKVILLE -- Amberly Way and Hadleigh McIntosh

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES Memphis at Washington, 7 p.m. Portland at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Toronto at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. New York at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Atlanta at Detroit, 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Houston, 8 p.m. Orlando at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Indiana at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES Phoenix at Cleveland, 7 p.m. Dallas at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Washington at New York, 8 p.m. Denver at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

each scored six points as Clarendon Hall earned a 23-17 region victory over Jefferson Davis Academy on Friday at the JDA gymnasium. Bailey Corbett added four points and eight rebounds for the Lady Saints, who are now 3-2 in the region.

VARSITY BASKETBALL JEFFERSON DAVIS 35 CLARENDON HALL 28 BLACKVILLE -- Keri Shaffer had 10 points, but the Lady Saints fell to Jefferson Davis Academy 35-28 on Friday at the JDA gym. Mallory McIntosh added eight points for Clarendon Hall.

B TEAM BASKETBALL WILSON HALL 26 THOMAS SUMTER 14 Wilson Hall improved to 9-1 with a 26-14 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy on Friday at Nash Student Center. Lucy Matthews led the Lady Barons with nine points. Haley Champion added seven points and Camryn Bateman had five.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL MAYEWOOD 21 EBENEZER 10

Mayewood Middle School improved to 6-4 with a 21-10 victory over Ebenezer on Thursday at the EMS gym-

nasium. Trelaija Dennis led the Lady Vikings with 12 points. Joy Goodley added seven. HILLCREST 35 CHESTNUT OAKS 18

DALZELL — Hillcrest Middle School defeated Chestnut Oaks 35-18 on Thursday at the HMS gymnasium. Mya Hayes led the Lady Wildcats with nine points. Zamani Fulmore added seven.

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL JEFFERSON DAVIS 47 CLARENDON HALL 42

BLACKVILLE -- Dylan Way scored 25 points, but the Saints fell to Jefferson Davis Academy 47-42 on Friday at the JDA gym. Thomas Stukes added 10 points for Clarendon Hall, who will travel to Holly Hill today.

JV BASKETBALL CLARENDON HALL 41 JEFFERSON DAVIS 29 BLACKVILLE -- Clarendon Hall picked up its first victory of the year with a 41-29 win over Jefferson Davis Academy on Friday at the JDA gymnasium. Josh Black had 15 points to lead the Saints followed by Kade Elliott with nine and Justin James with seven.

GOLF By The Associated Press SPORTS ITEMS

SONY OPEN PAR SCORES

Sunday At Waialae Country Club Honolulu Purse: $6 million Yardage: 7,044; Par 70 Final Justin Thomas (500), $1,080,000 59-64-65-65—253 Justin Rose (300), $648,000 66-64-66-64—260 Jordan Spieth (190), $408,000 65-67-66-63—261 Kevin Kisner (123), $264,000 70-67-60-65—262 Jamie Lovemark (123), $264,000 64-68-65-65—262 Zach Johnson (95), $208,500 69-61-65-68—263 Gary Woodland (95), $208,500 64-64-68-67—263 Charles Howell III (83), $180,000 65-66-68-65—264 Chez Reavie (83), $180,000 67-67-69-61—264 Jim Herman (75), $162,000 66-67-67-65—265 Russell Knox (68), $144,000 64-67-66-69—266 Sean O’Hair (68), $144,000 66-69-67-64—266 Luke List (53), $102,857 67-64-69-67—267 Webb Simpson (53), $102,857 66-65-69-67—267 Brian Gay (53), $102,857 69-64-67-67—267 Branden Grace (53), $102,857 67-68-65-67—267 Bill Haas (53), $102,857 67-66-67-67—267 Russell Henley (53), $102,857 64-67-68-68—267 Hudson Swafford (53), $102,857 62-68-66-71—267 Tony Finau (39), $62,571 64-67-68-69—268 Billy Hurley III (39), $62,571 64-68-68-68—268 Michael Kim (39), $62,571 67-67-68-66—268 Marc Leishman (39), $62,571 68-66-66-68—268 Henrik Norlander, $62,571 67-65-68-68—268 Michael Thompson (39), $62,571 65-68-72-63—268 Brian Harman (39), $62,571 66-67-66-69—268 Mackenzie Hughes (27), $39,100 68-65-68-68—269 John Huh (27), $39,100 68-69-69-63—269 Kelly Kraft (27), $39,100 69-67-65-68—269 Peter Malnati (27), $39,100 69-66-69-65—269 Hideki Matsuyama (27), $39,100 66-67-67-69—269 Ollie Schniederjans (27), $39,100 66-67-66-70—269

Federer, Murray advance at Aussie Open -27 -20 -19 -18 -18 -17 -17 -16 -16 -15 -14 -14 -13 -13 -13 -13 -13 -13 -13 -12 -12 -12 -12 -12 -12 -12 -11 -11 -11 -11 -11

MELBOURNE, Australia — Roger Federer shanked a few shots and was unsettled by how nervous he felt after six months on the sidelines, despite the familiar surroundings at the Australian Open. He served 19 aces and had only one double-fault in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win Monday over fellow 35-year-old Jurgen Melzer, but dropped serve three times and experienced frustrating moments. In his first Grand Slam match with the elevated status of a No. 1 ranking, Andy Murray berated himself when he made mistakes and frequently yelled during a 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Illya Marchenko.

THOMAS BREAKS SCORING RECORDS AT SONY OPEN HONOLULU — Challenged only by the record book, Justin Thomas won the Sony Open on Sunday with the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history. Thomas two-putted birdie from 60 feet on the par-5 18th and closed with a 5-under 65 to set the record at 253.

OBAMA WELCOMES CUBS TO WHITE HOUSE

-11

WASHINGTON — Presi-

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Roger Federer makes a forehand return to Jurgen Melzer during his 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory on Monday in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia. dent Obama welcomed the Chicago Cubs to the White House on Monday to celebrate their World Series win and speak to the power of sports to unite a divided nation. The Cubs won their first World Series title since 1908 by defeating the Cleveland Indians.

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams earned his 800th career victory when Isaiah Hicks scored 20 points to lead No. 9 North Carolina to an 85-68 victory over Syracuse on Monday night. From wire reports

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TODAY’S GAMES Houston at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Toronto at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Chicago, 8 p.m. Minnesota at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Denver at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

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PRO FOOTBALL

Rodgers’ call the biggest in weekend full of them

Steelers downplay Tomlin’s description of Pats in video

BY ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Antonio Brown wanted to let the world in on the party when he live streamed the giddy celebration in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room after an 18-16 playoff win over Kansas City. The All-Pro wide receiver also happened to catch coach Mike Tomlin indelicately describing the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh’s opponent in the AFC Championship game. Tomlin’s word choice — an expletive — didn’t bother his players as Brown’s decision to throw back the curtain on what is usually a private moment. “Personally I’d like some of that stuff sacred,” long snapper Greg Warren said Monday. “But this is a changing world, a changing environment. I can’t be some old guy stuck under a rock, that’s for sure.” Brown’s 17-minute video collected more than 900,000 views in a few hours before being removed. It included players dancing and Tomlin — who was out of the shot and unaware it was being filmed but who could be heard clearly in the packed locker room — beginning his postgame speech by telling his team to “say very little moving forward” then adding “we spotted those (expletive) a day and a half.”

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t just make the big throws, he designs them. The Green Bay Packers quarterback went schoolyard and drew up that amazing pass play in the huddle that set up Mason Crosby’s gamewinning field goal in Dallas. Rodgers’ 36-yard strike to toe-dragging tight end Jared Cook on third-and-20 from his 32 was the biggest play in an NFL divisional playoff weekend that was filled with big calls. Thanks to a first-down spike by Cowboys rookie quarterback Zak Prescott just before Dan Bailey’s 52-yarder, the Packers got the ball back with 35 seconds left. Just enough time for Rodgers to work his magic. But this one looked headed to overtime after Jeff Heath’s sack put the Packers back at their 32 with 18 seconds left. Following an incompletion, Rodgers drew up routes in the huddle before rolling left on third-and-20 and hitting Cook on the left sideline at the Dallas 32. “It’s just kind of schoolyard at times late in the game,” Rodgers told Fox after Green Bay’s 34-31 win. The mixed officiating crews missed several calls for a second straight weekend, but a pair of yellow flags that were thrown proved critical. One erased Kansas City’s game-tying 2-point conversion in the Chiefs’ 18-16 loss to Pittsburgh and the other nullified Devin Hester’s 80yard punt return that turned the tide in Seattle’s 36-20 loss

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Green Bay tight end Jared Cook (89) catches a pass along the sideline from quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the Packers’ 34-31 playoff victory over Dallas on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. It was the biggest of a number of big calls during the divisional round this past week. at Atlanta.

CLOSE CALLS After the first half dozen playoff games were decided by an average of 18.3 points and were all won by the home team, Sunday brought road success and nail-biters as the Cowboys and Steelers advanced. Alex Smith’s 2-point conversion pass to tight end Demetrius Harris would have tied the Steelers with 2:38 left, but left tackle Eric Fisher was whistled for holding ageless linebacker James Harrison. Smith’s second pass, from 10 yards back, was batted incomplete and the Steelers ran out the clock to preserve their 18-16 win.

