December 29, 2016 by The Sumter Item

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Dylann Roof will not attempt to spare his life Church shooter trying to keep potentially shameful evidence about himself, family secret BY JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press CHARLESTON — Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof says he won’t call any witnesses or present evidence while representing himself during the punishment phase of his death penalty trial; but he is working hard to keep secret potentially embarrassing evidence about himself and his family. Just exactly what that evidence is remains a mystery. Roof, the judge and prosecutors carefully tiptoed around describing it during a hearing Wednesday. The judge has indicated that it may be allowed during the pen-

alty phase of the trial, which starts next week. The same jurors who convicted Roof earlier this month of killing nine black church members in a racially motivated attack will hear from Roof as well as testimony from the families of victims. At the end of the penalty phase, the panel will decide whether Roof, who is white, should be put to death or spend the rest of his life in prison. Roof was warned by U.S. Judge Richard Gergel that being his own lawyer was a bad idea. “That’s your decision,” Gergel said. “I think that highlights my advice to you that you aren’t served by being

your own counsel.” Gergel told Roof to talk to his grandfather, who is a lawyer, and other family members one last time. He told Roof he has until the start of the penalty phase Tuesday to change his mind and rehire his high-powered, publicly funded defense ROOF team. Roof spoke for less than 10 minutes of the 35-minute hearing. He told Gergel he does plan an opening and closing statement. He also told the judge he objects to prosecutors’ plans to present a pho-

tograph of evidence in the court’s possession. Roof, Gergel and assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Richardson talked about it without saying what it is. Gergel said there was a hearing in which he decided it could be admitted in the penalty phase. Roof also wanted a jailhouse statement left out of the penalty phase and evidence that involved his mother. No specifics were given. Gergel told Roof to go back to jail and write a motion for him to consider. Roof ’s ankle chain clanked as

SEE ROOF, PAGE A7

Hot wheels

End of the year deals await car buyers BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com According to Edmunds.com, new car shoppers can choose from “a plethora of special year-end sales events by automakers,” giving consumers ample reasons to visit a dealership between now and next Tuesday. “Rebates are real good from the manufacturers, and interest rates are real low,” said Bill McLaughlin, owner of McLaughlin Ford in Sumter. Pro Prothro, used car manager at Prothro ChevroletBuick, said it’s “all-hands on deck” at the dealership in Manning as they are offering “awesome” deals on leftover 2016 models. However, he said buyers should also be aware of the value of the new 2017 models. “The factory is gearing up for the 2017s pretty hard so they are throwing some great deals on 2016s,” Prothro said. The prices on 2017s are good right now as well, he said. “The big taglines you see on TV and in the newspapers are true for leftover ’16 models, but if you really compare the numbers of what a ’16 or a ’17 costs, the numbers are not that different and in some cases it’s actually a better

deal,” Prothro said. “You have to take it as a case-by-case basis.” George Mitchell, internet manager at Sumter ChryslerDodge-Jeep, said incentives on 2016 models are likely as high as they will ever be. “At the end of the year, you have the old models leaving, and the incentives have risen on the 2016 models,” he said. “If a dealer is overstocked on 2016s, the dealer gets extra incentives on those, and it motivates them to sell their incentives of 2016s.” Mitchell said banks are also part of the end-of-year equation. “Most of the banks are trying to close out their year, too, so they are more motivated to buy and deal with (buyers who have) credit issues,” he said. Prothro said there is also a “phenomenal” market for used cars right now as well. “If you are within a year or two of paying off your car, you probably have equity in it,” he said. “The used car market is not flooded with good quality used cars, so dealers are paying up so they have something on the other side of the lot, too.” “The used-car market is real strong, resale on used cars has held up real good so

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Lannes “Pro” Prothro, hopes sales at his Manning car lot will be strong in 2017. According to Edmunds.com, new car shoppers can choose from “a plethora of special year-end sales events by automakers,” giving consumers ample reasons to visit a dealership between now and next Tuesday. you get good value on your used car,” McLaughlin said. “There are good interest rates on used cars, also.” The market is very internetdriven right now, Mitchell said, so internet prices are “rock bottom.” Businesses may want to buy at the end of the year to take

advantage of tax savings, McLaughlin said. “There is never a better time,” Mitchell said. “You are going to get more for your trade because they want to make a car deal and they will give you more for your car.” Prothro and Mitchell agreed

car buyers are coming in with better credit and less money owed on the vehicles than in recent years. “Most of the people we see are in better standing than in years past,” Prothro said. “Your vehicle is going to be more money for you,” Mitchell said.

Sumter native will be honored with President’s award BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com Sumter native Jamie Pleasant will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award on Saturday during his church’s Watch Night service. The awards are four tiered: bronze, silver, gold or lifetime achievement levels. His recognition is for educating young people and church members in leadership, economic development and Christian principles. Pleasant, senior pastor of New Zion Christian Church, will be recognized with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest commendation given by the President. To earn this highest award, recipients must have performed at least 4,000 hours of

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volunteer service. Recipients of the honor are presented a personalized certificate, an official pin, medallion or coin in addition to a letter of congratulations from President Obama. Pleasant’s name will also be recorded in the Library of Congress. Pleasant said he is “deeply humbled to receive this award. What greater honor can somePLEASANT one accomplish than being honored by the President of the United States?” He added that he is even “more excited that I can share this moment with my wife and kids, family who raised me up in Sumter, the Red Bay community where I grew up, and all

the great values I learned while growing up in Sumter.” In addition to his ministry to the 3,000-plus congregation of New Zion Christian Church, which he founded in 1995 in Suwanee, Georgia, Pleasant is a marketing professor at Clark Atlanta University, where he has worked with such programs as the Financial Literacy Academy for Youth. FLAFY, as it is called, provides 12 weeks of intensive study on financial money management for young people ages 13 to 19; those completing the program receive a “Personal Finance” certificate of achievement. Among his other ministries are the Wealth Builders Investment Club and Institute of Entrepreneurship. WBIC educates members and guides them in

actively investing in the stock market; IOE provides three months of comprehensive training to enable participants to start their own successful, competitive businesses. Each year one of the businesses earns $10,000 in start-up funds. In 2009, Pleasant published “Prayers that Open Heaven,” which was named Best New Book for that year by Goodreads.com. At the time, he described the book as offering readers “the opportunity to learn how to get answers from God, hear the voice of God and recognize positive change that can occur during the prayer process. ... It has interactive

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

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Trailer stolen from Sumter business FROM STAFF REPORTS On Saturday, a black-and-silver 6-by12-foot enclosed Arising trailer was reportedly stolen from Madison Industries Inc. on Progress Street about 4:50 a.m. According to an incident report from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, surveillance footage recorded three individuals cutting the gate on the property, causing approximately $900 in damage, and an SUV driving away with the trailer, valued at $2,250, attached.

Cultural commission calls for grant applications FROM STAFF REPORTS The Sumter County Cultural Commission has announced a call for fourth-quarter grant applications for Sumter County artists, arts organizations and arts programming. The grant funds are for activities and projects that start during the months of April, May and June of 2017. Funded projects must be completed by June 30. The commission receives matching funds from the South Carolina Arts Commission in order to offer this small grant program to support artists and arts programming in Sumter County. The 2016-17 Sumter County grant program will provide as much as $18,000 in grant funds to support professional and/

Man facing attempted murder charge FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man on Tuesday for allegedly holding a knife to another man’s throat. According to an incident report from the sheriff’s office, 46-year-old Barry Ardis, of 10263 Scott Ave., Manning, allegedly held a knife to the victim’s throat while at the victim’s house in the 500 block of Pearson Road. The victim told officers that

Ardis had stayed the night at his residence on Monday and the incident happened while he was getting ready for work the next morning. He said he and Ardis were joking and Ardis ARDIS told him it must be nice to go to work and make money before jumping on him. The victim reported that

Bridge repair to close lanes on I-95 near Dillon

Ardis said multiple times that he would kill him while holding the knife to his throat. Once Ardis got up, the victim ran to a neighbor’s house to call law enforcement. According to the report, the victim had a 3- to 4-inch cut on the left side of his neck. Ardis was transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center and is charged with attempted murder. A magistrate judge set a surety bond of $50,000.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Federal civil rights trial for SC officer set for May 1 CHARLESTON (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the civil rights trial of a South Carolina police officer charged with murder for killing a black driver running from a traffic stop to start on May 1. Michael Slager stood trial

on the murder charge in state court, but a jury couldn’t reach a verdict earlier this month. State prosecutors have vowed to try him again, but no trial date has been set. Slager, who is white, is also

the Patriot Hall Performing Arts Center, 135 Haynsworth St. Interested artists and organizations can also request a grant application by email. Send a request to: cbryan@ sumtercountysc.org. An application (PDF) will be sent by return email. Deadline for submitting fourth quarter grant applications is 4 p.m. Feb. 3. Hand deliver or mail completed grant applications to: Patriot Hall Performing Arts Center, Attention: Carmela Bryan, 135 Haynsworth St., Sumter, SC. 29150. There are no fees for applying. For more information contact Bryan, executive director of Sumter County Cultural Commission at (803) 436-2261 or cbryan@sumtercountysc.org.

or amateur artists, arts organizations and other organizations engaged in arts programming in Sumter County. Priority will be given to organizations and individual artists, and all grant applications are competitive and judged on their artistic and/or cultural merit. Grant awards will range from $150 to $1,000. The grant funds are distributed as a reimbursement upon receipt of a completed final report and necessary receipts. Organizations and individuals can submit grant applications for each of the four quarters per year and can receive a total of $2,000 during each annual grant period. Grant applications may be picked up at the business office of

charged in federal court with violating Walter Scott’s civil rights. Authorities say the former North Charleston police officer shot Walter Scott in the back in April 2015 as Scott tried to run from a traffic stop.

South Carolina Department of Transportation announced in a Dec. 28 news release that bridge deck rehabilitation will be performed requiring a lane closure on Interstate 95 southbound at mile marker 175 over the Great Pee Dee River in Dillon and Florence counties from Jan. 5 through April 5, 2017. The single-lane closure will remain in place continuously for 90 days, and all lanes will reopen to traffic on April 5 at 6 a.m. Oversize and overweight trucks will be restricted to 11-foot-wide loads. All vehicles exceeding 11 feet in width

must use the posted detour route from I-95 South to Exit 181 (S.C. 38) to U.S. 301 to U.S. 76/U.S. 301 to S.C. 327 to I-95 South Exit 170. Motorists traveling along this southbound section of I-95 are advised to use caution in the work zone and expect traffic congestion. Motorists are also encouraged to use alternate routes or the dedicated detour to avoid severe congestion on I-95 in the southbound direction. For more information, to check traffic conditions on I-95 and other major highways in South Carolina, or to download a free app, visit SCDOT’s 511 Traveler Information System at www.511.org.

Alexa a witness to murder? Prosecutors seek Amazon Echo data LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Authorities investigating the death of an Arkansas man whose body was found in a hot tub want to expand the probe to include a new kind of evidence: any comments overheard by the suspect’s Amazon Echo smart speaker. Amazon said it objects to “overbroad” requests as a matter of practice, but prosecutors insist their idea is rooted in a legal precedent that’s “as old as Methuselah.” The issue emerged in the slaying of Victor Collins, who was found floating face-up last year in the hot tub at a friend’s home in Bentonville, about 150 miles northwest of Little Rock. The friend, James Andrew Bates, was later charged with murder. Prosecutors have asked the court to force Amazon to provide data from the Echo that could reveal more clues about the night of Nov. 22, 2015, when

Collins was apparently strangled and drowned. Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith said Wednesday that he has no idea if the device recorded anything related to the death. But looking for clues is simply “a question of law enforcement doing their due diligence.” Like any investigation, “law enforcement has an obligation to try to obtain evidence of the crime,” Smith said. The device is a cylinder-shaped speaker with internet-connected microphones that debuted in late 2014. Similar to other gadgets, it listens for a user’s voice and responds to commands — to play music, read the morning headlines or add an upcoming event to a calendar, for instance. The Echo can speak back to the user in a female voice known as “Alexa.” The search warrant, signed by a

judge in August, requests all “audio recordings, transcribed records, text records and other data” from Bates’ Echo speaker. So far, authorities have obtained only basic subscriber and account information. Smith said Wednesday that his office has had discussions with Amazon, but that the bulk of the request remains unfulfilled. The prosecution’s request was first reported this week by The Information, a news site that covers the technology industry. Amazon spokeswoman Kinley Pearsall declined to comment specifically on the Arkansas case but said in a statement that the company “will not release customer information without a valid and binding legal demand.” Amazon, Pearsall added, objects to “overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands as a matter of course.”

On its website , the company says the Echo streams audio to cloud-based storage after it detects the user’s “wake word,” and that it stops recording once a question or request has been processed. Smith compared his request to routine warrants that seek a record of cellphone “pings,” which can be used to track a user’s location. “It is a search warrant for a new device, but the legal concept is old as Methuselah,” he said. The Arkansas slaying could be a test case for how evidence rules apply to information from home appliances connected to the internet such as water meters, thermostats and lighting systems, said Nuala O’Connor, president of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a nonprofit group that works on privacy and civil-liberties issues. She previously worked for Amazon.

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

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Uneasy 2015 in South Carolina leads to more trials in 2016 BY JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA — 2015 was supposed to be the uneasy year in South Carolina. The state was stunned by a videotaped police shooting of a fleeing black motorist, nine churchgoers killed in a hate crime, and a billion-dollar flood. But then came 2016. Along with two exhausting trials from the previous year’s killings, South Carolinians endured the fatal school shooting of a first-grader, a serial killer who police said chained a woman inside a container, and landfalling Hurricane Matthew, which flooded the state all over again. So when Gov. Nikki Haley spoke at the celebration to light the state Christmas tree earlier this month, she thanked residents for their prayers and their faith, even as things seemed to go from bad to worse. “Through all of that, we never fought. We never protested. We prayed. We found our faith. We hugged each other. We showed love and kindness and respect for each other,” Haley said. Chances are Haley won’t be lighting the 2017 Christmas tree. Causing a final flurry of political turmoil, she accepted President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment to be ambassador to the United Nations, and plans to resign once the U.S. Senate confirms her appointment. Here is a look at the stories that shook South Carolina in 2016: •••

DYLANN ROOF TRIAL The outcome was never in doubt. Dylann Roof’s lawyers didn’t dispute he killed nine black worshippers in a Charleston church in June 2015. And jurors took less than two hours earlier this month to find him guilty of 33 charges, including hate crimes.

Prosecutors are still deciding whether to ask to try the teen as an adult. In November, Spartanburg County suddenly discovered they may have had a serial killer living among them. Real estate agent Todd Kohlepp was arrested after a woman was found chained in a container on his property, authorities said. Within days, Kohlepp confessed to killing seven people — the chained woman’s boyfriend, another couple and four people at a motorcycle shop in 2003, authorities said. •••

HURRICANE MATTHEW

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A large tree rests on powerlines and partially blocks Salem Avenue after Hurricane Matthew blew through Sumter in October. Roof’s saga will go on into 2017. The same jurors who convicted him return Jan. 3 to decide whether he should spend his life in prison or be executed. And Roof is charged with nine counts of murder in state court, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. •••

MICHAEL SLAGER TRIAL The murder trial of former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager failed to resolve his fate. A jury couldn’t reach a verdict over several days of deliberation in November after weeks of testimony on Slager’s shooting of Walter Scott, an unarmed black motorist who tried to run from a traffic stop in April 2015. Slager said he feared for his life because Scott grabbed his Taser as he

POLICE BLOTTER CHARGES

Marvin A. McLeod, 31, of 2810

Camden Highway, was arrested on Saturday and charged with indecent exposure for he allegedly exposed his genitalia at his sister-inlaw during an altercation while in the 3100 block of Spencer Road, Rembert. Ricky McDowell, 42, of 815 Mathis St., was arrested on Saturday and charged with indecent exposure for allegedly touching himself while watching customers at a business in the 500 block of North Lafayette Drive. STOLEN PROPERTY A black and gray 9mm SCCY

CPX-2 pistol valued at $320 was reportedly stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at a residence in the 1200 block of Airport Road between 9 a.m. on Friday and about 11:45 a.m. on Saturday. A .357 caliber Ruger Blackhawk valued at $580; $300 in cash; and a 50-inch Emerson flat-screen TV valued at $400 were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 3300 block of Starks Ferry Road between 1 p.m. on Friday and 12:45 p.m. on Sunday. A Kawasaki Bayou 300-C motorcycle valued at $500 was reportedly stolen while it was parked at a resi-

resisted arrest. African-American community leaders said that was no excuse to fire eight shots at the back of a man who was nearly 20 feet away. State prosecutor Scarlett Wilson promised another murder trial of Slager, who also is charged in federal court with violating Scott’s civil rights. ••• Within five weeks, Upstate South Carolina dealt with a pair of stunning crimes. First, a 14-year-old boy shot and killed his father, then drove to Townville Elementary School in Anderson County and shot at first-graders out for recess. Six-year-old Jacob Hall died a few days later.

