December 2, 2015 by The Sumter Item

IN SPORTS: Columbia or bust for loaded Lady Knights B1 PANORAMA

Give the gift of art Sumter Artists Guild holds annual Holiday Mart C1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

75 CENTS

City may transfer land for Main Street hotel BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter City Council approved first reading of an ordinance to transfer .75 acres on Main Street to Sumter Hotel Venture LLC during its meeting Tuesday. The extension of land will include 10 N. Main St. to 14 N. Main St., according to the proposed ordinance. Mayor Joe McElveen said it is not

Midlands economy keeps pace

unique for the city to transfer land to prospective economic partners. He said construction of the hotel is anticipated to start at the beginning of next year. In other action, after a discussion of its conditions, council approved first reading of an ordinance to add exemptions from the prohibition against drinking on streets and other public areas to include approved sidewalk dining locations in the Central Business District.

According to the proposed ordinance, restaurants with the appropriate licenses to sell alcoholic beverages will be allowed to serve alcohol in designated dining areas on the sidewalk City Attorney Eric Shytle said the city could offer sidewalk dining permits, which would be easier than creating an ordinance. Councilwoman Ione Dwyer and Councilman Calvin Hastie voted in opposition of the ordinance.

Also, council approved first reading of an amendment to a section of the city’s code of ordinance regarding the demolition appeals process for property owners. According to the proposed amendment, the chief codes enforcement official will have 10 days to schedule a hearing after receiving a demolition appeal.

SEE CITY, PAGE A5

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BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Economic growth in the Midlands, including Sumter, has traditionally lagged behind other areas of South Carolina, says Joseph Von Nessen, an economist at University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business; but this year’s numbers show the region keeping pace with other areas in the state. “The Midlands has been doing better this year,” he said. “Traditionally the Midlands has been growing at a more moderate pace — that has changed.” He said Columbia has been growing on pace with Greenville and Charleston, boosted by growth in the education, military and state government sectors. That has benefitted the Sumter area as well. “This time last year we were looking at sequester,” he said, in reference to cuts in military spending at Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base. “We had sequester, but not nearly as severe as expected.” South Carolina’s highest rate of growth in six years will persist in 2016, said Von Nessen and Doug Woodward, economists in the Division of Research VON NESSEN at the school, at an economic briefing Tuesday in Columbia promoting the Economic Outlook Conference scheduled for Dec. 17. Residents WOODWARD can expect broadbased growth across most industries with accompanying gains in employment and income, they said. Job creation — one of the best indicators of economic performance, Von Nessen said — is expected to grow by 2.9 percent in 2016, according to projections.

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Harold Johnson, owner of Treehouse Nursery, illustrates how he uses a plastic pipe to determine the length of a tree.

Facebook post helps Treehouse Nursery recover from flood BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com No one has yet been able to determine the cost of damage from the 1,000year flood, but one thing that was not uprooted by the deluge is the willingness of Palmetto state residents to help each other out. Harold Johnson, owner of Treehouse Nursery & Feed Supply, 3750 Thomas Sumter Highway in Dalzell, found that out first hand after a local resident explained his predicament on Facebook. A former Sumter police chief, Johnson said he suffered as much as $70,000 in damage to merchandise, equipment and infrastructure when floodwaters flowed through his business, which he and his wife, Linda, started after he re-

tired as police chief. “We lost 3,500 plants that averaged $15 to $50 apiece,” he said. “It washed them down the road a couple of miles.” Most of those plants were being readied for the spring season, he said, but that was only part of it. “My office flooded, and my warehouse flooded,” he said. “We lost about 125 bales of hay and probably close to 200 bags of horse feed and lime and fertilizer and seeds — all that kind of stuff.” The water in his office destroyed two computers and a credit card machine, he said. “It hurt us pretty bad.” Johnson said other than an offer of a 30-year, 6 percent Small Business Administration loan that would include a lien on his property, he could not quali-

DEATHS, B5 Rossie L. Brown Rachel F. Keels Corine N. Baxter Robert Lee Felder Pauline F. June Joseph L. Prince Sr. Georgie Mae Johnson

Fannie Lou L. Gainey Beatrice J. Bracalente Evelyn Stewart Edith R. Brown Harold K. Durant G. Marion McFadden Sr.

fy for government assistance. “I am 64 years old and don’t need to be paying a mortgage at 94,” he said. “I told them ‘No thank you.’” Johnson said it’s been a tough year. “We are out of hay because of the drought,” he said. “We had nine weeks without cutting any hay. We normally would have hay in the barn right now, and we don’t have any. Income from things we normally would have we just haven’t had this year.” He said he talked to Linda and they decided to pray about it. Through it all, they weren’t even thinking about going out of business, he said. “We built it without any help and we

SEE TREEHOUSE, PAGE A5

WEATHER, A8

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Warm but wet early with good chance of showers; chilly and cloudy tonight with diminishing chance of rain. HIGH 72, LOW 45

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

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LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Thomas the Elf tries out some lo mein, eggrolls Thomas, Downtown Sumter’s Elf on the Shelf, is still hiding out in businesses along Main Street. To enter the contest, you must go to the shop where Thomas is hiding and fill out a registration form there, and then drop it in the box for the drawing that will be held at the end of the contest later this month. Take a photo of yourself with Thomas (an “Elfie”) and post it on the Downtown Sumter Facebook page to get another chance to win. Thomas will move to a different location each weekday. Here’s Thomas’ clue for today: “All this shopping I’ve been doing has made me so hungry. I’m enjoying the best lo mein and eggrolls right now. Come join me, won’t you? Register for your chance to win cash and prizes, including gifts from Kimbrell’s, The Sumter Item, Sumter Little Theatre, Galloway and Moseley as well as cash and more.”

Marine exercise scheduled at Poinsett The Public Affairs Office at Shaw Air Force Base is advising the public to expect an increase in noise Saturday through Dec. 15 as the Poinsett Electronic Combat Range hosts a U.S. Marine Corp ground exercise. Service members from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, the Air National Guard and Shaw are participating in the exercise. The use of munitions will produce the noise, the Shaw Public Affairs Office said. Approximately 270 Marines will reportedly train with tactical vehicles, heavy equipment and rotary wing aircraft during the day and night exercise. The majority of the training will take place in the northeast area of the range. For more information, call the Shaw Public Affairs Office at (803) 895-2019.

Extension cotton class set for Dec. 15 in Santee Clemson Extension will hold a program for cotton growers on Dicamba and 2,4-D cotton cropping systems from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday at Santee Convention Center, 1737 Bass Drive, Santee. A sponsored lunch will follow. Speakers from DOW AgroSciences, Monsanto and BASF will make presentations on new herbicide-tolerant traits, herbicides and requirements for use. Mike Marshall, Clemson Extension weed specialist, will give an update on cotton weed control. Powell Smith, Clemson Extension horticulture specialist, will discuss the impact new cropping systems will have on the horticulture industry. No registration is required. Pesticide credits (2.5 hours) and pest management credits (3.5 hours) will be available. For more information, contact Rebecca Hellmuth at rhellmu@clemson.edu or (843) 5635777.

Pilot Club, Tuomey salute unpaid caregivers at inaugural luncheon BY TRACI QUINN Special to The Sumter Item Each year, The Pilot Club of Sumter celebrates families, friends and caregivers of all kinds who take the time to care for others who are in need. At some point, Pilots say, “Everyone will be touched by a caregiver. Pilot International chooses to recognize the dedication, determination, time and love given by (those) who take on the daily challenge of caring for a loved one.” Pilot Clubs all around the world celebrate International Care & Kindness Week in November each year to encourage random acts of kindness and good will and to promote awareness of the many challenges caregivers face on a daily basis. “Most important,” the club says, “Pilots surround caregivers with love, support and encouragement.” To that end, the Pilot Club of Sumter hosted the inaugural Caregiver Appreciation and Recognition Luncheon at Tuomey Regional Medical Center on Nov. 12 to honor the unsung heroes of our healthcare system — the unpaid caregiver. “There are more than 65 million Americans — young and old — devoting their time and resources to caring for loved ones at home,” said Pilot Club member Carolyn Bishop-McLeod. “Just as they struggle to tend to the daily needs of an ailing parent or grandparent, a chronically ill spouse, younger siblings or a child with special needs, the daily needs of the family caregiver often go unmet. “Their time is no longer their own; their future plans are put on hold. Some are forced to quit their jobs or school, and their homes — once a place of respite and relaxation — can sometimes feel more like a nursing home.” Tuomey co-hosted the luncheon to recognize the fact

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Harpist Kipper Ackerman provides musical entertainment for Caregivers Luncheon sponsored by Tuomey Healthcare System and Pilot Club of Sumter recently. that caregivers are essential to programs such as its Home Health and Hospice. Those, other hospices and home health agencies in the Sumter community were asked to nominate special unpaid caregivers for recognition. “Our agency relies on unpaid family members and friends who selflessly dedicate their time and energy to provide the necessary care to promote the health of the patient,” said Susan Arrants, Tuomey’s Home Health manager. “They also help to prevent complications that would otherwise appear in the absence of this caregiver.” Betty Jean Drayton, a staff chaplain for Home Health and Hospice, agreed. “Caregivers are essential to us,” she said. “Caregiving calls for compassion, patience, flexibility and sometimes plain determination. Caregivers make it possible for the patient to remain in the home as opposed to the hospital setting.” National Alliance for Caregiving and Eldercare esti-

mates more than $375 billion a year is spent on care giving. “Caregivers influence everyday life for the sick by providing personal hygiene, feeding, dressing, toileting, medicating, shopping and cooking to help them maintain some independence and live in their own homes,” Drayton said. Nominated caregivers received gift bags and other resources. Entertainment was provided by Kipper Ackerman, a Tuomey volunteer and creator of The Sounds of Grace music ministry. The Pilot Club of Sumter was formed in 1939 by a group of local professional women. At the time, women were not allowed in the Lion’s Club, Rotary or Kiwanis. Its 31 members focus on brain-related issues with an effort to recognize caregivers. Their tagline is “Do More, Care More, Be More.” International Care and Kindness Week was created to bring awareness to how simple acts can change a day, a life or even the world by showing someone you care.

During this special week, Pilots engage in a variety of activities to encourage kindness, caring and general good will. From giving “Little Pick Me Ups” to strangers, family and friends to encouraging families (including their own) to “Get Real” and put their electronic devices down during mealtimes, Pilots spread the news that caring for one another means really engaging with each another. Other ways to spread kindness could include cleaning someone’s home, watching a caregiver’s loved one so that person can go shopping, run errands or have a brief respite. Local Pilot projects include Brainminder Buddies: a protect-your-brain puppet show for school children; a Valentines Party for clients of Carolina Place; Christmas tree decorations at Tuomey Regional Medical Center; picnic and flower plantings at Washington Place; an Easter Egg Hunt for Special Ed students at Kingsbury Elementary and purchasing supplies for Camp Burnt Gin.

Judge delays federal trial in Charleston church shooting CHARLESTON (AP) — A trial was delayed again Tuesday for a man accused of shooting and killing nine people at a Charleston church, and a prosecutor said it could be months before the federal government decides whether it will seek the death penalty. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel agreed, for a third time, to postpone the trial after Dylann Roof’s attorney David Bruck said the defense is still reviewing evidence that the government has provided in its case again Roof. Roof faces dozens of federal charges, including hate crimes, in the slayings of parishioners at Emanuel AME

Church during a Bible study last June. Bruck said that last week the defense received “many thousands of pages” of evidence it needs to sort though. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Richardson said the government is also working to provide the defense with copies of material from the hard drives of computers seized during the investigation. Gergel did not set a trial date on Tuesday. Roof did not attend the hearing. Richardson said a Justice Department committee that makes recommendations to the attorney general on seeking the death penalty should begin

reviewing the Roof case by year’s end. A decision usually then takes another three months, he said. Bruck said the defense is waiting on the government and told the judge “the case could end very quickly” depending on whether prosecutors seek the death penalty. Roof’s attorneys have said he would like to plead guilty but need to know first if the federal government will seek the death penalty against him. The state of South Carolina is set to try Roof on murder charges in a case set to begin next July. The state is seeking the death penalty.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

Patrick Davis heads to Bishopville BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com

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Camden native Patrick Davis, a singer and songwriter who’s written music that has hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Music Charts, will perform Friday at 8 p.m. at Bishopville Opera House, 109 N. Main St., Bishopville.