HOLD ON In the 90 seconds that he spoke to reporters before the Chiefs’ communications staff cut him off, tight end Travis

Kelce ripped into referee Carl Cheffers and his crew after K.C.’s loss. Kelce openly questioned the integrity of the officials and said Cheffers “shouldn’t be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again.” “He shouldn’t be able to wear it at Foot Locker,” Kelce said, adding a few expletives. After watching the film, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday he didn’t think a flag should have been thrown, either. “They normally let you play, is what they do, especially in key situations,” Reid said of the officials. But he said he didn’t want to harp on the hooking call because the Chiefs made plenty of blunders before that crucial hooking call. Among them was Kelce’s drop of a long pass and coldcocking a cornerback on the next play.

BY WILL GRAVES The Associated Press

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RYAN FROM PAGE B1 this year as a team. And it’s pretty cool to be a part of it. He’s had a hell of a year, and we’re just happy to be able to block for him.” While Brady, Big Ben and A-Rod have little left to show before likely heading to Canton, Ryan will be front and center on the proving ground. Dismissing him as a lightweight in this company would be unwise. Indeed, in one way, he might have an edge on the other QBs still alive. Green Bay’s banged-up, undermanned secondary was torched in the second half by the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott. It isn’t going to be all that much healthier or deeper in Atlanta. The Matt Ryan we have seen this season is light years removed from someone who previously couldn’t cope

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with stressful situations. His counterpart next Sunday, Rodgers, is just plain fun to watch. Forget the desperation passes he seems to have mastered and concentrate on the creativity. Brett Favre is the measuring stick for modern day Packers QBs and always provided some sort of thrills. But he never carried the Pack on his back the way Rodgers has, especially this season. An almost magical season, too, punctuated by Green Bay’s resilience against Dallas. “He’s an incredible player, incredible talent,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “And to do it when it’s all on the line like that, that’s what great players do.” Roethlisberger isn’t anywhere near as spectacular, and he sometimes seems to almost plod his way to wins. But he wins. And he’s unafraid to take risks, some of which

don’t work, but many of which have kept the Steelers in the championship chase. Take his third-down conversion to clinch Sunday’s win at Kansas City. He had the patience and foresight to wait for his All-Pro wideout, Antonio Brown, to work his way across the field and get open. “I’m sure that play won’t make SportsCenter, won’t make all the highlights,” he said. “But talk to guys in the locker room and that’s one of the biggest plays of the game.” Executed to perfection. As for Brady, his resume is the epitome of what all quarterbacks, all players, all athletes in any sport are seeking. And get this: Brady might have had his worst game of the season in Saturday night’s victory over Houston. But the Patriots still won, handily, and are solid favorites to handle the Steelers next weekend.

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New England advanced to the AFC title game by beating Houston on SaturTOMLIN day night, 24 hours before Pittsburgh held off the Chiefs. Guard Ramon Foster “would love to hear AB’s explanation” but downplayed any concerns about the video becoming a distraction or take away from Pittsburgh’s ninth straight victory. It’s also not unusual for Brown to use social media in the locker room during the week or occasionally after games even though it may run afoul of league policy. “I don’t think that overshadowed it,” Foster said. “You guys know what that was. It’s a bunch of guys having fun, talking, enjoying themselves. That’s simply what that was. It wasn’t anything malicious. It just happens that (Brown’s) iPhone is really good.” Besides, Foster hardly thinks New England (15-2) will use Tomlin mildly dissing them as an incentive, not with a chance to reach a seventh Super Bowl under Bill Belichick at stake. New England beat Pittsburgh 27-16 on Oct. 23 behind two TDs from Tom Brady and 127 yards rushing from LeGarrette Blount.

I just love that January 1st feeling of a fresh start and limitless optimism! Unfortunately, there are just so many excuses that get in the way of our resolutions. I was going to work out more, but the gym is getting boring. I was going to save money, but everything has gotten so expensive. Well, I’m not letting any of that bring me down this year. I’m determined to exercise, save money, and connect with friends and family with just one word: hiking. For me, 2017 is going to be the year of hiking. My plan is to walk the Palmetto Trail, little by little on weekend trips with loved ones this year. Hiking is a great activity for health because it is lower impact than exercise options like running and reduces stress. It is less expensive than sports like biking because you don’t need a lot of equipment. Hiking let’s you spend time and connect with your loved ones that come along for the trip. Maybe my favorite benefit of hiking is that it brings us closer to the land and water. It’s easy to forget where our printer paper comes from until you are standing in a

wood, surrounded by beautiful trees. It is easy to forget that the water running off of our streets into storm drains has a huge impact on the quality of our rivers until you are paddling down the river or walking along side it. Even if you already love hiking you could make 2017 a little better by convincing a friend to take a hike with you. You might give them an experience and perspective they’ve never had before and I’m sure you’ll both have great conversation and a few laughs along the way. We are very fortunate in Sumter because there are great opportunities for hiking here. A section of the Palmetto Trail even runs right through Sumter County. Both the High Hills of Santee Passage and the Wateree Passage run through parts of Manchester State Forest and are well worth a walk. For more information on these passages and the Palmetto Trail visit http://palmettoconservation.org/ Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

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Outdoor Appearance 499-9312 P. O. Box 41 Dalzell, S.C. 29040 Debbie Hayes Spraying Services Lawns and Shrubs outdoorappearance.com

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

NBA ROUNDUP

Thomas’ big 4th quarter carries Celtics past Hornets 108-98 BOSTON — Isaiah Thomas scored 17 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, and the surging Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-98 on Monday night for their ninth victory in THOMAS 11games. It was Thomas’ 25th straight game with 20 or more points. He’s been putting up big final quarters of late — scoring 20 or more three times this season. No other NBA player had done

it more than once entering Monday. Al Horford had 22 points, while Kelly Olynyk and Jae Crowder added 15 apiece for Boston, which has won all three meetings with Charlotte this season. Kemba Walker scored 24 points and Marvin Williams had 21 for the Hornets, who lost their fifth straight — all on the road. WIZARDS 120 TRAIL BLAZERS 101

WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal scored 25 points and John Wall had 24 as

the Washington Wizards took a page from the Portland Trail Blazers’ playbook by hitting 13 3-pointers in a comfortable 120101 victory on Monday afternoon. HAWKS 108 KNICKS 107

p.m.

B Team Basketball

Hartsville at Crestwood, 6 p.m. Hemingway at East Clarendon, 6 p.m. Northside Christian at Sumter Christian (Girls Only), 4 p.m.

Heathwood Hall at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. Dillon Christian at Robert E. Lee, 4 p.m.

Varsity and JV Basketball

Wilson Hall, Laurence Manning, Thomas Sumter at Heathwood Hall (at Royal Z Lanes in Columbia), 4 p.m.

Socastee at Sumter (Girls Only), 6 p.m. Manning at Bishop England, 4 p.m. Heathwood Hall at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. First Baptist at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m. Palmetto Christian at Thomas Sumter, 4 p.m. Robert E. Lee at Carolina Academy, 4 p.m. Clarendon Hall at Holly Hill, 4

Varsity Bowling

Varsity Wrestling

Sumter, Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Scott’s Branch, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY Varsity and JV Basketball

Sumter at Socastee (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Laurence Manning at Pinewood

NEW YORK — Dennis Schroder scored 28 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 22 seconds left, to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 108-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday. From wire reports

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 15, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. Villanova (28) 17-1 1580 3 2. Kansas (32) 16-1 1562 2 3. UCLA (3) 18-1 1472 4 4. Gonzaga (2) 17-0 1433 5 5. Kentucky 15-2 1357 6 6. Baylor 16-1 1315 1 7. West Virginia 15-2 1185 10 7. Creighton 17-1 1185 8 9. North Carolina 16-3 1063 11 10. Florida State 16-2 964 9 11. Oregon 16-2 931 13 12. Louisville 15-3 900 14 13. Butler 15-3 823 12 14. Arizona 16-2 757 16 15. Notre Dame 16-2 748 20 16. Virginia 13-3 677 19 17. Wisconsin 14-3 644 18 18. Duke 14-4 614 7 19. Florida 14-3 405 23 20. Cincinnati 15-2 373 22 21. Purdue 14-4 309 17 22. Xavier 13-4 294 15 23. Saint Mary’s (Cal) 15-2 210 21 24. South Carolina 14-3 125 — 25. Maryland 16-2 121 — Others receiving votes: TCU 29, Southern Cal 14, SMU 8, Nevada 7, Northwestern 7, UNCWilmington 6, Iowa State 5, Akron 1, Kansas State 1.

Prep, 4 p.m. Junior Varsity Basketball Crestwood at Hartsville, 6 p.m.

B Team Basketball

Keenan at Sumter (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Wilson Hall at Laurence Manning, 5 p.m. Carolina Academy at Robert E. Lee, 4 p.m. Middle School Basketball Furman at Alice Drive, 5 p.m. Manning at Bates, 5 p.m. Chestnut Oaks at Mayewood, 5 p.m. Hillcrest at Ebenezer, 5 p.m. Lee Central at Timmonsville, 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Wrestling

Sumter at Conway, 6 p.m.