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dence in the 3200 block of Starks Ferry Road between 1 p.m. on Friday and 1:50 on Sunday. A black 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol valued at $600 was reportedly stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at a residence in the 1000 block of California Boulevard about 2 p.m. on Saturday. A green 2008 Honda TRX-350 ATV valued at $6,000 and a black Honda trailer, approximately 8 feet long, were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 1000 block of Santa Fe Trail between 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. A 9mm Hi-Point handgun valued at $150 was reportedly stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at a

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The massive Category 4 storm weakened before brushing the South Carolina coast in October, but it was still powerful enough to kill five people, mostly because of floods caused by up to a foot of rain in the northeast part of the state. Beaufort County also was hard hit, with thousands of trees knocked down and exclusive gated communities thinking about charging residents thousands of dollars each to cover cleanup costs. ••• Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential race shook up South Carolina politics in ways that may be felt for the next decade. Haley’s acceptance of the U.N. ambassador job likely will elevate Trump’s first and biggest South Carolina supporter, Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, to the governor’s office. That means McMaster can run as an incumbent for what was expected to be an open governor’s seat in 2018. Already, potential candidates for that race are changing plans. As for who takes McMaster’s job, that dispute will likely be decided in the state Supreme Court.

night club in the 12300 block of Lynches River Road, Olanta, between 3 a.m. and about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. A black .38-caliber revolver, unknown brand and make, valued at $300 was reportedly stolen from a residence in the 1600 block of Bar Zee Drive about 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday. A white Whirlpool washing machine valued at $200; a white clothes dryer, unknown brand, valued at $200; and a white GE glass top oven valued at $150 were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 1700 block of Cornell Street about 5 p.m. on Tuesday. A black 46-inch TV, unknown brand, valued at $400; a black 32-inch TV,

unknown brand, valued at $275; and a black LG DVD player valued at $30 were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 4300 block of Doresey Drive about 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday. A 55-inch Samsung Smart TV valued at $700 and a Samsung surround sound system valued at $200 were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 5700 Alcott Drive, Wedgefield, about 4 p.m. on Wednesday. A Dell laptop valued at $500; assorted clothing valued at $1,000; four Sure brand microphones valued at $400; and wrapped gifts valued at $2,000 were reportedly stolen from a residence in the 20 block of Gerald Street between 6:15 and 9:15 p.m. on Friday.

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RELIGION

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

Lose weight of obstacles in the new year

n everyday life, we have built-in indicators when certain supplies are getting low. Our cars alert us to low fuel, clothes dryers sound the alarm when the drying time on a load of laundry is almost spent, and there are even tissue boxes where the color of the tissues change as you near the end of the box’s contents. But the end of one resource doesn’t always signal the end of one’s need. I often have colds that outFaith Matters last a box of tissues, more laundry than JAMIE H. time to fold it and WILSON miles yet to drive before I reach a destination. In a similar way, the rapidly thinning calendar on my wall tells me that the time afforded by the year 2016 is rapidly dwindling. What once held hundreds of days full of unlimited opportunities has been reduced to just a few more days until the realization that maybe I didn’t do everything I set out to do this year. It doesn’t mean that those goals are a lost cause; but it does remind me that this year, I need to learn to hurdle the obstacles that kept me from those goals. A recent study showed that, statistically, Feb. 2 is the date in which people abandon their New Year’s weight loss resolutions. This tells me a couple of things: First, fast food restaurants will likely be very busy on that date and secondly, it doesn’t take very long for some to succumb to temptation. The principle holds true if your aim is weight loss this year, but it’s also true for other resolutions, specifically, spiritual resolutions. If you want to grow closer to God this year, spend more time studying Scripture or attending church, then you should have a real game plan on how to approach those obstacles from accomplishing those goals in 2016. It’s not enough to simply aspire to spiritual growth; you must resolve to overcome the obstacles in your way. Hebrews touts succinct advice for those of us with our sights on spiritual edification: “ … [L]et us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” (Hebrews 12:1b-3, NLT) Even if you aren’t the person who makes New Year’s resolutions, there is an opportunity for you to view 2017 in terms of throwing off the weight of those obstacles. God offers endless opportunities to the believer who keeps their eyes on Jesus and shirks the weight of sin. You may not have a specific goal, and that’s fine. Keep your eyes on Him and watch 2017 become the most fulfilling year of life yet. Contact Jamie H. Wilson at faithmatterssumter@gmail.com.

The key to being a light is love

unday was a great celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ across the world. Many people on Monday were taking down Christmas trees and lights and, with that, many streets have gone dark. However, we who celebrated the birth of Christ can continue to let the light inside of us shine. In Matthew 5:14 and 16 we can read these words; “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” One of the five keys to letting our light shine for all to see is to express love. When we love others, we are showing those around us we are a servant of God. John 13:35 states, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” I think loving our family should be a top priority. Our spouses, chil-

Cross Road Christian Fellowship / St. Peter Baptist Church, 845 Webb St., announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. Bishop Sylvester Francis will speak. High Hills AME Church, 6780 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. High Hills Missionary Baptist Church, 6750 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, announces: * Saturday — Watch Night service at 10:30 p.m. Knitting Hearts Ministry, meets at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 —

dren, parents and siblings should know we love them unconditionally. We show them unconditional love by listening to them, making sure they have what they need, and alFamily Encouragement ways making our homes a place they RICHARD look forward to comHOLMES ing to — a safe place. We can love our neighbors. We show our neighbors we love them by getting to know them, showing interest in their lives. We can show our neighbors we love them by performing random acts of kindness without them knowing. Finally, I feel we need to first and foremost love God. If we love God with all of our being then loving family and neighbors will come natural-

ly. Who and what is your first thought in the morning? I pray it is how much we love and are thankful for the many things God has given us. Today, the challenge before us is to love our families, our neighbors and most importantly love God. Will you make a positive impact in at least one person’s life by sharing love? Next week our focus will be on one of the greatest investment we make. Family Encouragement Corner is a weekly inspirational thought from Richard Holmes. Holmes serves as a chaplain at Shaw Air Force Base. The opinions expressed in this article do not express the views of Shaw Air Force Base or United States Air Force. For more information regarding Family Encouragement Corner or to offer your suggestions or comments please feel free to email familyencouragement2016@gmail.com.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Frankincense tree tappers sit in a canyon with their scrapers and baskets near Gudmo, Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, in August. The last wild frankincense forests on Earth are under threat as prices rise with the global appetite for essential oils. Overharvesting has trees dying off faster than they can replenish, putting the ancient resin trade at risk. Read the full story at theitem.com.

World’s last wild frankincense forests under threat ERIGAVO, Somalia (AP) — In a tradition dating to Biblical times, men rise at dawn in the rugged Cal Madow mountains of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa to scale rocky outcrops in search of the prized sap of wild frankincense trees. Bracing against high winds, Musse Ismail Hassan climbs with his feet wrapped in cloth to protect against the sticky resin. With a metal scraper, he chips off bark and the tree’s white sap bleeds into the salty air. “My father and grandfather were both doing this job,” said Hassan, who like all around here is Muslim. “We heard that it was with Jesus.” When dried and burned, the sap produces a fragrant smoke which perfumes churches and mosques around the world. Frankincense, along with gold and myrrh, was brought by the Three Kings as gifts in the Gospel account of the birth of Jesus. But now these last intact wild frankincense forests on Earth are under threat as prices have shot up

CHURCH NEWS Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 1275 Oswego Highway, announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10:30 p.m. Pastor Daniel Bennett and the Rev. Willie Jones will speak.

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Knitting Hearts will meet from 10 a.m. to noon. Debbie Dyches, of Fort Mill, will speak. Light breakfast included. A love offering will be received. Mount Sinai AME Church, 5895 Mt. Sinai Church Road, Lynchburg, announces: * Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 — New Year’s worship at 9 a.m. * Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017 — Gospel fest at 3 p.m. featuring the Singing Cousins and others. Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 325 Fulton St., announces: * Saturday — Joint Watch Night service with Salem Missionary Baptist Church at 10 p.m. at Mount Zion MBC. Dr. Cartrell Woods, pastor of Salem Missionary Baptist Church, will speak. * Sunday — Evangelist Savitrus McFadden will speak at 6 p.m. * Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 — The 33rd pastoral anniversary worship celebration honoring

in recent years with the global appetite for essential oils. Overharvesting has led to the trees dying off faster than they can replenish, putting the ancient resin trade at risk. “(Frankincense) is something that is literally given by God to humanity, so if we don’t preserve it, if we don’t take care of it, if we don’t look after it, we will lose that,” said Shukri Ismail, Somaliland’s minister of environment and rural development. The Cal Madow mountains, which rise from the Gulf of Aden in sheer cliff faces reaching over 8,000 feet, are part of Somaliland, an autonomous republic in Somalia’s northwest. The frankincense trade is Somaliland’s largest source of government revenue after livestock and livestock products, Ismail said. Harvesting frankincense is risky. The trees can grow high on cliff edges, shallow roots gripping bare rock slithering with venomous snakes. Harvesters often slip and tumble down canyon walls.

“Every year people either break both legs or die. Those casualties are so often,” said Hassan, adding that he wished he had proper ropes and climbing gear. “It’s a very dangerous job, but we don’t have any alternative.” Once the resin is collected, women sort the chunks by color and size. The various classes of resin are shipped to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and eventually Europe and America. Besides its use as incense, frankincense gum is distilled into oil for use in perfumes, skin lotions, medicine and chewing gum. In the last six years, prices for raw frankincense have shot up from around $1 per kilogram to $5 to $7, said Anjanette DeCarlo, an ecologist and director of Conserve Cal Madow, an environmental group. The rise in demand is the result of stronger marketing in the essential oils industry, which labels frankincense as the “King of Essential Oils,” DeCarlo said. The dwindling supply of high-quality resin, and competition between exporters, also are factors.

the Rev. and Mrs. James Blassingame and family at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Ivory T. Thigpen, pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church, Columbia, and member of the S.C. House of Representatives, will speak.

Refreshing Springs Kingdom Outreach, meets at Colony Square, 741 Bultman Drive, Suite 21, announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. Elder Mike Williams will speak.

New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 3249 U.S. 15 S., announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. * Sunday — New Year’s Day worship at 10 a.m. No 8:45 a.m. church school.

Reid Chapel AME Church, 1008 Dibert St., announces: * Saturday — Watch night evening service at 6 p.m. Minister Roneika China-Jennette, of Four Bridges Baptist Church, will speak.

New Fellowship Covenant Ministries, 316 W. Liberty St., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 — Clothes giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon. Free snacks will also be given out. New Testament Lighthouse Church, 1114 Boulevard Road, announces: * Saturday — Gospel singing and watch night service. Food will be served at 8 p.m. with singing from 9 p.m. until midnight. On the program: Cindy Ward; Sims Family; Julie McHoney; and more.

St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, 7650 Summerton Highway, Silver community, Pinewood, announces: * Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 — The young adults will hold a pastor’s aide program at 3 p.m. St. Paul AME Church, 835 Plowden Mill Road, announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. There will not be any church services on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, New Year’s Day. Taw Caw Missionary Baptist

Church, 1130 Granby Lane, Summerton, announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10 p.m. * Sunday — New Year’s worship at 10 a.m. This will be the only service on New Year’s Day. Triumph Ministries, 3632 Broad St. Ext., announces: * Saturday — Watch night service at 10:30 p.m. Elder Tonya Mack (Stand Up), Elder Ray Mathis (Speak Up) and Prophetess Stephanie Mathis (Move Up) will speak. * Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 1820, 2017 — 2017 Prophetic Encounter at 7 nightly. Speakers as follows: Wednesday, Apostle Michael Ripley; Thursday, Prophet Albert Mcleod; and Friday, Apostle Michael Washington. Walker’s Chapel Freewill Baptist Church, 99 Walter Ave., announces: * Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 — Quarterly southern gospel singing at 6 p.m. On the program: Next Chapter, Burning Bridges, “Nat” and Carleen Brown.

NATION

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

Singapore teen critic held in U.S., reportedly wants asylum CHICAGO (AP) — A teenage blogger from Singapore whose supporters say is seeking asylum is in custody after being detained last week at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, U.S. immigration officials said Saturday. Amos Yee, 18, was detained Dec. 16 and remains in custody “pending federal immigration court proceedings,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gail Montenegro said in a written statement. Separately, Marilu Cabrera with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which handles some asylum requests, said the agency “cannot confirm or deny” details of any asylum case. The Human Rights Watch deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson, called on the U.S. to recognize Yee’s asylum claim, saying he has been consistently harassed by the Singapore government for publicly expressing his views on politics and religion and severely criticizing the city-state’s leaders, including late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Yee was imprisoned for six weeks in September on charges of hurting religious feelings of Christians and Muslims after repeatedly breaching bail conditions after a four-week prison sentence he served in July last year on the same charges. He was also due to be called up for mandatory military service. His U.S. lawyer, Sandra Grossman,

“Amos Yee is the sort of classic political dissident that the U.N. Refugee Convention was designed to protect, and Human Rights Watch hopes the U.S. will recognize his asylum claim.” — PHIL ROBERTSON HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ASIA

AP FILE PHOTO

Singapore teen blogger Amos Yee speaks to reporters in May 2015 while leaving the Subordinate Courts after being released on bail in Singapore. Yee, whose video posts and blogs mocking his government and its late founder landed him in jail twice, has been detained in the U.S. where he is seeking asylum. told the South China Morning Post on Saturday that Yee was likely detained because he entered the country on a tourist visa despite an intention to apply for asylum. She said Yee would have to undergo a “credible fear interview” by an asylum official who would assess if he faces a credible fear of persecution or

torture back home. She said the process usually takes a few days, but the holiday season could delay it. He would then appear before an immigration judge, but that could take years because of backlogs in the immigration system. Yee, who won a local filmmaking prize at age 13, ruffled feathers in

Church Directory Adventist

Assembly of God

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

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

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

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

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

Hickory Road Baptist Church 1245 Cherryvale Dr 803-494-8281 Dr. Ron Taylor Pastor Sunday School 9:45 am Worship 10:55 am Evening Worship 6:00 pm

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Shaw Heights Baptist Church 2030 Peach Orchard Rd. • 499-4997 Rev. Robert White, Pastor Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Worship:11 am & 6 pm Bible School June 20th - 25th 6:00 - 8:30 PM 4 year old & up

Catholic - Roman Photo Credit CCL

nother New Year, another list of resolutions - exercise more, eat less, save money. Why not consider your spiritual fitness and walk with God? Worship regularly, spend time in prayer and fellowship - it’s the best resolution. Spending time with God will fill your life with the peace and serenity that brings joy and prosperity. Have a healthy and faithful new year! John 1:1-18

Luke 2:21-52

Daily Devotional Reading Titus Titus Titus 1:1-16 2:1-15 3:1-15

Revelation Revelation 21:1-17 22:1-21

Scriptures Selected by the American Bible Society

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

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

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

Interdenominational

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

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

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

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

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

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

Non-Denominational

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

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

Singapore with a video blog laced with expletives as the city-state was mourning Lee’s death in March last year. Such open criticism and lampooning of leaders is rarely seen in Singapore, where laws are strictly enforced. The government of the multiethnic state says Yee crossed the red line on religion when he mocked Christians and Muslims and the law had to be enforced on him to protect racial and religious harmony. Robertson said Yee has faced intensive government surveillance and monitoring of his public and online comments. “Amos Yee is the sort of classic political dissident that the U.N. Refugee Convention was designed to protect, and Human Rights Watch hopes the U.S. will recognize his asylum claim,” he said in a statement.

Presbyterian USA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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NATION | WORLD

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

THE SUMTER ITEM

More Americans decide to retire outside of U.S.

Secretary of State Kerry advocates Obama’s U.N. vote WASHINGTON (AP) — Stepping into a raging diplomatic argument, Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday staunchly defended the Obama administration’s decision to allow the U.N. Security Council to declare Israeli settlements illegal and warned that Israel’s very future as a democracy is at stake. Kerry, pushing back on Israel’s fury at the U.S. abstention of the United Nations vote, questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s true commitment to Palestinian statehood, which has formed the basis for all serious peace talks for years. Though Netanyahu says he believes in the two-state solution, Kerry said, under his leadership Israel’s government is “the most rightwing in Israel’s history.” “If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both, and it won’t ever really be at peace,” Kerry said in a farewell speech, a comprehensive airing of grievances that have built up in the Obama administration over eight years but were rarely, until this month, discussed publicly. Kerry’s speech marked the latest escalation in the vicious, drama-filled row between the U.S. and Israel that has erupted in the last days of Obama’s administration. The extraordinary display of discord between allies — with U.S. and Israeli officials openly disparaging each other — has also pitted President Obama against President-elect Donald Trump, who has firmly taken Netanyahu’s side. Israel’s government was enraged after the U.S. abstained from voting on the U.N. Security Council resolution last

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week that called Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem a violation of international law. Netanyahu accused the U.S. of colluding with the Palestinians and helping draft the resolution. The U.S. has vehemently denied those charges. Kerry insisted the U.S. “did not draft or originate” the resolution, introduce by Egypt and later by a handful of other nations. “The United States did in fact vote in accordance with our values, just as previous administrations have done,” Kerry said at the State Department. “The vote in the United Nations was about preserving the two-state solution. That’s what we were standing up for.” Though Kerry’s speech was likely to further enrage Israel’s government, Kerry did offer assurances that Obama wasn’t planning other parting shots that Israel has been concerned are in the works. Kerry said the outgoing administration wouldn’t promote a U.N. resolution laying out parameters for a deal, nor would it recognize Palestinian statehood. For years, Obama has been deeply frustrated by the continuing growth of Israeli settlements despite his pleas to Netanyahu to rein them in. Israel’s government argues previous settlement freezes have failed to spur progress toward a peace deal and that stopping or removing them mustn’t be a precondition for future talks. Point by point, Kerry tried to rebut the arguments Israel has used to defend the settlements, declaring that “the settler agenda is defining the future of Israel.” He warned that Israel was at risk of a permanent occupation of Palestinian

BY MARIA ZAMUDIO For The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

territory, drawing a pointed reference to America’s own history of racial segregation. “Separate and unequal is what you would have, and nobody can explain how that works,” Kerry said. Kerry reiterated that the Obama administration’s commitment to Israel was as strong as that of previous presidents, but he also noted that previous U.S. administrations had also abstained on certain resolutions critical of Israel. Israeli leaders have made no secret that they are counting on Trump to change U.S. policy, and Trump assured them hours before Kerry’s speech that they just needed to “hang on” until Jan. 20, when he would be sworn in as president. While Trump has not outlined a vision, he has signaled a much more sympathetic approach toward Israel, appointing an ambassador with strong ties to the West Bank settler movement and promising to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem over Palestinian and others’ objections. “President-elect Trump, thank you for your warm friendship and your clear-cut support for Israel,” Netanyahu said on Twitter before Kerry’s speech.

