April 24, 2014

SHS baseball a win away Sumter aims to earn conference title B1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

75 CENTS

Next step in penny tax renewal process begins Steering committee finishes work narrowing projects

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 One phase of Sumter County’s penny tax process has reached its conclusion, and at the same time, its next round has begun.

After meeting for weeks to narrow down the county’s selection of proBRISTOW MARCHANT / THE SUMTER ITEM posed projects that would be funded Members of the penny tax steering committee meet for the final time by a renewed penny tax, the 20-peron Wednesday, after more than a month of meetings to narrow down son steering committee met for the a list of potential projects. The committee’s recommendations will now final time Wednesday before handbe forwarded to the next body considering a new penny sales tax. ing its list of projects over to the

smaller, final commission for consideration.

No list of projects was made public after the meeting.

While the recommendations of the larger steering committee — drawn from representatives of different communities and interest groups across the county — will form the basis of discussions by the next group in the process, the six-member commission is the body tasked by state law with actually formulating

INSIDE Penny sales tax committee officially established. A3 HUD funding cuts mean $50K reduction to groups, programs. A3

SEE NEXT STEP, PAGE A5

Educator at CCTC is Professor of the Year College wins award for 2nd year in a row

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS revans@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 COLUMBIA — When one of his students was in need of a multiple-organ transplant, Christopher Hall, academic program manager and instructor for the criminal justice technology program at Central Carolina Technical College, organized a fundraiser with his students.

During the 10 years he has been with Central Carolina, Hall has helped grow his program to more than 160 students, and the program boasts annual placeINSIDE ment rates close to 90 percent.

TSA’s Heather This, among other Gore is named educational and comLower School munity efforts, is why Teacher of the Hall’s colleagues Year named him professor A2 of the year at the college and why Gov. Nikki Haley announced that he is one of the 2014 South Carolina Governor’s Professors of the Year.

Haley and Richard Sutton, executive director of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, made the announcement Wednesday morning during a brief ceremony at the Statehouse in Columbia.

Haley recognized one winner from the public and independent senior colleges and universities and one winner from the two-year public and independent

SEE HALL, PAGE A5

PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Christopher Hall, right, Central Carolina Technical College’s program manager and instructor of the criminal justice technology program, is named Wednesday as the 2014 South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year for two-year public and independent colleges by Gov. Nikki Haley during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Columbia.

State’s unemployed can seek benefits via their smartphones

BY SEANNA ADCOX Associated Press Writer COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s unemployment agency unveiled Wednesday a free app that allows jobless residents to seek weekly benefits through their iPhones.

The Department of Employment and Workforce calls

it the nation’s first such app for smartphones. The U.S. Department of Labor did not immediately respond to voice and email messages.

State agency spokeswoman Adrienne Fairwell said the mobile application offers a convenience while also helping the agency reduce fraud.

According to an agency sur-

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VISIT US ONLINE AT

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vey, 70 percent of jobless South Carolinians receiving benefits access the Internet via a smartphone at least once daily.

The app is an extension of the agency’s move toward automation. People still must fill out initial applications for benefits either online or by phone. In-person help with

Isam Sanders Patrick L. Mills Willie J. Harrison Bernice Brunson

Talmage W. Mitchell Jr. David Hickmon Harry Lee Barfield Millie D. Alston

unemployment claims ended last June.

The app, called S.C. Weekly iClaim, became available for Apple devices on Wednesday.

The agency hopes to have it available for Android devices by late this year, she said.

According to the agency, it helps reduce fraud through a locator function and by the

questions it asks as part of the filing process. The app detects where someone is located when the filer touches the final “yes” for a weekly payment. By law, the jobless qualify for the benefit only if they were available to work in South Carolina that week,

SEE BENEFITS, PAGE A5

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INSIDE

ANOTHER LOVELY DAY

2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES VOL. 119, NO. 162

Sunny and delightful today with partly cloudy skies tonight HIGH 77, LOW 58

Classifieds B7 Comics B6 Religion A6

Lotteries A10 Opinion A9 Television A8

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Potential child abuse case being investigated MANNING — The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a potential child abuse case after a 2-year-old child taken to the emergency room at Clarendon Memorial Hospital on Tuesday was found to be suffering from multiple injuries.

According to investigators, a nurse at the Manning hospital contacted law enforcement after she noticed the injuries to the little girl. Upon further examination, hospital officials told authorities the child had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, was bleeding internally, had multiple bruises and scratch marks on her chest and a human bite mark on her left side. The child was airlifted to Palmetto Health Richland for treatment.

Her health status was unavailable as of Wednesday.

According to reports, emergency room caregivers were told the child had suffered a seizure, despite the child not having a history of seizure activity.

In addition to local law enforcement, the Department of Social Services was contacted and responded to the emergency room.

Have a howling good time Woofstock music festival happens next month

WOOFSTOCK 2014: A MUSIC FESTIVAL GOING TO THE DOGS

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250

WHERE: The Elaine D. Korn Memorial Center, 1100 S. Guignard Drive WHEN: Starts at noon on May 3 TICKETS: $5; children 12 and under free PHONE: (803) 773-9292

It’s nearly time for one of the Sumter SPCA’s biggest and most musical fundraisers.

Woofstock 2014: A Music Festival Going to the Dogs starts at noon May 3 at the Elaine D. Korn Memorial Center, 1100 S. Guignard Drive.

“It’s one of our top fundraisers,” said Shannan Dault with the Sumter SPCA. “Every other year, we do an auction, but Mutt Strut and Woofstock

are two annual ones we always do. It’s also a good place to highlight some of the local talent, (and) it’s a lot of fun.”

Tickets are $5, and proceeds go to support the local organization. Children under 12 get in free.

The performance schedule is: • Noon — N & J Acoustic Express; • 1 p.m. — Pack Road Project;

• 2 p.m. — 4 Way Stop; • 3 p.m. — Sanctuary Blues Band; • 4 p.m. — High Ridge Bluegrass Gospel Band; • 5 p.m. — Southeastern Way; and • 6 p.m. — Victoria Elizabeth Cook and Anna Pitts.

The bands donate their time.

“It’s hard to get bands that want to do that, and it’s the only way we can do it and make a profit,” Dault said.

While lawn chairs and picnic blankets are encouraged, patrons are asked not to bring coolers. Vendors will be selling food such as hot dogs and nachos, Dault said, as well as drinks.

And of course, pets are welcomed as long as they are on leashes.

For more information, call (803) 7739292.

The South Carolina Independent School Association recently named Thomas Sumter Academy’s Heather Gore the Lower School Teacher of the Year. SCISA Executive Director Larry Watt acknowledged Gore and presented her with the award and also recognized TSA Headmaster Debbie Nix.

Woman charged with attempted murder A Sumter woman is facing an attempted murder charge after a man was found stabbed Tuesday night.

Shantay M. Hunter, 38, of 1013 Marilyn Ave., was arrested Wednesday after authorities found a man with stab wounds sitting in front of a house on Dibert Street about 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

According to reHUNTER ports, Hunter got into an argument with the 42-year-old male victim earlier that evening. The argument escalated, resulting in the victim reportedly being stabbed with a steak knife.

Authorities found the victim in front of another home on Dibert Street, bleeding from his injuries. He was taken to Tuomey Regional Medical Center where he is listed as being in stable condition.

Shortly after finding the victim, officers then located Hunter sitting in a nearby car. She is currently being held at SumterLee Regional Detention Center awaiting bond.

Microbrew Festival seeks craft beer makers For the first time this year, the Downtown Sumter Microbrew Festival will feature a competition between local home beer brewers. A panel of judges will select the winners of the competition, which will be held in City Centre during the festival May 9.

The entry fee is $10 per beer in addition to a Microbrew Festival ticket. For more information on the competition and/or to register, contact Clay Boothe at ClayB2004@hotmail.com. Festival tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Buy a ticket today or Friday, and get a free festival Tshirt. Call (803) 773-5508 for tickets or more information.

PHOTO PROVIDED

TSA educator is SCISA Lower School Teacher of the Year

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS revans@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 The South Carolina Independent School Association recently named Thomas Sumter Academy’s Heather Gore the Lower School Teacher of the Year. Gore, along with two other educators from independent schools across the state, was recognized during a ceremony Tuesday evening in Orangeburg.

Gore was joined by TSA Headmaster Debbie Nix at the awards ceremony during which SCISA acknowledged three winners and six finalists for their efforts in the classroom. Gore, who has been with Thomas Sumter for nine

years, said receiving the award was a surprise and an honor.

“It was an honor to be nominated by my school, and then I received a letter in March stating that I was a finalist,” Gore said. “I was surprised to find out that I won and would receive the award.”

Like many educators, Gore said she enjoys being a teacher and interacting with her students. She said she enjoys experiencing that moment when her students really understand the material.

“I enjoy teaching because every day is different, and I like seeing my students at that moment when the light bulb comes on and they understand,” Gore said.

The fourth- and fifth-grade teacher said she is blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to teach at Thomas Sumter and to have the support of her family.

SCISA acknowledges South Carolina educators at independent schools throughout the state each year and supports unity among its membership, which is made up of a number of independent and private schools in South Carolina.

This school year’s middle school and upper school teachers of the year were from Hilton Head Preparatory School and Dorchester Academy, respectively.

Wilson Hall’s Heather Eldridge was also one of the finalists recognized by SCISA.

Syrian activists accuse Assad of new gas attacks BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces have attacked rebel-held areas with poisonous chlorine gas in recent weeks and months, leaving men, women and children coughing, choking and gasping for breath, according to Associated Press interviews with more than a dozen activists, medics and residents on the opposition side.

Syria denied the allegations, and they have yet to be confirmed by any foreign country or international organization. But if true, they highlight the limitations of the global effort to rid President Bashar Assad’s government of chemical weapons.

Witnesses near Damascus and in a central rebel-held village told the AP of dozens of cases of choking, fainting

and other afflictions from inhaling fumes that some said were yellowish and smelled like chlorine cleanser. Some of those interviewed said they think the gas was responsible for at least two deaths.

They said the fumes came from hand grenades and helicopter-dropped “barrel bombs,” which are crude containers packed with ex-

plosives and shrapnel.

Activists have posted videos similar, though on a far smaller scale, to those from last August’s chemical weapons attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people and nearly triggered U.S. airstrikes against Syria. The new footage depicts palefaced men, women and children coughing and gasping at field hospitals.

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LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

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Committee to propose penny projects established

BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 The proposed upcoming penny sales tax moved forward again Tuesday, when Sumter County Council officially created the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission that will propose the list of projects to be considered.

Shortly after voting unanimously to establish the committee, council members named their appointments to the six-member board. The three people appointed by Sumter County Council — the Rev. Marion Newton, Bob Smith and L’ara A. McAlister — will work with the two appointees made by Sumter City Council — Will Holmes and Earl Wilson — as well as Mayesville Town Council appointee Nancy Williams to determine the final list of projects to appear on the proposed referendum.

Once that committee comes up with the final

list of projects, county council will then have to vote on the entire package as a whole to determine whether to place the referendum before the voters in November.

“It could stop or start at any of those steps,” said County Administrator Gary Mixon.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Mixon also pointed out the steering committee that has been working on the sales tax proposal for the past few months was expected to present between 24 to 26 projects to the commission for consideration.

Still, none of the projects being considered for the final list have been made public. “We can’t discuss the projects individually,” Mixon said, adding that some of the projects under consideration have sensitive, contractual aspects.

While it grew slightly when compared to the same quarter last year, the current “Penny for Progress” sales tax is still lagging behind projected revenue.

Discussions during Tuesday’s meeting also fo-

cused on preliminary drafts of the county budget, which currently sits about $900,000 short of balance. Council members are expected to hold several budget workshops between now and the June 30 deadline to approve a balanced budget, which currently sits at about $45 million.

In addition, council made a slight adjustment to the voting lines between District 2, represented by Artie Baker, and District 4, represented by Charles Edens.

By shifting a tract of land which had no residents as of the 2010 census, council administrators hope development in this area can eventually add population to the county’s lowest-populated district, which is District 4, instead of adding to the county’s highest-populated district, which is District 2.

Federal guidelines require populations among the county’s seven districts be distributed as evenly as possible. Council approved the first reading of the proposed change unanimously.

HUD funding cuts mean $50K reduction to groups, programs

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 Setting Sumter’s community development budget is always an inexact science.

When the city solicited public input last year, including requests for funding from different community groups, officials didn’t yet know how much money the city’s community development office would receive from its annual block grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The federal government doesn’t release those figures until the spring, so the city estimated the amount it would have to spend based on last year’s numbers.

But when officials received the HUD numbers last month, they found the numbers were down significantly, leaving them with the choice of how to make cuts totaling $56,000 to groups that have already been promised funding.

Sumter City Council spent much of a budget meeting Tuesday discussing the reduction to its 2014-15 CDBG budget.

“We gathered public input at the advice of our HUD representatives so we had projects teed up,” said City Manager Deron McCormick.

“There’s always some adjustment, but this year it’s significantly less, so rather than pass a small amendment (to the budget), we wanted to have a policy discussion.”

In November, city council approved a projected CDBG budget of $354,152. The largest section was dedicated to home repairs, demolition and other services to low-tomoderate income housing, totaling $230,200, including $25,000 assigned to United Ministries for its volunteer home-improvement program. An additional $53,122 was allocated for other ser-

vices for low-income residents, and the remaining $70,830 fell under the 20 percent prescribed for administrative purposes.

But when HUD announced its grant allocations in March, the dollar amount fell to $298,862, requiring cuts across the board to the city’s funding.

Under the new draft budget that came out of Tuesday’s meeting, United Ministries will still receive $25,000 for its home program, but other housing services have been cut by $169,261. The administrative portion is down to $59,772.

Most affected may be the programs set up to serve

lower-income clientele, which are already limited to 15 percent of the total grant. The city’s youth employment program, which helps pay the costs of wages for young workers, will lose $7,000, falling from $46,122 to $39,032. Wateree AIDS Task Force fell to $3,000 from $3,500, and YMCA services to low-income youth dropped even more from $3,500 to $2,800.

McCormick said staff tried to maintain funding for all the programs previously approved because they were already deemed worthy programs.

“The nice thing is every one of these is tried and

true,” he said. “The Y is new to this process, but it’s not a new service, so we were able to vet that. We tried to be as flexible as possible.”

One of the most popular is the employment program that allows many young people to find work during the summer months. Community Development Director Clarence Gaines said his office even directs young people he isn’t able to place in a job to other work programs active in the community.

“Nobody’s able to hire all of them, but we do the most with what we have,” Gaines said.

Council members agreed

the program provides a valuable service to young people transitioning into the job market.

“The program really speaks for itself,” said Councilwoman Ione Dwyer.

“Some of these students have been kept on after the program ends.”

Councilman Calvin Hastie asked for community development to set up a “clearinghouse” of information on similar programs, whether they operate under the block grant’s auspices or not.

“There is a lot going on,” he said, “and it’s amazing how many folks don’t know about it.”

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‘The Lost Bird Project’ features local naturalists COLUMBIA — Sculptor Todd McGrain set out to create bronze memorials to birds lost through extinction — the Labrador Duck, the Great Auk, the Heath Hen, the Carolina Parakeet and the Passenger Pigeon. “The Lost Bird Project” film follows the artist as he searches for the last locations of the birds and negotiates permission to place his bronze sculptures at these locations.

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation invites the public to view the film at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at the IToLogy Auditorium at 1301 Gervais St., in Columbia. The event will include a discussion on ways to prevent the disappearance of other wildlife.

After the film, a panel discussion will include: • Josh Arrants, naturalist and natural resources specialist with Wildlife Branch at Fort Jackson and instructor for SCWF’s Palmetto Pro Birder and Midlands Master Naturalist programs; • Clay Bolt, natural history and conservation photographer specializing in macro and close-up photography of Southern Appalachian biodiversity; • Drew Lanham, forest wildlife ecologist and certified Wildlife Biologist at Clemson University, co-host of birding show on Your Day radio program and instructor for SCWF’s Palmetto Pro Birder program; • Rudy Mancke, renowned naturalist, host of the awardwinning television series “NatureScene” on SCETV and adjunct faculty at USC’s School of the Environment; and • Panel moderator Austin Jenkins, naturalist at University of South Carolina Sumter and instructor for SCWF’s Midlands Master Naturalist course and other naturalist training classes.

Tickets are $25 per person and include light hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.scwf.org/index.php/events/ lost-bird.