BISHOPVILLE — Camden native Patrick Davis, a singer and songwriter who has written music that has hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Music Charts, will perform Friday at 8 p.m. at the Bishopville Opera House, 109 N. Main St. in Bishopville. Davis has written songs for country stars such as Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Jason Michael Carroll, Jimmy Buffett and many others. He grew up around music. His father, Rusty Davis, owns Davis & Sons Guitar Shop in downtown Camden. At 16, Patrick started playing music in his father’s band. “As a teenager, I really fell in love with music and performing,” he said. After graduating from Camden High School in 1995, Davis attended University of South Carolina, where he majored in history while playing at local venues. It was there he met Rucker, at that time lead singer of “Hootie and the Blowfish,” a famous American band formed on campus in 1986. “Hootie and the Blowfish was

one of the most popular bands in the world when I was in college, and Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan and some of the other band members were really influential on me,” he said. Davis wrote his first song at age 18. “I started doing research on who wrote some of the most popular songs playing on the radio and found that many of them were written by songwriters and not always the artists themselves,” he said. After graduating from USC, he moved to Nashville, nicknamed “Music City,” and considered the center of the music industry. Davis has written thousands of songs in his nine-year career, as many as 200 songs a year. “Out of the several hundred songs you write, you hope that five or six of those become real successes,” he said. Simultaneously with his songwriting career, Davis has released four full-length albums, toured the U.S. and Europe as a support act for Darius Rucker, Jewel and others, and has had more than 50 songs recorded by famous artists. Davis is a staff songwriter for Warner/Chappell Music, the glob-

al music publishing company of Warner Music Group. He tours the Southeast as a headlining act. Davis said the secret to his success has been perseverance. “There are more than 200,000 songwriters in Nashville, I was fortunate enough to become one of the 200 to 300 of those who could make it a career,” he said. Davis said he is looking forward to performing in Bishopville. “Bishopville is one of my favorite places to perform,” he said. “The opera house has a really incredible sound and a close network of people who really make it what it is. It’s always nice to come play in my home region.” Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. VIP tickets are also available for $35. VIP tickets will give access to a Pre-Show “Meet and Greet” with Davis at 6 p.m. at the Lee County Chamber of Commerce, across the street from the opera house. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served along with drinks. VIP ticket holders will have reserved seating for the concert. Tickets can be purchased at the Bishopville Opera House, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling (803) 484-5090.

Deadline for Realtors flood assistance now extended to Dec. 31 BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Tiffany Matthews, a multiple list server coordinator at the Sumter Board of Realtors, said she had 2 feet of water in her house during the 1,000-year flood, causing about $20,000 in damage. “It ruined everything,” she said. Matthews said she got some help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency but not enough to cover all the damage. She also got some help from S.C. Realtors in partnership with the National Association of Realtors, who have the Realtors Relief Foundation flood assistance program.

“They paid one half of my monthly mortgage,” she said. “It wasn’t a lot, but it helped.” The deadline for applying for the program was originally set to be Nov. 30, but it has been extended until Dec. 31. The program has already distributed $130,000 to flood victims, the state group said, leaving nearly $350,000 available to S.C. homeowners. According to the state group, the relief is available to qualified S.C. residents who have suffered property damage to their primary residence as a result of the severe flooding event that took place in early October. The relief covers either a monthly mortgage expense for the primary residence or the

cost of temporary shelter because of displacement. Assistance is limited to $1,000 per applicant and one grant per residence. In order to qualify for the relief, applicants must submit the application in its entirety and provide all supplemental mate-

rials and proof of damage. Assistance is being provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Matthews said she has helped other applicants fill out the application and send in pictures documenting their damage. “It’s easy to fill out,” she

WELCOMES Sukirti Bista, MD 742 W. Liberty Street Sumter, SC 29150

CORRECTION An article in Monday’s The Sumter Item on the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Breakfast listed an incorrect day of the week for the event. It is scheduled for 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9.

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said. “It’s only about three pages.” The application may be downloaded at screaltors.org/ relief. For more information on the program or other available flood resources, visit screaltors. org/flood.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

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Beijing air pollution now reaches hazardous levels BEIJING (AP) — Schools in the Chinese capital kept students indoors and parents brought their kids to hospitals with breathing ailments Tuesday as Beijing grappled with extremely severe air pollution for the fifth straight day. The heavy smog erased the capital’s skylines with a monotonous gray and left buildings just a block or two away hardly discernable. Neon signs barely punctured the gloom, and many Beijingers wore masks of various kinds while walking the streets. “It’s the worst day so far this year,” said Liu Feifie, a 36-year-old mother and Internet company employee. “I feel my throat totally congested with phlegm, and it feels very itchy. But I’m more concerned about the health of my 7-year-old kid.” Readings of the tiny poisonous PM2.5 particles reached into the high 600s micrograms per cubic meter through the capital, as compared with the World Health Organization safe level of 25. Some suburban neighborhoods logged levels up in the 900s on Monday. Outside a packed children’s hospital in downtown Beijing, parents and grandparents complained about the smog’s impact on small children and say the pollution has made their children vulnerable to illnesses such

A ship of unknown nationality is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, central Japan, after it was found in mid-November. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A man wearing a mask to protect himself from pollutants takes a selfie near the Turret of the Forbidden City on a heavily polluted day in Beijing on Tuesday. as throat infections and the flu. “The government is supposed to be tackling the pollution, so we need to see the effects. If in a few years the situation does not change, we will consider leaving,” said Yin Lina, who brought her 5-year-old daughter to the hospital with a stuffed nose. Several hospitals in Beijing contacted by the AP declined to provide figures on patient visits, or their symptoms, during the period of smog. The pollution spike is a reminder of China’s severe environmental challenges as President Xi Jinping joins other world leaders at the Paris climate conference.

Factories and construction sites were told to reduce work after the city government on Sunday issued its first orange alert — the second highest of four warning levels — in almost two years. China’s cities are among the world’s dirtiest after three decades of explosive economic growth that led to construction of hundreds of coal-fired power plants and the spread of automobile ownership. Communist leaders have tightened emissions standards and are investing in solar, wind and other renewable energy. But the country still depends on coal for more than 60 percent of its power.

Japan probes dozen mystery boats carrying dead bodies off coast TOKYO (AP) — Japanese authorities are investigating nearly a dozen wooden boats carrying decomposing bodies found drifting off the northwestern coast during the past month. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday they have found at least 11 shoddy boats carrying the bodies of unknown nationality since late October. They have also found fishing equipment and nets on board and signs written in Korean, suggesting they came from North Korea. Officials say dozens of wrecked boats drift toward Japan’s northwestern coasts facing the Sea of Japan every year. This year, officials have found 34 mystery boats so far, including the 11 found between late October and November.

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Last year, Japan found 65 of them, and 80 more in 2013, according to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard spokesman Yoshiaki Hiroto said the boats are apparently from the Korean Peninsula, though he declined to identify the country. He said the number of drifting mystery boats tends to rise during the fall and winter season because of the wind from the northwest. Simple wooden boats like those are not used in Japan, he added. On Nov. 20, officials found four bodies in two capsized boats off the coast of Ishikawa prefecture. Two days later, seven bodies were found inside another wooden boat off nearby Fukui prefecture. Coast Guard said officials autopsied some of them but could not determine their nationality or cause of death.

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ECONOMY FROM PAGE A1 “We’re optimistic going into 2016,” Von Nessen said. “The economy appears to be firing on all cylinders.” Major drivers of the economic gains are wage growth and disposable income. As a result, the economy has seen an uptick in consumer spending, Von Nessen and Woodward said at the briefing. “This year represents the first time in the current expansion (2010 to the present) that we’ve seen the creation of highwage jobs accompanied simultaneously by significant wage growth across multiple industries,” Von Nessen said. “This means that more South Carolinians are feeling the effects of the expansion.” This year’s growth has been led by construction and housing markets, according to their analysis. “Housing demand in 2015 has been primarily fueled by new construction, rather than by remodeling. This represents a transition from previous years when the reverse was true,” Von Nessen said. “Because of increases in disposable income, more consumers are

TREEHOUSE FROM PAGE A1 will build it back a little bit at a time,” Johnson said. Unbeknownst to Harold Johnson, a man named Josh Buus posted an item on Facebook about Johnson’s’ predicament and recommended people buy their fresh-cut Christmas trees from Treehouse Nursery. “He really needs the sales to keep his nursery going,” Buus posted. People from throughout the area responded to the seed Buus planted. “We’ve just about sold out,” Johnson said Monday. “I usually have 100 trees that last

making new home purchases instead of remodeling their existing homes.” Additionally, nonresidential construction is benefiting from major increases in the growth of retail trade, which has nearly doubled during the past year, Von Nessen said. Professional and business services is another leading economic sector this year, they said. “The professional services sector encompasses a variety of industries that generate both relatively higher-wage and relatively lower-wage jobs,” Von Nessen said. “However, another positive trend we’ve seen developing this year is that the percentage of higherwage jobs generated in this sector has been increasing substantially.” Looming over the forecast for 2016 is the impact of the 1,000-year flood on South Carolina’s economy. The economists said the implications of the deluge on growth will be significant. “Preliminary estimates suggest that the October floods will have a comparable economic impact to that of Hurricane Hugo,” Woodward said. “These include losses associated with property and infrastructure damage as well as a four- to six-week period of major

me until about Dec. 15, and I have nine trees left.” One of the people who responded to the post was Margaret Held, an assistant solicitor in the Third Judicial District Solicitor’s Office. She saw the Facebook post a day or so before Thanksgiving, she said. “I have known Harold for years and years,” she said. Since she needed a Christmas tree, she decided to buy one from him. “I was glad, thrilled to be able to help,” Held said. She said she also got a great tree. “They’re gorgeous; you could tell they had just been fresh cut,” she said. “We were there on Friday, and he said they had

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

CITY FROM PAGE A1

disruptions to business activity.” Affected regions likely will benefit from additional spending activity arising from rebuilding efforts, Woodward said. “We know from our analysis of Hurricane Hugo that a natural disaster like the historic 2015 rainfall and flooding has the potential to act as a modest stimulus for construction and retail trade during the rebuilding phase, which will continue throughout 2016,” he said. “However, this short-term boost will not compensate for the wealth of losses incurred by citizens and businesses that were not fully insured or given other forms of disaster relief to pay for their damage.” A full economic forecast from Van Nessen, Woodward and other regional economists will be presented at the 35th Annual Economic Outlook Conference at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at USC in the Moore School’s W.W. Hootie Johnson Performance Hall. Anyone interested in attending the EOC may register at http://moore.sc. edu/events.aspx. Tickets are $95. For more information, contact the Darla Moore School of Business at events@moore.sc.edu or (803) 777-7311.

been cut on Tuesday.” Johnson called it “a blessing.” “People are coming from Columbia and Camden and Manning and all kinds of places,” he said. Johnson said he will be making the 11-hour drive to

The chief codes enforcement official will then review the appeal, supporting evidence and any documents submitted during the hearing and can reverse or affirm the demolition request. The property owner will have the option to appeal the chief codes enforcement official decision to the circuit court, according to the amendment. Shytle said the amendment would make the process easier by not taking appeals directly to the circuit court, which could take a longer time to complete. In other news, council approved a resolution authorizing a contract with Stewart-Cooper-Newell of Gastonia, North Carolina, for professional architectural design services for the Public Safety Complex site, for a total of $921,078. City Manager Deron McCormick said the complex, consisting of separate buildings for the fire station, police department and water department, will be located on Lafayette Drive.