POLL FROM PAGE B1

AP MEN’S TOP 25 POLL

The Jayhawks (16-1) have received similar praise from opposing coaches during a nation-leading 16-game winning streak. But that streak includes nip-and-tuck wins over Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State the past couple weeks. The Jayhawks got 32 first-place votes this week and 1,562 points. “We’ve been pretty consistent for 16 straight games.,” Kansas coach Bill Self said over the weekend. “Certainly, I feel like we’ve done more than we had done two weeks ago or whatever. Who knows if that means anything. It’s really not a big deal. I’d much rather be 5-0 in the league than be No. 1. At least we have that.” Asked whether being No. 1 mattered to him, Kansas guard Devonte Graham replied: “No. It’s too early in the season, especially in conference play.”

USC FROM PAGE B1 Gamecocks turnovers. “We were well prepared for whatever they threw at us,” Staley said.

TAKING CONTROL The Gamecocks, who shot 57 percent (29 of 51), trailed by no more than two points and never trailed after CuevasMoore’s jumper tied it at 11 half way through the first period. The basket marked the beginning of an 18-7 run that put South Carolina in command.

THE BIG PICTURE

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY Varsity Basketball

THE SUMTER ITEM

South Carolina: The Gamecocks are adjusting to playing without the 6-5 Wilson, securing a convincing road victory in their second game without her after narrowly winning at home against Georgia on Thursday night. “It’s a great thing for our team to be in this adverse situation,” Staley said. “We’re getting better because we’re going to be more versatile being able to play a lot of different ways because of our experience dealing with A’ja’s injury.” Yet, it doesn’t look like Wilson’s right ankle sprain will sideline her long. She traveled to LSU and wore warm-ups and her basketball shoes during the game, putting full weight on both feet and standing in team huddles during breaks. Staley called Wilson “day-to-day” and added, grinning, “She doesn’t like when we get better without her. It makes her ankle heal a little bit quicker.” LSU: Seeing how South Carolina nearly lost to Georgia

“Being No. 1 would be nice,” Graham added, “but it really doesn’t mean nothing this early.” UCLA (18-1) moved up one place to third and received three first-place votes. Gonzaga (17-0), the only unbeaten team in Division I, went from fifth to fourth and had the other two No. 1 votes. Kentucky moved up one place to fifth, followed by the Bears — who were routed by West Virginia and squeaked past Kansas State — while the Mountaineers and Creighton were tied for seventh. Oregon was 11th, followed by Louisville, Butler, Arizona, Notre Dame, Virginia, Wisconsin, Duke, Florida and Cincinnati. The last five were Purdue, Xavier, Saint Mary’s, South Carolina and Maryland. South Carolina and Maryland were the week’s newcomers, replacing Minnesota, Kansas State and Southern California. The Wildcats and Trojans had been tied for 25th. The Gamecocks and Terrapins were both ranked earlier in the season.

without Wilson, the Lady Tigers saw a chance to score an upset that likely would have lifted them into the AP Top 25 for the first time since Feb. 23, 2014. “The same players that played against Georgia played against us,” Moncrief said. “We’ve just got to play better.” All LSU losses have come against ranked opponents, including three to top-five squads (including No. 1 UConn and No. 4 Mississippi State).

UP NEXT South Carolina hosts Mississippi on Thursday night. LSU hosts Kentucky on Thursday night.

AP WOMEN’S TOP 25 POLL The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 15, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking Record Pts Prv 1. UConn (33) 16-0 825 1 2. Baylor 17-1 786 2 3. Maryland 17-1 744 3 4. Mississippi St. 18-0 728 4 5. South Carolina 15-1 696 5 6. Notre Dame 16-2 668 6 7. Florida St. 17-2 628 7 8. Washington 18-2 591 8 9. Louisville 16-4 528 9 10. Stanford 15-3 489 13 11. Oregon St. 16-2 482 10 12. Texas 12-4 422 16 13. UCLA 13-4 415 17 14. Miami 14-4 401 14 15. Duke 15-3 367 12 16. Ohio St. 15-5 348 11 17. Virginia Tech 15-1 322 15 18. Arizona St. 13-4 265 19 19. DePaul 16-4 230 21 20. Oklahoma 14-4 202 22 21. NC State 14-5 140 23 22. Kansas St 14-4 121 25 23. South Florida 14-2 102 20 24. West Virginia 14-4 78 18 25. Texas A&M 14-4 42 Others receiving votes: Green Bay 35, Syracuse 21, California 20, Michigan 12, LSU 6, Kentucky 4, Northwestern 2, Temple 2, Drake 1, Georgia Tech 1, Texas Tech 1.

SAUL YOUNG/KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL VIA AP

Tennessee's Shembari Phillips, left, reaches for a rebound with South Carolina's Hassani Gravett defending during a game in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Wednesday.

OBITUARIES WILLIE MAE CLODFELTER Willie Mae Clodfelter, age 79, wife of the late Walter Ralph Clodfelter, died on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, at Lake Marion Nursing Center. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, she was the CLODFELTER daughter of the late David Doyle and Beulah Henry Doyle. She was a member of the Women’s Auxillary at the VFW 3034. She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Surviving are: her son, Kim Lynn Clodfelter (Jackie) of Sumter; one daughter, Charlotte Ann Collins of Summerton; a brother, David Doyle Jr. of Petaluma, California; three grandchildren, Christy Martinez (Noe), Jerry Blackmon (Bobbie Jo Hudson) and Kerri Ann Blackmon; eight greatgrandchildren; and one greatgreat-granddaughter. A funeral service will be held today at 2 p.m. at Bullock Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. The family received friends Monday at Bullock Funeral Home and at their residence at other times. Pallbearers will be Bill Phillips, Ben Bellamy, Chuck Geddings, Noe Martinez and Jerry Blackmon Jr. Memorials may be made to March of Dimes, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains,

New York 10605. You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book. The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

JONATHAN L. HERMANSON Jonathan Luke Hermanson, 18, died Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, at Palmetto Health Richland. Born in Sumter, he was a son of Stephen D. and Angela Mathis Hermanson. Luke was a member of Harmony Church. Surviving are his parents of Sumter; four brothers, Jacob Hermanson (Morgan), Benjamin Hermanson (Kristian), Stephen C. Hermanson and Samuel Hermanson; three sisters, Katie Maggard (Stephen), Rebekah Hermanson and Merianna Hermanson; and his maternal grandmother, Charlotte Mathis. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Harmony Church with the Rev. Drew Choate officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Harmony Church. Memorials may be made to Tracy’s Camp, P.O. Box 463, Pinewood, SC 29125, and you may also donate online at TracysCamp.com. Online condolences may be

MICHAEL L. HOLLOMAN BISHOPVILLE — Michael Lloyd Holloman, 51, passed at Carolina Pines Medical Center, Hartsville. Born in Lee County, he was a son of Dock Sr. and Verlie Thomas Holloman. The family will receive relatives and friends at the home of his sister, Lida Harris, 705 Calvary Church Road, Bishopville. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Square Deal Funeral Home, 106 McIntosh St., Bishopville.

JULIETTE W. JOHNS Juliette Williams Johns, 61, wife of Lucious Johns, died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born Oct. 13, 1955, in Sumter County, she was the daughter of Julious and Lillian Singleton Williams. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 4 Brand St. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

MARIE A. GRIFFIN Marie Avins Griffin, 86, widow of devoted husband James Robert Griffin, passed away Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born in Sumter, she was the daughter of the late Ernest A. Avins and Nora Ardis Avins. Griffin was a member of Sumter First Church of the Nazarene. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. Surviving are her son, James R. “Bobby” Griffin (Trevia) of Pinewood; a daughter, Jenny Salo of Columbia; three brothers, Ernest Avins Jr., Jim Avins and Rick Avins, all of Sumter; two sisters, Tessie Geddings of Sumter and Denise Mortimer of Crown Point, Indiana; three granddaughters, Traci Benna, Sylvia Lynch and Jami Brooke Griffin; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Jeannie Gables and Mary Geddings. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Sumter First Church of the Nazarene with the Rev. Greg Pressley and the Rev. James Thrower officiating. Burial will be in Sumter Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to Sumter First Church of the Nazarene, 3700 Patriot Parkway, Sumter, SC 29154. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. Elmore Hill McCreight Fu-

neral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

GENERAL LEE RAGIN JR. SUMMERTON — General Lee “Ricky” Ragin Jr., 48, died on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, at McLeod Health Clarendon Hospital in Manning. Ragin was born on April 29, 1968, in Clarendon County to the late General Lee Ragin Sr. and Mittie B. Ragin. He was educated in the public schools of Clarendon School District One. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Mt. Pleasant UME Church, Pinewood, the Rev. Levaron Johnson, pastor, and the Rev. Patrice Dow, presiding. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Viewing will be held today in the chapel of King-Fields Mortuary from 1 to 7 p.m. Ragin will be placed in the church on Wednesday from noon until the hour of service. The family will receive friends at the home of his sister, Shebia Hatcher, 1095 Armour Hill Drive, Pinewood. Ragin’s mortal frame is peacefully resting in the professional care of King-Fields Mortuary, Summerton, South Carolina, (803) 4855039.