Kingsbury students volunteer

PHOTO PROVIDED

Kingsbury Elementary School Principal Council members serve people at Emmanuel United Methodist Church’s Soup Kitchen on April 7. The council, which serves as a student advisory to the principal, participates in several community-based service projects annually. This year, they decided to volunteer at the soup kitchen that sees anywhere from 50 to 80 people six days a week.

2 Sumter artists to compete at ArtFields

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com (803) 774-1221

PHOTO PROVIDED

A sculpture by Todd McGrain of an extinct species of bird is seen. The documentary “The Lost Bird Project,” which focuses on McGrain’s efforts, will be shown at 6 p.m. May 31 at the IToLogy Auditorium, 1301 Gervais St., Columbia. The event is part of a fundraiser for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.

THE SUMTER ITEM

The second annual ArtFields event will offer “a celebration of all things creative” for 10 days starting Friday.

Included in the Lake City festival is the largest art competition in the Southeast.

Two Sumter artists, Victoria Hodge and John Cotner, were juried into ArtFields this year. Their work will likely be viewed by thousands of people, as the festival was visited by more than 20,000 in 2013. Prizes in the competition range from $12,500 to $50,000 for the top award.

Hodge’s screen print, “Build Up/Boil Over,” will be exhibited at Seven Boutique.

Cotner’s “Global Energy” is a 2-D work in acrylic, charcoal and ink on paper-mounted canvas; it can be seen at Beach Cruisers.

This year’s event should be even larger, with more than 400 pieces of art from artists in 12 Southeastern states, art

workshops, public art, a portrait contest, food events, concerts and more. Most of the activities are free, with ticketed events starting at $15.

Other art events include an opportunity to create a mandala with artist Kirkland Smith, a 2013 Winners’ Gallery, a portrait photography exhibit, two plein air workshops at Lake City’s Imperial Tobacco Building and Moore Farms Botanical Gardens, a “Before I Die” wall on which people can share their dreams, a high-speed portrait competition, chalk art, taping of ETV South Carolina’s “Making It Grow,” Farmers and Artisans Market, live music, gourmet food events and more.

Included in the 10-day event is the Fields to Fork Dinner, celebrating Lake City’s agricultural roots with a threecourse dinner featuring food from local farms. The May 1 event will also feature entertainment from Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues. The cost is $125.

ArtFields After-Dark ’Arty will entertain partygoers with a laser light show, glow-in-thedark wearables and techno tunes from DJ B Mack at the historic Bean Market. Admission to the May 2 event is $15 in advance/$20 at the door and is for ages 21 and over.

New to the 2014 festival are a free shuttle service around downtown, where art is exhibited in businesses and other venues; exclusive events for competition artists; signs around town to help visitors find venues; an information booth on the corner of Church and East Main streets; and a user-friendly voting system with a text-tovote option for the Art Competition.

The full calendar and ticketing information can be viewed at: http://www.artfieldssc.org/attendees/events.

To learn more about Lake City, visit: www.artfieldssc. org/about/lake-city.

For more information on art activities, email artteam@ artfieldssc.org.

LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

NEXT STEP FROM PAGE A1 the list that will go to voters in November.

“This group I would characterize as ad hoc. It isn’t addressed anywhere in the law,” county attorney Johnathan Bryan said of the steering committee. “This is part of the effort of the city and county councils to get ideas for projects and boil them down to save the commission some effort.”

Bryan said the committee singled out 28 projects to advance to the next round, about four of which might require the county to acquire property from private landowners. The need

for secrecy in acquiring the land is the reason cited for not revealing the project proposals, and any property the county can’t acquire at a reasonable price will likely fall off the list.

Bryan said some of those projects could be repurposed on existing county property.

Other penny tax potentials include transportation projects such as road work and streetscaping, and recreational projects, including work on existing recreational facilities.

While the steering committee has finished its work, the new commission still has some fine tuning to do before the list takes its final shape and the group is empowered to discard the committee’s recommended

projects and add its own.

“There’s still work to be done,” Bryan said. “The cost of some projects still needs to be worked out.”

At the conclusion of Wednesday’s meeting, officials thanked committee members for helping move the process forward. The group held weekly morning meetings for more than a month to narrow dozens of proposals down to the final list.

“If this is passed, it will have a lasting impact for generations, and you can say you played a part in it,” said County Administrator Gary Mixon.

“This group was a good cross-section of the community,” Bryan said.

“They had some candid conversa-

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tions and evaluated each project on its merits. A lot of good ideas crossed the table, and everybody took advantage of their chance to speak.”

Chamber of Commerce President Grier Blackwelder invited committee members to take part in the fall campaign the chamber plans to launch promoting the penny tax in the referendum. Public bodies will be prohibited from promoting the tax during the campaign.

No timetable for the commission to meet and pass their version of the list has been set. The list must be approved by commissioners and Sumter County Council by Aug. 15 in order to get on the ballot for November’s elections.

BENEFITS FROM PAGE A1 so if filers are located outside the state, their submissions will be flagged as possibly unable to work here.

A fact-finding review will determine whether the person fraudulently sought benefits or, for example, went on a quick weekend trip but was still available during the week, Fairwell said.

Questions asking whether someone worked that week and, if so, the amount received should reduce overpayments, she said. People can earn up to a quarter of their former paycheck and still receive unemployment assistance, though such work would reduce that week’s benefit.

“We found through our research that people aren’t necessarily committing fraud knowingly,” but they may not think of money received for an odd job as a paycheck, Fairwell said.

Those who install the app will receive reminders about their claims as well as push notifications about local job fairs and other hiring events.

Radha Consulting, of Portland, Ore., was awarded a $100,000 contract to develop it.

LOCAL BRIEF FROM STAFF REPORTS

Cleanup in Manning set for Saturday Want to help spruce up Manning?

City Councilman Clayton Pack is asking areas residents to participate in a clean up at 8 a.m. Saturday. Volunteers are asked to meet at Bellwood Park at Spamm Drive and Lawson Street.

Pack said it should be fun.

“We already have some kids coming in,” Pack said Monday.

“We have some ROTC kids and members of the band.”

He said while this cleanup will be in the district he represents, District 1, he hopes this will be the first of many events.

“We want eventually to do all the neighborhoods,” he said.

For more information, call Pack at (803) 435-2866.

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Christopher Hall, the 2014 South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year for two-year public and independent colleges, speaks after being named Wednesday. “This award signifies what educators every day should try to do — to make a difference in the lives of the young people we come into contact with,” he told the crowd at the Statehouse in Columbia.

HALL FROM PAGE A1 colleges in the state.

“When we all go back and think about our college careers, you always think of that professor where you just got it. You understood, not just that they want to teach you, but to try to help you see what the real world is going to be like,” Haley said. “And that’s what this is about. We have so many great schools across the state, but our professors are stellar because they get the fact that South Carolina is changing by the day. It is not the South Carolina that was a little archaic. It is the new South Carolina. These professors are changing with the times.”

Hall, who also serves as a reserve deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, said receiving the recognition for his work in the classroom is one of the greatest achievements of his life.

“I receive this award with deep gratitude and great humility. This award signifies what educators every day should try to do — to make a difference in the lives of the young people we come into contact with,” Hall said during his brief remarks. “In life, we’re often told to choose a career, but sometimes the work chooses us. And that’s how education was for me. I never planned to be an educator, but I was called to do it. I have an insatiable passion for learning that’s only outweighed by my desire to share that knowledge.”

Hall said he credits his mother for teaching him to be passionate about everything he does in his life and thanked his father for encouraging him to do his very best every time.

This is the second year in a row that a Central Carolina faculty member has received the award. Last year, Joshua Castleberry was recognized for his work in and out of the classroom.

President Tim Hardee said it’s an

honor to be recognized by the governor for the work of the faculty at the school.

“We’re excited and pleased about this recognition. Chris is a role model and a great example for our students,” Hardee said.

Hall is also the sergeant in the Provost Marshal’s Detachment of the South Carolina State Guard. Hall serves his students in and out of the classroom through academic advising, counseling and student activities.

The Governor’s Professor of the Year Award started in 1988, and 45 faculty members across the state have received the award since then. According to Sutton, 30 candidates were nominated from 30 institutions. A selection committee reviews the candidates’ information before selecting nine finalists who were also acknowledged and given certificates during Wednesday’s ceremony. USC Sumter’s Dan Kiernan, biology instructor, was also one of the finalists awarded.

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RELIGION

Pastor’s handling of family is crucial, too

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of rebellion in religious circles t the risk of telling too perhaps because their behavior many stories about my is closely scrutinized. Any son in this column, his other kid punches a baby, and recent actions provided it’s a part of his or her developme with excellent material for ment. (That was a bit of sara topic I’ve wanted to write casm. I don’t advocate small about for some time. children be taught to punch inWe were participating in fants.) group playtime with several Of course not all ministers’ other small children when he kids will grow up to be faith dydeftly moved across the room namos. It’s the job of to deliver an unprothe parent to raise chilvoked punch in the dren “in the way they head to a 9-month-old should go” (Prov. 22:6) before absconding with and hope they make the her toy. Horrified, I best decisions. Adult apologized profusely to children are not always the mother who graa reflection of their upciously brushed the inbringing. In this case, cident off. Her child was more shocked than Faith Matters I’m speaking specifically of those pastors who hurt; no harm done.

JAMIE H. are still in the process She then playfully reit- WILSON of raising children. erated a phrase we all I cringed when I rehave heard, “Well you know what they say about min- cently read where a pastor dismissed his teenage daughter’s isters’ kids …” substance-abuse issues. The My mind fluttered to the dozdaughter proudly bragged of ens of examples of ministers’ partying and protested the kids I had encountered: At one standards placed on her by othend of the spectrum, some carers. We are just a normal famiried the faith legacy of their ly with normal issues, the pasparents while others made detor defended. termined decisions to deviate As normal as he may claim to from their upbringing. Where be, it still doesn’t give him the would our children fall on the right to shirk his responsibility scale? I thought. to intervene in his daughter’s Kids of ministers are often life. As parents, we cannot afthought to embody the essence

ford to be dismissive of such reckless behavior lest we become enablers of the very actions we claim to abhor. Pastors should be intolerant of sin but patient with the sinner.

This might sound hypocritical coming from the parent of a haphazard pugilist, but I firmly believe that how a pastor handles his or her personal life — including families — is a direct reflection on the pastor’s effectiveness as the shepherd of a group of believers. Scripture backs up this point. “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” (I Timothy 3:5, NIV).

Those who hold a position of authority in the church must strive for peace in their homes if they are to expect it in their congregation. Why? Because the skill set held by good parents translates perfectly to leading a church family. At some point, a member of the church will throw a proverbial punch or two. The pastor needs to know how to lovingly correct and encourage that member in the same way he or she would a member of his or her own family.

Email Jamie H. Wilson at faithmatterssumter@gmail.com.

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RELIGION BRIEFS FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS

High court to hear faith-healing case NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by a woman who tried to heal her teenage daughter’s cancer through prayer.

Jacqueline Crank was convicted of misdemeanor child neglect in 2012 and was given a sentence of just under a year, suspended to unsupervised probation.

The conviction came 10 years after the death of her then-15-year-old daughter from Ewing’s Sarcoma. According to court records, the cancer caused a grapefruit-sized tumor on the girl’s shoulder that appeared to give her severe pain.

Crank has argued in court that a Tennessee law protecting some faith healers but not others is unconstitutional.

School sued over ‘under God’ in pledge FREEHOLD, N.J. — A family is suing a New Jersey school district, contending that the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance discriminates against atheist children.

The lawsuit against the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District was filed in state court last month and announced Monday by the American Humanist Association. The group said the phrase, added in 1954, “marginalizes atheist and humanist kids as something less than ideal patriots.”

The anonymous plaintiffs said the two words “under God” violate the New Jersey constitution.

But school district lawyer David Rubin said the district is merely following a state law that requires schools to have a daily recitation of the pledge. He said individual students do not have to participate.

RELIGION

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

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Pinewood will host 3rd Gospel-Fest

Ruth Graham, daughter of the Rev. Billy Graham, addresses the crowd gathered during a previous Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. The well-known speaker and Bible teacher was the keynote speaker for the event.

BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com (803) 774-1295

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Get your Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast tickets

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 There are only two weeks to go until one of the largest prayer gatherings in Sumter.

The annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast will be held May 1 at Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St. Breakfast will be served starting at 6:30 a.m., and the program is set to begin at 7:30 a.m.

“The program normally lasts right at an hour,” said Chris Moore, chairman of the Mayor’s BEVEL Prayer Breakfast committee. “We are very mindful of those that have to get to work.”

Conducted in conjunction with National Day of Prayer, the annual event usually draws between 300 and 400 people and speakers from CNN news anchors and retired NBA players to the daughters of Billy Graham.

The theme for the National Day of Prayer this year is “One Voice United

Generation” and is in Prayer,” and an WANT TO GO? based on Colossians observance will be 2: 2-4, he said. held at the courtIt states: “I want house steps on Main WHAT: Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast them to be encourStreet at noon May 1. aged and knit togethThis event is free.

WHEN: Starts at 6:30 a.m. May 1 er by strong ties of Tickets for the WHERE: Sumter County Civic love. I want them to Mayor’s Prayer Center, 700 W. Liberty St. have complete confiBreakfast are still COST: $10 now, and tickets may be dence that they unavailable at The purchased at The Olive Tree derstand God’s mysOlive Tree Christian Christian Bookstore, 600 Bultman terious plan, which is Bookstore, 600 BultDrive, or the Swan Lake Visitors Christ himself. In man Drive, or the Center, 822 W. Liberty St. him lie hidden all the Swan Lake Visitors FOR MORE: sumterprays.com or treasures of wisdom Center, 822 W. Libercontact Chris Moore at and knowledge. I am ty St. Right now, pastorchrismoore@gmail.com or telling you this so no they are $10 but will (803) 774-8665. one will deceive you go up to $12 the day with well-crafted arof the event. guments.”

This is the first The speaker is Ken Bevel, a retired year the event will be held outside of Marine captain now serving as an asa church. sociate pastor of assimilation and “I pray that God uses this event events at Sherwood Baptist Church and this location as a ‘spark’ for our in Albany, Ga. He’s also an actor in community,” Moore said. “It doesn’t “Fireproof” and “Courageous.” matter what church you attend; For more information, visit sumwe’re all a part of the body. It is a terprays.com or contact Chris Moore time of encouragement and rallying at pastorchrismoore@gmail.com or our community to prayer.”

The theme is “Praying for the Next (803) 774-8665.

Pinewood will host its third-annual Gospel-Fest on Saturday that will include 15 gospel groups and soloists to support the town’s church youth groups.

The event, which will be held at Manchester Football Stadium in Pinewood from 1 to 7 p.m., began three years ago with supporting the community’s youth organizations as its No. 1 priority. Gary Graham of “Proud of Pinewood” said the festival was the first event the organization presented to Pinewood in an attempt to get activities going within the community.

“Day one has truly been about the youth groups,” Graham said.

These youth groups will set up food vendors that will serve hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue chicken, fried fish, funnel cakes, assorted beverages and more, as well as host a “silent cake auction” in the afternoon. All proceeds from vendors’ sales will go directly to the youth groups to support their projects.

Graham said extra vending space is available to anyone interested, but only the youth groups will be allowed to serve food. The event will also feature fun family activities, including face painting and various contests with prizes.

As of Tuesday, the following groups and soloists were scheduled to perform: Between the Creeks Blue Grass Gospel Band, Marie Sweeney, The Heavenly Stars, Jackie Howard, Justified, Believers Quartet, New Direction, The New Boyz, Will Hobgood, Corinth Singers, the Rev. James McElveen & Promiseland, Kingdom Builders Singers, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Gospel Choir, Caroline Mack Performing Arts Group, St. John’s of Pinewood Baptist Male Choir, St. James Methodist Church of Pinewood Gospel Choir, Sons of Faith and Gentlemen of Praise.

Anyone interested in participating should contact Graham at (803) 686-0077 or Tom Moore at (803) 4644662 for more information.

There is no cover charge for those who attend the event.

CHURCH NEWS Andrews Chapel United Methodist Church, H.T. Everett Road, Pinewood, announces:

at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person or $18 per couple. Call (803) 499-5190.

* Sunday — Homecoming service at 11 a.m. The Rev. John Hipp will speak. Covered dish lunch will follow worship.

* Saturday, May 31 — A Mission Rally bike ride for all motorcycle enthusiasts will be held. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the church with the run being held from 10 a.m. until noon. Registration is $20 per driver and $10 per rider and includes a pilau dinner, which will be served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. For dinner only, cost is $6.