North Carolina to pick up another 30-40 trees. “They are going to cut them, and I’ll have them back Thursday afternoon,” he said. Johnson said the nursery still has about 80,000 plants in the nursery in the back of the farm.

“It’s kind of on the hill, so we didn’t lose any of them,” he said. “Everything from boxwoods to compactas to 25-gallon trees. “It’s amazing what the Good Lord can do when He’s ready,” Johnson said.

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N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron

THE SUMTER ITEM

H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

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 Rick Carpenter Managing Editor

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

COMMENTARY

Can we learn from Europe? E

arlier this year, my column asked, “Will the West defend itself ?” I pointed out that America’s leftists and progressives believe that the U.S. should become more like Europe (http://tinyurl.com/ nfk2c4d). I wonder whether they also want to import European policies that created barbaric extremism among its Muslim population. France’s recent tragedy is not surWalter prising, given Williams some of its policies that are not widely publicized abroad. France has no-go zones, which are officially called “zones urbaines sensibles,” or sensitive urban zones, where police are reluctant to go. Some of these zones are dominated by Islamic extremists. According to some reports, there is hardly a city in France that does not have at least one ZUS. It is estimated that there are more than 750 such zones in France. According to The Washington Times, “France has Europe’s largest population of Muslims, some of whom talk openly of ruling the country one day and casting aside Western legal systems for harsh, Islambased Shariah.” It appears that much of France’s Muslim population has no intention of joining the French culture. Many French Muslims are hellbent on importing the failed components of their motherland, such as Shariah, the subjugation of women, suppression of free speech and honor killings. But France is not alone in tolerating people who have little desire to abandon the culture from which they fled. Ingrid Carlqvist has written an article titled “Sweden Descends into Anarchy” (http:// tinyurl.com/pdk3lta). Carlqvist says, “Once upon a time, there was a safe welfare state called Sweden, where people rarely locked their doors.” She adds: “Since the Parliament decided in 1975 that Sweden should be multicultural and not Swedish, crime has exploded. Violent crime has increased by over 300 percent, and rapes have increased by an unbelievable 1,472 percent.” One Swedish policeman says, “The situation is slipping from our grasp,” referring to some no-go areas, such as Tensta and Rinkeby. “If we’re in pursuit of a vehicle, it can evade us by driving to certain neighborhoods where a lone patrol car simply cannot fol-

low because we’ll get pelted by rocks and even face riots. These are no-go zones. We simply can’t go there.” As a result of the increasing danger, Swedes are arming themselves in unprecedented numbers and sales of home alarm systems are booming. Elliot Friedland, writing for the Clarion Project, has an article titled “Belgian Government Admits It Has Lost Control of No-Go Zone.” Security and Home Affairs Minister Jan Jambon says the government does not “have control of the situation in Molenbeek.” Molenbeek, a district of Brussels, has been referred to as “Europe’s jihadi central.” Two of the terrorists who carried out the recent attacks in Paris were found to be from Molenbeek. Terrorist plots connected to this neighborhood include the 2001 assassination of anti-Taliban leader Ahmad Shah Massoud; the 2004 Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people; the 2014 attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels; the January attack on a kosher grocery in Paris after the Charlie Hebdo shootings; and the August attack on a Paris-bound train, in which an Islamic terrorist was overpowered by three Americans. There are zones where the government has lost control in Germany, England and most other European countries, too. Viktor Orban, prime minister of Hungary, explained the situation confronting Europeans: “For us today, at stake are Europe, the lifestyle of European citizens, European values, the survival or disappearance of European nations and, more precisely formulated, their transformation beyond recognition. Today the question is not merely in what kind of a Europe we would like to live but whether everything we understand as Europe will exist at all.” Europe provides a valuable lesson for Americans. Most Americans, including me, welcome people to our country who come here, as immigrants have in the past, to become Americans. We don’t welcome people who wish to import the failed culture from which they fled. We could extend the welcome mat even further if we abandoned the welfare state. We have far too many Americans living off the earnings of others. We don’t need to encourage others to do the same. Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2015 creators.com

A resurgence of intolerance

torm trooper tactics by bands of college students making ideological demands across the country, and immediate preemptive surrender by college administrators — such as at the University of Missouri recently — bring back memories of the 1960s, for those of us old enough to remember what it was like being there, and seeing first-hand how painful events unfolded. At Harvard, back in 1969, students seized control of the administration building and began releasing to the media information from confidential personnel files of professors. But, when university president Nathan Pusey called in the police to evict the students, the faculty turned against him, and he resigned. At least equally disgraceful things happened at Cornell, at Columbia, and on other campuses across the country. But there was one major university that stood up to the campus storm troopers — the University of Chicago. After student mobs seized control of a campus building, the University of Chicago expelled 42 students and suspended 81 other students. Seizing buildings was not nearly as much fun there, nor were outrageous demands met. Clearly it was not inevitable that academic institutions would follow the path of least resistance. Most of the leading academic institutions have multiple applications for every place available in the student body. Students who are expelled for campus disruptions can easily be replaced by others on the waiting lists. Why then do so many colleges and universities not only tolerate storm trooper tactics on campus but surrender immediately to

COMMENTARY them? That is just one of a number of questions that are hard to answer. Why do parents pay big money, often at a considerable sacrifice, to send their children to places Thomas where Sowell small groups of other students can disrupt their education and poison the whole atmosphere with obligatory conformity to political correctness? Why do donors continue to contribute millions of dollars to institutions that have become indoctrination centers, tearing down America, stifling dissent and turning group against group? There is no compelling reason for either parents or donors to keep shelling out money to colleges and universities where intolerant professors and student activists impose their ideology on academic institutions. Too often these are campuses with virtually no diversity of viewpoints, despite however much they may be obsessed with demographic diversity. It is not hard to tell which campuses are strongholds of ideological intolerance, where individual students dare not express an opinion different from the opinion of their professors or different from the opinions of student activists. There are sources of information about such places, systematically collected and evaluated. One outstanding source of such information is a college guide which rates colleges and universities on their ideological intolerance, giving a red light rat-

ing to institutions where such abuses are rampant, a green light where there is freedom of speech and a yellow light for places in between. That college guide is “Choosing the Right College,” which is by far the best of the college guides for other reasons as well. It gave the University of Missouri a red light rating, and spelled out its problems, two years before Mizzou made headlines this year as a symbol of academic cowardice and moral bankruptcy. The University of Chicago gets a green light rating as a place where both conservative and liberal students are allowed free rein. Some engineering schools like M.I.T. get green light ratings because their students are too engrossed in their studies to have much time for politics, though Georgia Tech gets a red light rating. Other red light ratings go to Duke, Vassar, Vanderbilt, Rutgers, Wesleyan and many others. More important, the reasons are spelled out. There is also another source of information and ratings of colleges and universities on their degree of freedom of speech. This is a watchdog organization called the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). If parents and donors start checking out intolerant colleges and universities before deciding where to send their money, the caving in to indoctrinating professors and storm trooper students will no longer be the path of least resistance for academic administrators. Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute and author of The Housing Boom and Bust. © 2015 creators.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR COUNTY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ADDRESS OPEN-BURNING LAWS I’m writing on behalf of myself and several members in my community. We have waited patiently, for more than a year, for Sumter County Council to show some humanity toward the people of Sumter County and change the open-burning laws in the county. I recall that more than a year ago there were a few residents attempting to convince the council to change these laws, and I thought that council

was open to this. Obviously, I was wrong. I have suffered and hear about people suffering from the smoke from other people’s careless fires quite regularly. We call the fire department, and the fires subside for a few weeks and then back again, worse than before, most likely in retaliation now. I’m very confused as to why this problem in the county has not been resolved by Sumter County Council. The council makes such a big deal about attracting businesses to Sum-

ter but does not regard the quality of life of its residents. Maybe that’s why so many people work in Sumter but live in other more progressive counties such as Richland, a county that does not even permit open burning. I hope the members of Sumter County Council will show some compassion and courage and stop the unnecessary suffering of its residents. Don’t people have a right to breathe clean, toxin-free air in Sumter? The residents of Sumter deserve better than this.

We definitely deserve a council that cares about its people. Let’s not forget that the election year is approaching . Maybe we need to elect new council members who are more progressive and environmentally astute. And for the record, I read the letters that are written back and forth in The Sumter Item. So before I’m accused of being a bleeding heart liberal, please know that I am a proud Republican. GEORGE GRAVES Sumter

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letter to letters@theitem.com, drop it off at The Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St., or mail it to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151, along with the writer’s full name, address and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_editor.

WORLD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

Pilot actions contributed to AirAsia crash JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A rudder control system problem that had occurred 23 times in the previous 12 months coupled with the pilots’ response led to last year’s crash of an AirAsia plane that killed all 162 people on board, Indonesian investigators said Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Committee said an analysis of Flight 8501’s data recorder showed the rudder control system had sent repeated warnings to the pilots during the Dec. 28 flight between the Indonesian city of Surabaya and Singapore. Aircraft maintenance records for the Airbus A320 showed that problems with the rudder system had been reported 23 times during the year before the crash, with nine occurring in December. The investigators said the fault was caused by cracked soldering on an electronic circuit board.

Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee Chief Investigator Marjono Siswosuwarno holds up a model plane as he explains the movement of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 before it crashed into the Java Sea on Dec. 28, 2014. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said the problem by itself should not have been dangerous. But after the fourth

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time an alarm went off during the flight, a crew member apparently went against recommendations and

removed a circuit breaker to try to reset the system, he said. The autopilot became disengaged, and the aircraft began to roll, but no movement was detected on the plane’s manual control stick for nine seconds, he said. It then began climbing rapidly before stalling and plummeting into the Java Sea. Utomo said the voice recorder showed the pilot said “pull down,” but in fact the plane was ascending. “It seemed that there was a miscommunication between the pilot and copilot after the fourth fault,” he said. The same warnings had occurred three days before the crash with the same pilot, who witnessed a technician on the ground addressing the problem by removing the circuit breaker and then replacing it, according to Utomo and the investigation report.

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AROUND TOWN merton, on the following The Town of Pinewood will hold its sixth annual Christmas Thursdays: Dec. 10; Jan. 14, 2016; Feb. 11, 2016; March parade at 10 a.m. on SaturTown ofinformation Pinewood to hold annual 10, 2016; April 14, 2016; and day, Dec. 5. For Christmas paradein May 12, 2016. Call Sadie Wilregarding participating liams at (803) 485-2325, exthe parade, call Pinewood tension 116. Town Hall at (803) 452-5878. The Sumter Civil Air Patrol’s The Campbell Soup friends Wreaths Across America cerelunch group will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. mony will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Sumter 5, at Golden Corral. Cemetery. Former U.S. MaA Zombie 5K Run, sponsored rine and retired Army Reby USC Sumter Fire Ant Baseball, will be held from 2 serve Master Sgt. Jackie Hughes will speak. After the to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. ceremony, attendees may 5, beginning at USC Sumter assist in hanging the Nettles Building. Particiwreaths along the cemetery pants can walk, creep or crawl their way through the fence. For more information about the WAA organizacourse. Visit www.fireants. tion, contact Denise Owen com. at owenmom@aol.com or Sumter Little Theatre will pres- visit www.wreathsacrossaent the Christmas classic “Mir- merica.org. acle on 34th Street” ThursThe Sumter Branch NAACP will day-Sunday, Dec. 3-6, and conduct the national board Dec. 10-13, at 14 Mood Ave. of directors election during Show times are 7:30 p.m. the annual meeting at 5 Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets: $20 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, at First Baptist Missionary for adults; $15 for students Church, 219 S. Washington / senior citizens / military. St. Call (803) 775-2150. The Lincoln High School Class The annual Evening Optimist Christmas Parade will be held of 1963 will hold its meeting and Christmas luncheon at at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6. The parade will begin at the 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14, at Golden Corral, 2385 corner of Main and Dubose Walmart Blvd. Call Ferdistreets and will proceed nand Burns at (803) 968south on Main Street to 4464. Bartlett Street. Featuring The Sumter County Education marching bands, beauty Association-Retired will hold queens, festive holiday its meeting and Christmas floats and more, the theme luncheon at noon on for the parade is “SuperheWednesday, Dec. 16, at New roes for Christmas.” Beginnings restaurant, 1335 The Dementia Support Group Peach Orchard Road. Call will meet from 4 to 6 p.m. Brenda Bethune at (803) on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at NHC 469-6588. HealthCare, 1018 N. GuigThe Mayewood High School nard Drive. Class of 1977 will hold an orClarendon School District One ganizational meeting at 11 will conduct free vision, hearing, speech and developmental a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, at Mayewood Middle School. If screenings as part of a child you are a member of this find effort to identify stuclass, your help is needed in dents with special needs. Screenings will be held from planning the 40th class reunion. Come with ideas and 9 a.m. to noon at the Sumsuggestions to make the remerton Early Childhood union special in 2017. Center, 8 South St., Sum-

FYI ing at (803) 774-1075, (803) Hospice Care of Sumter LLC is 260-3876 or tblanding@ in need of volunteers in Sumagapsenior.com. ter and surrounding counties. Opportunities available Hospice Care of South Carolina for you to use your time and is in need of volunteers in talents to be of assistance Sumter County. Do you have include reading, musical talMake a difference by volunteering one extra hour a week? Opents, companionship, light portunities are available for housekeeping, etc. Contact patient/family companionJoyce Blanding at (803) 883ship, administrative sup5606 or hospicecareofsumport, meal preparation, light ter@yahoo.com. household projects, student education and various other Agape Hospice is in need of tasks. Contact Whitney Rogvolunteers. Whether your ers, regional volunteer coorpassion is baking, knitting, reading, singing, etc., Agape dinator, at (843) 409-7991 or Hospice can find a place for whitney.rogers@hospicecare.net. you. Contact Thandi Bland-

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

A few showers; fog in the a.m.