CLASSIFIEDS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

THE ITEM

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES

803-774-12

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS SERVICES Home Improvements H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904

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

Painting Int/Ext Painting, Pressure washing. 30 yrs exp. References. Quality work/free est. Bennie 803-468-7592

Tree Service NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal, trimming & stump grinding. Lic/Ins 803-316-0128 A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721

Help Wanted Full-Time The #1 Furniture Retail Company in the U.S. is seeking highly motivated individuals with outgoing personalities to join our Sales Team. Candidates must have a working knowledge of computers. They will be required to build sales volume by providing superior customer service and knowledge of product and finance options. This full time position is based on a flexible work schedule that includes evenings, Saturdays and some holidays. Offering unlimited income potential based on commission and bonuses. Guaranteed salary during training process. Send resume to 2850 Broad St., Sumter, SC 29150 or email to sperkins@ashleysumter.com Top pay for Roofers with flat roof experience TPO, Aspalt, mod bit, epdm, Only Experience roofers need apply. Call 803-968-9833. Btwn 8am-5pm only

LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 & $3 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend. Call 803-494-5500

For Sale or Trade Split Oak Firewood, $50 for truck load, $100 for trailer load. Delivered stacked. 843-536-6050 New & used Heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 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

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time

REAL ESTATE 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.

TRANSPORTATION

Miscellaneous

Auto Body Shop near Shaw Air-force Base is in need of an experienced body repair person with estimating skills, experience with frame machine is plus. Please call Russell at 803-464-4801 for an immediate opportunity.

RENTALS Unfurnished Apartments

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales

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.

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

Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

MERCHANDISE

11:30 a.m. the day before for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday edition. 11:30 a.m. Friday for Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition.

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

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

LEGAL NOTICES Legal Notice LEGAL NOTICE

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

Unfurnished Homes Newly renovated 4BR/1BA home near Sumter High, C/H/A, hardwood floors. $750 a month. Call 803-563-7202 or 803-757-0083

Mobile Home Rentals Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water//sewer//garbage pk-up incl'd. RV parking avail. Call 803-494-8350

NOTICE TO CITIZENS OF SUMTER COUNTY: Pursuant to the South Carolina Eminent Domain Procedure Act, Section 28-2-70(c), Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended, notice is hereby given that entry by personnel of the South Carolina Department of Transportation will be made in the area of the road described below for such purposes as topographic surveys, subsurface exploration, environmental related studies and for the gathering of any other data necessary for the planning, development of location alternatives, design, property acquisition, and construction of road and bridge replacement projects. This project will consist of access management and safety improvement countermeasures at the intersection of Pinewood Road and McCray's Mill Road in Sumter County. It is possible that additional right of way will be needed to construct this project.

3BR & 2BR, all appliances, Sumter area. Section 8 accepted. 469-6978.

More specific information about the project may be obtained by contacting Program Manager Joe Sturm (803) 737-0137 in Columbia, South Carolina.

STATEBURG COURTYARD

Summons & Notice

2 & 3 Br, Sec. 8 803-494-4015

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!

Due to Increase in Business LONGSTREET CHEVROLET is looking for a

NOTICE OF ORDER APPOINTING GUARDIAN AD LITEM NISI AND ATTORNEY IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT C/A #: 2016-CP-43-02106 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, Plaintiff, Vs. CHARLOTTE ELLIS, AND IF SHE BE DECEASED, THEN HER HEIRS AT LAW, AND ANY OTHER H E I R S - A T - L A W O R

Summons & Notice

DISTRIBUTEES OR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR SPOUSES, IF ANY THEY HAVE, AND ALL OTHER PERSONS UNKNOWN WITH ANY RIGHT, TITLE, ESTATE, INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON THE REAL ESTATE DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN; ALSO ANY UNKNOWN ADULTS AND THOSE PERSONS WHO MAY BE IN THE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ALL OF THEM BEING A CLASS DESIGNATED AS JOHN DOE; AND ANY UNKNOWN MINORS OR PERSONS UNDER A DISABILITY BEING A CLASS DESIGNATED AS RICHARD ROE and CITY OF SUMTER HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants.

County, South Carolina in Book 1099 at Page 2715 (the "Mortgage").

KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON be served by publication of the following notice for four (4) consecutive weeks in THE SUMTER ITEM, a weekly newspaper of general circulation printed in the State of South Carolina and distributed throughout Sumter County, South Carolina and by publication of the following notice for four (4) consecutive weeks in The Sumter Item, a weekly newspaper of general circulation printed in the State of South Carolina.

TO: THE DEFENDANTS HEREIN, NAMES AND ADDRESSES UNKNOWN, INCLUDING ANY THEREOF WHO MAY BE MINORS, IMPRISONED PERSONS, INCOMPETENT PERSONS, UNDER OTHER LEGAL DISABILITY OR IN THE MILITARY SERVICE, IF ANY, WHETHER RESIDENTS OR NON-RESIDENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO THE NATURAL, GENERAL, TESTAMENTARY GUARDIAN OR COMMITTEE, OR OTHERWISE, AND TO THE PERSON WITH WHOM THEY MAY RESIDE, IF ANY THERE BE: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Motion for an order appointing Kelley Y. Woody, Esquire, as Guardian ad Litem Nisi, for all persons whomsoever herein collectively designated as Richard Roe or John Doe, defendants herein, names and addresses unknown, including any thereof who may be minors, imprisoned persons, incompetent persons, or under other legal disability, and as Attorney for said parties who may be in the military service, whether residents or non-residents of South Carolina, was filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Sumter County. YOU WILL FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that unless the said minors or persons under other legal disability, if any, or someone in their behalf or in behalf of any of them, shall within thirty (30) days after service of notice of this order upon them by publication, exclusive of the day of such service, procure to be appointed for them, or either of them, a Guardian ad Litem to represent them for the purposes of this action, the appointment of said Guardian ad Litem Nisi and Attorney shall be made absolute.

By Mortgage Assignment (the "Assignment"), Preferred Mortgage Co., LLC assigned the Mortgage to the Plaintiff, and the Assignment was recorded February 1, 2008, in Book 1099 at Page 2730 in the office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter County, South Carolina. At the time of the filing of this notice, the premises affected by the said action were situated in the County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, and are described as follows: All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land with the improvements thereon, if any, situate, lying and being in the City and County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, being shown and delineated as Lot No. 1, as shown on that certain Plat of Joseph R. Edwards, P.L.S., dated September 7, 2007 and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter County in Plat Book 2007 at Page 438, and having such boundaries, metes, courses and distances as are shown on said plat, reference to which is hereby made pursuant to authority contained in Â§ 30-50-250 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended. This property is known as 113 King Street, Sumter, SC. This being the same property conveyed to Charlotte Ellis by deed of City of Sumter Housing and Economic Development Corporation dated January 25, 2008 and recorded February 1, 2008 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter County, South Carolina in Book 1099 at Page 2712. TMS#: 227-12-04-024 For a complete description of the property encumbered by the Mortgage, the undersigned craves reference to the Mortgage, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. GRIMSLEY LAW FIRM, LLC P. O. Box 11682 Columbia, South Carolina 29211 (803) 233-1177 Edward L. Grimsley Benjamin E. Grimsley Attorneys for the Plaintiff IN THE JUVENILE COURT FOR SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE

TO THE NAMED:

DEFENDANTS

ABOVE

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your answer to the said Complaint upon the subscribers, at their office, 1703 Laurel Street, Post Office Box 11682, Columbia, South Carolina 29211, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; and if you fail to answer the Complaint in the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

STATE OF TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the original Complaint in the above entitled action was filed in the office of the Clerk of Court for Sumter County on November 8, 2016.

AMENDED LIS PENDENS TO THE NAMED:

DEFENDANTS

ABOVE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an action will be commenced in this Court upon the Complaint of the above-named Plaintiff against the above-named Defendants for the foreclosure of that certain Mortgage of Real Estate given by the Defendant Charlotte Ellis to Preferred Mortgage Co., LLC, its successors and assigns, dated January 31, 2008, and recorded on February 1, 2008, in the office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter

Due to Increase in Business LONGSTREET CHEVROLET is looking for a

SERVICE

The State of Tennessee, Department of Children's Services, has filed a petition against you seeking to terminate forever your parental rights to KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON, who was born to TAMIKO ROBINSON on June 29, 1999 in Charleston County, South Carolina. The birth certificate is silent as to the identity of the biological father. It appears that ordinary process of law cannot be served upon you because your whereabouts are unknown. You are hereby ORDERED to appear in the Juvenile Court of Sumner County, Tennessee in Gallatin, Tennessee on the 21st day of December, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., to personally to answer the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights. Failing to appear for the hearing on this date and time, without good cause, pursuant to Rule 39(c)(3) of the Tenn. R. Juv. P. will result in the loss of your right to contest the petition to terminate your parental rights to the child listed above. You may view and obtain a copy of the Petition and any other subsequently filed legal documents at the Sumner County Juvenile Court Clerk's Office, 225 East Main Street, Gallatin, TN 37066.

BARRY BROWN, JUDGE APPROVED FOR ENTRY:

IN THE MATTER OF: KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON, DOB: 06/29/99 FILE NO. 2012-JV-590 A CHILD UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE ORDER FOR PUBLICATION

NOTICE TO RESPONDENT, TAMIKO ROBINSON

IT IS SO ORDERED. Entered this 18th day of October, 2016.