All proceeds will support mission efforts of the church.

Calvary Baptist Church, 459 Calvary Church Road, Bishopville, announces: * Saturday, May 3 — Mid-Carolina gospel singing at 6 p.m. featuring the Riverside Boys and Cedar Creek Quartet.

Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 1275 Oswego Highway, announces: * Sunday — Family and friends day at 11 a.m. The Rev. Willie Jones will speak.

Chapel AME Church, McLeod Road, Paxville, announces: * Saturday-Sunday — Gospel Jubilees of Sumter anniversary celebration: 6 p.m. Saturday at Chapel AME, doors open at 5 p.m.; and 4 p.m. Sunday at Marvin Hodge Life Enrichment Center, 609 Miller Road, Sumter, doors open at 3 p.m. On the program: Spiritual Caravans; Cedric Bennett and Chosen; Committed; and others.

Church of Christ, 313 Mooneyham Road, announces: * Sunday — Pastor’s anniversary celebration for the Rev. James and Sister Ann Clark at 4 p.m.

The Rev. Leroy Blanding, of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, will speak.

Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, 25 Community St., announces: * Wednesday-Friday, April 30-May 2 — Revival worship at 7 nightly.

Moderator Stanley E. Hayes will speak. * Sunday, May 11 — Mother’s Day / Women’s Day worship at 11 a.m. Minister Earline Smith will speak. All women are asked to wear white attire.

Dalzell United Methodist Church, 3330 Black River Road, Dalzell, announces: * Friday-Saturday — The play “A Night in the Theatre” will be presented at 7 p.m. both days in the fellowship hall. Doors will open

Ebenezer AME Church, 119 E. Sumter St., Mayesville, announces: * Sunday — Family and friends day celebration. Church school begins at 9 a.m. followed by 10:15 a.m. worship and program. The Rev. Phillip L. Washington will speak.

Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 421 S. Main St., announces: * Sunday — Friends and family day. Sunday school will begin at 10 a.m. followed by 11:30 a.m. worship.

Fellowship Baptist Church, 705 W. Huggins St., Manning, announces:

* Sunday, May 4 — Holy communion will be held after the morning worship service.

Historic Mount Zion AME Church, M.W. Rickenbaker Road, Summerton, announces: * Saturday, May 3 — Prayer breakfast at 9 a.m. Pastor Eartha Carter will speak.

Joshua Baptist Church, 5200 Live Oak Road, Dalzell, announces: * Sunday — The praise dance ministry’s anniversary celebration at 4 p.m. * Sunday, May 4 — 38th Annual Homecoming celebration with church school at 9 a.m. followed by 10 a.m. worship.

Knitting Hearts Ministry, meets at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., announces: * Saturday, May 10 — Knitting Hearts Café will meet 10 a.m.noon. Sabrina Fort will speak on “Your Eternal Purpose.” Visit www.knittingheartsministry.org.

LaGree AME Church, 2920 Kolb Road, announces:

* Sunday — Pastor France Washington will speak at 3 p.m.

* Sunday — Sons of Allen will serve breakfast at 9 a.m. followed by church school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. In observation of Youth Sunday, the YPD will conduct the order of service. Anointed Ones will provide music. Women’s day program will be held at 4 p.m. The Rev. Constance Walker, pastor of Orange Hill RUME, will speak.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 182 S. Pike East, announces:

Land Flowing with Milk & Honey Ministry, 1335 Peach Orchard Road, announces:

* Sunday — Ninth pastoral anniversary celebration of Pastor and Deacon Hill at 5 p.m.

* Friday, May 9 — True encounter with God service at 7 p.m. Prophetess Janis Rogers and Prophetess Stephanie Mathis will speak.

* Monday-Wednesday, April 28-30 — Revival at 7:30 nightly. The Rev. Dr. Sam W. Whack will speak.

Fellowship Outreach Ministries, 1981 Florence Highway, announces:

* Sunday, May 4 — The 34th anniversary of the Gospel Melody Aires will be celebrated at 4 p.m.

On the program: Ernest Pearson and Disciples; the Rev. Niles and Gospel Kings; and more.

High Hills Missionary Baptist Church, 6750 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, announces: * Sunday — Women’s day program during 10:15 a.m. worship.

Ordination of deacons will be held at 4 p.m. The Rev. Dr. Sammie Simmons will speak.

* Saturday, May 24 — Leadership Summit KICK (Knowledge Increasing Catapult for the Kingdom) 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Prophetess Rose Summers will speak.

Marvin Hodge Life Enrichment Center, 609 Miller Road, announces: * Sunday — Gospel Jubilees of Sumter anniversary program at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. On the program: Deacon Robert Burgess and the Soul Searchers; New Boys; Justify; and many others.

Mount Carmel Freewill Baptist Church, 209 Reardon St., Manning, announces:

* Friday — Engage ladies Bible study at 7 p.m.

* Saturday — Joy night service featuring various groups, choirs and praise dancers.

St. John Baptist Church, 3944 Brewer Road, Manning, announces:

Mount Olive AME Church, 2738 Woodrow Road, announces: * Friday-Sunday — Women’s Conference as follows: 6 p.m. Friday, the Rev. Debbie Bowens-Davis, Nathaniel and Lakesha Holloway and Minister Carolyn Vaughn will speak; 7 p.m. Saturday, same speakers as Friday evening and Epiphany will provide music; 10:30 a.m. Sunday, the Rev. Gwendolyn McNeil will speak.

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 325 Fulton St., announces: * Sunday — Women’s Day / women’s ministry anniversary worship celebration at 10:45 a.m. The Rev. Dr. Johnnie B. McCray will speak.

* Sunday — The 89th anniversary of the church will be celebrated at 4 p.m. Elder James Robinson will speak.

St. Matthews Missionary Baptist Church, 1126 St. Matthew Lane, Manning, announces: * Sunday — Family and friends day at 2 p.m. The Rev. Dr. W.T. Johnson will speak.

Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, 155 Wall St., announces: * Sunday — Women’s day service at 10 a.m. Sister Jasmyn Graham will speak.

Triumph the Church and Kingdom in Christ, 1285 Pearson Road, Davis Station, announces:

Mulberry Missionary Baptist Church, 1400 Mulberry Church Road, announces:

* Sunday, May 4 — Friends and family day at 2 p.m.

* Sunday — Women’s day service at 10:45 a.m. Evangelist Michell Douglas will speak. Annual spring program will be held at 4 p.m. featuring the Majestic Singers.

Unionville AME Church, 1330 Swimming Pen Road, Mayesville, announces:

New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 3249 U.S. 15 S., announces: * Saturday — Health fair featuring: 8 a.m. walk; glucose stick; blood pressure; cholesterol screenings; items for purchase (fruits, vegetables, other healthy products); and activities for children. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

Orangehill Independent Methodist Church, 3005 S. King Highway, Wedgefield, announces: * Saturday, May 10 — Yard sale, fish fry and car wash at 7 a.m.

* Saturday — Relay for Life Jamboree beginning at 10 a.m. with bowling pen knock down, basketball, golf, horseback riding (with adult supervision), motorcycle parade, etc. Car wash for a small fee. A 2-mile walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. and a 2-mile bike ride will be held at 12:30 p.m. There will be food items and soft drinks available for purchase. The day will conclude with a gospel sing out at 3 p.m. featuring the Singing Cousins, Ketch Hall Ensemble and Sounds of Gospel.

Unity Universal Baptist Church, 409 Boulevard Road, announces:

* Saturday, May 17 — Parade of hats at 3 p.m.

* Sunday, May 4 — Miracle service at 5 p.m. Pastors Larry and Zipporah Farmer will speak.

Paxville Baptist Church, 10260 Lewis Road (S.C. 261), Paxville, announces:

Walker Avenue Church of God, 100 Walker Ave., announces:

* Sunday — Gospel music concert at 6 p.m. featuring The Kingsmen. $10 donation at the door. A love offering will be received.

Providence Baptist Church, 2445 Old Manning Road, announces:

* Sunday, May 4 — Ever Ready Willing Workers’ Club program at 5 p.m. Beulah Priest White will speak. * Sunday, May 18 — Family and friends day celebration at 11 a.m. The Rev. Bobby G. Damon will speak.

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Considerable talents go to waste on ‘Bad Teacher’

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH It’s not fair, or nice, to dismiss a show on sight, but with “Bad Teacher” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-14), we’ll make an exception.

As in the forgettable movie that inspired this tiresome show, gold-digger Meredith David (Ari Graynor) finds herself divorced and penniless and decides to become a teacher in order to meet hot, rich men. This might be audacious, if Meredith had any charm. But she’s brittle, blunt, and worse, predictable.

The considerable talents of David Alan Grier, Sara Gilbert and Kristin Davis are wasted on the one-dimensional characters of a pathetic divorced principal, a fawning geek and a nerdy fussbudget, respectively.

Somewhere around the end of the first episode, Meredith does something vaguely human (she defends some unpopular students from a mean-girl clique) but by then, “Bad Teacher” is well beyond redemption. It’s guilty of the greatest comedy sin of all: it doesn’t cough up one funny moment.

For the record, this appears to be the second sitcom this year (after “Trophy Wife”) to attempt to channel the spirit and image of Cameron Diaz.

“Trophy Wife” does a much better job of creating a somewhat sympathetic Diaz 2.0.

For a glimpse of the real thing, she’s on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) with Leslie Mann, Ronan Farrow and Gary Gulman.

• Premiering tonight, “Black Box” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14) stars Kelly Reilly as Catherine Black, a brilliant, beautiful neuroscientist seen more often in short little black dresses than hospital garb.

Like most characters on ABC melodramas, she’s on top of her game, at the head of her class, supremely overconfident and insanely oversexed.

She confides with her therapist, Helen (Vanessa Redgrave), about her wild mood swings and bipolar disorder, an affliction that gives her a sympathetic window into some of her patients.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Sheldon has every inten-

CBS BROADCASTING INC.

Former trophy wife Meredith Davis (Ari Graynor) poses as a teacher at an upscale elementary school in an attempt to meet rich, single men on “Bad Teacher” premiering at 9:30 p.m. on CBS.

tion of abandoning inhibitions on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14.)

• Much ado about national parks on the hour-long season finale of “Parks & Recreation” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

• Family fare at an Italian restaurant on “Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m. Fox, TV-14).

• A “Saturday Night Live” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) special showcases digital shorts.

• Mycroft has business in New York on “Elementary” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

• Ecbert appears ready for Ragnar’s arrival on “Vikings” (10 p.m., History, TV-14).

• The mayor unveils the city’s official 3-D printer on “Portlandia” (10 p.m., IFC, TVPG).

• “Adult Swim” (midnight, Cartoon Network) serves up a half hour special episode of “Dinner with Friends with Brett Gelman and Friends.”

CULT CHOICE John Wayne and Lauren Bacall star in director William Wellman’s anti-communist adventure “Blood Alley” (6

p.m., TCM), featuring Anita Ekberg as a woman from “Red” China.

SERIES NOTES On two helpings of “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, TV-14), just in case (8 p.m., r), bad tidings (9 p.m.) * Elena needs distracting on “The Vampire Diaries” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) * Tom inspires Nathan’s story idea on “The Millers” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Alan has a business plan on “Two and a Half Men” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Bad news from home on “Reign” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) * Frankie’s girlfriend experiences the family up close on “Surviving Jack” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Ramachandra Guha is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Mel Brooks and Langhorne Slim are on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS,

r) * Mary McCormack guesthosts Ian Somerhalder, Julian McCullough, Kerri KenneySilver and Ian Karmel on “Chelsea Lately” (11 p.m., E!) * George Saunders is on “The Colbert Report” (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central) * Taraji P. Henson and Earth Wind and Fire are booked on “The Arsenio Hall Show” (syndicated, check local listings) * Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Hyland and Ray LaMontagne appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Dr. Phil McGraw, James Van Der Beek, Courtney Barnett and Steven Tyler with Joe Perry on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Julie Bowen, Dave Attell and Cut Copy appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC) * Craig Ferguson hosts Emily Deschanel and Zoe Lister-Jones on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

Copyright 2014, United Feature Syndicate

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

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

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Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Braden Bunch Senior News Editor

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

COMMENTARY

Adolescent president W

ASHINGTON — Recently, Barack Obama — a Demosthenes determined to elevate our politics from coarseness to elegance; a Pericles sent to ameliorate our rhetorical impoverishment — spoke at the University of Michigan. He came to that very friendly venue — in 2012, he received 67 percent of the vote in Ann Arbor’s county — after visiting a local sandwich shop, where a muse must have whispered in the presidential ear. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had recently released his budget, so Obama expressed his disapproval by calling it, for the benefit of his academic audience, a “meanwich” and a “stinkburger.”

Try to imagine Franklin Roosevelt or Dwight Eisenhower or John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan talking like that. It is unimaginable that those grown-ups would resort to japes that fourth-graders would not consider sufficiently clever for use on a playground.

When Theodore Roosevelt was president, one of his good friends — he had been best man at TR’s 1886 wedding — was the British diplomat Cecil Spring Rice. So, when visitors to Washington wanted to learn about TR, they asked Rice about him, and Springie, as TR called him, would say: “You must always remember that the president is about 6.” Today’s president is older than that. But he talks like an arrested-development adolescent.

Anyone who has tried to engage a member of that age cohort in an argument probably recognizes the four basic teenage tropes, which also are the only George arrows in Obama’s overrated Will rhetorical quiver. They were all employed by him last week when he went to the White House briefing room to exclaim, as he is wont to do, about the excellence of the Affordable Care Act. First came the invocation of a straw man. Celebrating the ACA’s enrollment numbers, Obama, referring to Republicans, charged: “They said nobody would sign up.” Of course, no one said this.

Obama often is what political philosopher Kenneth Minogue said of an adversary — “a pyromaniac in a field of straw men.”

Adolescents also try to truncate arguments by saying that nothing remains of any arguments against their arguments. Regarding the ACA, Obama said the debate is “settled” and “over.” Progressives also say the debate about catastrophic consequences of man-made climate change is “over,” so everyone should pipe down. And they say the debates about the efficacy of universal preschool, and the cost-benefit balance of a minimum wage increase, are over. Declaring an argument over is so much more restful than engaging with evidence.

A third rhetorical move by argumentative adolescents is to declare that there is nothing to argue about because everything is going along swimmingly. Seven times Obama asserted that the ACA is “working.” That is, however, uninformative because it is ambiguous. The ethanol program is “working” in the sense that it is being implemented as its misguided architects intended. Nevertheless, the program is a substantial net subtraction from the nation’s well-being. The same can be said of sugar import quotas, or agriculture subsidies generally, or many hundreds of other government programs that are, unfortunately, “working.”

Finally, the real discussion-stopper for the righteous — and there is no righteousness like an adolescent’s — is an assertion that has always been an Obama specialty. It is that there cannot be honorable and intelligent disagreement with him. So last week, less than two minutes after saying that the argument about the ACA “isn’t about me,” he said some important opposition to the ACA is about him, citing “states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid for no other reason than political spite.”

This, he said, must be spiteful because expanding Medicaid involves “zero cost to these states.”

Well. The federal government does pay the full cost of expansion — for three years. After that, however, states will pay up to 10 percent of the expansion’s costs, which itself will be a large sum.

And the 10 percent figure has not been graven on stone by the finger of God. It can be enlarged whenever Congress wants, as surely it will, to enable more federal spending by imposing more burdens on the states. Yet Obama, who aspired to tutor Washington about civility, is incapable of crediting opponents with other than base motives.

About one thing Obama was right, if contradictory. He said Americans want politicians to talk about other subjects — but that Democrats should campaign by celebrating the wondrousness of the ACA. This would be candid because it is what progressivism is — a top-down, continent-wide tissue of taxes, mandates and other coercions. Is the debate about it over? Not quite.

George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2014, Washington Post Writers Group

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thanks for supporting Annual Spring Parade The Rembert Area Community Coalition would like to express thanks to all our local, state and federal officials; sponsors; vendors; participants; RACC committee members; and volunteers for their support in our Annual Spring Parade that was held on April 12. We would like to give special thanks to our Grand Marshall the Rev. Jesse Washington from Columbia, who is a native of Rembert; Tisha Johnson; Minister David Wright Jr.; Patricia Holiday; Evangelist Barbara Dinkins; Benjamin Bennett; Dale Cauthen; Shandel Porter; Ivory Dennis Gladys Mack; the mayor of Camden, Anthony P. Scolly; the mayor of Mayesville, Ran-

dolph Anderson; Rep. Joe Neal; and Mrs. Wilhelmina Scott. We would also like to give thanks to Williams Funeral Home, the National Guard of South Carolina and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Thank for making our Spring Parade a great success.