Considerable cloudiness

Cooler with clouds breaking

Plenty of sunshine

Sunny

Plenty of sunshine

72°

47°

60° / 36°

56° / 37°

59° / 37°

60° / 38°

Chance of rain: 80%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 0%

SW 7-14 mph

W 6-12 mph

N 7-14 mph

NE 6-12 mph

NE 7-14 mph

NNE 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 63/41 Spartanburg 62/40

Greenville 65/40

Columbia 73/45

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

Sumter 72/47

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 67/42

ON THE COAST

Charleston 77/51

Today: A few showers; warmer in northern parts. High 72 to 77. Thursday: Mostly cloudy and cooler. High 59 to 64.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

64° 55° 61° 37° 79° in 1991 20° in 1964

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

Myrtle Beach 76/51

Manning 73/49

Today: Periods of rain. Winds south-southwest 6-12 mph. Cooler. Thursday: Partly sunny. Winds northnortheast 3-6 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 74/48

Bishopville 71/46

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 356.31 76.51 75.28 96.65

24-hr chg -0.04 -0.04 +0.02 -0.09

Sunrise 7:09 a.m. Moonrise 11:59 p.m.

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

trace 0.00" 0.10" 57.36" 35.01" 43.70"

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today Thu. City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 60/39/r 55/37/pc Chicago 38/27/sf 41/27/pc Dallas 58/36/s 59/36/s Detroit 46/33/c 45/31/pc Houston 65/40/pc 61/37/s Los Angeles 77/52/s 75/52/pc New Orleans 65/48/c 60/46/pc New York 56/46/r 51/40/pc Orlando 86/66/c 75/61/c Philadelphia 59/46/r 53/38/pc Phoenix 71/43/s 75/46/s San Francisco 62/48/pc 60/48/r Wash., DC 60/44/r 52/38/pc

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 60/35/r 63/40/r 69/43/sh 77/51/sh 72/55/sh 77/51/sh 67/40/r 63/40/r 73/45/sh 72/47/sh 72/51/sh 75/48/sh 73/49/sh

City Florence Gainesville Gastonia Goldsboro Goose Creek Greensboro Greenville Hickory Hilton Head Jacksonville, FL La Grange Macon Marietta

Last

New

First

Full

Dec. 3

Dec. 11

Dec. 18

Dec. 25

TIDES

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 10.20 -0.09 19 5.60 +0.40 14 9.99 -1.05 14 5.06 -0.09 80 79.82 -0.18 24 17.10 -0.47

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 49/27/pc 58/34/pc 62/34/pc 64/43/c 56/44/c 63/41/c 56/31/pc 57/35/pc 61/36/pc 57/35/c 56/36/pc 58/35/c 58/35/c

Sunset 5:13 p.m. Moonset 12:18 p.m.

AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Thu.

Today Hi/Lo/W 74/48/sh 83/58/c 64/40/r 75/50/sh 77/51/sh 65/39/r 65/40/r 62/38/r 73/54/sh 83/55/c 62/41/r 67/42/sh 59/37/r

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 59/37/c 69/52/c 55/30/pc 56/35/c 60/41/c 53/32/pc 57/33/pc 54/31/pc 62/45/c 67/51/c 55/34/pc 60/34/pc 54/33/pc

High 1:37 a.m. 1:49 p.m. 2:32 a.m. 2:40 p.m.

Ht. 2.7 2.9 2.7 2.8

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

Low 8:15 a.m. 8:55 p.m. 9:12 a.m. 9:45 p.m.

Today Hi/Lo/W 61/35/r 75/52/sh 76/51/sh 72/49/sh 74/52/sh 69/44/r 65/41/r 70/44/r 78/50/sh 62/40/r 76/50/sh 76/48/sh 63/40/r

Ht. 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.7

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 52/25/pc 61/43/c 61/41/c 60/38/c 60/44/c 55/32/pc 55/32/pc 55/30/pc 65/43/c 54/30/pc 60/40/c 59/38/c 54/32/pc

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

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do your best EUGENIA LAST to relate to others regardless of whether it involves business, romance or pleasure. Your steadfast approach to getting things done will enhance your reputation and impress your colleagues. Love is in the air.

The last word in astrology

your side, so don’t feel pressured to make a move before you are ready. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You can do anything you put your mind to, so stop waiting for others to make the first move. Open up conversations and bring about changes that will improve your relationships with others. Make personal improvements.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stop second-guessing what you want to do and just make it happen. Don’t rely on others to make choices for you. You stand a better chance of getting what you want when you take charge. Networking will pay off.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Stay out of the limelight until you’re certain that what you have to offer is flawless. Work toward bringing about unique changes that will improve your situation. Professional gains can be made. Believe in your abilities.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll have trouble seeing situations clearly. Before you take a stance or say something you’ll regret, focus inward and work on doing things that will make you smarter, wiser and more appealing.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Listen and learn. Now is not the time to share your thoughts or vision. Find out where everyone else stands and you’ll be able to tweak your own ideas to ensure you reach the success you’re aiming for.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Check into events going on in your community, or make plans to get together with creative people who will spark your imagination and inspire you. Don’t let personal situations lead to an unnecessary battle with someone you love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t try to bring about change. Work with what you have instead of trying to pile too much on your plate. An investment, settlement or negotiation will turn in your favor if you let things unfold naturally.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t let the changes going on around you at work or at home get you down. Embrace whatever is new and different and you’ll find a way to make things work in your favor. Socializing will lead to interesting offers.

Offer expires 12/15/2015. Financing is subject to credit approval. *For dates, details, and restrictions please see your independent Trane Dealer. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

2-5-12-13-33 PowerUp: 4

2-6-47-66-67 Powerball: 2; Powerplay: 3

numbers not available at press time

PICK 3 TUESDAY

PICK 4 TUESDAY

LUCKY FOR LIFE MONDAY

0-9-9 and 2-0-0

7-1-2-7 and 1-9-8-1

10-19-36-41-44; Lucky Ball: 10

SUMTER ANIMAL CONTROL PET OF THE WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A child or loved one will inspire you to take on something you’ve wanted to do for a long time. Change is heading your way, and the chance to utilize all your talents will put you in the spotlight. Love is in the stars.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be cautious when dealing with friends, VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Practicality colleagues or partners. Someone and reason will be required when won’t be honest about his or her dealing with someone who is feelings, qualifications or motives. demanding or withholding Travel and communication will information you need in order to present delays. Mishaps will occur if you’re emotionally manipulative. make a good decision. Time is on

Granger, a 1-year-old medium-sized 48 lbs. boy, appears to be a shepherd/lab mix. This boy is so happy to spend time with someone. He just wants to be loved and to please his owner. Granger is a volunteer favorite, and we would be thrilled to see him adopted into a loving home. He will put his paws up to pull you close and give you a hug. He is a quick learner and, in the right hands, this boy will be a gem in no time at all. Contact Sumter Animal Control at (803) 436-2066, 1240 Winkles Road, to inquire about Granger in kennel 20. To see more pets, go to Sumter Animal Control on Facebook.

SECTION

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

prep girls basketball

Back four more With most of last year’s squad returning, Lady Knights primed for another run at the lower state title and a trip to Columbia

prep softball

Wolverines’ Fort signs with North Greenville By Justin Driggers justin@theitem.com Brooklyn Fort knew her college choice would have to provide two things — a Christianbased background and a chance to continue her career in the circle. She got both in North Greenville University. Fort, the East Clarendon High School standout softball pitcher, verbally committed to the Crusaders last December but finally made it official by signing with NGU. FORT “I love the area and the campus,” Fort said. “All the people I’ve met have been really great. The coaches are really good at what they do and they’re just great with the girls and it’s a wonderful (atmosphere).” Charleston Southern and Erskine College were potential destinations as well, but North Greenville put itself at the forefront early in Fort’s recruiting process, she said. “I’ve actually been in contact with the coaching staff for about two or three years now,” Fort said. “I’ve gotten to know them pretty well and gotten to know their coaching style. “And they were one of the first ones to pursue me, so that made me feel wanted.” Fort was a dominant force on the mound for the Lady Wolverines last year after returning to the squad for her junior season. She was one of three pitchers ECHS used during her eighth-grade year on the mound, but Fort took over that sole responsibility last season.

see FORT, Page B3

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Cawasha Ceasar (3) and the rest of the Crestwood High School girls basketball team look to earn another trip to Columbia this season and another shot at the program’s first state championship. The Lady Knights open the year on Thursday in Mullins.

By justin driggers justin@theitem.com Now or never. That’s the mantra the Crestwood High School girls basketball team is heading into this season with. “We’ve been real close the last few seasons,” said head coach Tony Wilson, whose Lady Knights squad has played for the 3A lower state championship each of the last three seasons. But CHS has been in the title game

just once, two years ago and lost out to crosstown and region rival Lakewood in last year’s lower state final. Despite going 21-5 and finishing second in Region VI-3A, last season’s squad never quite gelled, Wilson said — something the team is intent on turning around starting Thursday at Mullins. “We were not on the same page most of the season,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing that hurt us last year, was not playing as a team. We had too many

individuals. “I think this year we realize that all the talent in the world doesn’t mean anything if you don’t play together as a team.” The Lady Knights are certainly deep with talent, though. Ranked fourth in the state in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association 3A preseason poll, Crestwood returns all five starters from a year ago and all but one of its

see CRESTWOOD, Page B3

Tigers looking to slow Tar Heels offense CLEMSON — Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables has spent a lot of time watching No. 8 North Carolina score quickly. And he’s sharing them all with players in film sessions that get quite repetitive. “It’s ‘How you like this play? How about this play? How about that score?”’ Venables said Tuesday. “First play of the Duke game, it’s all jacked up, in state rivalry, then they run the flea flicker. Touchdown, 80 yards.” Venables knows the difficult challenge ahead for No. 1 Clemson (12-0) in slowing down the Tar Heels (11-1) in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night. North Carolina is 16th nationally in yards gained at better than 494 a game. More impressive, in Venables’ view, is how fast the Tar

Oklahoma appears safe; Tigers on top for playoffs By RALPH D. RUSSO The Associated Press