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Newly widowed, Kay McCowen quit her job, sold her house, applied for Social Security and retired to Mexico. It was a move she and her husband, Mel, had discussed before he passed away in 2012. “I wanted to find a place where I could afford to live off my Social Security,” she said. “The weather here is so perfect, and it’s a beautiful place.” She is among a growing number of Americans who are retiring outside the United States. The number grew 17 percent between 2010 and 2015 and is expected to increase during the next 10 years as more baby boomers retire. A little fewer than 400,000 American retirees are now living abroad, according to the Social Security Administration. The countries they have chosen most often: Canada, Japan, Mexico, Germany and United Kingdom. Retirees most often cite the cost of living as the reason for moving elsewhere, said Olivia S. Mitchell, director of Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “I think that many people retire when they are in good health and they are interested in stretching their dollars and seeing the

Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about Israeli-Palestinian policy on Wednesday at the State Department in Washington.

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world,” Mitchell said. McCowen’s rent in Ajijic, a community outside Guadalajara near Mexico’s Lake Chapala, is half of what she was paying in Texas. And since the weather is moderate, utility bills are inexpensive. In some countries, Mitchell said, retirees also may find it less expensive to hire someone to do their laundry, clean, cook and even provide long-term care than in the U.S. McCowen says she loves being in a lively community. “I see older people walking year round. I see them all over the place, even in their wheelchairs. If they were in the U.S., they would probably be in a nursing home,” she said. McCowen has a community of other American retirees nearby and has adjusted well. But for others there are hurdles to overcome to adjust to life in a different country. Viviana Rojas, an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, says the biggest obstacle is not speaking the language or knowing the culture. “Many of the people we interviewed said they spoke Spanish, but they actually spoke very little Spanish,” said Rojas, who is writing a book about retirees in Mexico. “They didn’t have the capacity of speaking enough Spanish to meet their basic needs.”

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ROOF FROM PAGE A1 he walked back to the defense table in his jail jumpsuit. Roof’s defense attorneys wanted to call mental health experts, but Roof has indicated he will not. In his hatefilled, racist journal read to the jury during his trial, Roof said his doesn’t believe in psychology. “It is a Jewish invention and does nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they don’t,” Roof wrote. Prosecutors also laid out their case Wednesday. Most of the penalty phase will involve up to 38 people related to the nine people

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

honoring that,” the judge said. Richardson said he also will call the chief FBI agent on the case to tie up loose ends and refresh jurors’ memories. Gergel spent much of the hearing going over the format of the penalty phase with Roof, warning him several times he was likely doing himself no favors leaving his defense team as just advisers to file briefs. After saying he planned no witnesses, Roof told Gergel he was just answering the same question the judge had asked prosecutors. Gergel said that wasn’t necessary. “Don’t do them any favors,” the judge said. “They aren’t going to do you any.”

killed and the three people spared when Roof went into Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015, sat through a 45-minute Bible study in the fellowship hall, then fired 77 shots as many of the worshippers hid under tables. Gergel, who complained during the guilt phase that prosecutors were repeating themselves at times with witnesses, said he will allow Richardson to call as many witnesses related to the victims as he wants. “The statute provides broad leeway for the victims to be heard, and I plan on

AWARD FROM PAGE A1 exercises, reflection sections and chapter reviews to reinforce key concepts and principles of prayer ... (and) can be used for personal study as well as small group Bible study.” A 1980 graduate of Sumter High School, Pleasant graduated with a Ph.D. in business management from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). He also received undergraduate degrees from Benedict College and Clemson University, where he was a walk-on football player and earned an athletic scholarship under coach Danny Ford. His master’s degree in

business administration was received from Clark Atlanta University. Pleasant reiterated the importance of his childhood in his hometown: “There wasn’t a greater place to grow up back then. Our town was one big family. ... I earned a lot of leadership and business skills, as I was a paperboy at The (Sumter) Item for three years starting when I was only 12 years old.” Pleasant and his wife Kimberly have three children, Christian, Zion and Nacara. New Zion Christian Church is located at 3145 Old Atlanta Road, Suwanee, Georgia, in Forsyth County.

Ex-GOP candidate arrested in KY says he was rescuing horses CHARLESTON (AP) — A former South Carolina Republican congressional candidate is accused of stealing horses in rural Kentucky earlier this month, but he contends he was actually rescuing the horses. Charleston media outlets report that Curtis Bostic, 55, was arrested BOSTIC Dec. 18 near Jackson, Kentucky, and charged with felony unlawful taking of livestock. He was released on $2,500 bail the next day. The former Charleston County councilman said Tuesday he was in the Appalachian foothills on a “humanitarian horse-rescue ef-

EVERY DAY

fort.” He didn’t go into details on the pending case. A court date is set for Jan. 23. But his son, Daniel Bostic, posted on Twitter that the horses were starving. “Crazy that we live in a country where you can be arrested for rescuing a starving animal,” he said in the post. In his mugshot, Bostic is wearing a campaign T-shirt from his 2013 unsuccessful bid for Congress, when he lost the GOP primary runoff to former Gov. Mark San-

ford. Bostic, an attorney, served on county council for eight years until 2009. The Marine veteran owns Peaceful Way, a 35-acre farm in Ravenel that offers activities including horseback riding. Ginny Grulke, director of the nonprofit Appalachian Horse Center, said that it’s common practice in mountainous Kentucky to let horses roam free to graze. But the Great Recession brought problems, as some owners stopped delivering hay during winter months. While

most of the horses remain well fed, some struggle to find nourishment, she told The Post and Courier of Charleston. It can be difficult to tell which horses have owners, which are abandoned and which were born wild, but locals usually know, she said. Those trying to find better

homes for the horses are supposed to notify the local sheriff, get a veterinary checkup and give any owner 15 days to claim them, she said. “If you don’t do that, you’re officially stealing a horse,” said Grulke, who said she knew of Bostic’s arrest but had no direct involvement with the case.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

Clarendon history larger than life Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society celebrates 15th anniversary BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com When you drive through the main cites and towns of Clarendon County you may not realize that you are traveling near areas where American Revolutionary War battles were once fought. But you will notice many murals depicting that era. Twenty-nine to be exact. Some depict battles in action, while others show everyday life in the midto late-1700s. Many of the murals include a portrayal of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, a South Carolina hero who became famous for defeating the British in the swamps with guerrilla warfare tactics, earning him the nickname “the Swamp Fox.” The project was started 15 years ago by Manning residents George and Carole Summers. Their goal was to create an attraction for tourists to travel through Clarendon County and to also let the local residents enjoy the portrayals of their history, George Summers said. Summers said he had heard about small towns in other states that saw their tourism increase after murals were painted there. “We wanted to bring the same concept to Clarendon County and use the rich history here to promote it,” he said. “We never dreamed we would be a part of this project for 15 years.” The project, which started with one mural in Manning, has expanded to include 29 total murals spread throughout Manning, Summerton, Turbeville and Paxville. It has attracted multiple mural painters and artists who have worked on the project. Three more murals are in the works in Turbeville. Carole Summers said when the project first began the theme of the American Revolutionary War seemed to be the most relevant as there were multiple battles during the war that were fought in the backcountry of South Carolina. The locations of these battles included swamps of modern-day Clarendon County. The Summers, along with many volunteers, formed the Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society, a nonprofit organization with an aim to promote the history through murals. With fundrais-

PHOTOS BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Above, a patriot depicted in the first mural painted in Clarendon County, the “Swamp Fox at Ox Swamp,” is seen in this detail from the larger mural seen at right, which is located at the Manning Fire Department building. The mural was painted by Stateburg resident Will Anderson in 2001. ing efforts and assistance from Clarendon County Council, the first mural was painted on the side of the Manning Fire Department building in 2001. Ideas for the murals have since spread and are generated by the Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society. The murals are funded through support of private donations, fundraisers and local civic organizations. The Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society also hosts several events throughout the year. The society honors Brig. Gen. Francis Marion Memorial Day annually in mid-February by hosting the Francis Marion Living History Days at Camp Bob Cooper in Summerton. The event includes historical reenactments of the Revolutionary period and attracts about 500 thirdgrade students from the surrounding areas. The society also hosts an annual Francis Marion Symposium in Octo-

ber, with experts who speak on various Revolutionary War topics, including the historical significance of the War of Independence in South Carolina and Marion. For more information on the murals or the Francis Marion Living History Days, visit www.clarendonmurals.com or www.francismarioncountry.com. George and Carole Summers can be reached at (803) 478-2645 or gcsum-

mers@ftc-i.net. Guided maps for the murals throughout the county can be picked up at the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, 19 N. Brooks St., Manning and the Clarendon County Archives and History Center, 211 N. Brooks St., Manning. Donations to the Swamp Fox Murals Trail Society can be sent to P.O. Box 667, Manning, SC 29102.

New Year’s week popular time for fireworks sales BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com MANNING — As New Year’s Eve gets closer, fireworks vendors are profiting in their second busiest time of the year for sales. The two vendors interviewed by The Sumter Item on Tuesday said they typically open up their sites three weeks a year, one week before the Fourth of July and the two-week period that includes Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Manning native Justin Shorter has been involved with firework sales for about 20 years. He and his father, Mike Shorter, own a fireworks stand that they set up this year near the intersection of Alex Harvin Highway and Raccoon Road. The father and son buy all of the fireworks from a distributor and are able to keep the full profit from their sales, Justin Shorter said. The size of the fireworks varies from single shots, to multishots, to 25-shot firework

KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Summerton resident Jimmy Lee gives a lift to his son, Graham Lee, 9, so he can take a look at fireworks that Justin Shorter is selling at his fireworks stand near the intersection of Alex Harvin Highway and Raccoon Road on Tuesday. “cakes,” Roman candles, noisemakers, firecrackers and sparklers. Turbeville native Mike Jones has also operated a fireworks stand for about 20 years, co-owned with his brothers, David and George Jones. Jones’s stand is located on the corner of Sunset Drive and South Boundary Street.

Happy New Year

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Jones said the weeks during Christmas and New Year’s are popular for fireworks purchases because besides buying fireworks to shoot on their own, people also buy them as Christmas presents. Jones said prices vary based on the type and size of the fireworks, from $10 to about $150. Both vendors will continue

to operate through Jan. 1. All potential firework vendors must submit an application with the South Carolina Board of Pyrotechnic Safety in Columbia. The application is available online at www.llr. state.sc.us/pol/pyrotechnic. Applicants must submit a certificate of insurance and must verify proof of $1 million in public liability coverage for retail sales activities at their desired location for the permitted sales period, according to the South Carolina Board of Pyrotechnic Safety “Instructions for Applying for a Fireworks Retail Sales Permit.” There are a number of other requirements that have to be fulfilled on the application. Once the application has been received by the board, a deputy state fire marshal will contact a potential firework vendor prior to scheduling an inspection and to answer questions prior to the set up date of the stand, the application states. If an applicant is wanting to set up a firework stand within the county they would also have to apply for a zoning per-

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mit with the Clarendon County Planning Commission, said David Epperson, county administrator. “The area must have the appropriate zoning for that type of facility to go there,” Epperson said. The county does not have a business license requirement, however, Epperson said. If a vendor wants to set up within city/town limits they must contact that city’s/ town’s planning or zoning commission and also inquire about that municipality’s business license requirement. There are a number of safety tips the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission encourages people to abide by: • Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse; • Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks; • Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully;

SEE FIREWORKS, PAGE A9

THE CLARENDON SUN

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

3 locals participate Pets of the Week in Shrine Bowl BY DUSTIN JOHNSON Special to The Sumter Item For three local high school football standouts, this year’s Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas provided much more than a first-class football experience at Wofford College in Spartanburg. Daveyon McDaniel and Pressley Harvin of Sumter High School joined Tyreek Johnson of Lakewood High School as members of the South Carolina squad for the 80th edition of one of the nation’s premier high school all-star football games. The annual game has showcased the talents of some of the region’s most talented stars throughout the years such as Jadeveon Clowney, A.J. Green, Julius Peppers and Hakeem Nicks. Despite the long list of Super Bowl champions and even a few members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame that have participated, the game’s most meaningful tradition has

been the dedicated support of the Shriners Hospitals for Children. With 22 locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, worldclass research and outstanding medical education, according to a press release from the hospital. Since 1922, the international healthcare system has provided advanced care for more than 1.3 million children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate. The care was provided regardless of the families’ ability to pay. Even though the organization’s has a large global scope, children throughout the Carolinas have benefited from the Greenville Shriners Hospital’s expert services for a wide range of orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions, the release stated.

NOAH

LITTLE BIT PHOTOS PROVIDED

Little Bit is a 1-year-old male white and tan Chihuahua mix who is current on his shots and tested negative for heart worms. He has been neutered, and he is ready for adoption. He is a sweet boy that wants some loving and care. If you think this is the boy for you, come to the shelter and meet him.

Noah is a 4-year-old male white and tan Jack Terrier mix who weighs 27 pounds. He is current on his shots, tested negative for heartworms and has been neutered. He is a bit shy but he will come out of his shell in a new home. He is a sweet baby that needs all the love and attention he can get. Please stop by the shelter to meet all of our fur babies.

Stop by to see Little Bit, Noah and their friends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at A Second Chance Animal Shelter, 5079 Alex Harvin Highway (U.S. 301), which has numerous pets available for adoption. To drop off an animal, call (803) 473-7075 for an appointment. If you’ve lost a pet, check www.ccanimalcontrol.webs.com and www.ASecondChanceAnimalShelter.com.

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Caroline and Justin Shorter hold up a large fireworks “cake” at their fireworks stand near the intersection of Alex Harvin Highway and Raccoon Road on Tuesday.

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FIREWORKS FROM PAGE A8 • Never point or throw fireworks at another person; • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap; • Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in

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A10

THE CLARENDON SUN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

THE SUMTER ITEM

It’s time to start eating better A pizza) and a reduced risk for some cancers — especially prostate, lung and stomach cancer. The Nancy phytochemical lycopene, Harrison which is RETIRED more readily CLEMSON absorbed EXTENSION after cookAGENT ing, is believed to be the reason. Tomato sauce also helps aid iron absorption. Choose nosalt added varieties. Dried Beans: Legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils) are one of the best buys at the store. High in fiber and low in fats, beans are rich in minerals and B vitamins (including folate) and are an inexpensive source of protein. The soluble fiber content of beans helps keep blood glucose levels steady and also helps lower cholesterol levels. Everyone can benefit from eating legumes, but diabetics have especially good reasons to. Enjoy beans on a regular basis, canned or dried. Add to soups, salads, pasta, chili or casseroles. Soy: Soy is a great source of high quality protein. Soy has so much to offer that researchers are examining soy foods for a wide array of possible health benefits. Tofu and soy milk are two of the more popular forms of soy.