We couldn’t have done this without all of you.

Dr. JUANITA BRITTON RACC Parade Committee

Thanks for making poker run a success The members of the Goat Island Boat Club would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who gave so generously to help make the Striped Bass Poker Run a success. Our deepest thanks to Ellett Bros., L&S Marine, Red’s

Bar & Grill, Scarborough’s Restaurant, Cissy’s, Car City Boat Repair, Donna’s House, CJ’s Creations, Jerry’s Barbershop, Ginger’s Florist, Cut-n-Up Salon, Miller Canvas, Lamar’s Country Corner, Sub Station ll, The Spice Fairy, Linda’s, Fayz Place, LakeVue Landing, Taw Caw Campground, Goat Island Restaurant, Lighthouse Pionte Campground, Baxley’s Restaurant, The Giggling Gator, The Cranky Queen, J&J Marina, the law office of William Johnson, Merle Norman, Car Quest and all those who participated in running the poker run.

We truly appreciate all the donations and participation.

BOB MILLER GIBC Poker Run Chairman All the members of the Goat Island Boat Club

EDITORIAL ROUNDUP Recent editorials from South Carolina newspapers:

The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg April 20

Court reminds governor she can’t eliminate law with veto The S.C. Supreme Court sent Gov. Nikki Haley a needed reminder last week that she can’t make changes to established state law with a simple swipe of her veto pen.

Last year, as part of her lineitem vetoes in the state budget, the governor vetoed the $2 million the state Department of Health and Environmental Control used to fund its Certificate of Need Program.

Hospitals must obtain a certificate of need from DHEC before they can buy expensive new equipment or start offering new treatment programs. The theory behind the program is that it holds down health care costs. If a hospital buys an expensive scanner that is duplicated at another nearby hospital, or if one hospital starts an open-heart surgery center that is already available at another nearby hospital, that duplication will drive up costs as the hospitals seek to recover the costs of the equipment. The Certificate of Need Program gives the state the ability to regulate where equipment and treatment programs go to ensure efficiency.

The governor claims that this government management is less effective than letting free market forces dictate which services are offered at each hospital. As a lawmaker, she fought the Certificate of Need Program when it denied a Lexington County hospital, at which she was employed, a certificate to start a heart surgery center.

If Haley truly thinks the Certificate of Need Program should be abolished, then she needs to convince lawmakers to change the law. She didn’t do that. She simply vetoed the funding for the

program, convinced lawmakers to uphold that veto, and declared the program dead. Lawmakers who voted to uphold the veto have since declared that they didn’t think they were killing the Certificate of Need Program.

The veto put hospitals in a terrible situation. State law still required them to get a certificate of need for new programs and expansions, but the funding for the program had been killed, and DHEC wasn’t giving out certificates. Dozens of projects around the Palmetto State, representing about $100 million, were put on hold by this situation.

Several hospitals and a hospital association sued, and the Supreme Court sided with them last week, ruling that the veto killed the $2 million set aside for the program but did not end the Program, which is still required by state law. The justices ruled that DHEC must find another way to fund the program.

The ruling provided a necessary check on runaway power.

As the Supreme Court noted, a simple scratch-out on the budget is not enough.

The Herald of Rock Hill April 19

S.C. legislators compromise on reading programs S.C. state senators engaged in a laudable bipartisan effort this month to help children learn to read. We hope they follow up with a plan to pay for it.

The bill that passed April 9 by a margin of 36-6 was a good example of compromise to meet a common goal. Senate Republicans have been pushing a reading program, called the Read to Succeed Act, that would hold back third-graders who have not mastered reading for another year of literacy instruction starting in the 2017-18 school year.

School districts would work with a newly created state reading office to develop reading plans. The program also would

require teachers to take special training in reading instruction and would establish summer reading camps around the state.

But Democrats in the Senate argued that holding students back a year would be unfair if they are not first given a real shot at becoming successful readers. Democrats proposed expanding the state’s existing 4-year-old kindergarten program to all atrisk students who live in poverty or perform poorly academically.

We think both approaches are noteworthy.

But while the Legislature approved $26 million last year to expand the 4K program to children in the poorest school districts, the Senate legislation doesn’t include automatic spending to pay for either the reading or kindergarten programs. The Senate, however, now is considering its version of the state budget for the next fiscal year and could propose increased money for the 4K program.

Unfortunately, expanding 4K might be difficult in the House.

On the same day the Senate was negotiating its bill, the House passed its own version aimed at reforming the way public schools teach reading.

House members also would require third-graders scoring the lowest on reading tests to repeat a year, but the bill did not include an expansion of the 4K program.

The House also has approved more than $30 million in new money for reading coaches and $4.5 million for summer camps in the state’s budget starting July 1.

Differences in the House and Senate bills will have to be ironed out if either is to become law. We hope the spirit of compromise prevails during that process.

But neither of these initiatives should be allowed to become another unfunded mandate for local school districts. Every part of these programs — summer reading camps, training teachers, expanding 4K programs — will cost money, and if lawmakers are sincere about teaching more students how to read at an early age, they have to find a way to pay for it.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

AROUND TOWN The Shepherd’s Center will offer free public information sessions 11-11:50 a.m. each Thursday through May 29 at 24 Council St. Scheduled topics / speakers are as follows: today, Catherine Blumberg of S.C. Active Lifestyles will discuss walking for your health; May 1, David O’Brien will discuss social media and staying connected; May 8, Ford Simmons of the Sumter County Library will provide tips and tricks on using your personal computer or iPad; May 15, Cpl. Eddie Hobbes of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office will discuss self defense awareness; May 22, Cpl. Hobbes will discuss home security; and May 29, Carol Boyd will discuss gardening with herbs.

The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association will sponsor a dinner fundraiser 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 25, at the Lincoln High School gym, 26 Council St. Cost is $7 per dinner and includes barbecue chicken, rice or baked beans, coleslaw, rolls and a drink. Dine in or take out. Call James L. Green at (803) 9684173.

The YWCA of the Upper Lowlands Inc. will hold a Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Reunion in conjunction with the annual banquet 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 25, at the Imperial, 451 Broad St. Contact Yolanda Debra Wilson at (803) 773-7158 or ydwilson@ywcasumter.org.

Leading Ladies and Royale Divaz Social Club will sponsor a Relay for Life car wash fundraiser 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at 1132 Broad St. Cost: $5 for cars / bikes or $10 for trucks / SUVs. The town of Pinewood Committee will hold a Pinewood Gospel Fest at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the Manchester football stadium, S.C. 261, Pinewood.

Call Tom Moore at (803) 4644662.

The Manning Branch NAACP will hold its 40th Annual Santee Wateree Expo Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27, as follows: 7 p.m.

Saturday, the Rev. William J. Frierson will speak at the students’ awards banquet at Melina Presbyterian Activity Center, Gable; 4 p.m. Sunday, Leroy Smith, director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, will speak at the expo annual program at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, Manning. For ticket information, call Dorothea Ford at (843) 659-2677 or Robert Fleming at (803) 435-8994.

The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association will meet at 4 p.m. Sunday, April

27, at Lincoln High School, Council Street. Presentations will be done for the “Bulldogs” of 2013-14, the Class of 1969. Call James L. Green at (803) 968-4173.

The Sumter Branch NAACP will meet at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Bethel AME Church, 1605 S.C. 261 South, Wedgefield.

The Transatlantic Brides and Parents Association (A British Heritage Society) will meet at 11 a.m. Friday, May 2, at The Spectrum, Pinewood Road.

Come celebrate Mother’s Day. All British expats or relatives are invited. Call Josie at (803) 775-8052.

In honor of National Foster Care Month, an awareness walk will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at Dillon Park. Participants are asked to wear blue.

Call Katina Dreamer, of Lee County Foster Adoption Association, at (803) 856-6633.

Lincoln High School Class of 1960 will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the alumni building on Council Street. All class members are invited. Call Lucile Davis at (803) 775-6253 or Louis Ragin at (803) 778-2715.

The Lynchburg Magnolia Beautification Action Committee will hold its Annual Magnolia Festival and Parade on Saturday, May 3.

The parade will begin at noon at Fleming Lighthouse Center, go down U.S. 76 and S.C. 341 to Main Street in Lynchburg.

There will be vendors with food and gift items for sale.

Music will be provided by the Army Band and Rock Band as well as Gentlemen of Distinction.

The Clarendon Section National Council of Negro Women will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, May 5, at the Council on Aging, 206 S. Church St., Manning.

The Sumter Benedict Alumni Club will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, May 5, at the North HOPE Center. Call Shirley Blassingame at (803) 506-4019.

The Lee County Adult Education 2014 Community Involvement Day Fair will be held 1-6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 7, at Lee County Parks & Recreation, 121 E. College St., Bishopville.

The Sumter Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Shiloh-Randolph Manor, 125 W. Bartlette St. Suzie Kearney, management development officer, will speak.

Transportation provided within the coverage area. Contact Debra Canty at DebraCanC2@ frontier.com or (803) 775-5792 to reserve your gala tables.

Call the 24/7 recorded message line at (206) 376-5992.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2014

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Sunny and delightful

Partly cloudy

An afternoon shower or t-storm

Mostly sunny and very warm

Partly sunny

Partly sunny

77°

58°

80° / 60°

87° / 59°

77° / 57°

78° / 58°

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 25%

Winds: ESE 4-8 mph

Winds: S 4-8 mph

Winds: SSW 7-14 mph

Winds: WSW 6-12 mph

Winds: ENE 6-12 mph

Winds: ESE 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 74/57 Spartanburg 75/58

Greenville 74/58

Columbia 78/59

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 77/58

Aiken 79/59

ON THE COAST

Charleston 77/61

Today: Pleasant with plenty of sunshine.

High 68 to 77.

Friday: An afternoon shower or thunderstorm. High 74 to 82.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 79/61/s 65/44/t 82/58/t 58/44/c 85/65/pc 76/58/pc 81/65/s 64/43/s 86/65/pc 64/44/s 90/68/s 63/53/pc 68/49/s

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

358.14 75.95 74.71 100.21

24-hr chg -0.05 +0.12 -0.06 -0.30

Sunrise 6:41 a.m.

Moonrise 3:37 a.m.

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

0.02" 2.83" 2.34" 12.50" 13.25" 13.63"

NATIONAL CITIES City Atlanta Chicago Dallas Detroit Houston Los Angeles New Orleans New York Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix San Francisco Wash., DC

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

81° 59° 77° 51° 93° in 1980 34° in 1986

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

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 80/59/c 70/37/pc 88/68/pc 68/41/c 85/68/pc 68/54/pc 81/66/pc 61/49/c 87/64/pc 69/54/t 91/61/s 59/46/t 77/55/t

Myrtle Beach 70/60

Manning 77/58

Today: Nice with plenty of sunshine. Winds south-southeast 4-8 mph.

Friday: A thunderstorm in spots. Winds west-southwest 7-14 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 75/56

Bishopville 77/57

Sunset Moonset

8:00 p.m.

3:27 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Apr. 29

May 6

May 14

May 21

TIDES

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 10.24 +0.53 19 6.47 -1.80 14 9.77 -0.12 14 6.02 +3.17 80 81.17 +0.39 24 20.87 -0.62

AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Fri.

High 5:31 a.m.

5:58 p.m.

6:32 a.m.

6:58 p.m.

Ht. 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.3

Low Ht. 12:26 p.m. -0.2 ----12:56 a.m. 0.0 1:22 p.m. -0.4

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 71/51/s 77/59/s 80/60/s 77/63/s 60/52/s 77/61/s 74/55/s 76/60/s 78/59/s 77/56/s 65/48/s 73/53/s 74/53/s

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 73/44/c 81/55/c 83/56/t 82/65/t 69/62/t 81/63/t 78/52/t 81/56/c 81/58/t 80/58/t 75/55/t 81/61/t 82/59/t

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 75/56/s Gainesville 83/59/pc Gastonia 74/57/s Goldsboro 72/50/s Goose Creek 76/61/s Greensboro 72/54/s Greenville 74/58/s Hickory 72/55/s Hilton Head 73/65/s Jacksonville, FL 81/60/pc La Grange 80/56/s Macon 81/59/s Marietta 78/60/s

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 81/61/t 85/61/pc 79/54/t 81/58/t 81/63/t 78/53/t 80/54/c 77/52/t 77/66/t 85/63/pc 80/55/c 83/58/pc 78/57/c

City Marion Mt. Pleasant Myrtle Beach Orangeburg Port Royal Raleigh Rock Hill Rockingham Savannah Spartanburg Summerville Wilmington Winston-Salem

Today Hi/Lo/W 72/55/s 74/61/s 70/60/s 77/60/s 75/63/s 73/52/s 75/55/s 74/54/s 79/62/s 75/58/s 74/64/s 71/54/s 72/55/s

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 77/50/c 80/63/t 75/65/t 81/59/t 80/65/t 78/54/t 78/53/t 79/55/t 83/62/t 80/54/t 79/65/t 78/62/t 76/53/t

Weather(W): s–sunny, pc–partly cloudy, c–cloudy, sh–showers, t–thunderstorms, r–rain, sf–snow flurries, sn–snow, i–ice

PUBLIC AGENDA SUMTER COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION / ELECTION COMMISSION Today, 5:30 p.m., registration / election office, 141 N. Main St.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do your best EUGENIA LAST to get things done.

Arguments will be a waste of time.

Good fortune will find you if you offer a helping hand to someone in need. A humble and gracious attitude will lead to advancement, popularity and victory.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Find out all you can before you make a move. Offering your services to an organization that you feel you have something worthwhile to contribute to will result in new prospects and a diverse way of putting your talents to work.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Emotional deception and disillusionment will surface when dealing with peers and those who do not wish to see you advance.

Look out for your interests and try to present and promote what you have to offer succinctly.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Network, nurture relationships and form alliances that will help you put your best foot forward. Don’t let what’s going on at home or in your personal life stifle your chance to reach your dreams, hopes and professional wishes.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Re-evaluate your motives before making promises. Ask questions and get the lowdown on what everyone around you wants and is willing to contribute. Change is good, but it has to be for the right reason.

Financial confusion is apparent.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t stop until you are satisfied with the results you get. You can get ahead, but only if you are willing to take the extra step and make things happen. Put your ideas into play and you’ll impress someone you love or admire.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Complaints, demands and trouble will plague you when dealing with business or personal partners. Get out and do something that will benefit you. Personal gratification will help ease stress and give you a better perspective regarding your relationships.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t let tension slow you down. Get the ball rolling and don’t stop until you reach your destination. What you accomplish will be recognized and rewarded. Leave time for romance late in the day. Love is on the rise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make changes at home that add to your comfort, but don’t go over budget or you will fall short financially at the end of the month.

An aggressive act at work will grab attention and raise consideration for what you have to offer.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Be careful not to jump into something without checking the fine print.

Loss is likely if you show impatience. Anger will mount when dealing with those who oppose your plans. Stick close to home and focus on selfimprovement, not trying to change others.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Clarity coupled with a genuine offer will help you make positive changes. An unusual investment or financial deal can change your standard of living. Don’t give up on your ideas, just keep reworking them until you find the perfect fit.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take a bit of a break. Enjoy life and share good times with someone special.

Catching up with an old friend will spark vim and vigor in your life.

Love is in the stars, and romance will enhance your life.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 WEDNESDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

1-11-13-21-26 PowerUp: 2

2-18-19-49-50 Megaball: 1 Megaplier: 3

PICK 3 WEDNESDAY

PICK 4 WEDNESDAY

2-9-2 and 6-3-8

6-7-2-2 and 6-4-4-9

POWERBALL numbers were unavailable at press time.

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC SUBMITTED BY: Jeff Byer COMMENT: “On a recent trip to North Carolina, we saw white squirrels on the Brevard College Campus. They hold an annual White Squirrel Festival in Brevard and also have a White Squirrel Shoppe in town.”

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 sandrah@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.

SECTION

Complete 2014 NFL schedule B4

B

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASEBALL

COLLEGE TENNIS

Region VI-4A wrap-up

PTC set to host Conference Carolinas tourneys this weekend

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER mchristopher@theitem.com The Erskine College women’s tennis team will be trying for its 10th consecutive conference tournament while Limestone looks to defend its men’s title this weekend when the Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships begin Friday at Palmetto Tennis Center.

Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletic conference consisting of 12 teams from North and South Carolina as well as Tennessee. The top eight men’s and women’s teams compete for the championship.

The Flying Fleet defeated Queens 5-1 last season — marking the fourth straight year Erskine defeated Queens 5-1 in the title match. In the men’s tournament, second-seeded Limestone upset the top-seeded Coker Cobras 5-2.

Erskine won this year’s women’s regular-season title while the University of Mount Olive took home the men’s regular-season championship.

The tournament begins at 9 a.m. on

SEE TENNIS, PAGE B3

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter’s Jordan Holiday slides into third base during the Gamecocks’ 4-3 victory over South Florence on Wednesday at Gamecock Field. SHS captured the Region VI-4A title with the victory.

Dubose helps SHS edge Bruins 4-3 to capture crown

BY EDDIE LITAKER Special To The Sumter Item Designated hitter Tee DuBose drove in two runs, including the game-winner, as Sumter clinched the Region VI-4A title with a 4-3 victory over South Florence on Wednesday at Gamecock Field.

“We were able to clinch the region tonight, but we did it SHUMAKE the hard way,” said SHS head coach Brooks Shumake, whose team improved to 18-2-1 and 9-2 in region play heading into Friday’s series finale at South Florence. “It was a battle and it was a struggle the whole way. We just didn’t get run-

ners in when we had them on base.

We just didn’t swing the bats very well tonight. It was very difficult, but we’ll take it.”

After the Bruins tied the game 3-3 in the top of the sixth, DuBose came to the plate with one out in the seventh and singled up the middle, plating Phillip Watcher with the region-clinching run.

Watcher had singled and stole second ahead of an intentional pass from South Florence starter Lindsey Robinson to James Barnes, setting the stage for DuBose’s heroics.

DuBose also came through with a clutch two-out bloop hit in the third to score Charlie Barnes, who had led off the inning with a triple.

That hit gave the Gamecocks a 3-2 lead.

“He battled and got the little

PRO FOOTBALL

PRO BASKETBALL

bloop (in the third), but he battled that guy (Robinson) during that (seventh-inning) at-bat and made something happen by putting the ball in play,” Shumake said of DuBose. “That’s one of the things that we failed to do a lot tonight, put the ball in play sometimes when we had things going on and runners at third base with less than two outs. We just struggled to make something happen with that, and we were real proud that he stood in there and got him a little base hit up the middle there to win the game.”

South Florence provided some drama in the top of the seventh, loading the bases before Charlie Barnes snagged a Josh Johnson

SEE SUMTER, PAGE B3

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Limestone’s Julia Moreira returns a shot during a doubles match in last year’s Conference Carolinas tennis tournament at Palmetto Tennis Center. The Lady Saints are the No. 3 seed and will open play Friday.

Heat hold off Bobcats 101-97, go up 2-0

BY TIM REYNOLDS The Associated Press

NFL releases 2014 schedule Seahawks open title defense against Packers

BY BARRY WILNER The Associated Press NEW YORK — As Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks get to kick off the NFL’s regular season by hosting the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 4.

It’s the third straight season the Packers have traveled to face the defending Super Bowl champions.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for our football team,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “We have experience playing in the kickoff opener three years ago, and we will draw on that. Obviously, being the visiting team this time presents new challenges. It will help sharpen our focus even more during training camp and the preseason.”

That Thursday game is the

SEE NFL, PAGE B4

MIAMI — LeBron James scored 32 points and added eight assists, Chris Bosh scored 20 points and the Miami Heat held on to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 101-97 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Dwyane Wade scored 15 points, and had a steal in the final seconds to help seal the win for Miami. Mario Chalmers added 11 for the Heat.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 22 points for Charlotte, which got 18 points and 13 rebounds from Al Jefferson, who played through a left plantar fascia strain and shot 9 for 23 from the floor. Kemba Walker added 16 and Gerald Henderson scored 15 for the Bobcats.

Game 3 is Saturday night in Charlotte.

The Bobcats were down three with 10 seconds left, but never got a tying shot off. Wade stole the ball from Chris Douglas-Roberts with 3 seconds left, made a free throw and that was enough for the Heat — who wasted a big first-half lead, then saw another one in the fourth quarter get whittled down to nearly nothing.

It’s hard to find any good news for Charlotte, between this two-game hole and the ongoing injury concerns re-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Charlotte’s Al Jefferson (25) defends Miami’s LeBron James during the Heat’s 101-97 victory on Wednesday in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference opening-round series playoff series in Miami. volving around their best player. Not only have the Bobcats lost 18 straight games to Miami, but the Heat have never dropped any of the previous 11 post-

season series in which they’ve grabbed a 2-0 series lead.

James, between his time in Cleveland and Miami, is 11-0 in such situations. Wade

has been part of nine previous 2-0 leads with the Heat, and six of those series ended in no more than five games.

Miami’s lead was 91-77 midway through the fourth, and after blowing a big firsthalf lead it appeared as though the Heat finally had some breathing room.

A few minutes later, it looked a whole lot different.

Walker, Kidd-Gilchrist and Douglas-Roberts combined for all the damage in a 10-0 run, getting the Bobcats within 91-87. But Bosh hit a jumper to stop Miami’s scoreless drought, the Heat followed that with a stop, and Bosh struck again on the ensuing possession with a drive that pushed the Heat’s lead back to eight with 3:36 remaining.

With that, it was Charlotte’s turn — five straight points, with Jefferson scoring with 1:42 left to make it 97-94. And Douglas-Roberts had a chance to tie it with 1:09 left, but his 3-pointer bounced off the rim.

After a free throw by James, Walker hit a 3 with 11.9 seconds left to get Charlotte within one. But James swished a pair of free throws moments later, Wade came up with the steal, and Miami escaped.

Miami led 57-47 at the half, and the Bobcats — who missed 17 of their first 22 shots — were fortunate not

SEE HEAT, PAGE B3

B2

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SPORTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

SCOREBOARD

Through April 12

TV, RADIO TODAY

9:30 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour China Open First Round from Shenzen, China (GOLF).

11 a.m. – Women’s College Lacrosse: Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Quarterfinal Match from Chestnut Hill, Mass. (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

12:30 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh or St. Louis at New York Mets (MLB NETWORK).

1 p.m. – Women’s College Lacrosse: Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Quarterfinal Match from Chestnut Hill, Mass. (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

2:15 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Arizona at Chicago Cubs (WGN).

3 p.m. – International Soccer: UEFA Europa League Semifinal First Leg from Brisbon, Portugal – Benfica vs.

Juventus (FOX SPORTS 1).

3 p.m. – PGA Golf: Zurich Classic of New Orleans from Avondale, La. (GOLF).

6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WPUB-FM 102.7, WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240).

6:30 p.m. – LPGA Golf: Swinging Skirts Classic First Round from San Francisco (GOLF).

7 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Eastern Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Five – Montreal at Tampa Bay (CNBC).

7 p.m. – Major League Baseball: New York Yankees at Boston or Baltimore at Toronto (MLB NETWORK).

7 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Eastern Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Three – Indiana at Atlanta (NBA TV).

7:30 p.m. – College Baseball: Texas A&M at Mississippi State (ESPNU).

8 p.m. – College Softball: Georgia at Alabama (ESPN).

8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Eastern Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Four – Boston at Detroit (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Western Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Three – Oklahoma City at Memphis (TNT).

9 p.m. – Professional Boxing: Joseito Lopez vs. Aaron Martinez in a Junior Welterweight Bout from Rancho Mirage, Calif. (ESPN2).

9:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Western Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Four – Colorado at Minnesota (CNBC).

10 p.m. – Men’s College Volleyball: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament Semifinal Match – Brigham Young vs. California Santa Barbara (BYUTV).

10:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Western Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Four – San Jose at Los Angeles (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Western Conference Playoffs Quarterfinal Series Game Three – Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State (TNT).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

Varsity Baseball Wilson Hall in Mingo Bay Tournament (at Myrtle Beach), TBA Calhoun at Robert E. Lee, 6:30 p.m.

Varsity Softball Laurence Manning in Spring Break Tournament (at Myrtle Beach), TBA

FRIDAY

Varsity Baseball Sumter at South Florence, 6:30 p.m.

Varsity Softball Laurence Manning in Spring Break Tournament (at Myrtle Beach), TBA

SATURDAY

Varsity Sporting Clays Laurence Manning at Hermitage Farms (in Camden), TBA

MLB STANDINGS

By The Associated Press AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION W New York 12 Toronto 11 Tampa Bay 10 Baltimore 9 Boston 9 CENTRAL DIVISION W Detroit 10 Kansas City 10 Chicago 10 Minnesota 9 Cleveland 9 WEST DIVISION W Oakland 13 Texas 13 Los Angeles 10 Seattle 7 Houston 7

L 8 9 10 10 12

Pct .600 .550 .500 .474 .429

GB – 1 2 21/2 31/2

L 7 9 11 10 11

Pct .588 .526 .476 .474 .450

GB – 1 2 2 21/2

L 7 8 10 13 14

Pct .650 .619 .500 .350 .333

GB – 1/2 3 6 61/2

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Kansas City 8, Cleveland 2 L.A. Angels 7, Washington 2 Toronto 9, Baltimore 3 Detroit 8, Chicago White Sox 6 Tampa Bay 7, Minnesota 3 N.Y. Yankees 9, Boston 3 Texas 5, Oakland 4 Houston 5, Seattle 2

TODAY’S GAMES

Kansas City (B.Chen 1-1) at Cleveland (Kluber 1-2), 12:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Quintana 1-1) at Detroit (Scherzer 1-1), 1:08 p.m.

Minnesota (Nolasco 1-2) at Tampa Bay (Bedard 0-0), 1:10 p.m.

Baltimore (B.Norris 0-2) at Toronto (Hutchison 1-1), 7:07 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Sabathia 2-2) at Boston (Doubront 1-2), 7:10 p.m.

Oakland (Kazmir 2-0) at Houston (Oberholtzer 0-3), 8:10 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION Atlanta Washington New York Philadelphia Miami CENTRAL DIVISION Milwaukee St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh Chicago WEST DIVISION Los Angeles Colorado San Francisco San Diego Arizona

W 14 11 10 10 10

L 7 10 10 10 12

Pct .667 .524 .500 .500 .455

GB – 3 31/2 31/2 41/2

W 15 12 9 9 7

L 6 9 11 12 12

Pct .714 .571 .450 .429 .368

GB – 3 51/2 6 7

W 12 12 11 10 5

L 9 10 10 11 18

Pct .571 .545 .524 .476 .217

GB – 1/2 1 2 8

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Cincinnati 4, Pittsburgh 1 L.A. Angels 7, Washington 2 Miami 1, Atlanta 0 St. Louis 3, N.Y. Mets 0 Chicago Cubs 9, Arizona 2 San Diego 2, Milwaukee 1, 12 innings Colorado 2, San Francisco 1 Philadelphia 3, L.A. Dodgers 2, 10 innings

TODAY’S GAMES

Cincinnati (Cingrani 1-2) at Pittsburgh (Cumpton 0-0), 12:35 p.m.

St. Louis (Lynn 4-0) at N.Y. Mets (Colon 1-3), 1:10 p.m.

Arizona (Bolsinger 0-1) at Chicago Cubs (E.Jackson 1-1), 2:20 p.m.

San Diego (Stults 1-2) at Washington (Zimmermann 1-1), 7:05 p.m.

Philadelphia (K.Kendrick 0-2) at L.A. Dodgers (Haren 3-0), 10:10 p.m.

NASCAR LEADERS

By The Associated Press

Points 1, Jeff Gordon, 297. 2, Matt Kenseth, 296. 3, Carl Edwards, 278. 4, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 271. 5, Jimmie Johnson, 270. 6, Kyle Busch, 269. 7, Brad Keselowski, 246. 8, Joey Logano, 245. 9, Ryan Newman, 236. 10, Austin Dillon, 235. 11, Greg Biffle, 227. 12, Tony Stewart, 224. 13, Brian Vickers, 224.

14, Kyle Larson, 223. 15, Denny Hamlin, 223. 16, Clint Bowyer, 219. 17, Marcos Ambrose, 216. 18, Paul Menard, 206. 19, A J Allmendinger, 202. 20, Jamie McMurray, 195.

Money 1, Dale Earnhardt Jr., $2,591,578. 2, Brad Keselowski, $2,285,537. 3, Jeff Gordon, $2,034,276. 4, Denny Hamlin, $2,008,995. 5, Joey Logano, $1,887,936.

6, Jimmie Johnson, $1,828,846. 7, Kyle Busch, $1,769,026. 8, Matt Kenseth, $1,729,759.

9, Kevin Harvick, $1,616,597.

10, Paul Menard, $1,525,660.

11, Austin Dillon, $1,435,411. 12, Greg Biffle, $1,423,133.

13, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., $1,389,563. 14, Tony Stewart, $1,389,052. 15, Carl Edwards, $1,386,673. 16, Brian Vickers, $1,359,013. 17, Kyle Larson, $1,356,858.

18, Jamie McMurray, $1,330,840. 19, Marcos Ambrose, $1,292,318. 20, Clint Bowyer, $1,268,831.

NBA PLAYOFFS

By The Associated Press

FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta 1, Indiana 1 Saturday, April 19: Atlanta 101, Indiana 93 Tuesday, April 22: Indiana 101, Atlanta 85 Today: Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Indiana at Atlanta, 2 p.m.

Monday, April 28: Atlanta at Indiana, 8 p.m.

Miami 1, Charlotte 0 Sunday, April 20: Miami 99, Charlotte 88 Wednesday, April 23: Charlotte at Miami, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Miami at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Monday, April 28: Miami at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Brooklyn 1, Toronto 1 Saturday, April 19: Brooklyn 94, Toronto 87 Tuesday, April 22: Toronto 100, Brooklyn 95 Friday, April 25: Toronto at Brooklyn, 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 27: Toronto at Brooklyn, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 30: Brooklyn at Toronto, TBD Washington 2, Chicago 0 Sunday, April 20: Washington 102, Chicago 93 Tuesday, April 22: Washington 101, Chicago 99, OT Friday, April 25: Chicago at Washington, 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 27: Chicago at Washington, 1 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Antonio 1, Dallas 0 Sunday, April 20: San Antonio 90, Dallas 85 Wednesday, April 23: Dallas at San Antonio, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: San Antonio at Dallas, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, April 28: San Antonio at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City 1, Memphis 1 Saturday, April 19: Oklahoma City 100, Memphis 86 Monday, April 21: Memphis 111, Oklahoma City 105, OT Today: Oklahoma City at Memphis, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Oklahoma City at Memphis, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29: Memphis at Oklahoma City, 8, 9 or 9:30 p.m.

Golden State 1, L.A. Clippers 1 Saturday, April 19: Golden State 109, L.A. Clippers 105 Monday, April 21: L.A. Clippers 138, Golden State 98 Today: L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 27: L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29: Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Portland 1, Houston 0 Sunday, April 20: Portland 122, Houston 120, OT Wednesday, April 23: Portland at Houston, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, April 25: Houston at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 27: Houston at Portland, 9:30 p.m.

NHL PLAYOFFS

By The Associated Press FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7) (x-if necessary)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston 2, Detroit 1 Friday, April 18: Detroit 1, Boston 0 Sunday, April 20: Boston 4, Detroit 1 Tuesday, April 22: Boston 3, Detroit 0 Thursday, April 24: Boston at Detroit, 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Detroit at Boston, 3 p.m.

Montreal 4, Tampa Bay 0 Wednesday, April 16: Montreal 5, Tampa Bay 4, OT Friday, April 18: Montreal 4, Tampa Bay 1 Sunday, April 20: Montreal 3, Tampa Bay 2 Tuesday, April 22: Montreal 4, Tampa Bay 3 Pittsburgh 2, Columbus 1 Wednesday, April 16: Pittsburgh 4, Columbus 3 Saturday, April 19: Columbus 4, Pittsburgh 3, 2OT Monday, April 21: Pittsburgh 4, Columbus 3 Wednesday, April 23: Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers 2, Philadelphia 1 Thursday, April 17: N.Y. Rangers 4, Philadelphia 1 Sunday, April 20: Philadelphia 4, N.Y. Rangers 2 Tuesday, April 22: N.Y. Rangers 4, Philadelphia 1 Friday, April 25: N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 27: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, Noon

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Colorado 2, Minnesota 1 Thursday, April 17: Colorado 5, Minnesota 4, OT Saturday, April 19: Colorado 4, Minnesota 2 Monday, April 21: Minnesota 1, Colorado 0, OT Today: Colorado at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 26: Minnesota at Colorado, 9:30 p.m.