PETITIONER

SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF FILING COMPLAINT

It is further ORDERED that if the TAMIKO ROBINSON, Mother of KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON does not enter an appearance or otherwise Answer the Petition, further personal service or service by further publication shall be dispensed with and service of any future notices, motions, orders or other legal documents in this matter may be made upon the TAMIKO ROBINSON, Mother of KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON, by filing same with the Juvenile Court Clerk of Sumner County, Tennessee.

STATE OF TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES Robyn L. Taylor, BPR#026922 Assistant General Counsel 393 Maple Street, Suite 201 Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 451-5818

It appearing to the Court from the allegations of the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights, Motion for Service by Publication and the Affidavit of Diligent Search that the whereabouts of the Respondent, TAMIKO ROBINSON, Mother of KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON, is unknown and cannot be ascertained by diligent search, therefore, the ordinary process of law cannot be served upon Respondent, TAMIKO ROBINSON, Mother of KEYSHON ROBINSON NELSON. It is, therefore, ORDERED that said TAMIKO ROBINSON, Mother of

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

Estate Notice Sumter County

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES

Persons having claim against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these estates, and to file their claims on Form #371PC with the Probate Court of Sumter County Courthouse, N. Main Street, Sumter, SC, 29150, on or before the date that is eight months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors, (unless previously barred by operation of Section 62-3-803), or such persons shall be forever barred as to heir claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements, indicating the name and the 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 amount claimed and the date when due, and a description of any security as to the claim.

Estate:/Elizabeth Grubb #2016ES4300001

Estate:/Anne B. Thomas #2016ES4300644

Personal Representative Grandy Grubb 1904 West Oakland Avenue Sumter, SC 29150

Personal Representative Robert E. Thomas, Jr. 5 Folsom Street Sumter, SC 29150

Estate:/Willie Jean Munn #2016ES4300013

Estate:/James Kendrick #2016ES4300008

Personal Representative Gale M. Doggette 46 Chamblee Road Walterboro, SC 29488

Personal Representative Lottie Rivers McCaw 2510 Raccoon Road Sumter, SC 29154

Estate:/Ferdinand Burns, Jr. #2016ES4300713 Personal Representative Lula M. Burns 20 Neal Street Sumter, SC 29150

Estate:/Emily Cribb Moise #2016ES4300011

Estate:/Sammie

Robinson, Sr. #2016ES4300712

Personal Representative Annette Robinson 240 Lois Lane Sumter, SC 29150

Estate:/Robet

Edward Weissmann #2016ES4300711

Personal Representative David Deleon Moise, Jr. C/O Jack W. Erter, Jr. Attorney at Law PO Box 580 Sumter, SC 29151

Personal Representative Kristopher E. Weissmann 3435 McCrays Mill Road Sumter, SC 29154

Estate:/Leynoyette J. Dixon #2016ES4300007

Estate:/Jerry Lynn Price, Sr. #2016ES4300016

Personal Representative Timothy Dixon 2650 Edmunds Dr. Sumter, SC 29154

Personal Representative Barbara F. Price 5850 Alcott Drive Wedgefield, SC 29168

De'Quan Garland #2016ES4300295

Personal Representative Gwendolyn Garland C/O Robert G. Rikard Attorney at Law 1329 Blanding Street Columbia, SC 29201

Personal Representative Bruce Whaley C/O Hughey Law Firm Attorney at Law PO Box 348 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

10/16/1936-01/17/2015 Two years have come and gone, your life was a blessing, your memory is a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. Love always, Julius, Sammy, Frances, grandchildren, family & friends

Estate:/Rebecca W. Carson #2016ES4300015 Personal Representative Kathryn C. Bush 646 Smithville Church Rd. Cheraw, SC 29520

Estate:/Terry Wayne Edwards #2016ES4300004

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Personal Representative Angela M. Edwards C/O Sarah Rand-McDaniel PO Box 12009 Columbia, SC 29211

S.P.C.A. • 1140 S. Guignard Dr., Sumter 11AM - 5PM Daily, Closed Wed & Sun Animal Receiving: 11AM - 4PM M, T, Th, F & 11AM - 2PM Sat

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, aka SPCA SPCA,, has an abundance of friendly pets looking for nice, warm homes with lots of love to share. Shown are just a few of the adoptable pets now available at the shelter.

VISIT US ONLINE AT:

www.sumterscspca.com

My name is MARIO and I’m a 2 year old black male Chihuahua/Pug mix.

My name is UNO and I’m a 10 month old blond male Hound mix.

My name is JANUARY and I’m a 3 month old black and white female Lab mix.

Little Girl

Lyra

Mittens

My name is LITTLE GIRL and I’m a 2 year old gold female Golden Retriever/ Chow mix.

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35 Years Boarding Experience 33 Years Grooming Experience Lori Cook Briggs Groomer & Stylist

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In Loving Memory Mrs Easter Ladson

Estate:/Lumicha J. Whaley #2016ES4300010

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Uno

Missing large b/w cat, very friendly, last seen Tues. near Super 8 Hotel on Broad St. Call 803-499-4150

Personal Representative Lynn T. Eldridge 2135 Hobbit Way Sumter, SC 29153

Mario

OARDING NN

Found on Wren St , Long haired cat. Call 803-983-1135

Estate:/James Cuttino Eldridge #2016ES4300716

Dutin

MY BUDDY B I F P I .

Black Lab/Basset mix found on Lorring Mill Rd. Call 803-968-3934

Estate:/Gladys Carter Clark #2016ES4300709

803-773-9292

Grumpy Dwarf

Lost & Found

Estate:/Marcus

Adopt Me

My name is GRUMPY DWARF and I’m a 2 year old orange tabby and white male American Shorthair.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

My name is REMINGTON and I’m a 1 year old brindle and white male Lab/Pit mix.

My name is JENNY HEART and I’m a 1 year old blond and white female Lab mix.

Wheezy

Lucky

My name is WHEEZY and I’m a 9 month old white and gray tabby male American Shorthair.

My name is LUCKY and I’m a 4 month old gray tabby and white male American Shorthair.

Stanley

My name is STANLEY and I’m a 9 month old black and white male American Shorthair.

Daisy

My name is DAISY and I’m a 1 year old tortie point female Siamese.

Jenny Heart

Remington

Ella

My name is ELLA and I’m a 7 month old black female American Shorthair.

Topaz

My name is TOPAZ and I’m a 2 year old flame point male Siamese.

Other things you can do to help! Though not everyone can take a pet home, the SPCA is always accepting donations. Monetary Donations • Collars • Animal Food • Leashes Cat Litter • Treats • Beds • Clean Newspapers Blankets • Trash Bags • Towels • Paper Towels

Catherine M. Zyback, D.M.D.

803-905-5280

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2007

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Adoption Fee: Dogs - $150.00 • Cats - $125.00 This includes the ﬁrst vaccinations, ﬁrst deworming and a voucher towards the spaying or neutering of the animal. Hours of Operation: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed Wednesday and Sunday

1140 S. GUIGNARD DR.

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Happy Pets “Home Away From Home” For 35 Years

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THE SUMTER ITEM ·

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

IN MONEY

IN LIFE

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Who could get surprise Oscar nominations?

01.17.17 FORWARD FOR USA TODAY

“HIDDEN FIGURES” BY HOPPER STONE

ROCKERS CRANK IT UP TO SUPREME COURT The Slants want to trademark name some ﬁnd offensive Richard Wolf @richardjwolf USA TODAY

The latest release from Simon Tam’s dance rock group is called The Band Who Must Not Be Named — and for good reason. Despite making music for more than a decade, the Portland, Ore.-based band has been unable to get its name registered as a federal trademark. The battle will culminate Wednesday when four Asian Americans who call themselves The Slants play a 400-seat theater known as the Supreme Court. At issue is nothing less than freedom of speech: Does a federal law that empowers the Patent and Trademark Office to turn down applications it deems disparaging violate the First Amendment? In Washington, where a president-elect who criticizes his opponents on Twitter is redeﬁning the outer boundaries of appropriate speech, such power to police language seems almost quaint. Tam certainly thinks so. He named his band as an act of “reappropriation” — adopting a demeaning term aimed at Asian Americans and wearing it as a badge of pride. “We need to allow freedom of expression, especially with those you disagree with the most,” the 35-year-old musician-activist says over a bowl of gumbo in the nation’s capital. “Satire, humor, wit and irony — those are the things that will truly neuter malice.” Watching in the wings is WASHINGTON

MIKE BROWN, GETTY IMAGES

King’s legacy honored in Memphis Osie James carries a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. during the annual Martin Luther King Day march Monday in Memphis. Hundreds marched in honor of the civil rights leader from the north end of downtown Memphis to the site where King was assassinated in 1968, which now houses the National Civil Rights Museum.

This is an edition of USA TODAY provided for your local newspaper. An expanded version of USA TODAY is available at newsstands or by subscription, and at usatoday.com.

For the latest national sports coverage, go to sports.usatoday.com

Trump’s welcome committee: An avalanche of opponents Protests are planned across the USA and around the world Heidi M. Przybyla USA TODAY

Mike Litterst, National Park Service

USA SNAPSHOTS©

The dish on washing An automatic dishwasher saves an average of

6 gallons of water per cycle vs. washing by hand

SOURCE EarthEcho International MICHAEL B. SMITH AND VERONICA BRAVO, USA TODAY

The numbers expected in the nation’s capital are “pretty well unprecedented.”