Salmon, Sardines and Tuna: Just one or two servings a week of these cold-water fish help protect the heart and reduce the risk of sudden death from an acute heart attack. Omega-3 fatty acids found in these fish may provide other benefits as well. Sardines and salmon canned with edible small bones are also good sources of calcium. Choose waterpacked varieties that are low in sodium. Skim Milk: Skim milk is an excellent source of calcium and high-quality protein without saturated fat. Nuts: Nuts are loaded with nutrients — trace minerals, beneficial phytochemicals, fiber, protein, folate and vitamin E. Just don’t overdo it — an ounce a day is plenty, and some studies indicate that even one serving a week can be beneficial. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and controls blood glucose levels. Select the economical large containers of old fashioned or quick oats, and add your own fruits. Flavored oatmeal is often high in sugar and salt. Here is a healthy recipe that is very good to try, but a little more information on fiber. Fiber is the part of the plant that humans can’t digest. Breads, cereals and dried peas and beans are the richest sources of fiber, also vegetables and fruits, especially their skins, provide fiber. The way food is prepared can affect the amount of fiber it

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fter the holidays, it’s time to get back on track for a healthy body by eating for optimal health. Here are several nutritional foods to add to your shopping list and reserve a permanent place on your grocery list. Remember, variety is the key! Eating a variety of foods is the best way to be sure you are obtaining all of the nutritional and health benefits available from foods. Broccoli: Broccoli is rich in the antioxidant beta carotene that your body converts into vitamin A. Just one stalk provides more than twice the daily requirement of vitamin C, and it’s also high in fiber, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Broccoli also contains powerful cancer fighting compounds. Green Leafy Vegetables: These nutritional powerhouses have a lot to offer — vitamin C, vitamin K, beta carotene, folate, fiber, potassium and magnesium. Some green leafies, such as kale, bok choy, collards, turnip and mustard greens, are good sources of calcium. Beet greens, including collards, mustard and turnip greens, are a good source of potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure. Potassium counteracts the effect of sodium on blood pressure. Remember, too much sodium causes the blood pressure to rise. Dark green leafy vegetables are naturally high in potassium and low in sodium. Oranges: An orange provides all the vitamin C you need in a day along with potassium, folate and a healthful dose of soluble fiber. Oranges have other benefits, too — they contain cancer fighting flavonoids and terpenes. Tomato Sauce: Studies have found an association between eating cooked tomato products, (tomato sauce, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce,

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contains. For instance, an unpeeled apple has more fiber than either a peeled apple or applesauce. Apple juice has even less fiber. You see fiber supplements for sale in the stores. Foods, not supplements, are the best sources of fiber. That’s because foods contain several types of fiber, and each type works a little differently in the body. Also, foods contain nutrients that the body needs. Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol. It also slows down digestion so that the body can absorb more nutrients and better control blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber helps you get rid of waste and keeps the body regular.

STIR-FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH SOY SAUCE 1 pound asparagus (trim and cut into ½ inch pieces) 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce 1½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger 1 garlic clove, chopped 1½ tablespoon dark sesame oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, ginger and garlic, and set aside. In a wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the soy mixture and the asparagus, and stir fry for three minutes. Cover and allow the asparagus to steam until just tender –about two minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds and serve immediately. Calories 86, protein 4g, cholesterol 0mg, total fat 6g, saturated fat 1g, sodium 311mg.

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CLARENDON COUNTY the original

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

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Offiicial Rules: You must be 18 or older to enter. Limit one ballot per person and only one answer per category. Your full name, address & phone number must appear on the ballot. You must vote in a minimum of 20 categories. No purchase necessary. Ballots can be mailed or dropped off at Jeffords Ins. Agency at 40 N. Mill Street, Manning, SC , 8am-5pm, Monday - Friday. Mailed ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by noon January 4, 2017. Late entries will not be accepted. Employees of Osteen Publishing Co. and their families are not eligible for cash drawing. The winner of the $50 cash prize will be determined by a random drawing from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified by phone and will appear in The Clarendon Sun’s Readers’ Choice section January 26, 2017.

THE CLARENDON SUN

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

A11

THE

Clarendon Sun CLASSIFIEDS

DEADLINE 56&4DAY 11AM

LEGAL NOTICES

Notice of Sale

NOTICE OF SALE

Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 (as amended) for a more particular description of the metes, bounds, courses and distances of said lot.

COMPRISED OF LOT 5, CONTAINING 1.25 ACRES AS SHOWN ON A PLAT BY H.F. OLIVER, SURVEYOR DATED AUGUST 21, 1990 AND RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT FOR CLARENDON COUNTY IN PLAT BOOK 21 AT PAGE 124. REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO THE SAID PLAT FOR A MORE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTION.

in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Clarendon County in Plat Book 15, Page 80A; said plats being incorporated herein by reference pursuant to Section 30-5-250 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 {as amended).

by obtaining an independent title search prior to the foreclosure sale date.

THIS BEING THE SAME PROPERTY HERETOFORE CONVEYED TO JAMES JOHNSON BY DEED OF JAMES L. HINSON ON BEHALF OF LAKE MARION MOTORS, INC. DATED JUNE 7, 1999 AND RECORDED JUNE 7, 1999 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR CLARENDON COUNTY IN DEED/RECORD BOOK A377 AT PAGE 52. DEED RE-RECORDED ON DECEMBER 2, 2004 IN DEED/RECORD BOOK A554 AT PAGE 51.

The Eastern Portion of Lot 1 on the plat recorded in plat book 17 at page 57 is more particularly described as all that piece, parcel or lot of land lying, being and situate near the Village of Alcolu, School District No. 2, County of Clarendon, State of South Carolina and bounded as follows: On the Northwest by portion of Lot No. 1 owned now or formerly by B.M. Morris; on the Northeast by U.S. Highway 521 and measuring thereon 37 feet; on the Southwest by lands now or formerly of Fred L. Coward and measuring thereon 88.2 feet; on the Southeast by lands now or formerly of Arthur Richburg, formerly Morris and Parcel "A" on plat book 17 at page 57 of the records of Clarendon County.

John J. Hearn, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 100200 Columbia, SC 29202-3200 (803) 744-4444 012507-02404 FM Website: www.rtt-law.com (see link to Resources/Foreclosure Sales)

THE SECURITY INSTRUMENT SECURES AN OBLIGATION FOR A MANUFACTURED HOME WHICH IS ALREADY OR TO BE PERMANENTLY AFFIXED TO THE SUBJECT REAL ESTATE:

LESS, HOWEVER. 0.076 acre conveyed therefrom to the South Carolina Department of Transportation by deeds filed for record in said Register's Office in Deed Book A474 at Page 28.

MAKE: BELLCREST MODEL: TEAKWO YEAR:1989 SERIAL NUMBER: GBHMC11562AB

Derivation: Book A614 at Page 49

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO. 2016-CP-14-00110

Summons & Notice

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CLARENDON

SUMMONS (Deficiency Judgment Waived) (Mortgage Foreclosure) (Mobile Home Repossession) Non-Jury IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO. 2016-CP-14-00009 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CLARENDON Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc. Plaintiff, -vsAzalee W. Kinard aka Azalee Williams Ridgeway nka Azalee Williams-Kinard; Essie Oliver aka Essie M. Coard (deceased); Anita Fielder, Michael Fielder, and Greshawn O., a minor, Heirs-at-Law or Devisees of Essie Oliver aka Essie M. Coard (deceased), their Heirs, Personal Representatives, Administrators, Successors, and Assigns, and any and all persons claiming any right, title, estate or interest in real estate described in the Complaint any unknown adults; also any persons who may be in the military servied of the United States of America being as a class designated as John Doe, and any unknown infants or persons under disability being as a class designated as Richard Roe, Defendant(s) TO THE DEFENDANT(S), Anita Fielder, Michael Fielder, and Greshawn O., a minor YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your Answer on the subscribers at their offices, 1640 St. Julian Place, Columbia, South Carolina 29202, within thirty (30) days after service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; except that the United States of America, if named, shall have sixty (60) days to answer after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, the Plaintiff in this action will apply to the Court for a judgment by default granting the relief demanded in the Complaint. TO MINOR(S) OVER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE, AND/OR TO MINOR(S) UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE MINOR(S) RESIDE(S), AND/OR TO PERSON UNDER SOME LEGAL DISABILITY, INCOMPETENTS AND PERSONS CONFINED: YOUR ARE FURTHER SUMMONED AND NOTIFIED to apply for the appointment of a Guardian ad Litem within thirty (30) days after service of this Summons and Notice upon you. If you fail to do so, application for such appointment will be made by the Plaintiff.

NOTICE OF FILING COMPLAINT YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Summons and Complaint in the above-captioned action were filed on January 8, 2016, in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Clarendon County, South Carolina. Crawford & von Keller, LLC. PO Box 4216 1640 St. Julian Place (29204) Columbia, SC 29204 Phone: 803-790-2626 Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Sale

U.S. Bank, N.A. as trustee for Manufactured Housing Contract Senior/Subordinate Pass-Through Certificate Trust 1997-6 Plaintiff, -vsThe Personal Representatives, if any, whose names are unknown, of the Estates of Ethel Sinkler aka Ethel Plowden Sinkler and James Sinkler, Sr.; James Sinkler, Jr. and Kim Sinkler a/k/a Kim L. Sinkler, and any other Heirs-at-Law or Devisees of Ethel Sinkler aka Ethel Plowden Sinkler and James Sinkler, Sr., Deceased, their heirs, Personal Representatives, Administrators, Successors and Assigns and all Unknown persons with any right, title or interest in the real estate described herein; also any Unknown persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, being a class designated as John Doe; and any Unknown minors, persons under a Disability or persons incarcerated, being a class designated as Richard Roe; South Carolina Federal Credit Union and South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, Defendant(s) BY VIRTUE of a judgment heretofore granted in the case of U.S. Bank, N.A. as trustee for Manufactured Housing Contract Senior/Subordinate Pass-Through Certificate Trust 1997-6 vs. The Personal Representatives, if any, whose names are unknown, of the Estates of Ethel Sinkler aka Ethel Plowden Sinkler and James Sinkler, Sr.; James Sinkler, Jr. and Kim Sinkler a/k/a Kim L. Sinkler, and any other Heirs-at-Law or Devisees of Ethel Sinkler aka Ethel Plowden Sinkler and James Sinkler, Sr., Deceased, their heirs, Personal Representatives, Administrators, Successors and Assigns and all Unknown persons with any right, title or interest in the real estate described herein; also any Unknown persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, being a class designated as John Doe; and any Unknown minors, persons under a Disability or persons incarcerated, being a class designated as Richard Roe; South Carolina Federal Credit Union and South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, I, Frances Ricci Land Welch, as Special Referee for Clarendon County, will sell on January 3, 2017, at 11:00 am, at the Clarendon County Courthouse, 3 West Keitt St, Manning, SC 29102, to the highest bidder: INCORRECT All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land lying, being and situate in School District 2 of Clarendon County, South Carolina, designated as Lot 39 on a plat made by R.G. Mathis, RLS, September 9, 1997, entitled "Plat of Lot 39 of the Wells Estate Subdivision Recorded in Plat Book 45, Page 136, Surveyed for James Sinkler and Ethel Sinkler" and attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference pursuant to Section 30-5-250 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 (as amended) for a more particular description of the metes, bounds, courses and distances of said lot. CORRECT All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land lying, being and situate in School District 2 of Clarendon County, South Carolina, designated as Lot 39 on a plat made by R.G. Mathis, RLS, September 9, 1997, entitled "Plat of Lot 39 of the Wells Estate Subdivision Recorded in Plat Book 45, Page 136, Surveyed for James Sinkler and Ethel Sinkler" and recorded on September 29, 1997 in Deed Book A-327 at Page 115, and incorporated herein by reference pursuant to Section 30-5-250 of the

TMS #: 189-00-02-053-00 Mobile Home: 1997 FLEET VIN# GAFLT34A&B25195OK12 SUBJECT TO COUNTY TAXES

CLARENDON

TERMS OF SALE: The successful bidder, other than the Plaintiff, will deposit with the Special Referee at conclusion of the bidding, five (5%) of his bid, in cash or equivalent, as evidence of good faith, the same to be applied to purchase price in case of compliance, but to be forfeited and applied first to costs and then to Plaintiff's debt in the case of noncompliance. Should the last and highest bidder fail or refuse to make the required deposit at the time of the bid or comply with the other terms or the bid within twenty (20) days, then the Special Referee may resell the property on the same terms and conditions on some subsequent Sales Day (at the risk of the former highest bidder). No personal or deficiency judgment being demanded, the bidding will not remain open after the date of sale, but compliance with the bid may be made immediately. The successful bidder will be required to pay interest on the amount of the bid from the date of sale to date of compliance with the bid at the rate of 10.25% per annum. Frances Ricci Land Welch Special Referee for Clarendon County Theodore von Keller, Esquire B. Lindsay Crawford, III, Esquire Sara Hutchins Columbia, South Carolina Attorney for Plaintiff

AMENDED NOTICE OF SALE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO. 2015-CP-14-614 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CLARENDON Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc. Plaintiff, -vsThe Estate of James Johnson, by and through its Personal Representative, Melissa Abakah Johnson; Melissa Yolanda McNair Abaka Johnson aka Mellssa Y. Johnson, Jaquan J., a minor, Heirs-at-Law of James Johnson, deceased, their Heirs, Administrators, Successors and Assigns; , and all Unknown persons with any right, title or interest in the real estate described herein; also any Unknown persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, being a class designated as John Doe; and any Unknown minors, persons under a Disability or persons incarcerated, being a class designated as Richard Roe, Defendant(s) BY VIRTUE of a judgment heretofore granted in the case of Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc. vs. The Estate of James Johnson, by and through its Personal Representative, Melissa Abakah Johnson; Melissa Yolanda McNair Abaka Johnson aka Mellssa Y. Johnson, Jaquan J., a minor, Heirs-at-Law of James Johnson, deceased, their Heirs, Administrators, Successors and Assigns; , I, EFILE Frances Ricci Land Welch, as Special Referee for Clarendon County, will sell on J anuary 3, 2017, at 11:00 am, at the Clarendon County Courthouse, 3 West Keitt St, Manning, SC 29102, to the highest bidder: ALL THAT CERTAIN PIECE, PARCEL, OR LOT OF LAND, LYING, BEING AND SITUATE IN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2, IN THE COUNTY OF CLARENDON, STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BEING

TMS #: 168-00-04-007-00 SUBJECT TO COUNTY TAXES

CLARENDON

TERMS OF SALE: The successful bidder, other than the Plaintiff, will deposit with the Special Referee at conclusion of the bidding, five (5%) of his bid, in cash or equivalent, as evidence of good faith, the same to be applied to purchase price in case of compliance, but to be forfeited and applied first to costs and then to Plaintiff's debt in the case of noncompliance. Should the last and highest bidder fail or refuse to make the required deposit at the time of the bid or comply with the other terms or the bid within twenty (20) days, then the Special Referee may resell the property on the same terms and conditions on some subsequent Sales Day (at the risk of the former highest bidder). No personal or deficiency judgment being demanded, the bidding will not remain open after the date of sale, but compliance with the bid may be made immediately. The successful bidder will be required to pay interest on the amount of the bid from the date of sale to date of compliance with the bid at the rate of 10.47% per annum. Frances Ricci Land Welch Special Referee for Clarendon County Theodore von Keller, Esquire B. Lindsay Crawford, III, Esquire Sara Hutchins Columbia, South Carolina Attorney for Plaintiff

NOTICE OF SALE BY VIRTUE of a decree heretofore granted in the case of: JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association vs. Julius W. Richburg; Palmetto Health;, C/A No. 2016CP1400283, The following property will be sold on January 3, 2017, at 11:00 AM at the Clarendon County Courthouse, 102 South Mill Street, Manning, SC 29102 to the highest bidder: All of that certain piece, parcel or lot of land, together with the improvements thereon, lying, being and situate near the Village of Alcolu, Clarendon County, South Carolina, containing 0.86 acre, more or less. being a COMBINATION of the Eastern Portion of Lot 1 on a plat prepared by W.B. Sykes, Surveyor, dated August 2, 1961. filed for record in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Clarendon County in Plat Book 17, Page 57 AND Lot 1 on a plat prepared by W.B. Sykes, Surveyor, dated March 5, 1958, filed for record

6229 Sumter Hwy, Alcolu, SC 29001 173-00-02-017 SUBJECT TO ASSESSMENTS, CLARENDON AD VALOREM TAXES, EASEMENTS AND/OR, RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD, AND OTHER SENIOR ENCUMBRANCES. TERMS OF SALE: A 5% deposit in certified funds is required. The deposit will be applied towards the purchase price unless the bidder defaults, in which case the deposit will be forfeited. If the successful bidder fails, or refuses, to make the required deposit on the day of sale or fails or refuses to comply with the bid within 20 days, then the property will be resold at the bidder's risk. Personal or deficiency judgment having been demanded or reserved, the sale will remain open for thirty (30) days pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. Â§15-39-720 (1976). The Plaintiff may waive any of its rights, including its right to a personal or deficiency judgment, at any time prior to the foreclosure sale. The successful bidder will be required to pay interest on the balance of the bid after the deposit is applied from date of sale to date of compliance with the bid at the rate of 6.375% per annum. For complete terms of sale, see Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale filed with the Clarendon County Clerk of Court at C/A #2016CP1400283.