St. Louis 2, Chicago 1 Thursday, April 17: St. Louis 4, Chicago 3, 3OT Saturday, April 19: St. Louis 4, Chicago 3, OT Monday, April 21: Chicago 2, St. Louis 0 Wednesday, April 23: St. Louis at Chicago, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, April 25: Chicago at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Anaheim 2, Dallas 1 Wednesday, April 16: Anaheim 4, Dallas 3 Friday, April 18: Anaheim 3, Dallas 2 Monday, April 21: Dallas 3, Anaheim 0 Wednesday, April 23: Anaheim at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Friday, April 25: Dallas at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.

San Jose 3, Los Angeles 0 Thursday, April 17: San Jose 6, Los Angeles 3 Sunday, April 20: San Jose 7, Los Angeles 2 Tuesday, April 22: San Jose 4, Los Angeles 3, OT Thursday, April 24: San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

THE SUMTER ITEM

AREA ROUNDUP

Belk, Creech keep Barons perfect at Mingo Bay Classic WACCAMAW – Chase Belk went 2-for-2 with a homer and two RBI while William Creech drove in two more runs as the Wilson Hall varsity baseball team earned a 16-3 victory over Sherman, W.V., on Wednesday at the Mingo Bay Classic Tournament at Waccamaw High School.

The Barons improved to 22-0 and will take on Pigeon Forge, Tenn., at 4 p.m. today at Waccamaw High.

Britton Beatson pitched four innings, allowed three runs and struck out six to pick up the victory for WH. Ivan Rivera Nesrela pitched a scoreless fifth inning, allowing just a walk.

Offensively, Robert James had a double, a

RBI and two runs scored for the Barons.

Kemper Patton was 2-for-2 with two runs scored while William Kinney was also 2-for2 with an RBI and three runs scored. Walker Patrick and Andrew Kinney also each drove in a run.

On Tuesday, the Barons earned a 1-0 victory over Pigeon Forge at Conway High School. John Patrick Sears went the distance, striking out 12 and allowing just five hits with one walk and a hit batsman.

Parker McDuffie, Edward McMillan and McLendon Sears accounted for all three hits for WH. McMillan drove in the lone run after Brandon Spittle reached on a walk.

SPORTS ITEMS

Post 175 to hold pre-tryout meeting DALZELL -- The Dalzell-Shaw American Legion Post 175 Baseball Program will be conducting a pre-tryout meeting for the upcoming season on Tuesday, April 29th at 7 p.m. at the Dalzell-Shaw Post 175 American Legion Hut located at 3625 Camden Highway in Dalzell.

All players between the ages of 15 and 18 who plan to try out for the Post 175 team should attend this meeting with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). All players are asked to bring their original birth certificates to the meeting.

All forms required for participation in American Legion Baseball will be filled and collected at the meeting as well.

3-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.

PANTHERS HAVE 3 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN 2014

(8) SOUTH CAROLINA 6

CHARLOTTE— The defending NFC South champion Carolina Panthers will play three nationally-televised games and face six playoff teams from last season, the NFL announced Wednesday.

Two of Carolina’s three nationally-televised games will be at home — a NBC Sunday night game against Pittsburgh on Sept.

21 and a Thursday night game against the division rival New Orleans on Oct. 30 on NFL Network.

Carolina will also travel to face Philadelphia on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Nov. 10.

USC UPSTATE 1

BLUE JACKETS 4

COLUMBIA -- A 4-run fifth inning helped lift eighth-ranked South Carolina to a 6-1 win over USC Upstate on Wednesday at Carolina Stadium.

The Gamecocks improved to 32-10 on the year while the loss dropped the Spartans to 14-30.

Kyle Martin went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Joey Pankake went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Martin tied a career-high in hits as did Gene Cone, who went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. The top four hitters in the Gamecock lineup recorded all 11 hits in the contest for Carolina.

Sophomore right-hander Curt Britt (2-0) earned the win in relief. He worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings allowing three hits and two walks while striking out three batters.

Senior right-hander Hunter Privette added three perfect innings of relief, striking out two batters.

South Carolina returns to action on Friday beginning a 3-game SEC series with Alabama. First pitch for the series opener is set 7 p.m. at Carolina Stadium.

On Tuesday, the Gamecocks broke open broke open a 1-run game with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and five Gamecock pitchers combined for a 6-hit shutout in an 8-0 victory over Davidson at Carolina Stadium in a game that started late because of rain.

South Carolina freshman right-hander Taylor Widener (3-0) earned the win in relief with three perfect innings of relief with four strikeouts.

Eight of the Gamecocks in the lineup had at least one hit with DC Arendas and Logan Koch each with two for the evening.

PENGUINS 3

(20) CLEMSON 11 WESTERN CAROLINA 3

CLEMSON — Sophomore left-hander Zack Erwin struck out a career-high 13 batters to lead No. 20 Clemson to an 11-3 victory over Western Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Wednesday.

The Tigers (25-16) split the home-andhome season series with the Catamounts (26-13), who defeated Clemson in Cullowhee on March 4.

Erwin (3-2) earned the win by tossing seven strong innings. He allowed only four hits, three runs and two walks along with his 13 strikeouts. Catamount starter Bryce Danielson (0-1) suffered the loss.

Clemson scored seven combined runs in the first four innings. Steve Wilkerson’s 2-run double in the second inning highlighted the offensive outburst.

The Tigers host No. 11 Miami (Fla.) in a

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Brandon Dubinsky scored with 22.5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime and Nick Foligno’s wrist shot just inside the blue line 2:49 into the extra session gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

TUESDAY NBA PLAYOFFS WIZARDS 101 BULLS 99

CHICAGO— This one looked like it was slipping away from the Washington Wizards. Then, in a flash everything changed.

Bradley Beal came on strong late in regulation to finish with 26 points, Nene scored six of his 17 points in overtime and the Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls 101-99 Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in their firstround series. Game 3 is Friday at Washington.

NHL PLAYOFFS RANGERS 4 FLYERS 1 PHILADELPHIA— Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis, Dan Girardi and Carcillo scored goals, leading the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

SHARKS 4 KINGS 3

LOS ANGELES — Patrick Marleau scored 6:20 into overtime, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Kings 4-3 on Tuesday night to take a 3-0 first-round series lead.

Game 4 is today in Los Angeles.

CANADIENS 4 LIGHTNING 3

MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens swept their way into the second round of the NHL playoffs, and now look forward to some rest.

The first team to advance, Montreal won the best-of-seven series with Tampa Bay 4-0 thanks to a 4-3 victory Tuesday night, and now faces a long wait for the Eastern Conference semifinal against the winner of the Boston-Detroit series.

Max Pacioretty got the winning goal with 43 seconds remaining on a power play. Pacioretty, who played for the United States at the Olympics in February, is glad to get some time off.

From staff, wire reports

SEC BASEBALL

SEC’s pitchers having banner season

BY DAVID BRANDT The Associated Press Now more than ever, the key to success in the Southeastern Conference is pitching.

The league has the lowest ERA in the country, and aces abound as postseason play approaches next month.

LSU’s Aaron Nola (7-1,

0.88 ERA), Arkansas’ Jalen Beeks (5-3, 1.49) and Mississippi’s Chris Ellis (5-0, 1.72) are among those dominating almost every time they take the mound.

That’s not necessarily surprising. The SEC has a long history of successful pitchers who go on to Major League Baseball prominence, including current stars like David Price,

Lance Lynn, Cliff Lee, Tim Hudson and Mike Minor.

But the difference this season is depth. The league had a 2.72 ERA at the halfway point this season, down from 3.14 at the same time a year ago.

“Some guys throw hard.

Some guys can work the corners. But they’re all getting it done,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

MLB ROUNDUP

Gattis’ double helps Braves top Marlins 3-1 ATLANTA — Pinch-hitter Evan Gattis broke an eighthinning tie with a two-run double off A.J. Ramos, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 Wednesday for their ninth win in 12 games.

Aaron Harang allowed one run and six hits in six innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk, raising his ERA from 0.70 to 0.85. Pulled from his previous start against the New York Mets after six hitless innings and 101 pitches, he stretched his streak of hitless innings to eight before Adeiny Hechavarria singled leading off the third.

Braves pitchers struck out 16 in all, giving them 41 strikeouts and five walks — one intentional — in the three-game series. Miami pitchers struck out 37 and walked nine.

David Carpenter (1-0) relieved with two on and two outs in the eighth and retired Casey McGehee on a flyout.

Making his first appearance since his first blown save of the season on Monday, Craig Kimbrel retired Derek Dietrich on a flyout, then struck out Adeiny Hechavarria and Jarrod Saltalamacchia for his sixth save.

GIANTS 12 ROCKIES 10

DENVER — Hector Sanchez hit two of San Francisco’s six homers, including a grand slam in the 11th inning Wednesday that gave the Giants a wild 12-10 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

DIAMONDBACKS 7 CUBS 5

CHICAGO — Fittingly, the Chicago Cubs marked Wrigley Field’s 100th birthday with a loss — a dramatic, error-filled one, at that.

One out from victory, the Cubs allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks to rally for five runs in the ninth inning in a 7-5 loss Wednesday.

AMERICAN LEAGUE RANGERS 3 ATHLETICS 0 OAKLAND, Calif.— Martin Perez pitched his second consecutive shutout to ex-

HEAT FROM PAGE B1 to be in bigger trouble.

Jefferson was obviously laboring in the early going and missed seven of his first eight shots, part of the reason why the Heat were able to run out to a 36-21 lead with 9:50 left in the half.

Chalmers — whose availability was in doubt until about an hour before game time because of a bruised shin — scored 11 of those points, and the Heat seemed to be rolling.

Charlotte thought otherwise.

A 14-2 run got the Bobcats right back into it, with Jefferson getting consecutive baskets and Kidd-Gilchrist scoring seven points to help the Bobcats close the gap to 38-35. But James Jones, who came up big off the bench for Miami in Game 1, hit a

Your community news source www.theitem.com

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Atlanta’s Evan Gattis doubles in the game-winning hits to help the Braves to a 3-1 victory over Miami on Wednesday in Atlanta. tend his scoreless innings streak to 26 and the Texas Rangers wrapped up a threegame sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 3-0 victory Wednesday.

SEATTLE 5 HOUSTON 3

SEATTLE — Kyle Seager hit a three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to snap an eightgame losing streak.

WHITE SOX 6 TIGERS 4

DETROIT — Marcus Semien’s seventh-inning grand slam lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Detroit Tigers 6-4 Wednesday.

INDIANS 5 ROYALS 3

CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis drove in Nick Swisher with a two-out double in the seventh inning, sending the Cleveland Indians to a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

WRIGLEY FIELD TURNS 100

CHICAGO — Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs, marks the 100th anniversary of its first game on Wednesday with a matchup against Arizona. The ballpark that opened as Weeghman Park on April 23, 1914, has hosted millions of fans and been the scene of some of baseball’s most indelible moments.

From wire reports

3-pointer to stop the run and the Heat’s lead was quickly back to 16, before late 3’s by Gary Neal and Walker got Charlotte within 10 again.

Things tightened more in the third. The Heat led by as much as 11 during the period, before Charlotte got within four twice. Miami led 79-72 entering the fourth.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

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B3

SUMTER FROM PAGE B1 flyball in foul territory along the right field line to end the threat. William Long had reached on an infield error, then moved to third on a Steven Calcutt double. Kenny McClam was hit by a Chris Crawford pitch to load the bases before Johnson came to the plate.

Johnson had scored the game-tying run in the sixth after being hit by Crawford, stealing second and coming home on Deonte Arceneaux’s single to right.

Calcutt put the Bruins up early with a solo home run over the right field fence in the top of the first. Jacob Watcher answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff double, advancing to third on a Javon Martin bunt single and coming home on a Charlie Barnes sac fly.

Jacob Watcher’s second double of the game plated Sumter’s second run of the night in the form of Jordan Holladay, who had walked and stole second ahead of Watcher in the bottom of the second.

Robinson went the full 6 1/3 innings on the mound for the Bruins in what could be considered an up-anddown but effective effort.

Robinson’s final tally included seven hits, six strikeouts, six walks and one hit batter.

Robinson also helped himself at the plate with an RBI single in the third that tied the game, 2-2, before DuBose’s first RBI single.

Shumake started Phillip Watcher on the mound, who

TENNIS FROM PAGE B1 Friday and ends on Sunday.

Saturday’s women’s semifinals will begin at 9 a.m.as well with the men’s to follow at noon. Sunday’s championship matches will start at either 9 or 10 a.m.

Admission is free to the public.

Friday will open with four women’s quarterfinal matches. Top-seeded Erskine (15-5, 9-0) will face No. 8 Converse (3-16, 2-7).

Other quarterfinals action will have No. 5 Mount Olive (11-7, 5-4) against No. 4 Barton (13-6, 6-3), No. 6 North Greenville (4-16, 4-5) against No. 3 Limestone (10-7, 7-2) and King University of Tennessee (9-14, 3-6) against No. 2 Pfeiffer University (17-1, 8-1).

On the men’s side, the topseeded Trojans (15-1, 8-0) will take on No. 8 Belmont Abbey (2-14, 1-7). Other quarterfinals will be No. 5 Limestone (12-7, 5-3) versus No. 4 Pfeiffer University (13-4, 5-3), No. 6 Barton (12-6, 3-5) against No. 3 North Greenville (9-8, 5-3) and No. 7 Erskine (4-15, 3-5) against No. 2 King University (13-7, 6-2).

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter High starting pitcher Phillip Watcher threw four innings and allowed two runs on three hits while striking out eight and walking two in the Gamecocks’ Region VI-4A-clinching 4-3 victory over South Florence on Wednesday at Gamecock Field. went four innings before leaving with a 3-2 lead.

Watcher surrendered three hits, striking out eight and walking two before giving up the ball to Crawford, who gave up two hits, struck out one, walked two and hit two over the final three innings.

“We felt like he was laboring a little bit and we felt

like we needed to make a change at that time because he was struggling,” Shumake said of the decision to pull Watcher from the mound. “He only had his fastball going for him and couldn’t get his curveball up, so we felt like it was better to go with someone else at that point.”

B4

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SPORTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

CLEMSON BASKETBALL

CLEMSON FOOTBALL

McDaniels says he’s ready for leap to NBA

Swinney: All religions welcome in program

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press

CLEMSON — A week after the Freedom from Religion Foundation’s complaint to Clemson University over the football program’s faith-based culture captured headlines, head coach Dabo Swinney addressed the issue Wednesday.

“Over the past week or two, there has been a lot of discussion of my faith,” Swinney said in the statement. “Players of any faith or no faith at all are welcome in our program. All we require in the reSWINNEY cruitment of any player is that he must be a great player at his position, meet the academic requirements, and have good character.”

The FFRF, a national nonprofit educational charity based in Madison, Wis., sent a letter of complaint to Clemson University citing “constitutional concerns about how the public university’s football program is entangled with religion.”

The foundation says it is the nation’s largest association of atheists and agnostics with more than 20,000 members nationwide and about 150 in South Carolina. According to the FFRF, Swinney has promoted a culture in the program that violates constitutional stipulations of the separation of church and

CLEMSON— K.J. McDaniels wanted to play in the NBA from the time he first picked up a basketball. Now, the Clemson forward says he’s ready to turn that dream into reality.

McDaniels announced this week he’d forgo his senior season to take part in the NBA draft. He led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding, blocks, steals and 3-pointers, joining Wake Forest’s Josh Howard in 2002-03 as the only Atlantic Coast Conference players to accomplish that feat.

More than stats, McDaniels’ MCDANIELS high-flying style electrified crowds and amazed opponents. He was nicknamed “Flight32,” because of his jersey number and ability to play well above the rim on offense and defense.

“It was a difficult decision, but I feel like this is a dream come true and it’s what I’ve been wanting,” McDaniels said Wednesday.

“I knew it was time.”

McDaniels struggled since the end of the season with his choice, finally coming to peace with leaving last Friday with about a week to go before the deadline to declare.

He’s been part of NBA mock drafts since the college season began, and ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford had McDaniels taken in the lower third of the first round.

That’s just fine with McDaniels, who’s long had to work to show people he could exceed expectations.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell recalled when his staff started recruiting McDaniels from Central Park Christian School in Birmingham. Assistant Earl Grant thought McDaniels wasn’t as polished skills-wise as

other prospects.