WASHINGTON From the grave of a suffragist in Upstate New York to the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., and the Brandenburg Gate in Germany, President-elect Donald Trump has quite a welcome committee: An estimated 1 million people plan to demonstrate in all 50 states and 32 countries. In the U.S. capital alone, the National Park Service has issued permits for 25 separate events the weekend of his swearing-in Friday as the nation’s 45th president. It’s a number that’s “pretty well unprecedented” relative to past inaugurations, says Mike Litterst, a park service spokesman.

“The biggest issue is merely ﬁnding space for all of these groups.” The main event is the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday, which is expected to draw at least 200,000 people to rally in support of women’s rights, including abortion rights as well as affordable health care and equal pay. It has inspired about 300 others of varying sizes across the country and on every continent, saysYordanos Eyoel, spokeswoman for a network of sister marches. While there are a few groups — like Bikers for Trump — coming to show their support, the vast majority are protesters, according to a Park Service spreadsheet of

permit applications. What’s unique is that “people who have never been politically active before are now mobilizing,” says Eyoel, a Boston-based organizer from Ethiopia who became a U.S. citizen last fall. Cities with the largest number of registrants include Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Boston, Denver and Minneapolis. There are marches even in smaller and non-coastal cities such as Topeka, Nashville and Des Moines. “The message here is women’s rights are human rights, and we are not taking a single step back,” says Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women. Others are more openly hostile to the incoming president. “We’re more than disappointed in Trump. We’re disgusted,” says Working Families Party senior adviser Valerie Ervin. “Not just today but for v STORY CONTINUES ON 2B

v STORY CONTINUES ON 2B

THE SLANTS

The Slants is an AsianAmerican dance rock band from Portland, Ore.

U.S. ramps up airdrops to forces ﬁghting ISIL in Syria Weapons, supplies fuel rebel offensive Jim Michaels @jimmichaels USA TODAY SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE , ILLI NOIS The U.S. Air Force is in-

creasing airdrops of weapons, ammunition and other equipment to a growing number of opposition forces closing in on Raqqa, the Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria. “Our expanded precision air-

drop capability is helping ground forces take the offensive to (the Islamic State) and efforts to retake Raqqa,” said Gen. Carlton Everhart, commander of the Air Mobility Command, which is headquartered here. The Air Force conducted 16 airdrop missions in Syria last year, including six in December. The airdrops are essential in getting supplies to a force that doesn’t have extensive ground supply lines and is in nearly constant contact with the enemy, highlighting the complexity of supporting an irregular force operating in a hostile environment. “In those instances, airdrops

are absolutely essential,” said Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a military spokesman in Baghdad. The U.S.–led coalition backs a force of about 45,000 ﬁghters in Syria with airstrikes and teams of U.S. Special Forces, who provide advice and training. The force is becoming increasingly important as it places pressure on the Islamic State’s most important stronghold in Syria. Over the border, Iraqi security forces are conducting an offensive in Mosul, the country’s second-largest city and the militants’ remaining stronghold in Iraq. The Mosul battle is a more conventional operation where

SEDAT SUNA, EPA

Kurdish ﬁghters ﬂash victory signs in June 2015 as they battle to liberate the Syrian town of Raqqa, an Islamic State stronghold.

Iraq’s army can use roads to get supplies. The ﬁght in Syria is waged by tribal and other irregular forces. Airdrops are a lifeline to the forces there. The airdrop missions have changed dramatically since previous wars, such as Vietnam, when pallets would be easily blown off target, sometimes landing within reach of the enemy. Today, the bundles are guided onto landing zones using GPS technology and steerable parachutes. “We’ll get it within 10 or 15 meters of the mark,” Everhart said. The supplies range from small-arms ammunition to vehicles.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

· THE SUMTER ITEM

Free speech case has football implications CONTINUED FROM C11B v CONTINUED FROM

Washington’s NFL football team, both celebrated and reviled as the Redskins. Its name wasn’t chosen 84 years ago as a term of endearment, but team owner Daniel Snyder’s effort to keep six trademark registrations canceled by the federal agency in 2014 hinges on The Slants’ success or failure. For the time being, the Redskins’ case is pending at a federal appeals court. Though Tam and his three fellow band members seek to disassociate themselves from the Redskins — a name which the rock group’s website says represents “a long history of oppression” — some of their arguments are similar. The most obvious is the subjective nature of federal trademarks: Though The Slants have been shut out and the Redskins sacked, other racy names have been approved. The Redskins’ court papers include 18 pages of them, ranging from Yellowman and Retardipedia to Crippled Old Biker Bastards and Boobs as Beer Holders. Unlike many other trademarks, Tam’s lawyers point out that his was chosen as a way of regaining respect for Asian Americans. “Simon Tam is not a bigot; he is ﬁghting bigotry with the timehonored technique of seizing the bigots’ own language,” their court papers say. Their cause has been endorsed in friend-of-the-court briefs from 20 other groups, ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Tam’s favorite was ﬁled by San Francisco Dykes on Bikes, a group of motorcycle-riding lesbians whose name won federal registration but whose logo did not. “The examiner has stood by this rejection despite the fact that not one lesbian has ever raised any objection to registration of ‘Dykes on Bikes’ during this entire 13-year trademark registration effort,” the group’s brief says. WIN SOME, LOSE SOME

Though trademarks do not require federal blessing, the government’s imprimatur bolsters legal protections against copycats and helps the beneﬁciaries in other ways. In The Slants’ case, Tam lost twice at the federal agency and again in federal court before winning on appeal late in 2015. “The First Amendment protects even hurtful speech,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in a 9-3 vote, prompting the government to appeal. The Supreme Court has said just that in recent years, even when cases involved distasteful protests at military funerals or disgusting “animal crush” videos. The court also allowed a local government to place a Ten Commandments monument on its property over objections, and last Corrections & Clarifications USA TODAY is committed to accuracy. To reach us, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones at 800-8727073 or e-mail accuracy@usatoday.com. Please indicate whether you’re responding to content online or in the newspaper.

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

John Zidich EDITOR IN CHIEF

Patty Michalski CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Kevin Gentzel 7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Va. 22108, 703-854-3400 Published by Gannett The local edition of USA TODAY is published daily in partnership with Gannett Newspapers Advertising: All advertising published in USA TODAY is subject to the current rate card; copies available from the advertising department. USA TODAY may in its sole discretion edit, classify, reject or cancel at any time any advertising submitted. National, Regional: 703-854-3400 Reprint permission, copies of articles, glossy reprints: www.GannettReprints.com or call 212-221-9595 USA TODAY is a member of The Associated Press and subscribes to other news services. USA TODAY, its logo and associated graphics are registered trademarks. All rights reserved.

year, it allowed Texas to ban specialty license plates featuring the Confederate flag. In the trademark case, the government argues that its imprimatur is akin to a government subsidy. “Nothing in the First Amendment requires Congress to encourage the use of racial slurs in interstate commerce,” it says in court papers. If the lower court ruling stands, the solicitor general’s office says, “the federal government would be required to register, publish, and transmit to foreign countries marks containing crude references to women based on parts of their anatomy; the most repellent racial slurs and whitesupremacist slogans; and demeaning illustrations of the prophet Mohammed and other religious figures.” The justices have received

EVAN VUCCI, AP

David Shulkin, Veterans Affairs undersecretary for health, is President-elect Trump’s VA pick.

VA nominee will face bureaucratic maze Undersecretary is clear-eyed about challenges facing agency Donovan Slack @donovanslack USA TODAY

SAUL LOEB, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

The Washington Redskins’ federal trademark registrations were canceled in 2014. emotional appeals from minority groups that agree with the government’s position. Lawyers for ﬁve people who successfully challenged the Redskins’ trademarks urge that trademark rules be maintained “so that they can avoid further insult resulting from the registration of marks that disparage them and other Native Americans.” The Korematsu Center, named after the man who challenged the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, took a similar stand. “While empowering to a young social justice rock band,” it argues, “that same mark may be debilitating for those who remember life in American internment camps during World War II.” The Slants’ supporters, including conservative as well as liberal groups, outnumber their opponents. The Chamber of Commerce, represented by the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s son, Eugene, says the government’s argument that it speaks through its trademark registrations falls on deaf ears. “No one could seriously regard a trademark as government speech ... so the government has no legitimate interest in disassociating itself from ‘disparaging’ trademarks,” it says. ARTS AND ACTIVISM

The Slants’ music has always gone hand-in-hand with political advocacy. They seek to help other marginalized groups, ranging from gays and lesbians to the Black Lives Matter movement, through workshops and charitable activities. “Arts and activism have always moved forward together,” Tam says. Among the group’s extendedplay releases are Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts and The Yellow Album, an Asian-American version of the Beatles’ White Album. “We’re judged by our ethnic identities, whether we want that to happen or not,” Tam says. Despite all the media attention, the legal effort has been more of a “distraction” than a boon, guitarist Joe Jiang says. Tam has racked up about $25,000 in court-related expenses, even though his lawyers work pro bono. To get to Washington for the oral argument, where they are staying with friends, the group relied on a crowdfunding campaign. “Our concerts aren’t being ﬂooded by law students,” Tam says. “Being known for a legal case and not for our music is not necessarily beneﬁcial.” After Wednesday’s debate, they’ll mix the two, combining an intimate conversation about the case with a concert. Likely to be on the playlist is a new song Jiang wrote called From the Heart that includes this verse: Sorry if you take offense You made up rules and played pretend We know you fear change It’s something so strange But nothing’s gonna get in our way. “It’s kind of like an open letter to the trademark office,” Tam says.