Clemson football

By PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press

college football

fense in the country, including first-round NFL draft picks in defensive end Vic Beasley and linebacker Stephone Anthony. If that wasn’t enough, linebacker Korrin Wiggins hurt his knee in camp and starting defensive tackle D.J. Reader took an extended leave of absence from the team for personal reasons in late August. Through it all, Clemson ended the regular-season seventh nationally in the File/Mark Crammer/The Independent-Mail Football Bowl Subdivision, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, right, said the No. allowing 288 yards a game. 1 Tigers had better be ready for North Carolina or their perfect, “I thought we had a chance dream season could come crashing down quickly. to be solid,” Venables said. “But probably not to the Heels can strike. Goodson and Ben Boulware same level” as 2014. “There’s a lot of explosive have combined for 234 tackThey’ll need that to corral play-makers” on UNC’s ofles, 22 of those behind the the Tar Heels, who’ve scored fense, Venables said. line of scrimmage. 38 points or more in eight of But Venables without opNo one at Clemson was their 12 games this season. tions; Clemson has a few completely sure how long it They scored 66 points in that play-makers on defense, too. would take this year’s deDuke contest, then had 59 a Defensive end Shaq Lawson fense to come together. The week later against Miami on leads the country in tackles Tigers lost eight starters off see CLEMSON, Page B4 for loss. Linebacker B.J. last season’s No. 1 ranked de-

Oklahoma is No. 3 in the College Football Playoff selection committee rankings, putting the Sooners safely in position to be in the final four with their season completed. The Sooners locked up the Big 12 championship with a blowout victory at Oklahoma State on Saturday. Clemson is still No. 1 and Alabama remained No. 2. Both the Tigers (12-0) and Crimson Tide (11-1) head into their conference championship games Saturday needing just a victory to lock up a playoff spot. “The committee debated long and hard about the No. 1 and No. 2 teams,” committee chairman Jeff Long said. The top seed gets to play closest to home, so for

see PLAYOFFS, Page B4

College Football Playoff Top Four Seeds 1. Clemson 2. Alabama 3. Oklahoma 4. Iowa

12-0 11-1 11-1 12-0

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Scoreboard TV, RADIO

TODAY 2:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Portuguese League Match – Porto vs. Madeira (UNIVISION). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Butler at Cincinnati (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Golden State at Charlotte (FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Hartford at Providence (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: South Carolina Upstate vs. Clemson from Greenville (WWBD-FM 94.7, WPUB-FM 102.7). 7:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Louisville at Michigan State (ESPN). 7:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Wisconsin at Syracuse (ESPN2). 7:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Penn State at Boston College (ESPNU). 7:30 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Connecticut at DePaul (FOX SPORTS 1). 7:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: New York Rangers at New York Islanders (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 7:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Mexican League Playoffs Semifinal Match (UNIVISION). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Grambling Stat at Marquette (FOX SPORTS 2). 8 p.m. – Professional Golf: PGA Tour of Australasia/European PGA Tour Australian PGA Championship First Round from Gold Coast, Australia (GOLF). 8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: New Orleans at Houston (NBA TV). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas Southern at Mississippi State (SEC NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Arizona State at Creighton (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Virginia Commonwealth at Middle Tennessee State (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 9:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Indiana at Duke (ESPN). 9:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Notre Dame at Illinois (ESPN2). 9:15 p.m. – College Basketball: Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Florida State at Iowa (ESPNU). 10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Indiana at Los Angeles Clippers (NBA TV). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: Gonzaga at Washington State (FOX SPORTS 1). 3 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Nedbank Challenge First Round from Sun City, South Africa (GOLF).

NFL STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA New England 10 1 0 .909 347 212 N.Y. Jets 6 5 0 .545 272 228 Buffalo 5 6 0 .455 266 257 Miami 4 7 0 .364 225 287 South W L T Pct PF PA Indianapolis 6 5 0 .545 249 260 Houston 6 5 0 .545 232 234 Jacksonville 4 7 0 .364 236 299 Tennessee 2 9 0 .182 203 257 North W L T Pct PF PA Cincinnati 9 2 0 .818 297 193 Pittsburgh 6 5 0 .545 266 230 Baltimore 4 7 0 .364 259 276 Cleveland 2 9 0 .182 213 310 West W L T Pct PF PA Denver 9 2 0 .818 252 207 Kansas City 6 5 0 .545 287 220 Oakland 5 6 0 .455 264 280 San Diego 3 8 0 .273 244 307

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA Washington 5 6 0 .455 241 267 N.Y. Giants 5 6 0 .455 287 273 Philadelphia 4 7 0 .364 243 274 Dallas 3 8 0 .273 204 261 South W L T Pct PF PA Carolina 11 0 0 1.000 332 205 Atlanta 6 5 0 .545 260 234 Tampa Bay 5 6 0 .455 248 279 New Orleans 4 7 0 .364 261 339 North W L T Pct PF PA Minnesota 8 3 0 .727 231 194 Green Bay 7 4 0 .636 262 215 Chicago 5 6 0 .455 231 264 Detroit 4 7 0 .364 230 288 West W L T Pct PF PA Arizona 9 2 0 .818 355 229 Seattle 6 5 0 .545 267 222 St. Louis 4 7 0 .364 186 230 San Francisco 3 8 0 .273 152 271

Monday’s Game

Baltimore 33, Cleveland 27

Thursday’s Game

Green Bay at Detroit, 8:25 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Arizona at St. Louis, 1 p.m. Seattle at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m. San Francisco at Chicago, 1 p.m. N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Houston at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Baltimore at Miami, 1 p.m. Cincinnati at Cleveland, 1 p.m. Denver at San Diego, 4:05 p.m. Kansas City at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. Carolina at New Orleans, 4:25 p.m. Philadelphia at New England, 4:25 p.m. Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 7

Dallas at Washington, 8:30 p.m.

NBA Standings

By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB Toronto 11 7 .611 — Boston 10 8 .556 1 New York 8 10 .444 3 Brooklyn 4 13 .235 6½ Philadelphia 0 18 .000 11 Southeast Division W L Pct GB Miami 10 6 .625 — Atlanta 12 8 .600 — Charlotte 10 7 .588 ½ Orlando 9 8 .529 1½ Washington 6 8 .429 3 Central Division W L Pct GB Cleveland 13 4 .765 — Indiana 11 5 .688 1½ Chicago 10 5 .667 2 Detroit 9 9 .500 4½ Milwaukee 7 11 .389 6½

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct GB San Antonio 14 4 .778 — Dallas 10 8 .556 4 Memphis 10 8 .556 4 Houston 7 11 .389 7 New Orleans 4 13 .235 9½

sports

The SUMTER ITEM

Area Roundup Northwest Division W L Pct GB Oklahoma City 11 7 .611 — Utah 8 8 .500 2 Minnesota 8 9 .471 2½ Portland 7 11 .389 4 Denver 6 12 .333 5 Pacific Division W L Pct GB Golden State 19 0 1.000 — L.A. Clippers 10 8 .556 8½ Phoenix 8 9 .471 10 Sacramento 7 12 .368 12 L.A. Lakers 2 14 .125 15½

Monday’s Games

Boston 105, Miami 95 Detroit 116, Houston 105 Chicago 92, San Antonio 89 Milwaukee 92, Denver 74 Atlanta 106, Oklahoma City 100 Golden State 106, Utah 103 Sacramento 112, Dallas 98 L.A. Clippers 102, Portland 87

Tuesday’s Games

Washington at Cleveland, 7 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Phoenix at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Orlando at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Memphis at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Dallas at Portland, 10 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

L.A. Lakers at Washington, 7 p.m. Golden State at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Phoenix at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at New York, 7:30 p.m. Denver at Chicago, 8 p.m. New Orleans at Houston, 8 p.m. Toronto at Atlanta, 8 p.m. Milwaukee at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. Indiana at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

NHL Standings

By The Associated Press

Monday’s Games

N.Y. Islanders 5, Colorado 3 N.Y. Rangers 4, Carolina 3 Toronto 3, Edmonton 0 Anaheim 4, Vancouver 0

Tuesday’s Games

Colorado at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Columbus at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Buffalo at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Florida at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Arizona at Nashville, 8 p.m. Minnesota at Chicago, 8 p.m. Dallas at Calgary, 9 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Sumter opens Jones era with win HOPKINS — Sumter High School’s varsity boys basketball team began the Shawn Jones era with a 63-49 victory over Lower Richland on Tuesday at the Diamond Mine. Cedric Rembert and Jaylenn Corbett led the Gamecocks with 14 points apiece. Cam Singleton added nine.

Northwood Academy 94 Laurence Manning 58 MANNING — Nazir Ambino put up 20 points for Laurence Manning Academy, but it was not enough as the Swampcats fell to Northwood Academy 94-58 on Monday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Shakeel Robinson added 10 points for LMA and Grayson Gamble had six points and 13 rebounds. The Swampcats face Myrtle Beach Christian on Thursday at the Trinity-Byrnes tournament in Darlington.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL Sumter 42 Lower Richland 18 Sumter High School opened its season with a 42-18 victory over Lower Richland on Monday at the SHS gymnasium. Geovante Peterson led the Gamecocks with 14 points.

Wednesday’s Games

Toronto at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at N.Y. Islanders, 8 p.m. Boston at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m. Tampa Bay at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.

Lakewood 48

College football

Malik Richardson had 18 points and JaVontae Jones added 11 to power Lakewood

By The Associated Press

The AP Top 25

Record Pts Prv 1. Clemson (53) 12-0 1,511 1 2. Alabama (8) 11-1 1,469 2 3. Oklahoma 11-1 1,367 5 4. Iowa 12-0 1,345 3 5. Michigan St. 11-1 1,318 6 6. Ohio St. 11-1 1,197 8 7. Stanford 10-2 1,137 13 8. North Carolina 11-1 1,085 11 9. Notre Dame 10-2 1,022 4 10. Florida St. 10-2 951 14 11. TCU 10-2 927 15 12. Baylor 9-2 842 7 13. Northwestern 10-2 711 17 14. Oklahoma St. 10-2 699 9 15. Oregon 9-3 616 18 16. Mississippi 9-3 584 19 17. Houston 11-1 571 21 18. Florida 10-2 566 10 19. Michigan 9-3 518 12 20. Temple 10-2 269 25 21. Utah 9-3 244 NR 22. Navy 9-2 206 16 23. LSU 8-3 199 NR 24. Southern Cal 8-4 189 NR 25. Wisconsin 9-3 124 NR Others receiving votes: Georgia 47, W. Kentucky 24, BYU 20, Arkansas 17, Memphis 9, South Florida 9, Tennessee 9, Washington St. 8, Mississippi St. 4, UCLA 4, San Diego St. 3, Arkansas St. 2, Toledo 1, West Virginia 1.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

By The Associated Press

The AP Top 25

Record Pts Prv 1. Kentucky (59) 6-0 1,619 1 2. Maryland (4) 6-0 1,512 2 3. Michigan St. (2) 7-0 1,510 3 4. Kansas 4-1 1,342 5 5. Iowa St. 5-0 1,338 4 6. Oklahoma 4-0 1,269 7 7. Duke 6-1 1,253 6 8. Villanova 6-0 1,218 8 9. North Carolina 5-1 1,155 9 10. Virginia 5-1 965 12 11. Purdue 6-0 904 16 12. Xavier 7-0 801 23 13. Gonzaga 4-1 788 10 14. Syracuse 6-0 696 — 15. Oregon 5-0 628 21 16. Vanderbilt 5-1 587 19 17. Cincinnati 7-0 551 24 18. Texas A&M 6-1 522 25 19. Arizona 6-1 504 11 20. West Virginia 6-0 363 — 21. Miami 5-1 289 15 22. SMU 4-0 256 25 23. Providence 6-1 247 — 24. Louisville 5-0 173 — 25. Baylor 4-1 162 — Others receiving votes: UConn 153, Utah 72, Butler 62, George Washington 45, Indiana 26, N. Iowa 25, Notre Dame 22, California 19, Pittsburgh 11, Dayton 8, San Diego St. 5, South Carolina 5, Georgetown 4, UTEP 3, Iowa 2, LSU 2, Northwestern 2, UALR 2, Colorado St. 1, Davidson 1, Louisiana Tech 1, Monmouth (NJ) 1, Northeastern 1.