But Brownell saw McDaniels’ athleticism and thought he’d fit into Clemson’s style.

“He’s worked the last three years to turn his weaknesses into strengths,” Brownell said.

There was no one stronger on the court for Clemson this season.

McDaniels, whose father Kevin Sr. played basketball at South Alabama, finished with 17.1 points and seven rebounds a game this winter. He had 100 blocks, joining Tree Rollins and Sharone Wright as the only Clemson players with that many swats in a season.

The Tigers and Brownell were hoping to rebound from the program’s first losing season in nine years. Clemson was picked to finish 14th, next to last, in the supersized ACC last October.

But behind McDaniels and junior point guard Rod Hall, the Tigers went 23-13 overall, won 10 ACC games for just the fourth time in school history and advanced to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

McDaniels spoke to former Clemson great and Washington Wizards forward Trevor Booker about the NBA. McDaniels grew up a fan of the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant when they played for the Lakers. But he’s excited to play for whoever selects him in June.

“I felt like I could do this since the coaches gave me an opportunity,” McDaniels said. “I went out there and gave it my all. Went out there and played for the team and played for Clemson.”

Brownell said McDaniels didn’t let growing talk of his NBA future get in the way of team film sessions, practices or games.

“His mind was always on getting better and helping the team,” the fourth-year coach said.

BY AARON BRENNER Post and Courier

state.

“Christian worship seems interwoven into Clemson’s football program,” wrote Patrick Elliott, staff attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation. “We are concerned that this commingling of religion and athletics results, not from student initiative, but rather from the attitudes and unconstitutional behaviors of the coaching staff.”

Swinney did not directly address whether Clemson’s operations were constitutional, but explained his philosophies.

“Recruiting is very personal. Recruits and their families want — and deserve — to know who you are as a person, not just what kind of coach you are,” Swinney said.

“I try to be a good example to others, and I work hard to live my life according to my faith. I am proud of the great success we have had in developing good players and good men at Clemson.

“We win at the highest level and we graduate players who excel on the field and in life because of their time in Death Valley. I want to thank Clemson University and all the people who have reached out to offer their support and encouragement over the past few weeks.”

The foundation has recommended the elimination of Clemson’s chaplaincy position, currently held by former Clemson player James Trapp.

2014 NFL SCHEDULE

AP FILE PHOTO

Seattle’s Russell Wilson (3) and the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks will kick off the NFL’s regular season by hosting Green Bay on Sept. 4. That Thursday night game is the first of four prime-time contests on opening weekend.

NFL FROM PAGE B1 first of four prime-time games on opening weekend.

Also at night will be a Sunday matchup of AFC champion Denver and Peyton Manning hosting his former team, Indianapolis; and a Monday night doubleheader with the New York Giants at Detroit, followed by San Diego at Arizona.

The NFL will play three games in London: DolphinsRaiders on Sept. 28; Lions-Falcons on Oct. 26; and Cowboys-Jaguars on Nov. 9. The Detroit-Atlanta game will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET in an experiment to test the NFL’s audience draw on a Sunday morning.

A Saturday doubleheader in Week 16 has San Diego at San Francisco and Philadelphia at Washington.

For the first time, games in Weeks 5 through 10 can be flexed from Sunday afternoon to night, with a limit of two. Beginning with Week 11, a Sunday game can be moved to prime time each week. Also, a select number of Sunday afternoon games are being “cross-flexed,” moving between CBS and Fox to potentially draw more viewers.

The Thanksgiving tripleheader features three strong division rivalries: Chicago at Detroit, Philadelphia at Dallas, and Seattle at San Francisco, a rematch of the memorable NFC title game last January.

Looking for the latest installment of Manning vs.

Tom Brady? The Patriots host it on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2.

And for those looking for the rematch of the Super Bowl, Seattle’s 43-8 rout of Denver, it’s on Sept. 21 at Seattle. Denver opens the season against three 2013 playoff teams: Indianapolis and Kansas City at home, then at the Seahawks.

“I think when you look at it, we have to start fast,” Broncos general manager John Elway said. “We knew it was going to be a tough schedule playing the NFC West, and when we finish first in our division like we have the past three years, it is always going to be a tough schedule with a lot of good football teams on it.”

The last time Green Bay visited CenturyLink Field was in Week 3 of the 2012 season, a 14-12 Seahawks victory clinched on what now is often dubbed the “Fail Mary.” Russell Wilson’s desperation pass on the final play was called a touchdown reception for Golden Tate by the replacement officials.

A few days later, the lockout of the regular officials ended.

McCarthy wants no memories of that game.

“This game won’t be about the past,” he said. “It will be about the 2014 Green Bay Packers.”

Bye weeks begin in Week 4 when Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle and St. Louis are off.

They end in Week 12 when Carolina and Pittsburgh are idle.

The season ends Dec. 28 with all divisional games.

The Associated Press (x-Subject to Change) Week One Thursday, Sept. 4 Green Bay at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 7 New Orleans at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Washington at Houston, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

New England at Miami, 1 p.m.

Oakland at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

San Francisco at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Carolina at Tampa Bay, 4:25 p.m.

Indianapolis at Denver, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 8 N.Y. Giants at Detroit, 7:10 p.m.

San Diego at Arizona, 10:20 p.m.

Week Two Thursday, Sept. 11 Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 14 Miami at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

New England at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Arizona at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Dallas at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Washington, 1 p.m.

Seattle at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Tampa Bay, 4:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Denver, 4:25 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.

Houston at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

Chicago at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 15 Philadelphia at Indianapolis, 8:30 p.m.

Week Three Thursday, Sept. 18 Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 21 San Diego at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Indianapolis at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Oakland at New England, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Houston at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Dallas at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

San Francisco at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Miami, 4:25 p.m.

Denver at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Carolina, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 22 Chicago at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.

Week Four (Byes: Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle, St. Louis) Thursday, Sept. 25 N.Y. Giants at Washington, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 28 Carolina at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Houston, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Detroit at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Miami vs. Oakland at London, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.

Philadelphia at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

New Orleans at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 29 New England at Kansas City, 7:30 p.m.

Week Five (Byes: Miami, Oakland) Thursday, Oct. 2 Minnesota at Green Bay, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 5 Chicago at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Houston at Dallas, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Arizona at Denver, 4:05 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at San Diego, 4:25 p.m.

Kansas City at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

Cincinnati at New England-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 6 Seattle at Washington, 8:30 p.m.

Week Six (Byes: Kansas City, New Orleans) Thursday, Oct. 9 Indianapolis at Houston, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 12 Chicago at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

New England at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Miami, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Denver at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

San Diego at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

Washington at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.

Dallas at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 13 San Francisco at St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Week Seven (Byes: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay) Thursday, Oct. 16 N.Y. Jets at New England, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 19 Atlanta at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Miami at Chicago, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Seattle at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Washington, 1 p.m.

Kansas City at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Arizona at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

San Francisco at Denver-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 20 Houston at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m.

Week Eight (Byes: N.Y. Giants, San Francisco) Thursday, Oct. 23 San Diego at Denver, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 26 Detroit vs. Atlanta, at London, 9:30 a.m.

Seattle at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Miami at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Chicago at New England, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Philadelphia at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Oakland at Cleveland, 4:25 p.m.

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.

Green Bay at New Orleans-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 27 Washington at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Week Nine (Byes: Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Tennessee) Thursday, Oct. 30 New Orleans at Carolina, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 2 Jacksonville at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Arizona at Dallas, 1 p.m.

Philadelphia at Houston, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

San Diego at Miami, 1 p.m.

Washington at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

Denver at New England, 4:25 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 3 Indianapolis at N.Y. Giants, 8:30 p.m.

Week 10 (Byes: Houston, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New England, San Diego, Washington) Thursday, Nov. 6 Cleveland at Cincinnati, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 9 Tennessee at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Kansas City at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Miami at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Dallas vs. Jacksonville, at London, 1 p.m.

San Francisco at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Denver at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Chicago at Green Bay-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 10 Carolina at Philadelphia, 8:30 p.m.

Week 11 (Byes: Baltimore, Dallas, Jacksonville, N.Y. Jets) Thursday, Nov. 13 Buffalo at Miami, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 16 Atlanta at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Houston at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Philadelphia at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Seattle at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

San Francisco at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Denver at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Washington, 1 p.m.

Oakland at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

Detroit at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.

New England at Indianapolis-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 17 Pittsburgh at Tennessee, 8:30 p.m.

Week 12 (Byes: Carolina, Pittsburgh) Thursday, Nov. 20 Kansas City at Oakland, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 23 Cleveland at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Houston, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Detroit at New England, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

Arizona at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.

Miami at Denver, 4:25 p.m.

Washington at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

Dallas at N.Y. Giants-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 24 Baltimore at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m.

Week 13 Thursday, Nov. 27 Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at Dallas, 4:30 p.m.

Seattle at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 30 San Diego at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Houston, 1 p.m.

Washington at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Oakland at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Arizona at Atlanta, 4:05 p.m.

New England at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.

Denver at Kansas City-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 1 Miami at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.

Week 14 Thursday, Dec. 4 Dallas at Chicago, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7 Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Indianapolis at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Houston at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Miami, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Carolina at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at Washington, 1 p.m.

Kansas City at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Buffalo at Denver, 4:05 p.m.

San Francisco at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

Seattle at Philadelphia, 4:25 p.m.

New England at San Diego-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 8 Atlanta at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.

Week 15 Thursday, Dec. 11 Arizona at St. Louis, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 14 Pittsburgh at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Houston at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Oakland at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Miami at New England, 1 p.m.

Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Denver at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Tennessee, 4:05 p.m.

San Francisco at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Dallas at Philadelphia-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 15 New Orleans at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Week 16 Thursday, Dec. 18 Tennessee at Jacksonville, 8:25 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20 San Diego at San Francisco, 4:30 or 8:15 p.m.

Philadelphia at Washington, 4:30 or 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 21 Cleveland at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Houston, 1 p.m.

Minnesota at Miami, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

New England at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Kansas City at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at St. Louis, 4:05 p.m.

Indianapolis at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Buffalo at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

Seattle at Arizona-x, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 22 Denver at Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m.

Week 17 Sunday, Dec. 28 Carolina at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Houston, 1 p.m.

San Diego at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1 p.m.

Chicago at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at New England, 1 p.m.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Indianapolis at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Dallas at Washington, 1 p.m.

Oakland at Denver, 4:25 p.m.

Arizona at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

St. Louis at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Note: Night game TBD

OBITUARIES | SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

ISAM SANDERS

BERNICE BRUNSON

GREENVILLE — Isam Sanders, of 1409 Roper Mountain Road, passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2014.

Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins, Garrett & Woods Mortuary of Greenville with burial in Pinedale Memorial Park, Greenville.

Bernice Brunson, widow of Lesty Brunson, died on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Sumter Funeral Service Inc. The family will receive friends at the home of her daughter, Tracey Isaac, 1421 Frank St., Sumter.

PATRICK L. MILLS Patrick Lawrence Mills, 71, beloved husband of 10 years to Dana Marie Mills, died on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at his home.

Services will be announced

by Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter.

WILLIE J. HARRISON LAKE CITY — Willie James Harrison, 71, died on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at Carolinas Hospital System, Florence.

He was born on Jan. 3, 1943, in Turbeville, a son of the late Sam and Pearl McDowell Harrison.

The family is receiving friends at the home of his brother and sister-in-law, George and Lillie Harrison, 823 N. Bethel Road, Scranton.

These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

TALMAGE W. MITCHELL Jr. The Rev. Talmage Wadford “T.W.” Mitchell Jr., 89, husband of Alice W. Mitchell, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at the home of his daughter.

Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Talmage W. Sr. and Felicia Heckel Mitchell. He was a 1943 graduate of Edmunds High School.

Rev. Mitchell was a minister of the Church of the Nazarene from 1949 to 2013. He served at Bishopville Church of the Nazarene, Columbia Grace Church of the Nazarene, Camden First Church of the Nazarene and Batesburg Church of the Nazarene. He served for 22 years at Ashwood Church of the Nazarene. He also served on many district church boards.

During his early years in the ministry, he also worked as a

mechanic for Courtwright Chevrolet in Sumter. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of World War II and a member of the Brohun Lake Fishing Club. He was a very devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years; three daughters, Dale Mitchell Mellish of Batesburg, Delores Parnell (Gene) of Camden and Denise M. Steele (Frankie) of Batesburg; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren, along with the awaited arrival of two more greatgreat-grandchildren; three brothers, the Rev. Bob Mitchell and Danny Mitchell, both of Erin, Tenn., and the Rev. Ralph “Skipper” Mitchell (Audrey) of Edgewood, Texas; two sisters, Virginia Copeland (Warren) of Catlett, Va., and Jeanette Hoskins of Erin; a brotherin-law, John Baker; a sisterin-law, Catherine Mitchell Parrish; and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by three sisters, Annette Mitchell, Meddie Barwick and Jeanne Baker; three brothers, John Mitchell, Richard Mitchell and Billy Mitchell; sistersin-law, Audrey Mitchell, Becky Mitchell and Emmaline Mitchell; and a brother-in-law, Robert Barwick.

Funeral services will be

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 held at 1 p.m. Friday at Sumter First Church of the Nazarene with Dr. Eddie Estep, Dr. Jim Thrower and the Rev. Elizabeth Newman officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the Sumter Cemetery.

Grandsons and greatgrandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Honorary pallbearers will be nieces, nephews, Bill Christmas, Ernest Christmas, Kenny Mims, Alex Troublefield, Josey Copeland, Carlisle White, Steve Barwick and Delano Rogers.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday at Sumter First Church of the Nazarene and other times at the home.

Memorials may be made to the D. Moody Gunter Camp and Retreat Center Church of the Nazarene, Dining Hall Fund, 1420 Nazarene Road, Batesburg, SC 29006.

The family would like to express their thanks to Lexington Medical Center and Advantage Hospice for all of their care and support.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

DAVID HICKMON BISHOPVILLE — David Hickmon, 73, husband of Ada Cooper Hickmon, passed on

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B5

Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at his home.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the home, 694 Pinchum Sly Road, Bishopville.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

by Square Deal Funeral Home of Bishopville.

HARRY LEE BARFIELD ST. ALBANS, N.Y. — Harry Lee Barfield, husband of Robertha Kennedy Barfield, died on Saturday, April 19, 2014, in St. Albans.

Born in Clarendon County, he was the brother of Walter Barfield of Sumter.

Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. today at Friendly Church of the Apostolic Faith, Jamaica, N.Y.

MILLIE D. ALSTON Millie Dinkins Alston, 88, died Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born on Jan. 7, 1926, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Hodge and Leacy Miller Dinkins.

The family will receive friends and relatives at her home, 4685 Spencer Road, Rembert.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter.

NASCAR

Petty set to return to track at Richmond CHARLOTTE (AP) — Richard Petty is scheduled to return to the race track this weekend for the first time since the March 25 death of his wife, Lynda.

The seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Fame driver missed races at Martinsville, Texas and Darlington as he mourned the loss of his wife. The Pettys were together 57 years.

Trent Owens, crew chief for Richard Petty Motorsports driver Aric Almirola and Petty’s nephew, believes being back at the track in Richmond, Va., will be good for “The King.”

“I think it will be good medicine,” Owens AP FILE PHOTO said Wednesday. “When something like that Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty, left, kisses his wife, Lynda, durhappens, you kind of want to hide for a little ing ceremonies before the start of Petty’s final race of his career at At- bit and just get your feelings straight. But lanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. Lynda died on March 25 at he’s been by the shop and been in good spirher home in Level Cross, N.C., after battling cancer for several years. its, and I think he’s doing very well considerPetty will return to the track this weekend in Richmond, Va., for the ing. first time since her passing.

“We look forward to definitely getting him

back to the race track and getting him back into race mode.”

Almirola spent Tuesday with Petty at an appearance in Nashville, Tenn., and found his boss’ spirits to be improved. Like Owens, the driver thinks Petty’s return will be a boost to the organization.

“It’s going to be great to have our leader back at the race track. He is the name and the face of our company, and all the guys on the race team and myself included look up to him and enjoy having him around at the race track and having him inside hauler and talking to us after practice and getting his perspective on what he sees with other race cars and with our race cars throughout practice,” Almirola said.

“I know he’s itching to get back. ... You can’t take the racer out of that guy. He’s not going to sit at home and just sit around and do nothing.”