William C. Coffey, Jr. Master in Equity for Clarendon County

Estate Notice Clarendon County

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

Estate: James Cobb #2016ES1400265 Personal Representative: Willie L Cobb 2070 7th Avenue New York, NY 10027 12/22/16 - 1/05/17

NOTICE: The foreclosure deed is not a warranty deed. Interested bidders should satisfy themselves as to the quality of title to be conveyed

Lisa Bair

RENTALS

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Lisa Moore

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Television comedies survive by continually adapting BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Every prediction and generalization about TV is right and wrong, often at the same time. Not long ago, sitcoms seemed deader than vaudeville. Tonight, on a slow Thursday between holidays, three networks trot out 10 sitcom repeats for viewers to sample. In addition, TBS offers a marathon of “Wrecked” (7:30 p.m. to midnight, TVMA), a “Lost” parody comedy. CBS’ new comedies have done well enough, but both “Man With a Plan” and “Kevin Can Wait” are strenuously unoriginal, banking largely on the reputations of their stars, Matt LeBlanc and Kevin James, respectively. LeBlanc’s much better “Episodes” is set to return on Showtime for a final season in 2017. The “new” CBS Joel McHale sitcom “The Great Indoors” is most interesting (and that’s a stretch) for its contempt for pampered youth. McHale (“Community”) hardly seems convincing in the role of the Gen-Xer scoffing at millennials. He lacks the generational distance, not to mention wrinkles, of crotchety boomers Tim Allen (“Last Man Standing”) and Ed O’Neill (“Modern Family”), who grouse about what the heck the world has come to. While some expected comedies of the old-fashioned, three-camera variety vanish, “The Big Bang Theory” continues to attract enviable ratings and NBC’s “The Carmichael Show” demonstrated that 1970s-style topicality

MICHAEL YARISH / WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) spend the evening hanging out together while the rest of the gang goes to a wine tasting on a rebroadcast of “The Fermentation Bifurcation,” episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” airing at 8 p.m. today on CBS. could still have bite. Traditional comedies face competition from dramedies, series that mix absurdity, tragedy, violence and bleak humor. FX’s dreamlike “Atlanta” would never be called a sitcom, but humor is central to its appeal. Amazon’s “Fleabag” has set new standards for just how much self-loathing and alienating behavior can be served up in a comedy. Can a show about two homely, socially maladjusted treasure hunters qualify as a comedy? If it’s “Detectorists” (Netflix/ Acorn), the answer is definitely yes. Seeso’s import “Flowers” begins with a botched suicide attempt and only gets grimmer (and more uncomfortably hilarious) as it continues. Amazon’s “Crisis in Six Scenes,” arguably the worst comedy of the year, was cre-

ated by one comic legend (Woody Allen) and stars another (Elaine May). It seems based on a script that’s been sitting in a drawer since the 1960s, the setting and subject of the “comedy.” It’s listless, lazy and generally unbearable, but at least it reminded us of how much better television has become in the last several decades.

(8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG). • Jack tries online dating on “The Great Indoors” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG). • Eleanor resents Chidi’s new friend on “The Good Place” (8:30 p.m., NBC, r, TV14). • Bonnie sees a former friend (Rosie O’Donnell) at an AA meeting on “Mom” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14). • Katie conforms on “American Housewife” (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG). • A bill of annulment on “Life in Pieces” (9:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG). • Kenneth becomes J.J.’s aide on “Speechless” (9:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG). • Stormy weather on “Modern Family” (10 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG). • Halloween on “Fresh Off the Boat” (10:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG).

CULT CHOICE A one-armed stranger (Spencer Tracy) delivering a war hero’s medal confronts a small town vigilante mob in the 1955 drama “Bad Day at Black Rock” (noon, TCM), directed by John Sturges.

TONIGHT’S SITCOM SELECTION

SERIES NOTES

• Sheldon and Bernadette bond on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG). • Food poisoning scuttles Black Friday on “Superstore”

Pure mush on “Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) * Custard and meringue present challenges on “The Great American Baking Show” (8

p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) * Parisbound on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (8 p.m., CW, r, TV14) * Judges and past participants celebrate on “America’s Got Talent: Holiday Spectacular” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) * Rick Springfield guest-stars on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * A trip to space is put on hold to rescue Walter’s disastrous date on “Scorpion” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and “Conan” are preempted * Vice President Joe Biden and DJ Khaled are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Nicole Kidman, Michael Shannon and Miranda Lambert on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC, r) * Jennifer Lawrence and Phantogram appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC, r) * Taraji P. Henson, Lola Kirke, Bret Baier and Abe Cunningham visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r) * Jason Derulo, Ben Schwartz, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Albert Hammond Jr. appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS, r). Copyright 2016, United Feature Syndicate

2016-17

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF PHIL EDWARDS

I want to take the time to thank all my customers for a great 2016. May you be blessed with the joy of family, the gift of friends and best of everything in the new year. On behalf of myself and the staff, have a wonderful Holiday and Merry Christmas!

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

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Ban seismic testing off S.C. coast T

his past week, President Barack Obama had the opportunity to permanently protect our vibrant tourism, recreation and commercial fishing economies of the entire Atlantic Coast from offshore oil drilling. Disappointingly, he used his statutory power to protect only ecologically sensitive offshore areas from Maine to the Chesapeake Bay. Many from North Carolina to Florida are asking why they didn’t get permanent protection also. Mr. Obama had heard overwhelming and unprecedented unified opposition to offshore drilling and exploration because of its threat to our coastal economies. Making their business arguments against offshore drilling: The Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast, with over 35,000 businesses, including those of the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce, and 500,000 commercial fishing families from Maine to Florida. … 121 Atlantic Coast local governments, including every municipal government on the S.C. coast. … 64 members of Congress of both parties from Atlantic Coast states, including two Republicans and one Democrat from S.C. … S.C.’s incoming Republi-

COMMENTARY can Gov. Henry McMaster. Mr. Obama heard our clear and strong message. Testing and drilling for oil off the Atlantic Coast should not be allowed. It would threaten our Frank economies and jobs Knapp Jr. that depend on clean beaches and a healthy ocean. The inevitable oil spills would harm our local communities forever. But instead of basing his decision on concerns for our economies, he decided to listen only to science. Mr. Obama gave permanent protection from offshore drilling to 31 deep canyons along the Atlantic Coast from Chesapeake Bay to Maine because scientists insist that these areas of “enhanced biodiversity” including coral, sponges, crabs, and fish are deserving of protection. It wasn’t that he was not sympathetic to the economic reasons for banning drilling off the Atlantic Coast. Rather it was concern for the inevitable court and congressional challenges to his actions by supporters of Big Oil.

It was felt that banning offshore drilling could stand up against the opponents if the decision was based on science, even though that section of the law does not require this to be the rationale. So now the South Atlantic Coast has much to worry about even before any possible drilling. Exploration for oil deposits in this area could receive permits from the Obama administration at any time. The process, called seismic airgun blasting, is an old, dangerous technology that blasts extremely loud sound waves miles below the seafloor in a hunt for oil deposits. One seismic vessel can tow up to 96 airguns that can cover an area 21 times larger than the National Mall in Washington. These blasts are repeated every 10 to 12 seconds and can be heard for thousands of miles under water. If economic reasons are not sufficient for Mr. Obama to ban offshore drilling for the South Atlantic Coast, then he should deny the up to a half dozen seismic testing permits he is considering based on science. Here is what Bureau of Ocean Energy Management scientists say will happen with seismic testing: Marine mammals rely on sound for feeding, communication, navigation

and mating. Studies have found that seismic airgun blasting can cause hearing impairment as well as physiological and behavioral changes. BOEM data indicate that up to 138,000 marine mammals could be directly injured or harmed in this way. Millions more will be disturbed. Other scientific studies have found that seismic testing negatively impacts fish and reduces commercial fish catches by 40 to 80 percent. Marine scientists tell us that the South Atlantic Coast also has ecologically sensitive areas like Cape Hatteras off of the North Carolina shore and the Charleston Bump off the S.C. coast. Scientists also warn that seismic testing could bring the extinction of the endangered right whale. Denying all seismic testing permits would give time for new, less damaging testing technology to be developed and for appeals to President Elect Trump to protect our jobs and economies from multinational oil companies. Mr. Obama at least owes us that. Frank Knapp is the president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and cofounder of the Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast.

COMMENTARY

Fear thee well, 2016 C

HARLESTON — As usual, the year’s end brings reflections and ruminations on what was and what is to be. This time around, however, it feels as though an era is coming to an end. That gentle frisson between past and future about which columnists customarily write feels vaguely apocalyptic as we approach the new year. The usual regrets — too much ice cream, not enough exercise, too quick with a retort, not enough thank-you Kathleen notes — all feel Parker quaintly irrelevant juxtaposed against a collection of very real fears about the future. During a year and a half of bitter political infighting — sister against sister, neighbor against neighbor — we’ve lost a better part of ourselves and unleashed armies of vengeful strangers. To put a fine point on it, Donald Trump’s election has released a malevolent spirit upon the land. He invoked the magic message — essentially them vs. us — and the demons disembarked from their dark hiding places. He raided the lost ark, lifted the lid, and the whirlwind of humankind’s worst impulses escaped. Hyperbolic, yes. But when the next leader of the free world casually comments that we need to build up our nuclear arsenal — and seems to welcome a return of the Cold War — alarm expressed in the strongest terms possible is required. When such alarm did find expression around the nation and the world, the president-elect huddled in his “fake news” bunker and claimed that his remarks were quoted incompletely. He took special aim at NBC News, tweeting that the network “purposely left out this part of my nuclear quote: ‘until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.’ Dishonest!” If NBC left out the balance of his tweet, shame on them, but the rest of what he said adds nothing to assuage

‘To put a fine point on it, Donald Trump’s election has released a malevolent spirit upon the land. He invoked the magic message — essentially them vs. us — and the demons disembarked from their dark hiding places.’ the larger concern that he thinks we need more nukes. Or, since this apparently needs pointing out, that he believes having more nukes will have no effect whatsoever until the rest of the world comes to its senses. My guess is the rest of the world is thinking the exact same thing: This president-elect is not in his senses — and he makes no sense. Trump’s complete original quote, as usual offered via Twitter, was: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” Really? By “greatly” expanding our already huge nuclear arsenal, other leaders will come to their senses regarding nukes? Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed earlier on the same day that he wishes to boost his country’s nuclear strength,

too. Just great. And, really, again. What’s with making such war-mongering threats when you’re not in the White House yet? Tweeting on matters of such import is unpresidential, not to mention unmanly. Also, it’s insane! I could pause here and write verbatim the emails and social-media comments certain to follow these observations. They’re as predictable as a 3 a.m. tweet from Trump Tower. This, too, is part of what’s frightening as we take our leave of 2016. People who voted for Trump refuse to critique his behavior through any lens but that of having won a contest. “We won, you lost — get over it” is what now passes for a serious dialogue about matters of immense importance. The notion that people who still express concerns — including a

growing list of psychiatrists and psychologists who’ve signed a letter suggesting the man isn’t well — are just sore losers is nonsense. When the president-elect of the United States so cavalierly threatens to unravel the fragile threads that hold civilization together, there are no winners. He or she who is not worried is not paying attention. My personal stake, other than the fears herein described, is well and good. What’s bad for the republic is good for columnists and cartoonists, though this time, I admit, the muse’s generosity is less enjoyable. These are also not simple partisan fears. Many Republicans I know are “slightly terrified,” as one Trump voter recently put it to me. That most, if not all, Democrats are, too, doesn’t have to mean they’re all excessively disappointed, though many surely are. Nor, as the incensed have written, does my non-support of Trump translate to support for Hillary Clinton. We call that a non sequitur. And when it comes to abusing logic, Trump wins hands down. Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. © 2016, 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, double-spaced and no more than 850 words. Send them to The Item, Opinion Pages, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, or email to hubert@theitem.com or graham@theitem.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are written by readers of the newspaper. They should be no more than 350 words and sent via e-mail to letters@theitem.com, dropped off at The Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St. or mailed to The Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, along with the full name of

the writer, plus an address and telephone number for verification purposes only. Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_ editor.

A14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS SCHEDULE BANKS — All area banks and credit unions will be closed Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.Schedule: Dec. 29, New Year’s Holiday GOVERNMENT — The following will be closed Monday, 2016 Jan. 2, 2017: federal government offices; state government offices; U.S. Postal Service; City of Sumter offices; Sumter County offices; Clarendon County offices; Lee County offices; City of Manning offices; and City of Bishopville offices. SCHOOLS — The following will be closed through Friday, Dec. 30, with students returning on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017: Sumter School District; Clarendon School District 3; Lee County Public Schools; Robert E. Lee Academy; and St. Anne & St. Jude Catholic School. The following will be closed through Monday, Jan. 2, 2017, with students returning on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017: Clarendon School Districts 1 and 2; Thomas Sumter Academy; Wilson Hall; St. Francis Xavier High School; Laurence Manning Academy; Clarendon Hall; and Sumter Christian School. UTILITIES — Black River Electric Coop. and Farmers Telephone Coop. will be closed Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. OTHER — The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce will be closed through Friday, Dec. 30. Clemson Extension Service will be closed through Friday, Dec. 30. The Sumter County Library will be closed SundayMonday, Jan. 1-2, 2017. The Harvin Clarendon County Library will be closed Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. All offices of The Sumter Item will be closed Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A little rain this morning

Clear and breezy

Mostly sunny and breezy

Sun followed by clouds

Cloudy

Cloudy and mild with a shower

69°

34°

53° / 28°

55° / 42°

61° / 54°

67° / 55°

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 20%

Chance of rain: 55%

W 10-20 mph

WNW 10-20 mph

S 6-12 mph

SE 4-8 mph

SSE 4-8 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 60/33 Spartanburg 61/33

Greenville 60/32

Columbia 68/35

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 69/34

Today: Breezy and mild with clouds breaking. Winds west 12-25 mph. Friday: Breezy with plenty of sun. Winds west 10-20 mph.

Aiken 66/34

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t share EUGENIA LAST your plans prematurely. It’s important to have everything in its place before you include others in your plans. Stay focused on important partnerships and try not to do anything to upset these connections moving forward.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Interact with your peers as much as you can. Check out what’s new in whatever industry you are working in or studying to be a part of. A short trip will change your mind about your future. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take a serious look at the year gone by and consider what you may do differently next time. Make amends with someone. Be willing to admit that you made mistakes as well. Go forward without malice or contempt for others. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Time spent with someone you are in a partnership with will bring valuable results. Planning for the future will add to the enjoyment of the holiday season, giving you plenty to think and talk about. Identifying incentives will encourage success. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Problems or delays while traveling can be expected. Relax and stay calm if situations at work become uncertain. Consider how you can stand out and differentiate how you do your job from the way your peers perform. Romance is encouraged. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take the plunge and get involved in functions that allow you to network as well as mix business with pleasure. Your ability to assess and react to a situation with clarity will encourage greater popularity.

Charleston 74/38

Today: Breezy with a couple of showers. High 68 to 72. Friday: Breezy with plenty of sunshine. High 50 to 55.

The American Red Cross an- tact Keisha White at (803) Give the gift blood of life by773-9771 donatingorblood via email at nounces the following Keisha.White@admin.sc. donation opportunities: 2-7 gov. For further informap.m. today, Grace Baptist tion, visit www.SCGAL. Church, 219 W. Calhoun org. St.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, USC Sumter Arts The Sumter Chapter of the Building, 109 Miller Road; National Federation of the 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. TuesBlind of South Carolina day, Jan. 3, 2017, YMCA of will meet at 7 p.m. on Sumter, 510 Miller Road. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, at Shiloh-Randolph Manor, The League of Women Voters Sumter County will hold 125 W. Bartlette St. All a membership meeting at members are required to join before or at this 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9, meeting for 2017. The 2017, at the Central Carospotlight will shine on lina Technical College Sarah Bracey and the asHealth Science Building, sociate member is Judy L. 133 S. Main St. The topic of discussion will be pop- Simon, membership chairular vote versus electoral person. Transportation provided within the milevote. Contact Dee Woodward at (803) 651-9215 for age area. If you know a blind person, contact further details. You can make a positive dif- Debra Canty, chapter president, at (803) 775ference in the life of a child 5792 or debra.canty@fronby becoming a volunteer tier.com. Donations and guardian ad litem. Volunmemberships are welteers must be at least 21 come. Donations should years old, able to pass a be mailed to NFB Sumter background check and Chapter, P.O. Box 641, reference check, and complete the required ini- Sumter, SC 29151. “Chemo with Style” Support tial 30-hour training. The Group will hold its first free training provides meeting from 5:30 to 7 valuable information in p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, all aspects of volunteer2017, at Hospice Care of ing as a child advocate, Tri-County, 2560 Tahoe as well as resources deDrive, and will continue to signed to help children meet every other third and families. The next Tuesday of every other training session for Summonth thereafter. ter County begins on Monday, Jan. 9, 2017. Con-

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t let situations at home get out of hand. Take care of your responsibilities if you want to avoid complaints and criticism. Once you have put your chores behind you, you’ll be able to make personal alterations that boost your morale. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll have insight into future trends and how best to use your skills. Clear a space at home that you can use to study, research and master what you enjoy most and you’ll be able to turn it into a lucrative venture.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

64° 50° 54° 32° 80° in 2015 19° in 2004

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 354.22 74.03 74.05 98.34

24-hr chg none -0.03 none +0.10

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" 3.88" 2.99" 49.13" 61.19" 46.72"

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

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today City Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 59/34/pc Chicago 35/25/c Dallas 58/37/pc Detroit 38/26/sf Houston 65/45/pc Los Angeles 78/57/pc New Orleans 66/43/pc New York 45/33/r Orlando 80/48/pc Philadelphia 46/32/r Phoenix 75/56/pc San Francisco 59/45/s Wash., DC 50/34/r

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

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 50/30/s 31/28/pc 59/48/c 31/25/sf 58/53/pc 65/50/sh 56/47/s 41/29/sf 61/40/s 41/27/sf 70/54/pc 58/44/pc 43/28/c

Myrtle Beach 72/38

Manning 70/37

ON THE COAST

AROUND TOWN

Florence 68/36

Bishopville 68/35

Today Hi/Lo/W 50/29/pc 60/33/r 70/35/r 71/38/sh 66/41/sh 74/38/sh 62/32/r 62/36/pc 68/35/c 68/36/r 62/34/r 66/36/sh 67/35/r

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 9.85 +0.09 19 3.00 -0.30 14 7.40 -0.54 14 3.70 +1.39 80 75.21 +0.11 24 4.16 -0.01

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 40/24/pc 50/28/s 54/28/s 54/32/s 47/34/pc 55/32/s 48/25/s 53/28/s 53/28/s 51/27/s 47/28/s 50/25/s 49/27/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 68/36/r Gainesville 76/39/sh Gastonia 61/34/r Goldsboro 65/36/r Goose Creek 73/39/sh Greensboro 57/32/r Greenville 60/32/r Hickory 55/32/pc Hilton Head 71/41/sh Jacksonville, FL 77/38/c La Grange 64/33/r Macon 66/34/r Marietta 56/32/pc

Sunrise 7:27 a.m. Moonrise 7:28 a.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:22 p.m. 6:02 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Dec. 29

Jan. 5

Jan. 12

Jan. 19

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Fri.