WASHINGTON When a 51-yearold veteran drove to a Veterans Affairs clinic in New Jersey in March last year, doused himself in gasoline and lit himself on ﬁre, the VA’s top health official, Undersecretary David Shulkin called caregivers at the clinic, allocated more clinical resources and ultimately removed the hospital director in charge of the clinic. But those decisive actions weren’t triggered until nearly six weeks after the death of Gulf War veteran Charles Ingram. And they followed complaints from members of Congress, media reports and revelations by a whistle-blowing doctor that new veteran patients had to wait six months for appointments at the Northﬁeld, N.J., VA clinic. So illustrates the challenges ahead for Shulkin, Presidentelect Donald Trump’s pick to take over the VA. Even for someone with the best intentions, the sprawling bureaucracy between top-line leaders and front line VA caregivers can squelch and distort

“If conﬁrmed, he will be ready ... to enact Presidentelect Trump’s 10-point plan to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.” David White, Trump transition team

information, delay and even thwart improvement. Twelve days after Ingram’s self-immolation in front of the clinic, when USA TODAY spoke with Shulkin, he was aware of the tragedy but thought Ingram wasn’t a patient there. He was. A spokesman for Trump’s transition team, David White, said that the president-elect chose Shulkin because of his “unquestionable experience, knowledge and passion to bring much needed reform to the VA.. ... “If conﬁrmed, he will be ready to lead on Day One to enact President-elect Trump’s 10-point plan to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs,” White said. That plan includes allowing veterans to get VA-paid care in

the private sector if they choose. Currently, they can do that only if they can’t get a VA appointment within 30 days or live more than 40 miles from a VA facility. USA TODAY spent several hours with Shulkin during the past year, and material gathered during those interviews provides a glimpse of who he is, what he may or may not do at the VA, and how he compares to VA Secretary Bob McDonald. President Obama tapped McDonald to overhaul the agency in 2014 after revelations that VA employees in Phoenix kept secret wait lists, masking how long veterans were waiting for care and at least 40 died while they waited. Since then, McDonald has repeatedly claimed that 90% of medical centers had new leadership teams — a USA TODAY investigation found that number inﬂated and misleading. Shulkin comes off as authentic and can be unﬂinchingly candid. Brandon Coleman, a counselor who revealed mistreatment of suicidal veterans at the Phoenix VA, said, “I want to see him work toward giving veterans’ choice, options in our health care, and holding administrators accountable.”

Women leading the charge v CONTINUED FROM CONTINUED FROM C11B

years to come we will march.” The hundreds of thousands descending on Washington belie their challenge in presenting a uniﬁed front: Trump was elected with plenty of support from women. “There are women who have always fought against and will continue to ﬁght against systemic and patriarchal structures. This march, though, is taking place in a different context,” says Brandy Faulkner, a politics expert at Virginia Tech. “We have a president-elect who is on tape bragging about a sexual assault. Yet, roughly 54% of white women who voted supported him.” Even so, O’Neill hopes Trump will take notice of their passion since “a lot more people may be coming to our march than are coming to his inauguration,” she says. According to the D.C. Department of Transportation, as of Friday 393 charter buses were registered for parking on the day of Trump’s inauguration, compared with 1,200 registered the day of the women’s march. The diverse groups participating — from Amnesty International to Planned Parenthood — see the marches as an orientation of sorts for a longer-term resistance. Filmmaker Michael Moore has called for “100 days of resistance” to Trump’s presidency that starts with the women’s march. The big test will be “whether the groups will pursue a collective policy agenda after the marching is done,” Faulkner says. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says 99 protest groups are expected for the inauguration, including 63 that are expected to rally on Friday. Organizers hope participants will inspire women to get more involved in their communities, and O’Neill says civil rights and women’s rights groups already have begun closer coordination after Trump’s victory Nov. 8. A lot depends on people like Esther Lofgren, 31, an Olympic gold medalist in rowing who

JOSE LUIS MAGANA, AP

Demonstrators march in downtown Washington, D.C., Sunday ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Friday. hasn’t been an activist but now wants to help advance women’s issues. “It seems like a very important time to speak up,” she says. “As an athlete, I know how important my body and what I choose to do with it is.” She’ll march with her teammates as part of a group called Athlete Ally. Whenever there are large protests, there’s potential for clashes. That’s more likely to happen on Inauguration Day than it is during the women’s march. “There’s a lot of baby strollers at women’s marches. It’s not a raucous march,” O’Neill says. During the inauguration, a group called #DisruptJ20 vows a “festival of resistance” to include rallies at all 12 Secret Service checkpoints and “colorful disruptions” along the Inaugural Parade route to promote “racial justice, immigrant rights, LGBTQ, antiwar, climate” and other concerns. The group spent the weekend in a series of training sessions and workshops. It also might try to disrupt inaugural balls attended by Trump supporters, including the “Deploraball.” The main pro-Trump group organizing around the inauguration is Bikers for Trump, a motorcycle group led by a South Carolina chainsaw artist who gained fame when he mowed the lawn around

the Lincoln Memorial during the 2013 government shutdown. On Thursday, the group posted on Twitter that Trump is “instructing his staff to give us the resources to put on the best rally possible.” Still, on Friday its founder, Chris Cox, told Fox Business Network that “the bikers are certainly used to being outnumbered, and we are prepared to form a wall of meat.” So many groups are planning to gather on the streets of Washington that the Millennial website Mic has created a real-time map called “Storm the Swamp” to help keep track of the planned chaos. Others include an estimated 500 who will hold a peaceful candlelight vigil commemorating women who stood vigil in front of the White House from 1913 to 1917 to advocate for suffrage, during which the Seneca Falls Declaration will be read. Finally, a pro-marijuana legalization group plans to hand out a few thousand free joints to raise awareness about the beneﬁts of marijuana legalization. “At 4 minutes and 20 seconds into President Trump’s speech we’ll light up! (unless President Trump comes out now in support of full cannabis legalization in all 50 states and DC!)” DCMJ says on its homepage.

THE SUMTER ITEM ·

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017

LIFE LIFELINE

MOVIES

HOW WAS YOUR DAY? GOOD DAY KATE MARA It’s official: Invisible Woman and The Thing are engaged, AP confirmed Monday. Kate Mara, 33, and her ‘Fantastic Four’ co-star Jamie Bell, 30, have been dating since 2015, the year their superhero movie came out. The actress tweeted out a photo of herself earlier this month wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring. ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ

Rounding up the Oscars’ dark horse potential Every year, Oscar voters throw out a curveball or two in the nominations. Last year, the honor went to Mark Rylance, who shocked Oscarologists by picking up a best-supporting-actor nomination for Bridge of Spies — and then won the statue without campaigning. In 2012, it was Bridesmaids, the raunchy R-rated comedy that scored a nomination for best original screenplay — an eyebrow-raiser, considering the Academy Awards aren’t known for giving funny films their due. Who could surprise when nominations are announced Jan. 24? USA TODAY’s Andrea Mandell explores this year’s dark horses. ‘HIDDEN FIGURES’

THEY SAID WHAT? THE STARS’ BEST QUOTES “You know me, I’m a conspiracy theorist. I think the government did that! They set her up!” — Nick Cannon said about Mariah GETTY IMAGES Carey’s ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ live performance that went awry. He defended his ex on Monday’s ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ He got serious and added, “Things like that can go wrong on live television.” CAUGHT IN THE ACT Friends since ‘High School Musical,’ actresses Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale still get together for a girls’ night out. On Sunday night, they sat courtside during a game between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers in L.A. The Pistons won (102-97).

MARK J. TERRILL, AP

Most analysts agree there are four sure bets in the picture race: La La Land, Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight and Arrival. But Hidden Figures could be in after winning the box office. “Hidden Figures is the one movie that is most on the bubble right now,” says Dave Karger, special correspondent for the movie website IMDb.com. Many consider Octavia Spencer a lock for a supporting-actress nomination, but could Taraji P. Henson break into best actress? Due to the ﬁlm’s success (and her character’s impassioned speech inside NASA’s all-white walls), “she could go along for the ride,” says Tom O’Neil, founder of awards prediction site GoldDerby.com. OCTAVIA SPENCER BY HOPPER STONE, SMPSP

ISABELLE HUPPERT

MERYL STREEP It’s no secret that Oscar voters love Streep, but her leading performance in Florence Foster Jenkins seemed to have slipped off the actress short list — until she criticized Donald Trump in the Globes speech heard ’round the world. “Suddenly, she is a force here,” says O’Neil. And since Streep’s televised moment happened while Oscar ballots were out, that could change everything. “Hollywood could not only rally behind her for the nomination, they could rally behind her for the win,” he says. ISABELLE HUPPERT BY STEVE GRANITZ

IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY WHO’S CELEBRATING TODAY?