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

PRO FOOTBALL

Clady blazing comeback trail Emmert supports more

efficient, effective NCAA

BY ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As far as Peyton Manning is concerned, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders isn’t the only offensive reinforcement summoned to help Denver get another crack at winning the Super Bowl.

“It’s almost like Ryan Clady was a free agent acquisition,” Manning suggested. “He didn’t play last year.”

Well, hardly.

The star left tackle suffered a season-ending left foot injury in the second week of the season, not long after signing a fiveyear, $52.5 million contract.

Clady had missed offseason workouts last year while rehabbing a shoulder injury and waiting for a new contract.

Physically and fiscally sound, Clady embarked on what he expected to be a big season. But in Week 2, Giants defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins inadvertently rolled into his legs from behind on a running play and Clady’s season was over.

Surgery was scheduled for a Lisfranc injury, which usually involves a separation of ligaments and joints in the foot, followed by an arduous rehab.

Clady, who had started all 85 games of his career to that point, found it hard to miss out on the Broncos’ record-setting regular season but not nearly as diffi-

BY MICHAEL MAROT The Associated Press

AP FILE PHOTO

Denver offensive lineman Ryan Clady, left, spent most of last season watching his teammates earn their way to the Super Bowl without him after he injured his left foot in just his second game following a $52.5 million contract signing. cult as watching the Super Bowl from the sideline as Seattle’s pass-rushers overwhelmed Denver’s offensive line.

“Yeah, it was definitely tough watching and not being able to control anything that was going on out there, so probably one of the hardest games I’ve ever watched,” Clady said Wednesday.

Clady was one of several Broncos sidelined that night, including defensive stalwarts Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Derek Wolfe, Kevin Vickerson and Rahim Moore.

Their respective returns should also give the Broncos a boost this season, along with the free agency

acquisitions of Sanders, DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib.

“You know, barring injury we should have an awesome team and we should be able to make it back to the Super Bowl,” Clady suggested.

History suggests that’s going to be difficult: The last team to lose a Super Bowl and get back the following season was the 1993 Buffalo Bills. The last team to lose the big game and return to win it was the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Although he has no timeline for getting back on the field, Clady said he’s eager to return to form and make up for all that time he missed last year.

INDIANAPOLIS — NCAA President Mark Emmert believes college sports can address the concerns of union organizers without changing the entire model.

Emmert acknowledged Wednesday, in an interview with The Associated Press, that under a proposed new governance structure, the richest sports programs would have the autonomy to provide more money and more counseling EMMERT and perhaps even more protections to student-athletes. He also thinks the new structure could help finance the travel of athletes’ families to postseason tournaments.

His comments come one day before the NCAA’s board of directors is to discuss a series of proposals that could change college sports.

The agenda includes debate over a new governance structure that would allow the five biggest football conferences to implement some legislation on their own, expand meal plans and change transfer rules.

While some outsiders may see this as a response to Friday’s scheduled union vote at Northwestern, Emmert noted that these changes have been in the pipeline for months and even years.

“I think one of the most interesting responses to the Northwestern conversation is that when the student-athlete said ‘Here’s what we’re worried about,’ I said, ‘This is what we’ve been working on for some time,’” Emmert said, referring to former Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter.

“These are things we’ve been talking about since the summer of 2011 and now a lot of it is about to come fruition.

It’s taken longer than we wanted to get where we need to be, but here it is.”

Last week, the Legislative Council approved giving athletes unlimited meal plans and snacks both in and outside their sport seasons. That proposal could be approved Thursday in Indianapolis.

The board also is expected to consider a measure that would allow some transfer students to be granted an extra year of eligibility, though they would still be required to sit out one full season when changing schools.

But the bigger debate will center around changing how the NCAA operates.

The 57-page draft proposal would allow the 65 schools in the five biggest football conferences to implement some legislation — such as expanding scholarship benefits to cover the full cost-of-attendance, money that goes beyond tuition, room and board, books and fees, and additional academic and career counseling.

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COMICS

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Parents are appalled by man’s indifference to son DEAR ABBY — My 23-yearold son, “Wayne,” who is single, has a 3-yearold son. We didn’t learn about the Dear Abby child until he was more ABIGAIL than a year VAN BUREN old, when Wayne was asked to take a paternity test.

Luckily, we have been able to form a good relationship with our grandson’s mother and see him often. However, our son has shown no interest. He pays child support, but has little interaction.

Wayne is an only child. I love him, but I never wanted another one. I was never comfortable around or interested in

THE SUMTER ITEM

young children except for my own son. Could he have gotten this from me?

Friends and family have commented on Wayne’s lack of interest in his son, and I’m tired of making excuses or telling people to mind their own business. Wayne says he feels resentment and doesn’t want to be around this child. I have tried to explain that he’ll regret it in years to come, but he won’t listen.

My husband is appalled that our son would act this way, but he seems to forget that I was the one who did everything with Wayne. I did the Boy Scouts, movies, horses, trips, etc. He did almost nothing with Wayne and his friends. At this point, I don’t know what to do and would like some advice.

Mom in Illinois

DEAR MOM — Your son is displacing his anger at himself onto his son. He should have used birth control and he knows it. It’s not fair, but Wayne does not appear to be the most mature of 23-yearolds.

Rather than blame yourself for the fact that he wants no involvement, consider that children usually model themselves after their same-gender parent. Because your husband was so uninvolved with Wayne, it is possible that Wayne has no idea of what a father’s role ought to be. A parenting class could fix this — if your son is willing to take one.

Until then, continue to be the supportive and loving grandparents your grandson needs because, aside from his mother, it appears you’re all the backup the little boy has.

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

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

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 __ comedy 6 First vice president 11 Tar’s direction 14 Hike 15 Not adept in 16 Prefix with state 17 Nobody special 19 No. that may have an ext.

20 Lab subjects 21 Arrest 22 Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy 24 Nobody special 29 “They made us!”

30 “Bring on the weekend!”

32 Edna Ferber novel 35 24-hr. news source 37 Cartoon monkey 38 Museum supporter, familiarly 40 Complain 42 Heathrow approx.

43 Speeding sound 47 Waist-reduction plans 48 Sharpen 50 Stuck on a stick 52 Nobody special 57 City northeast of Colgate University 58 ‘60s hot spot

59 Yalie 60 Superdome city’s Amtrak code 61 Nobody special 66 Suffix with alp 67 Parting word 68 Commandeer 69 Selected on a questionnaire, with “in” 70 Cinque plus due 71 “Enigma Variations” composer DOWN 1 Halloween carrier?

2 Grub or chigger 3 Quinn of “Elementary” 4 Emmy-winning forensic series 5 “Women in Love” director Russell 6 Father of Isaac 7 They’re handy for overnight stays 8 Small, medium or lge.

9 “A revolution is not a dinner party” statesman 10 Guide 11 Enjoying a Jazz performance?

12 Organization that supports the Dalai Lama

13 Money drawer 18 Lit. compilation 23 Asian holiday 25 Victory cry 26 Much of Israel 27 Place to get off: Abbr.

28 Jones who plays the announcer in “The Hunger Games” 31 Apparel sometimes protested 32 Chicken paprikash, e.g.

33 “Hmm ... I was thinking of something else” 34 Tormented, as with doubt 36 West Pointer 39 Spotlit number, perhaps

41 Dress length 44 Texting exclamation 45 Good scoring opportunity, in hockey 46 Rhesus monkey, e.g.

49 Gumshoe 51 Sagging 53 South Asian rulers 54 Woody Allen mockumentary 55 “My Fair Lady” lady 56 Sweeter, in a way 57 Windows alternative 62 Pindar product 63 Parade member?

64 Put into operation 65 __ canto

CLASSIFIEDS

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

THE ITEM

Help Wanted Full-Time

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales

Lost & Found Found Male Yorkie 494-5478 To identify

MERCHANDISE

Call

Multi Family 2945 Tuckaway Dr. Fri & Sat. 7-12 Lots of clothes & hshld items.

In Memory LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $1 & Up FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend.

905-4242

VFW: 1925 Gion St Sat 4/26 8-?

Donations will be accepted on friday 4/25 Call Hazel Evenich 491-4943. All proceeds go to homeless veterans or homeless in the community. Thanks to all. God Bless!

For Sale or Trade 4 Cemetery Plots @ Evergreen $1250 Each . Call 803-305-1645 or 795-7886 In Loving Memory Flossie W Ludd 9/7/32-4/24/13 Mother, It's been one year today, though my heart aches like it was yesterday. i love you but God loved you best. You will always be in my heart. Love your daughter Earnestine Dow

Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves.

Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311

Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Estate Tag Sale of The Late Mary L. Hinson at 2550 Old Camden Hwy. May 1st & 2nd 5:30-7:00pm & Sat. May 3rd 8am-12. Sale being conducted by Bill's Furn. & Antiques, 1107 N. Main St. Over 700 items to be sold. See photos & details on Auctionzip.com.

Large China Cabinet, New Ckic Clac sectional , Oak entertainment cabinet, Computer desk, (2) 24" storage cabinets. Call 803-305-1081. Must sell moving.

We

Thank God for every remembrance of you Flossie W Ludd 9/7/32-4/24/13 Mother, It's been one year today and we still can't find the words to express the depth of how much we love and miss you. We think of your Smile, Love, and teachings every day. You will forever be in our hearts. Love, Your Children, Earnestine Dow, Wilhelmenia, Jimmy, Diane, Gloria Jean, Isaac Jr.

BUSINESS SERVICES Home Improvements H.L. Boone, Contractor additions, painting, roofing, gutters, sheetrock, blown ceilings, decks. 773-9904

Lawn Service Triple R Lawn Care LLC Licensed 803-305-8824 Serving Sumter and Surrounding Areas Taylor's Lawn Care Dependable and Affordable Call 803-651-0125 Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs!

Free est. 494-9169/468-4008 GrassBusters, Lawn Maintenance, Pest & Termite Control.

Insured and Lic. 803-983-4539,

Tree Service NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal , trimming & stump grinding. Lic & Ins.

803-316-0128

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

STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time Tidwell Septic Tanks looking for general labor with driver license and general labor with CDL Apply at 1665 Lewis Rd Drivers Wanted- Hiring drivers to run from SC to PA. Avg trip 3 days. Competitive pay. Need 2 years exp and Class A CDL. Clean driving record. Great home time.

Health and Life Insurance. Vacation pay. Call 800-334-7503 Charles D. Goodwin Inc. Maintenance Tech - FT 70+ Unit Midrise Elderly Apartment community in Sumter. Exp. pref. in areas of Apt Maint. incl. plumbing, Elec., appliance & HVAC . Good pay and benefits with Prof. Mgmt.

Co. EOE Please fax resume 803-775-0474.

Looking for a Poultry farm Manager needs to be energetic, detail oriented, some maintenance background. Must have a valid DL and equipment operating exp. Salary Position. Please send resume to Box 288 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

F/T Service Technician needed for an apartment community located in Sumter. Candidate will handle all phases of maintenance.

Must have a valid SC driver's license and reliable transportation.

On call is a MUST! HVAC and CPO certifications are MANDATORY. Salary negotiable or commensurate with experience. Please email resume to jennifer.chapel@berkleyhallmgmt.com Heating & Air Service Tech/ Installer Must have valid driver license, tools and own transportation. Pay based on experience up $16/hr. Call 803-825-9075 Mike

Help Wanted Part-Time Customer Service Representatives needed. Apply in person Polar Bear Cleaners 1087 B Alice Dr for Sumter/Manning $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555

Trucking Opportunities Company Drivers Needed Immediate opening for CDL Class A Drivers. Eastern dedicated runs.

No NE runs. Must have 3 yrs OTR Exp. No preventable accidents.

Call for more info. 843-383-6953.

Wanted Switch Truck Driver.

Need 2nd shift (4pm-1am). Must have CDL Class A driver License.

Must have 2 yrs of verifiable commercial Driving experience.

Call for more info 843-383-6953 Truck Driver Trainees Needed Now at US EXPRESS Earn $800/wk Local CDL Training NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Be trained & based locally!

1-888-263-7364 F/T & P/T Class-A CDL Drivers needed to work night shifts hauling live chickens and/or protein in Sumter, SC. Must have 2-yrs verifiable experience and good MVR. Local positions, drivers are home daily, and company offers benefits. Call Danny at 803-236-0682

Medical Help Wanted Live-in health assistant needed.

Hrs: 9 am Fri - 9 am Sun. Non-smokers, must be strong & able to do stand/pivot transfers.

Call 803-478-7434.

Work Wanted I am a reliable CNA looking to sit with your elderly loved ones day or night.

Ref. provided.

Call 803-225-0924 or 803-225-0543 CNA with 23 yrs Exp. willing to sit with elderly. Call 803-468-6617

RENTALS 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 SOUTH FORGE APTS. 1BR, Water, stove & frig furnished.

Linda at 803-494-8443

REAL ESTATE

B7

Autos For Sale

Homes for Sale

2001 Lincoln LS 4 Dr Silver with Black leather interior, Great cond, $3500 Call 803-236-9445 6 Middle St. 3BR & 4th optional/2BA. C/H/A. New construction. Financing Available.

775-4391, 464-5960

Unfurnished Homes Beautiful 6BR/4BA home. Den, LR, DR, Lg kitchen w/Island, W/D hook-up. Featuring hardwood tile and carpet. Over-sized BRs & BAs. Huge fenced yard.

Back/front patio. Like new. $1,250/mo + $1,250/dep. Call 803-316-7958 or 803-773-1838 between 9am-6pm Mon-Fri. 4BR 2BA House for rent, 52 Bland Ave, AD School Dist. Hdwd floors, fenced yard $750 mo +$1000 Dep 803-468-1612 3BR 1BA Completely remodeled home on Thomas Dr,(near Alice Dr) with den, Lv Rm, Dining Room, washer/dryer HU, LG Fenced Yard, $750 Mo. + $750 Dep. A must See. Call 803-316-7958 or 803-773-1838 Btw 9am-6pm Mon-Fri.

Mobile Home Rentals Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water/sewer/garbage pk-up incl'd.

RV parking avail. Call 494-8350 E. Brewington Rd. near Mayewood School, 3BR/2BA DWMH. $550/mo + $550/SD. NO Section 8.

Call 803-934-6845 or 803-938-3174

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015 1997 3 Br, 2 Ba D/W in Dalzell, all appliances, Section 8 accepted.

469-6978.

3600 Dallas: Dalzell, 3BR, 2BA. Big Lot. Big storage & workshop. 1/2 ac lot. Financing Available. 775-4391, 464-5960 (Sumter) W. Sherwood Dr- Brick 3BR 1BA 1016 sq ft. attached garage.

Lease or Cash. $1,000/down & $605/mo.

877-499-8065

2007 Ford Mustang Exc Condition 68,800 Mi. $10,400 OBO Call 803-406-9183

Mopeds / ATVs / Motorcycles

Manufactured Housing Looking for your DREAM HOME? LOW CREDIT SCORE? Been turned down for bad credit?

Come try us, we do our own financing. We have 3-4-5 bedroom homes. Layaway program available. For more information, call 843-389-4215.

Farms & Acreage For Sale By Owner, 10 Acres, 8 miles to Sumter. $55,000. Owner Financing 803-427-3888.

Land & Lots for Sale

2009 Q Link, XP200, Dual Sport, street legal. Low miles. Matching helmet. $1300. Call 803-316-8105

Miscellaneous

Hwy 441 Dalzell, ac, cleared, water, septic, elec $3K dn $225 mo 60 mo $13K. 713-870-0216

RECREATION

Resort Rentals Ocean Lakes 2BR/2BA C/H/A Sleeps 8, near ocean, Call 803-773-2438

Commercial Rentals Church Building in Mayesville located on Willow St. for rent.

Contact 803-453-5187 or 803-775-3975

Boats / Motors 1986 16' Duracraft, with 1978 35 hp Johnson motor, trailer, steering console, $2500. 803-840-7960.

TRANSPORTATION

Autos For Sale 2005 Mitsubushi Galant, Gold.

Great interior. Runs & drives great. $3,800 OBO. Call 803-607-8790 A Guaranteed Credit Approval AUTO LOANS We will arrange financing even if you have been turned down before.

Loans available for no credit, bad credit, 1st Time Buyers & Bankruptcy buyers. No co-signers needed. Call Mr. Ashley Brown at 803-926-3235

Reconditioned batteries $35. Also have lawn mower, truck, 4 wheeler, & marine batteries, starters & alternators. Car dealers/garages ask about special prices.

Auto Electric Co. 803-773-4381

B8

THE ITEM

CLASSIFIEDS

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014