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 52/28/s 59/32/s 49/25/s 48/27/pc 54/29/s 45/26/pc 50/27/s 44/26/pc 54/33/s 58/32/s 52/28/s 54/28/s 48/28/s

High 9:04 a.m. 9:07 p.m. 9:40 a.m. 9:44 p.m.

Ht. 3.2 2.7 3.2 2.7

Low Ht. 3:11 a.m. -0.1 3:55 p.m. 0.0 3:49 a.m. -0.1 4:33 p.m. -0.1

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 55/30/pc Mt. Pleasant 73/40/sh Myrtle Beach 72/38/c Orangeburg 70/37/r Port Royal 72/40/sh Raleigh 61/32/r Rock Hill 64/34/r Rockingham 65/36/r Savannah 73/37/sh Spartanburg 61/33/r Summerville 72/38/sh Wilmington 70/35/c Winston-Salem 57/32/pc

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 44/20/pc 54/32/s 53/31/s 52/27/s 54/33/s 49/26/pc 49/24/s 49/24/s 55/31/s 50/24/s 54/28/s 50/27/s 44/26/pc

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

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

Moving People”

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Reveal the ideas and concerns you have as well as the changes you want to make. Head in the direction that offers you greater stability and encourages you to be a better person. Walk away from anyone who has been a poor influence. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Use any extra time you have to rejuvenate or strategize how you are going to move forward with regard to work, money and using your skills in new and diverse ways. Avoid excessive behavior and people who are unpredictable. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Money matters will pan out better than anticipated. Make a change that will improve your current financial position. Physical alterations and home improvements will help you cut corners or find new ways to save money or bring in extra income. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Good fortune awaits. All you have to do is use your imagination and put your ideas into play. Start with the basics and let whatever you choose to do build slowly. Remain balanced and help will come from an unexpected source.

Jeff Byer shares a picture of his labrador / golden retriever mix, Max, who is a two-year cancer survivor.

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. The Sumter SPCA, 1140 S. Guignard Drive, relies heavily on community support and donations. Currently, the biggest needs are for dry puppy and kitten food; wet cat food; cat litter; and cleaning supplies. The following are also appreciated: Newspapers; stuffed animals; heavy duty trash bags (30 gallon or larger); dishwashing liquid; laundry detergent; bleach; paper towels; sheets and comforters; baby blankets; canned dog and cat food; dry dog food; treats; leashes and collars; disinfectant spray; all-purpose cleaner; air freshener; no scratch scrubbers; two-sided sponges for dishes; litter freshener; and, of course, monetary donations are also gratefully accepted.

SECTION

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

CAROLINA FOOTBALL

Ending on a high note

More to bowling for Gamecocks than playing game

Both USF, USC aim to finish year with big victory

hen the University of South Carolina football team defeated Western Carolina to become bowl-eligible, there was rightfully a bit of excitement from Gamecock fans that came with that achievement. USC had to win four of five games, including upsetting nationally ranked Tennessee, to do that after starting the season 2-4. Of course, earning the right to play in a bowl game didn’t Dennis mean it was Brunson going to be a COLUMNIST primo game. Carolina was going to be way down on the Southeastern Conference totem pole when it came to bowl selection time. That led to South Carolina getting selected to play in the Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., today against South Florida. Most – even many Gamecock fans – will consider this game a yawner, not meaning much in the grand scheme of things win or lose. However, this game could mean more for the program than meets the eye. Sure, the one thing that jumps out is the fact that this game will determine a winning or losing season for USC – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS either 7-6 or 6-7.

BY DAVID BRANDT The Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — South Florida’s December has been a little more eventful than it had hoped. The Bulls say a little drama won’t derail what’s been the best football season in school history. The program lost coach Willie Taggart to Oregon earlier this month before former Texas coach Charlie Strong was hired a few days later. Interim coach T.J. Weist will lead the Bulls on Thursday when No. 25 South Florida (10-2) faces South Carolina (6-6) in the Birmingham Bowl. South Florida’s star quarterback Quinton Flowers says Taggart’s departure was tough, but he also credits his former coach with the best advice he’s received about dealing with the situation. “It’s like Coach T told us, ‘We’re the ones out there playing, not him,’” Flowers said. And as long as Flowers has been playing, South Florida has been gaining a ton of yards and scoring a lot of points. The program is averaging nearly 44 points per game and has already set a school-record with 10 wins.

South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley (4) and the Gamecocks will face South Florida today in the BirSEE GAMECOCKS, PAGE B2 mingham Bowl with an eye on finishing the year with a winning record.

SEE BRUNSON, PAGE B2

CLEMSON FOOTBALL

PREP BASKETBALL

Williams gives Clemson another playoff weapon

Lady Gators cruise to win over Kingstree in District 9 tourney

BY BOB BAUM The Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Early in Clemson’s 2015 season opener against Wofford, Mike Williams took a short touchdown pass over the middle and was shoved into the padded upright in the end zone. He crumpled to the ground, then was strapped carefully on his back to a cart and rushed to a hospital. The diagnosis: a broken bone in his neck. Fast forward almost 16 months and here is Williams back and better than ever. He could be the first receiver chosen in the NFL draft. First, though, he has some unfinished business — the College Football Playoff experience that his scary injury a year ago caused him to miss. It begins with Saturday’s semifinal game against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. “Remarkable, just remarkable,” Clemson co-offensive

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

After suffering a broken bone in his neck in 2015 in a collision with a goal post, Clemson’s Mike Williams (7) is back and better than ever. He probably will be the first receiver chosen in the NFL draft. coordinator Tony Elliott. “You’re talking about probably the scariest thing that’s in the mind of any football player, that’s breaking your

neck, and being close to potentially being paralyzed and never walking again.

Brown’s

SEE CLEMSON, PAGE B4

“Where Quality Matters”

BY EDDIE LITAKER Special To The Sumter Item Lakewood’s varsity girls basketbll team led by as many as 31 before cruising to a 45-24 victory over Kingstree on Wednesday at Chestnut Oaks Middle School on Day 2 action at the 20th Annual District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament. The Lady Gators improved to 6-5 and got ADAMSback in the win LUDD column after suffering a 71-49 loss to Spring Valley in their tourney opener on Tuesday. The Lady Jaguars fell to 0-2 in tourney play after dropping their first game to Hartsville, 60-15. The last eight minutes of this game were largely anticlimactic as Lakewood’s final points came in the form of two Rahteshia Burgess free throws with 8:01 left, giving the Lady Gators a 45-16 lead. Kingstree scored the game’s

SEE LAKEWOOD, PAGE B3

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

FURNITURE & BEDDING 31 West Wesmark Blvd • Sumter, SC

774-2100

final eight points but its last points came with 4:33 remaining on a Kyerra Wright jumper from the right side. “Our biggest thing is for them to grow and get better, but as a coach we understand that our numbers are low,” said Lakewood head coach Demetress Adams-Ludd, who had seven players available for the game. “So when we do have a stretch where there is a lead, we do try to take advantage of that because we do play again this (Wednesday) afternoon. Our kids understood that, our coaching staff understood that, so that might explain the gap in the second half, why we weren’t scoring. It wasn’t that we couldn’t or that we shouldn’t, it’s just that we wanted to rest our kids the best that we can with seven players.” Lakewood built its 29-8 halftime edge on the strength of three runs, including a 15-2 start.

From Jason and Stan

SPORTS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

CAROLINA

(25) SOUTH FLORIDA (10-2, AAC) VS. SOUTH CAROLINA (6-6, SEC), 2 P.M. (ESPN).

FROM PAGE B1

South Florida’s offense revolves around Flowers. The 6-foot, 209-pound junior has thrown for 2,546 yards and 22 touchdowns this season while also running for 1,425 yards and 15 touchdowns. For a guy like South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, whose specialty is on the defensive side of the ball, figuring out a way to slow down Flowers represents a huge challenge. “He’s extremely talented,” Muschamp said. “His largest talent in my opinion is his competitive edge. You can see how he positively affects the guys around him. That’s what a leader does. When he’s playing well, they play extremely well offensively.” South Carolina (6-6) has had a solid defense for most of the season, but the Gamecocks were torched against Clemson in a 56-7 loss during the regularseason finale. Clemson has its own star quarterback in Deshaun Watson and South Carolina couldn’t figure out a way to slow him down. Flowers is a similar type of threat, though he might be a slightly better runner and a little less polished in the passing game. South Carolina linebacker T.J. Holloman said the goal is to make Flowers onedimensional on Thursday. “If we put him in the box, keep him in the box and make him focus on throwing the ball, we should have a good shot,” Holloman said. Some other things to watch at the Birmingham Bowl on Thursday:

BENTLEY’S BETTER South Carolina has been much better since freshman Jake Bentley took over at quarterback. The Gamecocks have a 4-2 record over the last half of the season, including SEC wins over Tennessee and Missouri. Bentley has thrown for 1,030 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions while completing more than 63 percent of his passes.

BOWL HISTORY South Carolina is back

BRUNSON

FROM PAGE B1

Also, getting in those extra practices with a roster that includes 77 freshmen or sophomores is important. Greater than winning or losing or gaining more experience for Carolina though is simply how it performs in the contest. Having the opportunity to play this game became much more important for South Carolina after the way the regular season ended with a 56-7 loss to Clemson. While there is no way taking a beating at the hands of your archrival can be erased, getting to play another game allows

LINE

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Florida by 10.

SERIES RECORD South Carolina leads 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE South Florida is trying to end its season with a school-record 11th victory. The Bulls lost coach Willie Taggart to Oregon earlier this month, but hired former Texas coach Charlie Strong to replace him. The Bulls’ interim coach is T.J. Weist. South Carolina is trying to win a bowl game in coach Will Muschamp’s first season. The Gamecocks are back in the postseason after a 3-9 record in 2015.

KEY MATCHUP South Florida QB Quinton Flowers vs. South Carolina’s defense: The Bulls’ offense set all kinds of school records this season thanks for Flowers, who threw for 2,546 yards and 22 touchdowns and also ran for 1,425 yards and 15 touchdowns. South Carolina’s defense has been very good at times this season and is giving up just 204 yards per game through the air.

in the postseason after missing a bowl with a 3-9 record in 2015. The Gamecocks have won their last four bowl games in a streak that includes wins over Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin and Miami. South Florida has a 4-3 record in bowl games in 17 years at the FBS level. The Bulls made a bowl for a second straight season.

MUSCHAMP AND FLOWERS

South Florida: LB Auggie Sanchez. The 6-foot-2, 242-pound junior has made 228 tackles over the past two seasons, including 111 so far in 2016. He has 8½ tackles for a loss this season, including six sacks. South Carolina: QB Jake Bentley. The Gamecocks have a 4-2 record since the freshman took over mid-season. He’s thrown for 1,030 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions while completing more than 63 percent of his passes.

FACTS & FIGURES South Carolina has won four straight bowl games, including victories over Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin and Miami. ... The Gamecocks will be playing a bowl game in Birmingham for the third time in school history. The other two were losses to Missouri in 1979 and UConn in 2010. ... South Florida has scored at least 30 points in 16 straight games, which is the longest such streak in the nation. ... South Florida has already program records for wins (10), conference wins (7) and road wins (4) this season.

quarterback and that’s a big reason he went to South Florida.

BULLS ON OFFENSE South Florida also already set school records in rushing yards, scoring, touchdowns and total offense this season. The Bulls have scored at least 30 points in 16 straight games, which is the longest such streak in the country.

WEIST RETURNS

Flowers says that thenFlorida coach Will Muschamp recruited him when he was in high school in Miami. But like many coaches, Muschamp wanted him to possibly play a different position. Flowers said he was adamant about playing

Weist, South Florida’s interim coach, has a lot of history in Alabama and at Legion Field. He was a receiver for the Crimson Tide in the mid1980s and was also a graduate assistant for the program.

the Gamecocks to move on from it. That is a much better scenario than having to wait nine months before getting the chance to put it behind you. That being said, USC needs to take advantage of the opportunity before it. And the opportunity to make something good come out of this game is great. Carolina is a double-digit underdog to the Bulls, who are 10-2 on the season. Also, USF is ranked in the top 10 in the country in scoring offense. A victory over South Florida would be outstanding and playing a strong all-around game win or lose would be good for the program. While the South Carolina defense had shown

tremendous improvement in the early going under first-year head coach Will Muschamp, it appeared to take a step back in the victory over Western Carolina and the loss to Clemson. Slowing down South Florida would certainly put the defense in a better light. Of course, USC struggled offensively all season even though the additions of quarterback Jake Bentley and running back Rico Dowdle in the second half providing occasional sparks. A strong showing today would give the image that the offense is moving in the right direction as well. So the Birmingham Bowl should not be seen as blasé for Gamecock Nation.

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BASEBALL

U.S. BASEBALL ACADEMY SPRING TRAINING

P-15’S BRICKS The Sumter P-15’s American Legion baseball program will be placing bricks for former players at the front of Riley Park in January. The cost is $50 per brick. For more information, contact Post 15 athletic director Billy Lyons at (803) 9685115.

UMPIRES NEEDED The Sumter County Recreation Department is in search of umpires for its spring youth league baseball season. For more information, contact Glenn

U.S. Baseball Academy’s Spring Training 2017 will be held at the University of South Carolina Sumter’s Nettles Gymnasium beginning in January. The camps, which are open to children in grades 1-12, will be held on Jan. 7, Jan. 14, Jan. 21 and Jan. 28. USC Sumter head coach Tim Medlin will be the program director. With the player-to-coach ratio at 7 to 1, space is limited. Students can register at www.USBaseballAcademy.com or by calling (866) 622-4487. For more information, contact Medlin at (803) 938-3904 or (803) 944-0612.

THE SUMTER ITEM

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2 p.m. – College Football: Birmingham Bowl from Birmingham, Ala. – South Florida vs. South Carolina (ESPN, WIBZ-FM 95.5, WNKT-FM 107.5). 4 p.m. – High School Football: Under Armour All-America Game Practice from Orlando, Fla. (ESPNU). 5:30 p.m. – College Football: Belk Bowl from Charlotte – Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech (ESPN). 6 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Connecticut at Maryland (ESPN2). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Georgia at Auburn (ESPNU). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Butler at St. John’s (FOX SPORTS 1). 7 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Miami at Charlotte (FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST). 7 p.m. – NHL Hockey: New Jersey at Washington (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Tennessee at Texas A&M (SEC NETWORK). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Kentucky at Mississippi (ESPN2). 8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Boston at Cleveland (TNT). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Santa Clara at Brigham Young (BYUTV). 9 p.m. – College Football: Alamo Bowl from San Antonio – Oklahoma State vs. Colorado (ESPN). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Vanderbilt at Louisiana State (ESPNU). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Florida at Arkansas (SEC NETWORK). 10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Dallas at Los Angeles Lakers (TNT). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: St. Mary’s (Calif.) at Loyola Marymount (ESPNU).

