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VOL. WWW.THEITEM.COM VOL 119, 119 NO. NO 41 W WW WW.TH THEI EITE EI TEM TE M.CO COM CO M
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From Sports & Wings to doughnuts and waffles
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Surgeon, speaker will visit Public invited to Mission Series event Tuesday BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem
PHOTOS BY JADE ANDERSON / THE ITEM
Cathy Rabon hands her husband and business partner, Bubba Rabon, the key to lock up Sports & Wings on Wednesday. The Rabons envision the restaurant as a breakfast and lunch spot for Central Carolina Technical College students when the eatery reopens in February.
Local restaurant will reopen in February as breakfast, lunch spot BY JADE ANDERSON janderson@theitem.com Sumter is losing a family sports bar but gaining a new breakfast and lunch place. After almost five years of business, Sports & Wings Family Sports Grill & Bar closed its doors Wednesday. “We’ve been pondering over it and praying about it for a long time,” said Cathy Rabon, co-owner. “Every day, it seemed God was showing us a new sign. He
doesn’t close one door without opening another. This was the right move at the right time.” Her husband and fellow co-owner, Bubba Rabon, agreed. “It seemed every day we got another message that this was something we needed to do,” he said. “We just figured the timing was right with CCTC (Central Carolina Technical College) opening up next door. We thought there would be a SEE PROJECT, PAGE A4
SEE CARSON, PAGE A4
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Trell Williams, kitchen manager for Sports & Wings, takes down the last bits of the sign Wednesday. Sports & Wings is closed for renovations until February and will reopen as a breakfast and lunch diner.
Dr. Ben Carson’s speech at Wilson Hall’s Nash Student Center on Tuesday is expected to draw a crowd of about 2,000 people from across the Midlands. Carson, a neurosurgeon and motivational speaker who has been receiving plenty of press for his statements at the 2013 President’s National Prayer Breakfast, was booked earlier CARSON this year to be the guest speaker for the school’s annual Mission Series. While the program is designed to reach out to students, Wilson Hall Headmaster Fred Moulton welcomes the entire Sumter community to attend. “Carson just seems to have a passion for young people and their education,” Moulton said. “I think that’s kind of his target audience.” According to Moulton, Carson will speak about his latest book, “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great,” in which Carson writes about America’s past and how it can help shape its future. The school usually sets two times for guest speakers
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