The AP Women’s Top 25

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 29, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. UConn (32) 3-0 800 1 2. South Carolina 7-0 760 2 3. Notre Dame 6-0 734 3 4. Baylor 6-0 707 5 5. Maryland 6-0 634 6 6. Texas 5-0 631 8 7. Oregon St. 5-0 591 7 8. Tennessee 5-1 556 4 9. Mississippi St. 5-0 551 8 10. Ohio St. 4-2 524 11 11. Kentucky 6-0 477 12 12. Texas A&M 5-1 463 10 13. Florida St. 5-1 395 14 14. Duke 6-1 371 15 15. Northwestern 6-0 302 19 16. Stanford 6-1 294 13 17. Arizona St. 3-2 280 16 18. California 5-1 240 16 19. Michigan St. 4-1 195 20 20. Syracuse 4-1 153 23 21. Oklahoma 5-1 151 21 22. Seton Hall 7-0 134 — 23. DePaul 5-1 97 — 24. South Florida 3-2 91 18 24. UCLA 3-2 91 — Others receiving votes: Iowa 49, George Washington 40, St. John’s 14, Miami 13, Dayton 11, Missouri 9, Oklahoma St. 9, Princeton 9, Purdue 5, NC State 4, W. Kentucky 4, Florida 3, Nebraska 3, Southern Cal 3, Idaho 1, Oregon 1.

Camden 28

past Camden 48-28 on Tuesday at The Swamp. The JV Gators, now 1-0, will host Sumter on Thursday.

Barons with nine points, while Lauren Goodson had seven. WH (2-1) will host Laurens Academy on Thursday.

Hammond 29

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL

Wilson Hall 8 COLUMBIA — Hammond held Wilson Hall to just 3-of-30 shooting from the floor as the Skyhawks earned a 29-8 victory on Tuesday at the Hammond gymnasium. The JV Barons fell to 2-1 and host Ben Lippen on Friday.

GIRLS Thomas Sumter 50 Florence Christian 33 DALZELL — Bree Stoddard scored a game-high 26 points and had six rebounds, four steals and four assists as the Thomas Sumter Academy varsity girls basketball team earned a 50-33 victory over Florence Christian on Tuesday at Edens Gymnasium. Latrice Lyons added 12 points for TSA along with four rebounds and fours steals. The Lady Generals (1-0) will play The King’s Academy on Thursday in Darlington in the Trinity-Byrnes tournament.

Lakewood 34 Camden 15 Lashalya Harvin had 13 points to help lead Lakewood to a 34-15 victory over Camden on Tuesday at The Swamp. Serena Choice and Rateshia Burgess each added seven points for the JV Lady Gators, who improved to 1-0 and will host Sumter on Thursday.

Wilson Hall 34 Hammond 18 COLUMBIA — Madison Elmore and Becka Noyes each had eight points to help lead Wilson Hall past Hammond 34-18 on Tuesday at the Skyhawks gymnasium. Sydney Jarecki and Haley Roone McCaffrey each added six points for the JV Barons, who improved to 2-0 and will host Ben Lippen on Friday.

Thomas Sumter 53 Florence Christian 19

Hammond 41

DALZELL — Taja Hunley had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds as COLUMBIA — Amelia Thomas Sumter Academy Greene and Trinity J. each had earned a 53-19 victory over 15 points to power the Lady Florence Christian on Tuesday Skyhawks past Wilson Hall at Edens Gymnasium. 41-31 on Tuesday at the HamAubrey Stoddard also had 10 mond gymnasium. points, while Diamond Gibson Nicollete Fisher led the Lady had six and Anna Thomas 5.

Wilson Hall 31

SPORTS ITEMS

Red Sox agree to $217M, 7-year deal with Price BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox and ace pitcher David Price agreed to a deal worth $217 million over seven years, a person familiar with the negotiations told The AP. Price has a 3.09 ERA in eight major league seasons.

College Basketball Minnesota 89 Clemson 83 MINNEAPOLIS — Jordan Murphy had 24 points to lead

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

Varsity Basketball Lakewood at Camden, 6 p.m. Kingstree at Manning , 6:30 p.m. Junior Varsity Basketball C.E. Murray at Crestwood, 6 p.m. B Team Basketball Sumter at Orangeburg-Wilkinson (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Varsity Bowling Wilson Hall, Laurence Manning at Thomas Sumter (at Gamecock Lanes), 5 p.m.

THURSDAY

Varsity Basketball Crestwood at Mullins, 6 p.m. East Clarendon at Aynor, 6 p.m. Laurens Academy at Wilson Hall, 6 p.m. Laurence Manning in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Thomas Sumter in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Robert E. Lee in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Sumter Christian at Orangeburg Christian, 6 p.m. Junior Varsity Basketball Sumter at Lakewood, 6 p.m. Middle School Basketball Furman at Alice Drive, 5 p.m. Ebenezer at Hillcrest, 5 p.m. Mayewood at Bates, 5 p.m. Chestnut Oaks at Manning, 5 p.m. Lee Central at Hannah-Pamplico, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Varsity Basketball Lakewood at Sumter, 6 p.m. Crestwood at C.E. Murray, 6 p.m. Scott’s Branch at Manning, 6:30 p.m. Lee Central at Lamar, 6 p.m. Laurence Manning in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Thomas Sumter in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, 5:30 p.m. Robert E. Lee in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Varsity and JV Basketball Ben Lippen at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. Calvary Christian at Sumter Christian (No JV Girls), 4 p.m. B Team Basketball Ben Lippen at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. Varsity Wrestling Sumter in Southern Slam (at Eastside High in Greenville), 6 p.m.

SATURDAY

Varsity Basketball Laurence Manning in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Thomas Sumter in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Robert E. Lee in Trinity-Byrnes Tournament, TBA Varsity Sporting Clays Wilson Hall at Back Woods Quail Club (in Nesbitt), TBA Varsity Wrestling Sumter in Southern Slam (at Eastside High in Greenville), TBA

Minnesota to an 89-83 victory over Clemson in the Big Ten/ ACC Challenge on Monday. Jaron Blossomgame scored 24 points for Clemson (4-2).

les Lakers 103-91 on Tuesday night to snap a 28-game skid.

NFL Ravens 33

NBA

Browns 27

76ers 103 Lakers 91 PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers ended the longest losing streak in the history of major pro sports in the U.S., topping the Los Ange-

CLEVELAND — Brent Urban blocked Travis Coons’ field-goal attempt and Will Hill returned it 64 yards for a score as time expired as Baltimore beat Cleveland 33-27 Monday. From wire reports

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561 Bultman Drive • Sumter, SC University Center

(803) 775-8475

Wed., Thurs., & Fri. 1:30 - 5pm • Saturday 10am-4pm

sports

The SUMTER ITEM

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

PRO FOOTBALL

Panthers take unbeaten season talk in stride By STEVE REED The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers are the NFL’s lone unbeaten at 11-0 following the New England Patriots loss on Sunday night. Now the focus is solely on the Panthers. Talk of an unbeaten season has begun to permeate the team’s locker room with players being peppered with more and more questions with each passing victory about matching the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the NFL’s only unblemished team. Rather than fight it, some Panthers are just enjoying the ride. “Hey, winning is fun, it’s very fun,” said veteran center Ryan Kalil. “As far as the undefeated stuff, all I know is it’s really hard to win every week.” But not impossible, said safety Roman Harper. “Why can’t we?” Harper said of going 19-0. “We just have to keep playing our games, don’t worry about it, and when we get there, we get there.” Added defensive tackle Dwan Edwards: “The way our team is playing it’s going to take us to not play well on a Sunday for a team to beat us.” Carolina’s schedule certainly lends itself to a possible run at perfection. The Panthers travel to New Orleans (4-7) on Sunday before finishing the season with a home-and-away series with slumping Atlanta (6-5), at the New York Giants (5-6) and at home against Tampa Bay (5-6). None of those teams are particularly playing well. The Saints have lost four straight games, the Falcons three and the Giants two. The Buccaneers are probably playing the best of their remaining foes having won three of their last five, but they too lost this past weekend 25-12 to Indianapolis. Quarterback Cam Newton

crestwood

From Page B1

players who had significant time on the court in 2014-15. “We’ve got the majority of our top scorers back and nine of 10 total from last year,” Wilson said. “So we feel like we have the talent to win — we’ve just got to put it all together this year.” Cawasha Ceasar has been the Lady Knights’ leading scorer each of the last two seasons. She averaged 16.5 points and five assists per game last year. Joining her as a major post presence is Georgia State signee Shaquanda Miller-McCray. Miller-McCray averaged a double-double of 12 points and Subscribe today, and stay in the loop

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Carolina middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) returns an interception for a touchdown during last Thursday’s win over Dallas in Arlington, Texas. After New England’s loss on Sunday, the Panthers (11-0) are the last undefeated team in the NFL. said his approach is to remain focused on the Saints, a team the Panthers beat 27-22 at home without Drew Brees in September. “We aren’t trying to get lured in by what others may think,” Newton said of a potentially perfect season. “Our main focus — and we are already reminded by what coach (Ron) Rivera says — is to become 12-0 first.” The Panthers, who haven’t lost a regular season game in more than a full year, returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since a dominating 33-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. Carolina has now scored the

third-most points in the NFL and given up the third-fewest. Yet, Rivera has kept his players focused by reminding them they haven’t played a complete game yet. Rivera has an extra carrot to dangle in front of his players this week: If the Panthers beat the Saints they’ll clinch their third straight NFC South championship. It some respects, it seems a foregone conclusion, but when you’re looking to keep a team from looking too far ahead anything helps. “If you start talking about undefeated seasons and trips to the Super Bowl you’re not focusing on the details of what

10 rebounds per contest in ‘1415, helping earn All-State honors. Tyana Saunders collected seven points, five rebounds and three assists last season to round out the top three scorers for CHS. Also returning to the starting lineup are Avis Murphy and point guard Lindsey Rogers, who was lost early in region play last year and forced the Lady Knights to adjust right before the playoffs. “That was a big loss for us last year,” Wilson said. “She’s a true point guard and she’s back and ready to go. Our offense flows a lot smoother with her in there.” Janche Whitfield, Jayla

Bolden and Destinee Jamison all saw time as freshmen last season and should provide Crestwood with a deep bench, Wilson said. “We’ve got a lot of different combinations of lineups we feel like we can use,” he said. “Cawasha played point guard when Lindsey went down last year, so there are a lot of different looks we can give teams.” Wilson went on to say he expects the Knights to be more up-tempo this year offensively and to press a lot more defensively. “We used a lot of zone last year, but I think we’re going to press more this year and try to get up and down the floor a lot faster and get some easy baskets.”

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you’re doing and who we have to play next,” Rivera said. “... Our message here is very clear — we have a ways to go and a lot of thing to improve upon.” Rivera was a linebacker for the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, a team that started 12-0 before suffering its only loss of the season. The coach said losing that Dec. 2, 1985 game to the Dolphins on a Monday was actually a good thing for the Bears. “The Miami loss refocused us,” Rivera said. “I think it was (good) at the time for us. I really do. Could we have been a good undefeated team, yeah, the ‘85 team might have been. But we’ll never know.”

FORT

From Page B1 She thrived — going 14-3 with a 0.75 earned run average and tallying 100 strikeouts to help guide the Lady Wolverines to the 1A lower state tournament championship. Fort also batted .245 at the plate. “She’s got good speed — high 50s, low 60s,” East Clarendon head coach Lisa Ard said. “So she can overpower a lot of batters. But she’s also got really good control and can pinpoint her pitches. She’s got a great screwball and a nasty changeup. “The biggest advantage

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she has on the mound is her composure, though. Nothing rattles her. She just goes out and does what she does. She’s always calm and in control.” While she had most of her pitches down before the season started, Fort worked on fine-tuning her game, she said, and hopes to do even more this season. “It was really just trying to get my mechanics down so I could make the best pitch I could when I had to,” Fort said. “That was what I wanted to do to give my team the best chance to win. “Hopefully I can continue to do that this year and can help us earn a state championship.”

