INSIDE: The force was strong at one German church this Sunday A8
Honeybaked Ham arrives in time for the holidays A2 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015
| Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894
Jobless rate falls again in November
75 cents
Celebrating Boykin style
Employment numbers reflect broad-based growth in S.C. BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Despite still being in recovery mode from the October floods, South Carolina continued to see falling unemployment in November, according to South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined from 5.6 percent in October to 5.5 percent in
November. The number of people employed in the state increased by more than 9,000 for the month and 71,000 for the year to reach a record level of more than 2.1 million. In the tri-county area, unemployment dropped from 6.9 percent to 6.3 percent in Sumter County, from 7.7 percent to 6.9 percent in Clarendon County and from 8.1 percent to 7.3
SEE JOBS, PAGE A11
Dinner feeds more than 1K people BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com As an older volunteer began singing “Chestnuts roasting over an open fire,” 17-year-old Nicollete Searles used her cellphone to link to Nat King Cole’s rendition of “The Christmas Song” to accompany the soloist who was scooping food into Styrofoam containers. Shortly thereafter, retired minister Joshua Dupree stood behind a podium and began singing into
a portable microphone with the accompaniment of two backup singers. Although the age and methods of singing and listening to Christmas carols may have spanned the spectrum of generations, the group assembled at South Sumter Park had one mission: serving Christmas dinner to more than 1,000 people Sunday. For close to 30 years, Geraldine Singleton has organized the dinner during
MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM
Black River Electric Cooperative’s float had a few employees dangling from “power lines” along a truck bed in Sunday’s annual Boykin Christmas parade. See more photos on page A3.
SEE DINNER, PAGE A11
Fireside sets weekly record with more than $26,000 BY JACK OSTEEN Jack@theitem.com It may not feel quite like winter yet, but Sumterites must be feeling the warmth and Christmas spirit in their hearts with a record-setting week of donations. Last week marked the largest in a single week for donations with the Fireside Fund as more than $26,000 came in including two separate $10,000 donations coming from wellknown, long-time Sumter families. Elise Sharp Moore and Esther Bynum Sharp, adminis-
RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
Geraldine Singleton embarrasses volunteer Gregory Johnson as she gives him a certificate of appreciation for volunteering Sunday. She was teasing him about his apron which says “Kitchen Hours: Mon. Closed, Tues. No Service, Wed. Half-day, Thurs. Out Shopping, Fri. Day Off, Sat. Day Off and Sun. Day of Rest.”
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DEATHS, B5 James W. Broadway Jr. Joye T. Segars William L. Dixon John W. Lance Ione B. Chancey Ann Rogers Rebecca M Richburg
Maggie F. Moses Ruth J. Martin Mildred M. Mills Booker T. Boyd Sr. D.S. “Scotty” Lowder Mary Ann Sigler Mary Lee M. Akers
ters of the Glen and May Sharp Trust, donated $10,000 this year to the Fund in honor of their parents. Glen Sharp, a well-known local businessman and philanthropist, died in January 2013 and the Fund was dedicated in his honor that year. The Williams-Brice-Ed-
wards Charitable Trust also gave generously this week with another $10,000 donation. The Trust has given to various causes throughout the Sumter area over many years. Winter weather can’t be far away and having a large
SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A6
WEATHER, A12
INSIDE
RAIN AND WARM
2 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 58
Rain and fog during the day; a thunderstorm possible tonight. HIGH 70, LOW 63
Classifieds B7 Comics B6 Lotteries A12
Opinion A10 Television A9