NFL STANDINGS By The Associated Press

AMERICAN CONFERENCE EAST W L T Pct PF PA y-New England 13 2 0 .867 406 236 x-Miami 10 5 0 .667 349 345 Buffalo 7 8 0 .467 389 348 N.Y. Jets 4 11 0 .267 245 399 SOUTH W L T Pct PF PA y-Houston 9 6 0 .600 262 304 Tennessee 8 7 0 .533 357 361 Indianapolis 7 8 0 .467 387 372 Jacksonville 3 12 0 .200 298 376 NORTH W L T Pct PF PA y-Pittsburgh 10 5 0 .667 372 303 Baltimore 8 7 0 .533 333 294 Cincinnati 5 9 1 .367 298 305 Cleveland 1 14 0 .067 240 425 WEST W L T Pct PF PA x-Oakland 12 3 0 .800 410 361 x-Kansas City 11 4 0 .733 352 284 Denver 8 7 0 .533 309 291 San Diego 5 10 0 .333 383 386

NATIONAL CONFERENCE EAST W L T Pct PF PA y-Dallas 13 2 0 .867 408 279 x-N.Y. Giants 10 5 0 .667 291 274 Washington 8 6 1 .567 386 364 Philadelphia 6 9 0 .400 340 318 SOUTH W L T Pct PF PA y-Atlanta 10 5 0 .667 502 374 Tampa Bay 8 7 0 .533 337 353 New Orleans 7 8 0 .467 437 416 Carolina 6 9 0 .400 353 385 NORTH W L T Pct PF PA Green Bay 9 6 0 .600 401 364 Detroit 9 6 0 .600 322 327 Minnesota 7 8 0 .467 289 297 Chicago 3 12 0 .200 269 361 WEST W L T Pct PF PA y-Seattle 9 5 1 .633 329 269 Arizona 6 8 1 .433 374 356 Los Angeles 4 11 0 .267 218 350 San Francisco 2 13 0 .133 286 455 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division

SUNDAY’S GAMES

New England at Miami, 1 p.m. Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Dallas at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m. Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. Seattle at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. New Orleans at Atlanta, 4:25 p.m. Kansas City at San Diego, 4:25 p.m. Arizona at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m. Oakland at Denver, 4:25 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Washington, 4:25 p.m. Green Bay at Detroit, 8:30 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION W L Pct GB Toronto 22 8 .733 — Boston 19 13 .594 4 New York 16 14 .533 6 Brooklyn 8 22 .267 14 Philadelphia 7 23 .233 15 SOUTHEAST DIVISION W L Pct GB Charlotte 17 14 .548 — Atlanta 15 16 .484 2 Washington 14 16 .467 2½ Orlando 15 18 .455 3 Miami 10 22 .313 7½ CENTRAL DIVISION W L Pct GB Cleveland 23 7 .767 — Chicago 15 16 .484 8½ Milwaukee 14 15 .483 8½ Indiana 15 17 .469 9 Detroit 15 18 .455 9½

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct GB San Antonio 25 6 .806 — Houston 24 9 .727 2 Memphis 20 14 .588 6½ New Orleans 12 21 .364 14 Dallas 9 23 .281 16½ NORTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct GB Oklahoma City 20 12 .625 — Utah 19 13 .594 1 Denver 13 18 .419 6½ Portland 13 20 .394 7½ Minnesota 10 21 .323 9½ PACIFIC DIVISION W L Pct GB Golden State 27 5 .844 — L.A. Clippers 22 11 .667 5½ Sacramento 14 17 .452 12½ L.A. Lakers 12 23 .343 16½ Phoenix 9 22 .290 17½

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Boston 113, Memphis 103 Oklahoma City 106, Miami 94 Houston 123, Dallas 107 Utah 102, L.A. Lakers 100

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Charlotte at Orlando, 7 p.m. Indiana at Washington, 7 p.m. Milwaukee at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. New York at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn at Chicago, 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Phoenix at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Denver, 9 p.m. Sacramento at Portland, 10 p.m. Toronto at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Miami at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Boston at Cleveland, 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Memphis, 8 p.m. Philadelphia at Utah, 9 p.m.

Toronto at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Chicago at Indiana, 4 p.m. Brooklyn at Washington, 7 p.m. Miami at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Detroit at Atlanta, 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Houston, 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Minnesota, 8 p.m. New York at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Portland at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Denver, 9 p.m. Dallas at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Memphis at Sacramento, 5 p.m. Cleveland at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Milwaukee at Chicago, 7 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. New York at Houston, 8 p.m. Phoenix at Utah, 8 p.m.

NHL STANDINGS By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Montreal 34 21 9 4 46 104 76 Ottawa 35 20 12 3 43 91 93 Boston 37 18 15 4 40 88 91 Tampa Bay 35 17 15 3 37 100 98 Florida 35 15 14 6 36 85 97 Toronto 33 14 12 7 35 97 95 Buffalo 34 13 13 8 34 75 94 Detroit 35 15 16 4 34 86 100 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Columbus 33 24 5 4 52 114 68 Pittsburgh 36 23 8 5 51 126 102 N.Y. Rangers 37 24 12 1 49 123 92 Washington 33 20 9 4 44 90 73 Philadelphia 36 20 12 4 44 110 108 Carolina 33 15 11 7 37 88 90 N.Y. Islanders 34 14 14 6 34 94 105 New Jersey 35 13 15 7 33 82 107

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA Chicago 37 22 10 5 49 103 89 Minnesota 34 22 8 4 48 105 68 St. Louis 35 18 12 5 41 98 103 Dallas 36 15 14 7 37 92 108 Winnipeg 37 17 17 3 37 98 106 Nashville 34 15 13 6 36 96 97 Colorado 34 12 21 1 25 70 112 PACIFIC DIVISION GP W L OT Pts GF GA San Jose 35 22 12 1 45 90 77 Edmonton 36 18 12 6 42 105 97 Anaheim 36 17 12 7 41 98 102 Calgary 37 19 16 2 40 100 106 Los Angeles 34 17 13 4 38 87 84 Vancouver 35 14 18 3 31 86 109 Arizona 35 11 19 5 27 77 111 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Columbus 4, Boston 3 Pittsburgh 5, New Jersey 2 N.Y. Islanders 4, Washington 3 N.Y. Rangers 4, Ottawa 3 Buffalo 4, Detroit 3 Minnesota 3, Nashville 2, OT Winnipeg 3, Chicago 1 Calgary 6, Colorado 3 Dallas 3, Arizona 2 San Jose 3, Anaheim 2, OT

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Carolina at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Toronto at Florida, 7 p.m. Montreal at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

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

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Chicago at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. Nashville at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Anaheim at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Philadelphia at San Jose, 10 p.m.

COLLEGE BOWL SCHEDULE By The Associated Press

MONDAY’S GAMES ST. PETERSBURG (FLA.) BOWL Mississippi State 17, Miami (Ohio) 16 QUICK LANE BOWL Boston College 36, Maryland 30 INDEPENDENCE BOWL NC State 41, Vanderbilt 17

TUESDAY’S GAMES HEART OF DALLAS BOWL Army 38, North Texas 31, OT MILITARY BOWL Wake Forest 34, Temple 26 HOLIDAY BOWL Minnesota 17, Washington State 12 CACTUS BOWL Baylor 31, Boise State 12

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES PINSTRIPE BOWL Northwestern 31, Pittsburgh 24 RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL Miami (8-4) vs. West Virginia (10-2), 5:30 p.m. (ESPN) FOSTER FARMS BOWL Indiana (6-6) vs. Utah (8-4), 8:30 p.m. (FOX) TEXAS BOWL Kansas State (8-4) vs. Texas A&M (84), 9 p.m. (ESPN)

THURSDAY’S GAMES BIRMINGHAM (ALA.) BOWL South Florida (10-2) vs. South Carolina (6-6), 2 p.m. (ESPN) BELK BOWL Virginia Tech (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5), 5:30 p.m. (ESPN) ALAMO BOWL Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Colorado (10-3), 9 p.m. (ESPN)

FRIDAY’S GAMES LIBERTY BOWL Georgia (7-5) vs. TCU (6-6), Noon (ESPN) SUN BOWL North Carolina (8-4) vs. Stanford (93), 2 p.m. (CBS) MUSIC CITY BOWL Tennessee (8-4) vs. Nebraska (9-3), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) ARIZONA BOWL Air Force (9-3) vs. South Alabama (66), 5:30 p.m. (ASN) ORANGE BOWL Florida State (9-3) vs. Michigan (102), 8 p.m. (ESPN)

SATURDAY’S GAMES CITRUS BOWL LSU (7-4) vs. Louisville (9-3), 11 a.m. (ABC) TAXSLAYER BOWL Kentucky (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (8-4), 11 a.m. (ESPN) CFP SEMIFINALS Atlanta Alabama (13-0) vs. Washington (121), 3 p.m. (ESPN) FIESTA BOWL Clemson (12-1) vs. Ohio State (11-1), 7 p.m. (ESPN)

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

AREA ROUNDUP

SPORTS ITEMS

LMA tops Cheraw at Carolina Classic FLORENCE -- Jalil Robinson had 19 points to help lead Laurence Manning Academy to a 64-54 victory over Cheraw High School on Wednesday on Day 2 of the Carolina Classic held at West Florence High School. Jerrel Kelly added 11 rebounds for the Swampcats, who will face Lake City on Friday at 2:15 p.m.

ORANGEBURG PREP 73 THOMAS SUMTER 33

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Baltimore wide receiver and former Carolina Panthers standout Steve Smith (89) says he’s likely to retire after Sunday’s game.

Ravens WR Smith likely to retire after Sunday’s game OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Steve Smith sounds like a man who’s ready to close the door on an NFL career that has spanned 16 seasons and taken him well beyond his 37th birthday. “Whether you want to or not, you’ve got to move on,” Smith said Wednesday. “It’s part of life. The world still turns.” The five-time Pro Bowl receiver will play in his 230th NFL game Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens finish the season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Standing in front of the media wearing a Darth Vader costume, Smith said he’s “about 89 percent sure” it will mark the end of his stellar career. He used that number because he wears No. 89. Though Smith spoke with deep emotion during his 10-minute session, he did not formally announce his retirement. He already did that once before, prior to the 2015 season, but ended up changing his mind after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 7.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL MIAMI 31 (14) WEST VIRGINIA 14 ORLANDO, Fla. — Brad Kaaya tied a career best and Miami bowl record with four touchdown passes, and the Hurricanes finally snapped a 10-year bowl drought by beating No. 14 West Virginia 31-14 in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Wednesday night. Kaaya completed 24 of 34 passes for 282 yards for Miami (9-4), which had lost its last six bowl appearances. Kaaya already held Miami’s career record in yards and took over the school’s No. 1 spots in completions and attempts. Kaaya was selected the game MVP. The Hurricanes punted on their first six possessions, then scored on their next five to erase an awful start. Kaaya connected with Ahmmon Richards, Malcolm Lewis and Braxton Berrios for touchdowns in the final 6:30 of the first half to get Miami rolling, and then found David Njoku for another touchdown on the first possession of the second half.

PINSTRIPE BOWL NORTHWESTERN 31 (22) PITTSBURGH 24 NEW YORK — Justin Jackson ran for 226 yards and three touchdowns and powered Northwestern to only its third bowl victory, 31-24 over No. 22 Pittsburgh

in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. Jackson was the straw that stirred Northwestern’s offense in the Bronx and helped etch this performance alongside the 1948 Rose Bowl and 2012 Gator Bowl victories in the program’s oft-futile history. He had TD runs of 8 and 16 yards in the second quarter, then went deep on a 40yard burst in the third that left one defender face down on the turf following a fantastic fake and gave the Wildcats (7-6) a 21-17 lead. Rallying without injured quarterback Nathan Peterman and running back James Conner, Pitt yanked the lead away in the fourth on a short TD pass before it collapsed the rest of the quarter.

(1) VILLANOVA 68 DEPAUL 65 VILLANOVA, Pa. — Josh Hart scored 25 points and Jalen Brunson added 13 as No. 1 Villanova barely held off DePaul, 68-65 on Wednesday night, the Wildcats’ 19th straight win. The Wildcats (13-0, 1-0 Big East) looked rather pedestrian playing for the first time in a week. But thanks to Hart, considered among the favorites for national player of the year, they survived. A 14-6 Villanova run gave the Wildcats a 51-39 lead with 16:41 to go. But the Blue Demons responded with a 14-0 run to get back in the game and take a 53-51 lead. From there Hart made sure the Wildcats remained undefeated and their home winning streak reached 44 games. The senior swingman scored 10 points in the final 3:06, including a dagger 3-pointer from the top of the key with 9.5 seconds left that gave Villanova a 66-62 lead.

(9) NORTH CAROLINA 102 MONMOUTH 74 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Justin Jackson scored 28 points and No. 9 North Carolina beat Monmouth 102-74 on Wednesday night. Kennedy Meeks added 17 points and 12 rebounds and Isaiah Hicks finished with 15 points to help the Tar Heels (12-2) win their second straight. Micah Seaborn scored 19 points and Je’Lon Hornbeak added 17 before fouling out for Monmouth (10-3), which had its program-record nine-game winning streak snapped. Jackson was 9 of 15 from the field in the second-high-

est-scoring game of his career — surpassed only by his 34-point performance against Kentucky . His six 3-pointers were one shy of the career high he set earlier this month against Davidson. The Tar Heels led by double figures for all but a few seconds of the second half but didn’t completely pull away from the pesky Hawks until Monmouth was whistled for three technical fouls in a 55-second span. One of those was called on coach King Rice — the starting point guard on North Carolina’s Final Four team in 1991.

(12) VIRGINIA 61 (6) LOUISVILLE 53 LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Devon Hall scored 10 points and Kyle Guy added a key jumper with 2:02 remaining as No. 12 Virginia withstood a late rally to upset No. 6 Louisville 61-53 on Wednesday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both schools. The Cavaliers (11-1, 1-0) seemed headed to another lopsided win over Louisville before the Cardinals rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to get within 57-48 with 3:51 left. Guy’s basket regained momentum for Virginia, which got two free throws from Mamadi Diakite with 28 seconds left to seal its fourth straight win overall and fourth in five games against Louisville (112, 0-1). He had nine points. Hall made 5 of 10 from the field to lead the Cavaliers, whose strong shooting built the big lead before they cooled off to finish at 49 percent. Jack Salt had seven rebounds as Virginia outrebounded the Cardinals 3126.

(17) XAVIER 82 PROVIDENCE 56 CINCINNATI — Trevon Bluiett scored 22 points on Wednesday night, and No. 17 Xavier took control at the outset and pulled away to an 82-56 victory over Providence in their Big East opener. Xavier (11-2, 1-0) surged ahead by as many as 30 points, with Bluiett leading the way. He had nine rebounds to go with his eighth 20-point game of the season. Edmond Sumner added 13 points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Jackson had 17 points for the Friars (10-4, 0-1) in their most lopsided loss of the season. Xavier took control with an early 16-2 run and pushed the lead to 25 points early in the second half.

(20) FLORIDA ST. 88 WAKE FOREST 72

NEBRASKA 87

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored 23 points apiece as No. 20 Florida State opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with an 88-72 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday. Florida State trailed most of the game and was down 66-61 before it went on a run of 17 straight points over a 4:02 span. The Seminoles made seven straight shots from the field during the run while the Demon Deacons committed four turnovers. Jonathan Isaac added 13 points and CJ Walker had 12 for Florida State (12-1, 1-0), which has won nine straight for the first time since 200304 and is off to its best start since going 16-1 in 1988-89. Keyshawn Woods and Bryant Crawford led the Demon Deacons (9-3, 0-1) with 16 each.

(16) INDIANA 83

(24) NOTRE DAME 63

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Glynn Watson Jr. scored 26 points and Tai Webster had 21 Wednesday night, leading Nebraska to a stunning 87-83 upset of No. 16 Indiana. The Cornhuskers (7-6, 1-0) snapped Indiana’s 26-game home winning streak by finishing with their highest point total of the season in the Big Ten opener for both. Indiana’s last loss at Assembly Hall was to Michigan State on March 7, 2015. Robert Johnson finished with 19 points and Thomas Bryant had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Hoosiers (10-3, 0-1). Indiana appeared to have seized control when it took a 42-35 lead early in the second half.

SAINT PETER’S 55 SOUTH BEND, Ind. — V.J. Beachem scored 18 points to help No. 24 Notre Dame close out its non-conference schedule with a 63-55 victory over Saint Peter’s on Wednesday night. Steve Vasturia added 11 points for the Irish (11-2), who were looking for a more complete effort, but were outscored in the second half for the fifth straight game. The Irish finished 22 points below their average of 85.3, but held the Peacocks to 35.7 percent shooting from the field. Bonzie Colson finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for Notre Dame. From wire reports

PELION -- Josh Fugate had 10 points, but Thomas Sumter Academy fell to Orangeburg Prep 73-33 on Wednesday on Day 2 of the Panther Holiday Classic held at Pelion High School. On Monday, the Generals earned a 49-33 victory over Whitmire. Zach Fugate scored 26 points to lead the charge. TSA is now 3-6 overall.

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL SPRING VALLEY 71 LAKEWOOD 49 Ki’Ari Cain scored 25 points, but Spring Valley earned a 71-49 victory over Lakewood on Tuesday at the District 9 Officials Tournament at The Castle. Lashala Harvin added 10 points for the Lady Gators.

LAKEWOOD

FROM PAGE B1

A Kingstree basket was followed by a 7-0 Lakewood run and then that pattern was duplicated, giving the Lady Gators a 29-6 lead before a Willasia Wilson follow closed the first-half scoring. Kingstree finally hit double digits with a bucket to open the second half, but Lakewood answered with a 12-0 run that resulted in the game’s largest lead, 41-10. “I just told our girls to never underestimate any of our opponents, to go out there and to execute what we need,” AdamsLudd said. “We’re about to go into region play after this tournament, so we’re trying to build and develop and take our team to another level so that we can compete in our conference. So they understood that and they worked hard to try to execute certain things that we know we are going to need for our conference.” Burgess led the Lady Gators with 14 points, adding four rebounds. Amber Hadden closed with 11 points and four boards while Ki’Ari Cain had nine points, eight rebounds, four steals and two assists. Serena Choice crashed the glass for five rebounds along with four points, with Lashala Harvin contributing Lakewood’s remaining seven points. Kierra Smith scored 10 to top the Lady Jaguars.

DISTRICT 9 OFFICIALS TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE TUESDAY

Spring Valley 64, Crestwood 59 (Girls) Manning 46, Blythewood 43 (Girls) Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate 55, Lamar 41 (Boys) Spring Valley 71, Lakewood 49 (Girls) Newberry 62, Crestwood 52 (Girls) Lee Central 66, Manning 56 (Boys) Lee Central 72, Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate 66 (Boys) Newberry 73, Lee Central 42 (Girls) Hammond 78, C.E. Murray 68 (OT) (Boys) Hartsville 60, Kingstree 15 (Girls) Manning 60, CA Johnson 17 (Girls)

WEDNESDAY

Lakewood (Girls)

45,

Kingstree

TODAY At Crestwood High School Spring Valley vs. Newberry (Girls Championship), 6 p.m. Lee Central vs. Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate (Boys Championship), 7:30 p.m.