‘DEADPOOL’

The acclaimed French actress turned many a critic’s head in Elle, and insiders say she could end up with a best-actress nomination. “She pulls off an upset against Natalie Portman at the Globes and she’s a serious threat at the Oscars, even to win,” says O’Neil.

MERYL STREEP BY PAUL DRINKWATER, AP

RYAN REYNOLDS BY DAVID DOLSEN, MARVEL

Ryan Reynolds has launched an impressive lategame Oscar campaign, and his budget superhero ﬂick recently earned a spot on the Producers Guild of America’s list of the year’s best ﬁlms. But Karger cautions to remember what happened with big-budget spectacles such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the Harry Potter franchise, both of which failed to nab best-picture nods. “There is a history of blockbusters making it into the Producers Guild top 10 but not getting an Oscar nomination,” says Karger.

MEL GIBSON

AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON The British actor plays a Texas psychopath in Nocturnal Animals, and since his surprise Golden Globe win for supporting actor, the heat is on. “Aaron Taylor-Johnson is deﬁnitely coming on strong right now,” says Karger. “The win at the Golden Globes, plus the BAFTA nomination, really mean that he’s the guy from that movie with the best shot at a nomination, not Michael Shannon, like everybody initially thought.”

Talk about “a literal wild card,” says O’Neil. Hacksaw Ridge is “full of patriotic spirit and religious passion. ... That’s usually a formula for Oscar bait.” But is Hollywood ready to forgive the star’s troubled past by nominating him for best director? “That’s what the Oscars are all about, bestowing hugs, who we love, who we don’t,” says O’Neil.

HUGH GRANT

MEL GIBSON BY PAUL BUCK, EPA HUGH GRANT BY DAN MACMEDAN, USA TODAY AARON TAYLORJOHNSON BY ROBYN BECK, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Will Streep’s screen husband in Florence make the cut? He’s “vulnerable,” says O’Neil, noting Animals’ Michael Shannon, Figures’ Kevin Costner or Hell or High Water’s Ben Foster could take his spot in supporting actor. Karger points out he’d have to edge in among surer bets like Moonlight’s Mahershala Ali, Water’s Jeff Bridges and Lion’s Dev Patel.

A sweet ’n’ salty look at ‘Founder’ Keaton sinks his teeth into story of McDonald’s Kroc GETTY IMAGES; WIREIMAGE

Betty White is 95. Steve Harvey is 60. Zooey Deschanel is 37. Compiled by Lorena Blas and Kim Willis

USA SNAPSHOTS©

What’s cooking? Which appliance Americans use most for meal prep:

Microwave

24% Stove-top 44% Oven 25% NOTE Based on cooking at home at least four times a week SOURCE Peapod survey of 1,063 U.S. adults TERRY BYRNE AND PAUL TRAP, USA TODAY

Ray Kroc may be somewhat ironically known as the founder of McDonald’s, but it would also be accurate to call him the Hamburglar. Starring Michael MOVIE REVIEW Keaton as the famBRIAN ous Midwestern TRUITT businessman, director John Lee Hancock’s The Founder (eeeE out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters nationwide Friday) is the rare biopic with a hero who’s also its greatest villain. An intriguing take on the genre that veers wildly away from its initial feel-good nature, The Founder has its ﬂaws — though not as many as its main subject — yet is an insightful look at the history of an iconic institution that doubles as a cautionary tale. Before becoming a legend in fast-food manifest destiny, Ray struggles to hawk high-end milkshake machines until he meets the McDonald brothers, Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac

WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) pushes out the original owners to get to the top of the world in the biopic The Founder. (John Carroll Lynch), with their innovative Southern California drive-in restaurant in 1954. In one of the ﬁlm’s strongest sequences, Ray’s mind is blown by the siblings’ explanation of the popular eatery’s speedy, no-frills serving system and simplistic menu built around burgers and fries. Ray immediately sees the franchise potential, with a vision of McDonald’s spreading “coast to coast, from sea to shining sea,” though his wife, Ethel (Laura Dern), is skeptical of the latest of his “revolutionary” investment

ideas. Financially strapped and desperate, Ray makes the hard sell to persuade the McDonalds to go into business with him, though when he feels as if he’s not making as much as the franchise owners, Ray swindles them to become the face of the country’s new culinary and cultural touchstone. There is a certain jittery edginess to Keaton’s Kroc, but the actor imbues his character with such folksy likability that it’s a subtle turn from working-class go-getter to greedy bad guy. The viewer’s enmity for him slowly in-

creases as the McDonalds’ beef with him grows. The Founder is Offerman’s best role since his lovably cranky government official on TV’s Parks and Recreation. Dick is off-putting, being the stickler for quality control — the opposite of Lynch’s big-hearted, extroverted Mac — yet you feel for him the most as the siblings become forgotten ﬁgures, even though it’s their name next to those golden arches. Robert D. Siegel’s screenplay moves at a nice clip as Ray builds (and hungrily guards) his burgeoning empire, though it meanders with a subplot involving Ray’s bewitching future second wife, Joan (Linda Cardellini). Hancock, with The Blind Side and Saving Mr. Banks on his résumé, again showcases a gift when it comes to chronicling complicated real-life characters, and that is Ray Kroc in a nutshell — or a Big Mac carton, as the case may be. The tale of a man doing whatever he can to achieve the “American dream,” even if it means burying trusted colleagues and spurning loved ones, still feels timely some six decades later. Whatever you think of the reallife eats, The Founder is a Happy Meal with some nice, needed bite.

COMICS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017

THE SUMTER ITEM

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Mom and ex at odds over daughter’s cellphone DEAR ABBY: I bought my 11-year-old daughter a cellphone. My ex does not approve. We have been diDear Abby vorced for ABIGAIL six years, VAN BUREN and he still can’t get over it. He despises me. He refuses to listen to why I want her to have a cellphone. While I want her to be responsible with it, I realize she will make mistakes — which she already has by being on her phone too much. (It has been taken away from her once.) I want her to carry the phone with her in case of emergencies. If it is confiscated at school, her dad will no

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

doubt tell me, “I told you so.” Should I abide by his wishes and not allow her to have the phone, or do you think my points are valid? Mom with phone issue DEAR MOM: Wanting your daughter to have the cellphone in case of emergency seems valid to me. If you are her custodial parent, I think that prerogative belongs to you. But I do have a question: Who took the phone away from your daughter? If you did it because she was abusing the privilege, then she will learn her lesson if you are consistent. If a teacher takes it away from her at school, there should be consequences and you should ensure that they are enforced.

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

DEAR ABBY: I am a healthy, somewhat older lady with a reasonable appetite who unfortunately sleeps alone. Consequently, I have a few toys to help me on sleepless nights. One of my biggest worries, however, is that if I should expire and my loved ones discover my toy collection after my demise, they will be shocked. I don’t want to give up my toys, but I am worried about what my loved ones will think of me should I cease to exist before my appetite decreases. Surely one of these days it will. But in the meantime, what happens if I die and they discover my secret? Keeping a lid on it DEAR KEEPING: What will happen? You will die with a smile on your face.

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

By Alan DerKazarian

ACROSS 1 Baja vacation spot 5 Tree’s sticky output 8 Neck mark from necking 14 Razor name 15 Suffix with pay 16 Taking the place (of) 17 Silly sort 19 Polish port where Solidarity was founded 20 Music producer Brian 21 Dueling sword 22 “Hannah and __ Sisters”: Woody Allen film 23 Formal pronouncements 25 Zeros 30 Pay with plastic 32 __ of: done with 33 Not at home 34 The Judds, e.g. 35 Migration formation 36 Move in the wind 37 Anniversary celebration at the Met, say 42 Numbered musical piece 43 Grunting female 44 Slowing, on a music score: Abbr.

45 Little point to pick 46 Sick __ dog 47 Spitball need 50 Disputed Mideast territory 53 R&B singer Baker 55 “That’s all __ wrote” 56 Fermented honey drink 58 The USA’s 50 59 Nissan model 62 Infantile vocalizations, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 37- and 50-Across 64 Series of related emails 65 Luau instrument 66 Curved molding 67 Fort Bragg mil. branch 68 Boston hrs. 69 Dandelion, e.g. DOWN 1 Confined, as a bird 2 Not accented, as syllables 3 Ornamental pin 4 Doofus 5 Ivory in the tub 6 State without proof 7 Prefix with -lithic

1/17/17 8 Bogart film set in a California range 9 Truly 10 Irish county bordering Limerick 11 Next of __ 12 Wide shoe widths 13 Guffaw 18 Face adversity well 24 Cries of triumph 26 Layered cookie 27 Bridal attire 28 Avocado dip, for short 29 Eyelid sore 31 Dates one person exclusively 35 Ex-GIs’ gp. 36 Lustrous fabric

37 Bell hit with a padded mallet 38 Samoan capital 39 Skating leap 40 Have a good laugh 41 Address for a noblewoman 46 Traditional Hindu retreat 47 Delivers a lecture 48 Facial expression 49 Postwar British prime minister 51 Autumn blossom 52 Suffuse (with) 54 Queried 57 Help with a heist 59 Actor Erwin 60 “Come again?” sounds 61 FDR agency 63 Illegal parker’s risk

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

1/17/17