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He doesn’t know if a loss would be good for the Panthers or not. Right now, the word losing simply isn’t one that is being tossed around a Panthers locker room that has suddenly been swarmed by national media attention. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” said Harper, a member of the 2009 Saints that started 13-0 and went on to win Super Bowl XLIV. “We are in a whole bunch of one-game playoffs. We have to control the controllable. ... (But) we know that if we play the way we’re capable of playing we have a great chance of winning every game.”

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The SUMTER ITEM

PLAYOFF

CLEMSON FOOTBALL NOTES

From Page B1

Clemson a semifinal game at the Orange Bowl in Miami is also on the line against North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. The Tar Heels (11-1) are No. 10. Iowa is No. 4 (12-0) and Michigan State (11-1) is No. 5, setting up a playoff play-in game in Saturday’s Big Ten title game. Hoping for an upset by the Tar Heels against Clemson or Florida against Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game is No. 6 Ohio State (11-1) and No. 7 Stanford (10-2). The Buckeyes’ season is over. The Cardinal can win the Pac-12 championship Saturday by beating Southern California for the second time this year.

WHAT HAPPENS IF ... — Clemson loses to North Carolina and Stanford wins? The most intriguing possible debate for the selection committee. It would put Ohio State back in play and the committee would have to slice and dice the resumes of the Tar Heels, trying to make a huge jump after winning a title, the Cardinal, a two-loss conference champion with a top-10 win against Notre Dame, and the defending national champion Buckeyes. — Alabama loses to Florida? The SEC is out. The Gators dropped to No. 18 after losing 27-2 and an upset will almost certainly reflect poorly on the Crimson Tide, even though it nearly moved into the top spot this week.

GROUP OF FIVE the Associated Press

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson headed up the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team announced on Tuesday along with teammates Eric Mac Lain, Artavis Scott, Mackensie Alexander, Shaq Lawson and Carlos Watkins.

17 Tigers on All-ACC football teams CLEMSON — Sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson was joined on the first team by offensive players Eric Mac Lain and Artavis Scott, as well as defensive players Mackensie Alexander, Shaq Lawson and Carlos Watkins as a record 17 Clemson players were named to one of three AllAtlantic Coast Conference football teams. Clemson’s entire starting offensive line was honored for the first time ever, as Jay Guillermo was a second-team choice, while Tyrone Crowder, Joe Gore and Mitch Hyatt were all third-team selections. Other All-ACC selections on offense were running back Wayne Gallman and tight end Jordan Leggett, who were named to the second team. Kicker Greg Huegel also got a second-team nod. Defensively, four Tigers were named to the second and third teams. Starting linebackers Ben Boulware and B.J. Goodson were both second-team honorees, along with safety Jayron Kearse. Starting cornerback Cordrea Tankersley was a third-team selection. Watson concluded the regular season with an ACC-best 3,979 yards of total offense and 36 total touchdowns. A finalist for the Maxwell and O’Brien awards, he also leads the conference with a 161.9 passing efficiency, and is second with 268.6 passing yards per game. Mac Lain, the starting left guard, has had a lot to do with Clemson’s success on offense. The Tigers ended the regular season with eight straight games tallying at least 500 yards on offense, a school record. Scott is second in the ACC with 6.4 receptions per game, snagging 77 passes for 709 yards and four touchdowns. Leggett, a finalist for the Mackey Award, finished the regular season with 31 receptions from his tight end spot, with six

touchdowns. On the ground, Gallman is third among ACC backs with 104.1 rushing yards per game, while contributing nine scores. Huegel has been quite the success story, converting 21 of 23 field goal attempts. Lawson leads the ACC with 20.5 tackles for loss and is fourth with 8.5 sacks. He has had at least one tackle for loss in all but one game, and is a finalist for both the Lombardi and Nagurski awards. Watkins, a defensive tackle, has accumulated 60 stops this season, including six behind the line of scrimmage. Alexander and Kearse have been big factors behind Clemson’s success against the pass this season. Alexander has five pass breakups in 571 snaps, and has not allowed a touchdown in man coverage all season. Kearse is tied for sixth on the Tiger defense with 70 tackles, including 6.5 for loss. He is second on the team with eight pass breakups as well. Goodson and Boulware are Clemson’s top two tacklers in 2015 with 118 and 116, respectively. Goodson’s total includes 15 tackles for loss, while Boulware has seven. Goodson is second on the squad with 5.5 sacks, while Boulware is third with six pass breakups. Tankersley, a third-teamer, leads Clemson with four interceptions on the season. He returned one for a score in the Tigers’ 58-0 rout of Miami. Tankersley has also added a team-high nine pass breakups.

Swinney ACC Coach of Year Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, who led the Tigers to a perfect 12-0 regular season and the nation’s No. 1 ranking, has been voted the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Coach of the Year. Swinney received 27 of the 50

votes cast by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA). North Carolina’s Larry Fedora placed second in the balloting with 21 votes, while Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher and Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi each received one. Swinney, whose Atlantic Division winners faces Coastal Division champion North Carolina in Saturday night’s Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, directs a 12-0 Tiger squad that has tied a school record for wins in a single season. “It’s really special,” Swinney said when asked to reflect on the Tigers’ perfect regular season. “I think everybody should take time to embrace that from a Clemson standpoint. We certainly have tried to do that.”

Clemson pizza party on Swinney says the pizza party he promised will be held at Clemson on Sunday — whether the Tigers win or lose the Atlantic Coast Conference game on Saturday night. The Tigers coach said on Tuesday his top-ranked team “deserves a celebration” for what it’s already accomplished. Clemson is 12-0 for the first time in 34 years. Should the Tigers defeat No. 8 North Carolina (11-1) in Charlotte, the Tigers are headed to the College Football Playoff. A loss would still get them into one of the six New Year’s bowl games, which Swinney says is a stellar accomplishment. Swinney told fans to look for an early Sunday morning announcement. The playoff teams will be named at noon on Sunday with the rest of the bowl slots revealed Sunday afternoon. From staff and wire reports

ALL-ACC TEAMS FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

THIRD TEAM

Offense QB—Deshaun Watson, soph., Clemson (150) RB— Dalvin Cook, soph, Florida State (150) RB—Elijah Hood, soph., North Carolina (123) WR—Tyler Boyd, jr., Pittsburgh (147) WR—Artavis Scott, soph., Clemson (130) WR—Isaiah Ford, soph., Virginia Tech (124) OT—Roderick Johnson, soph., Florida State (102) OT—Joe Thuney, sr., N.C. State (82) OG—Landon Turner, sr., North Carolina (132) OG—Eric Mac Lain, sr., Clemson (113) C—Matt Skura, sr., Duke (94) K—Roberto Aguayo, jr., Florida State (86) Spec.—DeVon Edwards, jr., Duke (103)

Offense QB—Marquise Williams, sr., North Carolina (95) RB—Wayne Gallman, soph., Clemson (115) RB—Qadree Ollison, fr., Pittsburgh (69) WR—Travis Rudolph, soph., Florida State (96) WR—Canaan Severin, sr., Virginia (88) WR—Mack Hollins, jr., North Carolina (63) WR—Kermit Whitfield, jr., Florida State (63) TE—Jordan Leggett, jr., Clemson (77) OT—Jon Heck, jr., North Carolina (79) OT—Adam Bismowaty, jr., Pittsburgh (77) OG—Dorian Johnson, jr., Pittsburgh (49) OG—Caleb Peterson, jr., N. Carolina (45) C—Jay Guillermo, jr., Clemson (88) K—Greg Huegel, fr., Clemson (77) Spec.—Ryan Switzer, jr., North Carolina (83)

Offense QB—Brad Kaaya, soph., Miami (30) RB—Taquan Mizzell, jr., Virginia (43) RB—Travon McMillian, fr., Virginia Tech (30) WR—Stacy Coley, jr., Miami (58) WR—Ryan Switzer, jr., North Carolina (34) WR—Quinshad Davis, sr., North Carolina (28) TE—Bucky Hodges, soph., Virginia Tech (52) OT—Mitch Hyatt, fr., Clemson (66) OT—Joe Gore, sr., Clemson (59) OG—Tyrone Crowder, soph., Clemson (39) OG—Kareem Are, jr., Florida State (38) C—Lucas Crowley, jr., North Carolina (58) K—Ross Martin, sr., Duke (56) Spec.—Brisly Estime, jr., Syracuse (34)

Defense DE—Shaq Lawson, jr., Clemson (132) DE—Ejuan Price, sr., Pittsburgh (111) DT—Carlos Watkins, jr., Clemson (101) DT—Luther Maddy, sr., Virginia Tech (60) DT—Connor Wujciak, sr., Boston College (60) LB—Micah Kiser, soph., Virginia (93) LB—Brandon Chubb, sr., Wake Forest (87) LB—Keith Kelsey, jr., Louisville (78) CB—Jalen Ramsey, jr., Florida State (122) CB—Mackensie Alexander, soph., Clemson (81) S—Jeremy Cash, sr., Duke (122) S—Quin Blanding, soph., Virginia (88) P—Riley Dixon, sr., Syracuse (77)

Defense DE—Mike Rose, sr., N.C. State (96) DE—DeMarcus Walker, jr., Florida State (81) DT—Nile Lawrence-Stample, sr., Florida State (58) DT—DeAngelo Brown, jr., Louisville (46) LB—Steven Daniels, sr., Boston College (65) LB—Ben Boulware, jr., Clemson (60) LB—B.J. Goodson, sr., Clemson (60) LB—Reggie Northrup, sr., Florida State (60) CB—M.J. Stewart, soph., North Carolina (65) CB—Artie Burns, jr., Miami (51) S—Jayron Kearse, jr., Clemson (69) S—Justin Simmons, sr., Boston College (47) P—Alex Kinal, sr., Wake Forest (75)

Defense DE—Shendon Rankins, sr., Louisville (47) DE—Ron Thompson, jr., Syracuse (24) DT—Nazair Jones, soph., North Carolina (33) DT—Derrick Nnadi, soph., Florida State (31) DT—Darryl Render, sr., Pittsburgh (31) LB—Shakeel Rashad, sr., North Carolina (58) LB—James Burgess, sr., Louisville (53) LB—Dwayne Norman, sr., Duke (43) CB—Cordrea Tankersley, jr., Clemson (47) CB—Des Lawrence, jr., North Carolina (45) S—Jordan Whitehead, fr., Pittsburgh (41) S—Derwin James, fr., Florida State (30) P—Will Monday, sr., Duke (39)

The American Athletic Conference championship game between Houston and Temple should also send the winner to a New Year’s Six bowl game, probably the Peach Bowl. The Cougars (11-1) will host the AAC title game and are No. 19 in the new rankings. The Owls (10-2) are No. 22. The only other team from the Group of Five conferences — Mountain West, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Conference USA — is Navy at No. 23, which is also from the American.

