SPORTS: Wilson Hall hosts Thomas Sumter in baseball
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Air Force retiring MQ-1 Predator Replacing the remotely piloted aircraft with MQ-9 Reaper A3
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Deputies arrest suspect in 2016 murder FROM STAFF REPORTS Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office and Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies apprehended Asaad Jamal McNeil, wanted in connection with the 2016 shooting death of 17-year-old Jaquell Dinkins, on Wednesday after a five-month investigation. Acting on a tip, officials located McNeil at a location in Clarendon County about 6 p.m. and took him into custody without incident, states a news release
Sessions steps aside
from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Sumter County officers issued a murder warrant for McNeil after enough evidence was gathered to establish probable cause, MCNEIL connecting him to the fatal shooting that took place on Sept. 14, 2016. According to the release, residents in the 200 block of Apollo Street in Wedgefield called authorities claiming
Schoolchildren celebrate the work of Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to us as Dr. Seuss, on his birthday.
The Cat in the Hat came back
recuses himself from Russia-contact probe
SEE SESSIONS, PAGE A8
murder; armed robbery; and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He also has two outstanding bench warrants for contempt of court. “We want to thank the news media for helping us keep McNeil’s face out there,” said Dennis in the release. “We also want to thank the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance in locating and arresting this dangerous individual. Both counties are a lot safer today because of this arrest.”
READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
New Attorney General
WASHINGTON (AP) — Under growing pressure from Democrats and Republicans alike, Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. His action followed SESSIONS revelations he twice met with the Russian ambassador and didn’t say so when pressed by Congress. Sessions rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone about his contacts with the Russian, saying, “That is not my intent. That is not correct.” He did allow, though, that he should have been more careful in his testimony, saying, “I should have slowed down and said, ‘But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.’” The attorney general said he made his decision to recuse himself after his staff recommended that he step aside from any investigation related to the Trump campaign, since he had been involved in that campaign. He said Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente would handle such matters. Sessions added that his announcement “should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation.” Air Force One landed in Washington minutes before Sessions’ news conference began. President Trump, who had spoken earlier
to have heard gunshots. The victim, Dinkins, was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the back. In a previous statement, Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said the house had been under investigation in the past for illegal drug activity. Dennis said a motive for the incident has not been determined. For the incident, McNeil is charged with murder; two counts of attempted
PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
The Cat in the Hat (Bill Austin, an instructional coach at Oakland Primary School) popped into classes Thursday as part of Read Across America Day. Students were given Dr. Seuss hats to wear, but others came dressed as their favorite storybook character.
Students celebrate Dr. Seuss work BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com
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he Cat in the Hat did come back Thursday to Sumter School District and schools
across America.
Each year schools celebrate Read Across America Day on the birth date, March 2, 1904, of Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel. Some of Dr. Seuss’ most famous books include “The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.” Students at Oakland Primary School celebrated by eating green eggs and ham, dressing as their favor-
ite storybook character and parading with their outfits and books before parents and other students. And public officials read to students during the day. On Thursday morning, firefighters from Sumter Fire Department were reading to students at Oakland. Shannon Knudson, a reading coach at Oakland, said teachers even incorporate Dr. Seuss and storybook characters into their curriculum that day each year. The National Education Association has promoted the Read Across America program for 20 years. And when the cafeteria offered green eggs and ham for breakfast, Jahmil Reid, 7, told others at his table that someone had “painted” the eggs.
Zykearah Wright and Jahmil Reid, both 7 and in the first grade, taste the green eggs and ham at Oakland Primary School on Thursday as part of a celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, which coincides with Read Across America Day each year. A teacher let him know that food coloring was added to the eggs that turned them green, not paint.
27-year-old Sumter man drowns in pond after fleeing checkpoint FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker identified the man who drowned while attempting to elude officers on Wednesday night as Mark Gabriel Horne, 27, of Sumter County. Horne drowned in a private pond after fleeing a driver’s license checkpoint on Havenwood Drive, off of U.S. 15 South, about 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday.
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According to a news release from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, deputies saw a driver stop his vehicle and turn quickly onto a side road in an attempt to avoid the checkpoint. A deputy activated his blue lights and pursued the vehicle for a short distance through a driveway and into a yard before Horne jumped out of his vehicle and ran into a wooded area between houses, states the release.
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While driving through the neighborhood looking for the subject, deputies were stopped by a witness who directed them towards his backyard. Deputies drove towards the area and reportedly heard noises in the vicinity. While investigating on foot, deputies spotted Horne in distress in a small pond behind the residence, some distance from the shore. One deputy entered the water in an
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attempt to rescue Horne but was forced back to shore because of the depth and low temperature of the water, states the release. Divers from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Sumter Fire Department responded to the scene and a fire department diver recovered Horne’s body
SEE DROWNS, PAGE A8
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LOTS OF SUN Plenty of sun. Tonight, clear and cold.
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2 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 122, NO. 100
Classifieds B6 Comics A7 Opinion A9 Television A4, A5