B4 B4

| | THURSDAY, THURSDAY,DECEMBER DECEMBER29, 29,2016 2016

CLEMSON

FROM PAGE B1

And he came back even better than he was before he got hurt.” Williams said he never thought his career was over. “Ever since the day I got hurt, the doctors always told me that I was going to be able to play again,” he said. Tigers running back Wayne Gallman said Williams was running in the locker room within a couple of weeks of the injury. “Yeah, that’s true,” Williams said somewhat sheepishly. What he supposed to be doing that? “I don’t think so,” he said, laughing, “but I’m here today, so I’m good.” Had he played last year, he probably would be in the NFL now rather than gearing up for a college football title run. “Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “That’s one of the things I live by. Something happened, it happened for a reason. Maybe that was God just telling me to come back to college and get my degree.” He did, in sociology. Wearing a neck brace through the 2015 season, Williams still caught

footballs from the passing machine. But mostly, he could only watch, and that was the hardest part. “Just being away from the game that you love to play and watching your teammates have fun and you just can’t go out there and have fun with them,” he said. “After a while, I got used to it and surrounded myself with some good people that kept my spirit up.” Williams learned there was improvement to be made just by watching, reading coverages, understanding how defenses might try to go at him. His first time back at spring practice this year, he got a big test that scared the heck out of his coaches. He soared for a catch and came down hard on his back. “I just popped right back up and was ready for the next play,” he said. “I wasn’t shying away from contact or anything like that. It’s a contact sport. Whether I was looking for it or not, it was going to happen regardless.” Williams has added a few pounds to his 6-foot-3 frame, weighing 225. He is the latest in an impressive list of Clemson receivers: DeAndre Hopkins, Martavis Bryant, Sammy Watkins chief among them. “Nuk (Hopkins), the

OBITUARIES HARRIS S. BOYCE BOONE, North Carolina — Retired fighter pilot Lt. Col. Harris S. Boyce took his final flight on Saturday evening, Dec. 17, 2016. Born on March 19, 1923, in Albion, New York, to William and Jesse Boyce, Col. Boyce learned to fly by age 17. BOYCE Shortly after, he joined the ArmyAir Corps and went on to fly combat in World War II, Korea and Vietnam with the United States Air Force. After 30 years and retirement, he and his sweet, devoted wife Velma, continued to travel and visit family well into their 80s. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; two sisters; and his wife, Velma. He is survived by one sister, Donna; three children, Wayne, Steve and Pam; six grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Beloved by all their family, he and Velma will long be sorely missed. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Aaron Reed officiating. Burial with full military honors will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. today at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

DOROTHY H. BEGLEY JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Dorothy Holladay Begley, 88, of San Mateo subdivision in Jacksonville, passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016, at the home of her daughter. She was the youngest child BEGLEY and daughter of William Henry Holladay and Marion Janet Tobias of Manning. She was a member of the former Inner City Ministries and Calvary Temple Church. She was a loving housewife and trained as a professional secretary with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where she met her husband, Robert Edward Begley Sr., and married him on Nov. 15, 1948, in Washington, D.C. She worked as the secretary at San Mateo Elementary School in Jacksonville, where she retired. Survivors include a daugh-

ter, Shirley Selsor (Harry); a son, Robert Begley Jr. (Lori); a grandson, Shawn Begley; a granddaughter, Lindsey Merritt (William); and a greatgrandson, Emerson Merritt. She was preceded in death by eight siblings — five brothers and three sisters. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at Union United Methodist Church at Wilson with the Rev. Katherine Haselden officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service from noon to 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257. Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org

WARREN J. LESANE SR. Funeral services for Ruling Elder Warren J. Lesane Sr. will be held on Friday at Goodwill Presbyterian Church USA, 295 N. Brick Church Road, Mayesville, with the Rev. Richard Dozier officiating. Interment will follow in the LESANE church cemetery. Public viewing will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today with Masonic Rites service beginning at 7 p.m. at Palmer Memorial Chapel, 304 S. Main St., Sumter. Mr. Lesane will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. on Friday for viewing until the hour of service. Mr. Lesane Sr. was a lifelong member of Goodwill Presbyterian Church, USA, Mayesville. He was the third child in the second marriage of Johnson and Alice Williams Lesane. Warren was affectionately known as “Pack” by relatives and close friends. He transitioned on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2016. He was employed by several companies, which included BL Montague, Campbell Soup Co., Georgia Pacific, Morris College security and Security Management. In addition, he was a lifelong farmer. As a ruling elder, he served the church in the following capacities: president of the men’s council, treasurer of the building fund committee, male chorus member, adult Sunday school teacher, assistant Sunday school superintendent, and member of the adult choir. Mr. Lesane Sr. was a member of Golden Gate

SPORTS

THE THE SUMTER SUMTER ITEM ITEM

ultimate competitor but with great ball skills,” Elliott said. “Sammy was the freakish athlete and Martavis, I’d never seen a 6-5 athlete run as fast as he is. And you look at Mike, Mike can do a little bit of everything that all those guys have.” This season, Williams has 84 catches for 1,171 yards and 10 touchdowns, an average of 13.9 yards per catch on a team loaded with other receiving talent. His first game back, against Auburn, Williams caught nine passes for 174 yards, one of five 100-yard receiving game for him this season. Against Pittsburgh, he had 15 catches for 202 yards. Not bad for his secondfavorite sport. He likes basketball better. He played four years in high school, winning a slam dunk contest as a junior, but recruiters wanted him for football. It worked out. “It’s no surprise for us,” quarterback Deshaun Watson said. “We know that’s Mike Williams. We knew that if he would have went out the full year last year and stayed healthy, he was going to be the first receiver off the board. But he had that adversity and came back and he’s doing the same thing that he was going to do last year. I feel like he’s the best one in the country.”

Lodge 78 Masonic Order, Eastern Community Center, and the Sumter County Black Farmers Coop. He was married to the late Inez Davis Lesane for 50 years. She preceded him in death in 2003. He leaves to cherish his precious memories: six children, Della L. (Steven) Hammond of Charlotte, North Carolina, Gearlene L. Washington of Raleigh, North Carolina, the Rev. Dr. Byron R. (Ivyl) Lesane of Daytona Beach, Florida, Janice L. Katambwa of Belleville, Illinois, Warren Lesane Jr. of Richmond, Virginia, and Warrenell L. (Linwood) Spindle of Richmond; and a host of other relatives and friends. Condolences may be made on his tribute page found at www.PalmerMemorialChapel. com. Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc. is in charge of the services.

CURTIS MCKENZIE MANNING — Curtis McKenzie died on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at Howard Chapel AME Church, 6338 Old Manning Road, New Zion, with the Rev. Robert E. Galloway, pastor. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery. The family is receiving friends at the home of his sister, Mary McKenzie, 1953 Black River Road, Gable. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

WILLIE J. JOHNSON Willie J. Johnson, 69, husband of Wilhelmenia Olden Johnson, departed his life on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, at the Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia. Born on Jan. 21, 1947, in Sumter County, he was a son of Rosa Lee Singleton of Brooklyn, New York, and was raised by the late Prince and Norma Climes Johnson. He attended the public schools of Sumter County and was a graduate of Ebenezer High School Class of 1966. He enlisted in the United States Army on Oct. 8, 1966, where he served his country in the Vietnam War and in the National Guard for 12 years. He also worked in civil service at

CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Blossomgame leads Clemson to 87-73 win BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press CLEMSON — Jaron Blossomgame scored 20 points and Clemson won its eighth straight game with an 87-73 victory over UNC Wilmington on Wednesday night. The Tigers’ win streak matched the longest since 2010-11, coach Brad Brownell’s first season BROWNELL with the program. That was also the last time Clemson (10-2) reached double-figure victories before the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play — and was the only time Brownell led the program to the NCAA Tournament. Avry Holmes had 13 points and Texas A&M transfer Elijah Thomas 12 points in his third game with the Tigers. Sidy Djitte added 11 points and eight rebounds. It was the fourth time this season Blossomgame finished

Shaw Air Force Base for many years and was self-employed as a plumber. He leaves to cherish his memories: his wife, Wilhelmenia Olden Johnson; two daughters, Wilma (Charles) Boone of Columbia and Wanda Johnson of Wedgefield; two sons, James Bernard Johnson and Willie Olden Johnson, both of Wedgefield; three brothers, Richard (Ruth) Brown of Sumter, William (Eliza) Singleton of Vineard, New Jersey, and Alvia Singleton of Brooklyn; five grandsons; two great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at John Wesley Williams Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter, with Minister Jake Sanders officiating, eulogist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 535 Duffie Drive, Wedgefield. The procession will leave from the home at 2 p.m. Burial will be held at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery, Columbia. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www. williamsfuneralhomeinc.com. Services directed by the staff and management of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter.

ANNIE MAE M. WACTOR Annie Mae Mathis Wactor, 90, widow of Willie Wactor Sr., was called home on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, at Sumter Health and Rehab Center. Born on May 10, 1926, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Hollie Mathis and Rosa Jenkins Mathis Brailsford. At an early age, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior and joined Mt. Olive AME Church, where she served diligently as president of Stewardess Board 1, Burrows unit chairperson of the Women’s Missionary Society, president of the jubilee choir, member of the senior choir, ACE Fellowship advisor, advisor of the Young People’s Department, member of the Sunday school,

with 20 or more points. Denzel Ingram had 20 points to lead UNC Wilmington (11-2). C.J. Bryce finished with 18 points in the Seahawks only regular-season game against a Power Five opponent. UNCW struggled to find its shot early on. The Seahawks were under 30-percent shooting the first 20 minutes and made just three of the 17 3-pointers they tried in the period. Leading scorer Chris Flemmings finished the half with two points, making just one of his four attempts. Flemmings ended with seven points, 10 fewer than his average, and was 0-of-7 on 3-pointers.

UP NEXT UNC Wilmington opens Colonial Athletic Association play when it travels to Towson on Saturday. Clemson also starts league play on the road, opening the Atlantic Coast Conference season at Wake Forest on Saturday.

Usher Board and other auxiliaries, until her health failed. She was a longtime member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, where she served as treasurer of Grand Session and Leader of Tribe of Judah Lodge 11. She leaves to cherish her memories: one daughter, Rosa (Minister Lester) Ragin of Sumter; five sons, Minister Willie Jr. (Paulette) and Isaac (Socorro) Wactor of Wichita, Kansas, James (Lakita) and John Wactor of Sumter and Charles Wactor of Dalzell; three sisters, Annette Gary of Camden, Leenora Jenkins of Bronx, New York, and Evangelist Dorothy (Elder Percell) Moore of Lugoff; seven sisters-in-law; one brother-inlaw; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two special friends, Maebelle Johnson and Berta McCoy of Sumter; a host of special nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Homegoing celebration will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Mt. Olive AME Church, 2738 Woodrow Road, Woodrow, with the Rev. Dr. Friendly J. Gadson, pastor, eulogist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home of her daughter and son-inlaw, Minister Lester and Rosa Ragin, 2890 Drake St., Brewington Estate, Sumter. The remains will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. The procession will leave at 10:20 a.m. from the home. Floral bearers will be nieces. Pallbearers will be nephews. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Memorial Garden, Pear Street, Woodrow. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr.com. Visit us on the web at www.williamsfuneralhomeinc.com.

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COMICS

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Baby’s birth stirs interest in absentee father’s family DEAR ABBY: My twin sister and I were raised by a single mom. Because Mom received welfare benefits, Dear Abby she was reABIGAIL quired to list VAN BUREN “potential” fathers in order to receive aid. After a time, the state required paternity tests be given to the men she had listed, so we had no idea who our biological father was until we were 16. Although paternity was proven, he never attempted to contact us. I recently learned that he died several years ago at a relatively young age (mid-

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

50s). I also discovered that he had at least two other children, one of whom I was able to locate on Facebook. I don’t want to cause any undue distress by reaching out to them. However, I’m curious about any historical information they could provide, particularly medical or hereditary issues I should know about. All of a sudden I have this overwhelming need for information, especially now that I have a child. Should I try and contact my half-siblings, or let it go and hope there’s nothing there to find out? I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I feel I just have to know. Needs to know DEAR NEEDS TO KNOW: The revelation that you and your sister exist may come as a

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

shock to your half-siblings, so be prepared. Ideally, the way to go about asking for the information you’re seeking would be through an intermediary such as a lawyer. However, if you can’t afford one, then write a letter explaining who you are and that you are a parent and would like any information that can be provided about any genetic illnesses that run in your father’s side of the family, including his cause of death. While you’re at it, be sure to mention that you are not trying to intrude — only to find information that may be pertinent to you, your twin sister and your child. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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

By Roland Huget

ACROSS 1 Little bit of progress 5 Mike supports 10 Capitol cap 14 Zeno’s home 15 Greatgrandfather of Noah 16 Struck (out) 17 Producer of lavish revues 20 Catch some rays 21 Chop __ 22 More than enough 23 Pollutant concentration meas. 24 Splint site 25 Where everything turns out all right 33 Part of Great Britain 34 Jersey, for one 35 “The Purloined Letter” writer 36 British tennis star Murray 37 Internet greeting 38 Lawyer’s job 39 Ham may be seen on it 40 “What I dream of is __ of balance ... “: Matisse 41 Track divisions

12/29/16 42 New Orleans spectacle 45 Spring bloom 46 Recede 47 International economic bloc 50 Sheltered at sea 52 Epitome of slipperiness 55 Privileged information demonstrated by this puzzle’s circles 58 Advance 59 Start of a kid’s rhyme 60 Boil over 61 Irish Rose’s guy 62 Bring up 63 Out of control

38 Certain dieter’s 13 Drain swirl concern 18 Best 40 Made public Championship Performance and 41 Shop tag 43 Godlike Best Team 44 Hall of Famer 19 Sparkle Reese 23 Carnivore’s target 47 Coolidge Dam’s 24 Goes around river 25 Buzzing cloud 48 Highbrow, 26 Self-named perhaps 2002 country 49 Morales of album “NYPD Blue” 27 From an earlier 50 Years in Rome time 51 “Family Guy” 28 Statuettes that mom were made of 52 Dutch export painted plaster 53 French Toaster during WWII Sticks brand 29 1939 Leigh role 54 One of 30 Bucky Beaver’s 33-Across’ toothpaste national emblems 31 Edged (out) DOWN 32 Former goslings 56 Mauna __ 1 Like a magician’s 57 Starter’s stat 37 Mastermind hands Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved 2 “__ and Louis”: 1956 jazz album 3 Element #10 4 Smelly sealant 5 Render senseless 6 Number after dix 7 Seeping slowly 8 Old Sprint rival 9 One often seen with a crook 10 Stand up for 11 Ground-breaking team, at times 12 Lunch order ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 12/29/16

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Lost & Found REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN: female pom/spitz, blonde/brown, curled tail, under 25 lbs. Lost on Snowden St, Christmas Eve, rabies tag # 134085 Coats Veterinary Hospital. If found call 252-450-9061.

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

Unfurnished Homes

Land & Lots for Sale

Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves. Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311. Open 7 Days a week 9am-8pm

3BR/1.5BA C/H/A $650m+$650 dep. Call 803-563-7202 or 803-757-0083

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

Nice 2 BR 1 BA home. Safe area. $480 mo. + sec dep. No pets. Sec. 8 OK. Close to Shaw. Call 803-968-5329.

TRANSPORTATION

PETS & EMPLOYMENT ANIMALS Schools / Instructional

In Memory

Dogs Jack Russell puppies, UKC reg., championship bloodlines, shots & wormed, $250 ea. Call 803-464-0214 Days 803-494-3473 nights

â&#x20AC;¢ Tax Preparer â&#x20AC;¢ Training provided Jan 2nd. Day and evening classes available. â&#x20AC;¢Customer Serviceâ&#x20AC;¢ Free week long tax preparation class with customer service focus. Learn computerized tax preparation in day or evening classes starting Jan 2nd. Apply for seasonal opportunities. 803-418-0123

MERCHANDISE

In Memory of Bascom James 9/26/27-12/29/06 Though it's been 10 years now, the memories are still strong. For as long as there is memory, you will live in our hearts. Your Family and Sarah

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

Open every weekend. Call 803-494-5500 Large Family Yard sale 1385 Pinewood Rd Sat 7-11 clothes, toys, baby items

For Sale or Trade

BUSINESS SERVICES Home Improvements

FIREWOOD Seasoned/Green $75 Delivered. Notch Above Tree Service. 983-9721

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

Beer & Wine License

Autos For Sale 1931 Chevy 5 window Coupe, running but not completed, $10,000. 803-491-8049 or 803-607-8442 Rusty Riles

Miscellaneous

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

RENTALS

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales Will buy furniture by piece or bulk, tools, trailers, lawn mowers, 4 wheelers, or almost anything of value. Call 803-983-5364

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.

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

H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904 All out Home Improvements We beat everybody's price Licensed & Bonded 803-316-8969

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

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

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

LEGAL NOTICES Debt Notice DEBT NOTICE I will not be responsible for any debts incurred by anyone other than myself. NAME: Debra Holliday ADDRESS: 1026 Guernsey Drive, Summerton, SC 29148

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