COLLEGE PLAYOFF RANKINGS Team Record 1. Clemson 12-0 2. Alabama 11-1 3. Oklahoma 11-1 4. Iowa 12-0 5. Michigan St. 11-1 6. Ohio St. 11-1 7. Stanford 10-2 8. Notre Dame 10-2 9. Florida St. 10-2 10. North Carolina 11-1 11. TCU 10-2 12. Baylor 9-2

13. Mississippi 14. Northwestern 15. Michigan 16. Oregon 17. Oklahoma St. 18. Florida 19. Houston 20. Southern Cal 21. LSU 22. Temple 23. Navy 24. Utah 25. Tennessee

9-3 10-2 9-3 9-3 10-2 10-2 11-1 8-4 8-3 10-2 9-2 9-3 8-4

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will issue weekly rankings each Tuesday, with the final rankings being announced Sunday, Dec. 6 (Noon). The playoff semifinals will match the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 4 seed, and No. 2 will face No. 3. The semifinals will be hosted at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31, 2015. The championship game will be on Jan. 11, 2016 at Glendale, Ariz.

clemson

From Page B1

the way to the ACC’s Coastal Division crown. Venables called North Carolina the best offense Clemson’s faced all season, including Notre Dame and Florida State. If the Tigers don’t bring their best effort, the perfect season and trip to the College Football Playoff could easily slip away Saturday night. “The margin for error is less because of the opponent,” Venables said. North Carolina coach Larry Fedora is equally awed by Clemson’s defense. “This is best football team we’ve have faced,” he said. “I mean, they’re the number one team in the country. And they’ve been that way for how many weeks? So they’re really good.” Clemson’s defense, though, has gone through a late-season slide. In its first seven games, only two opponents in Notre Dame and Georgia Tech scored 20 or more points against the Tigers. Clemson is giving up an average of 25 points a game allowed its final five contests. South Carolina scored its most points all season in a 37-32 loss to the Tigers last week — most of it coming after Clemson had taken a 28-10 lead. Lawson, Clemson’s junior defensive end, said the Tigers have been prepping for their league title game all season and will be ready to go at North Carolina this weekend. The Tar Heels worst offensive showing was their first game, an inexplicable 17-13 loss to the Gamecocks at the title game site, Bank of America Stadium. “Ever since then they’ve been on fire,” said Lawson, Clemson’s junior lineman. But Clemson’s has practicing all season, Lawson said, against their own high-flying attack, which leads the ACC in total yards this season and can be as quick-strike as the Tar Heels. “We’re used to going against their offense because that’s what our offense does against us when we’re going to practice every week,” he said. “So it’s not a big challenge for us. We’ve just got to be ready to play.”

sports SPORTS

The THESUMTER SUMTERITEM ITEM

Wednesday, 2015 WEDNESDAY, December DECEMBER 2,2,2015

B5 B5

pro golf

Woods still has no timetable on healing or when he’ll play again By DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press

walking. Woods had two back surgeries in a span of 18 months folNASSAU, Bahamas — Tiger lowed by what he described Woods painted a bleak picture only as another “procedure” Tuesday on when he can rein the same area last month. turn to golf or even get back to He has not started rehabilitadoing anything more than just tion and does not know when

his back will allow for that. “The hardest part for me is there’s really nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build toward,” Woods said. “It’s just taking it literally just day by day and week by week and time by time.”

Woods is at the Hero World Challenge as the tournament host, not one of the 18 players at Albany Golf Club. The only time he touched a club was to pose for a photo, and he leaned on it while talking to Justin Rose and Zach Johnson on the

putting green. A month away from turning 40, the smile did come as easily for Woods. He has not competed since Aug. 23 at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Mr. Felder will be placed in church at noon on Thursday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Jehovah Missionary Baptist, Sumter, with the pastor, the Rev. Marion H. Newton, officiating. Interment will follow in Bradford Cemetery. The family is receiving friends at the home, 1005 Spaulding Ave., Sumter. Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., is in charge of arrangements. Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary. net.

Burial will be in Joshua Baptist Churchyard cemetery. These services have been entrusted to the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www. williamsfuneralhomeinc.com.

Bracalente, died on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home.

OBITUARIES ROSSIE L. BROWN SUMMERTON — The relatives and friends of Rossie L. “Rick” Brown are invited to attend a celebration of her life at 11 a.m. on Friday in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home, officiated by her son, the Rev. Lee Brown, and the BROWN Rev. Drew Choate. Burial will follow in the Brunson-Brown Family cemetery off of Britton Brogdon Road, Sumter. Mrs. Brown, 72, devoted wife of 48 years to Jesse B. Brown, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born in Kingstree, she was a daughter of the late Roston C. Sr. and Ruby Lowder Stukes. She was a member of Summerton Baptist Church and former member of Harmony Church, where she attended until her health declined. She was retired from Farmers Long Distance after 19 years of service and Southern Bell Telephone after 15 years of service. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Mrs. Brown is survived by two sons, Lee Brown (Christy) and Darby Brown; two grandsons, Noah and Ethan Brown, to whom she was affectionately known as “Rick-Rick;” one brother, Roston C. “Doc” Stukes Jr. (Gail); two sisters, Jean Lewis (John) and Sandra Scott; and many nieces and nephews. Nephews will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home of Lee and Christy Brown, 526 Benton Court, Sumter. Mrs. Brown’s family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Robert Eagerton, Dr. Francisco Gonzales, Dr. Jeffrey Smith and Dr. James Williams, as well as the staff of Tuomey Healthcare System’s Oncology Department for their support and care. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Harmony Church’s Youth Department, P.O. Box 1878, Sumter, SC 29151. Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org

RACHEL F. KEELS CHAPIN — Rachel Joyce Farmer Keels, 93, widow of Thomas D. Keels Sr., died on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, at Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge. Born on Aug. 16, 1922, in Quitman, Mississippi, she was a daughter of the late Mose Butterworth Farmer and Elizabeth Hyatt Pittman Farmer Haynie. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church. In her early adulthood, she met and married Thomas DuRant Keels Sr. and moved to Sumter County, where they raised their four children on Wedgefield Road. Survivors include three children, Linda Rae Keels of Belton, Hyatt Ann Brandt of Irmo and Paul Austin Keels of Asheville, North Carolina; six grandchildren, Chuck Mooneyhan, Heidi Trull (Joe), Stewart Brandt (Cheryl), Anita Brandt, Lorne Brandt and Casey Newman (Jason); seven great-grandchildren, Travis, Meghan, Jessica and Emma Brandt, Tom Trull, and Cooper and Hadley Newman; two sisters-in-law, Sarah Reid Keels and Betty Ann Keels, both of Pinewood; a stepsister, Elizabeth Haynie of Florida; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a son, Thomas D. “Tommy” Keels; a granddaughter, Crystal M. Keels; and her stepfather, Marvin Haynie. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Dr. Steve Williams officiating. Burial will be in Paxville Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Grace Baptist Church, 219 W. Calhoun St., Sumter, SC 29150 or the Crystal Keels/Marty Thames Scholarship Fund, c/o Thomas Sumter Academy, 5265 Camden Highway, Rembert, SC 29128. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

CORINE N. BAXTER MANNING — Corine Nelson Baxter, 87, widow of Willie James Baxter, died on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at her residence, 108 Richburg Drive, Manning. She was born on Oct. 28, 1928, a daughter of the late James and Janie Brown Nelson. The family is receiving friends at her residence. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

ROBERT LEE FELDER Robert Lee Felder, affectionately known as “Sonny,” was born on July 21, 1936, in Sumter, a son of the late Willie Felder Sr. and Viola Bracey Felder Palmer. He entered eternal rest on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning. Mr. Felder was educated in the public school system of Sumter County. He retired from Korn Industries after more than 30 years of employment. He was also employed as an orderly at Tuomey hospital for more than 16 years. At an early age, he accepted Christ as his personal savior and became a member of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church. Throughout his years of membership, he was a faithful and dedicated member of the gospel choir, the male chorus, and the ushers ministry (for a period of time, he served as president of the usher board). His church ministries also included assisting with Habitat for Humanity and the church’s food share program. He found great joy in studying and learning about God’s word. Felder was a devoted member of the weekly Bible study group at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church. He leaves to cherish his memory: a devoted and loving wife of 49 years, Elder Catherine English Felder of the home; one stepdaughter, Joeann (David) White of Augusta, Georgia; two grandchildren, David Raynard (Monica) White of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Dwayne Joel White of Alexandria, Virginia; two great-granddaughters, Layla M. White and Maya R. White, both of Silver Spring; one sister, Mary (Walter) Moten of Sumter; three sisters-in-law, Julia English, Ruth Felder and Lillie Garrett, all of Brooklyn, New York; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Annie Mae Felder and Jimmie Lee Felder Green; two brothers, Charlie Felder and Willie Felder Jr.; and one brother-in-law, James English Sr. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary.

PAULINE F. JUNE Pauline Ford June, daughter of the late Ellaree Farmer Ford Silas and Lomas Ford of Sumter, died on Monday morning, Nov. 30, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Sumter Funeral Service Inc. The family will receive friends at the home, 55 Murphy St., Sumter.

JOSEPH L. PRINCE SR. Joseph Leon Prince Sr., husband of Rose Marie Bell Prince, died on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born on Sept. 25, 1955, in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Simon and Carrie Ann Prince. The family will receive relatives and friends at the home, 10 Rolling Creek Drive. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Ephriam D. Stephens Funeral Home, 230 S. Lafayette Drive, Sumter.

GEORGIE MAE JOHNSON Georgie Mae Phillips Johnson, 84, returned to her heavenly home on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, at Sumter Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born on May 18, 1931, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Marion and Lottie Saxton Phillips. She graduated from Morris College in 1953 with a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education. She was immersed in the Christian community that would be her lifelong support from an early age. She married Samuel Johnson on June 30, 1956, in New York, New York. They settled and raised their family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before returning to their home in Dalzell. Prior to her illness, Georgie was actively involved with the VFW and senior missionary society at Joshua Baptist Church. She leaves to cherish her precious memories: her husband, Samuel; her son, Marvin Johnson (Lawanda) of Charlotte, North Carolina; her daughters, Sonia Carter (Quincy) of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Veda Byrd (Reginald) of Chesapeake, Virginia; 11 grandchildren; her brothers, Jervais Phillips (Liz) and Marion Phillips, both of Philadelphia; aunt, Gertrude White of Sumter; a host of extended family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Joshua Baptist Church, 5200 Live Oak Road, Dalzell, with the Rev. Eugene Dennis, pastor, eulogist, assisted by the Rev. Roosevelt Williams and the Rev. William Jefferson. The family is receiving friends at the home, 3905 Ardis Pond Road, Dalzell. The remains will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. The processional will leave at 10:30 a.m. from the home. Floral bearers will be the senior missionaries. Pallbearers will be trustees.

FANNIE LOU L. GAINEY Fannie Lou “Ann” Lawrence Gainey, 69, widow of Heath Edward “Ed” Gainey, died on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at her home. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Ashby Lawrence and Odessa Barfield Tiedman. Mrs. Gainey was a member of Grace Freewill Baptist Church and she was retired from Santee Print Works. Surviving are two sons, Richard Gainey and Jay Gainey (Earline), both of Sumter; one daughter, Kim Graham (Mike) of Sumter; one brother, Edward Lawrence (Joyce) of Aiken; eight grandchildren, Brian Graham, Michael Graham Jr., Courtney Gainey, Anna Gainey, Heath Gainey, David Berry, Lauren Berry and Justin Baxley; and three great-grandchildren, Cole Jackson Graham, Isabella Davidson and Kolby Odom. She was preceded in death by a great-grandson, Tristan Davidson. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at Grace Full Gospel Church with the Rev. Bill Tschorn officiating. The family will receive friends at the home, 360 Myrtle Beach Highway, and also following the service, ladies of the church will provide a meal for family and friends. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

EVELYN STEWART Evelyn Stewart, 60, wife Dwight Stewart, died on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, she was a daughter of the late Dozie Gilmore and Ethel English Gadson. The family will receive friends at 1140 Weatherly Court, Sumter, SC 29150. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc.

EDITH R. BROWN The Rev. Edith Reed Brown, 75, died on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at Palmetto Health Richland hospital, Columbia. Born on Dec. 25, 1939, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of Junior and Lillie Mae Miller Reed. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 107 Cool Spring Drive, Camden. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

HAROLD K. DURANT Harold Kevin Durant, 58, died on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, in Durham, North Carolina. Born on July 6, 1957, in Sumter County, he was a son of Harold and Shirley McGill Durant. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home of his brother, Larry Durant, 2080 Four Bridge Road, Sumter. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

G. MARION MCFADDIN SR.

BEATRICE J. BRACALENTE Beatrice “Bea” Jackson Bracalente, beloved wife of the late Anthony “Tony” Paschal

GABLE — George Marion McFaddin Sr., 85, died on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Services will be announced by Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter.

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Home Improvements

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PETS & ANIMALS MERCHANDISE

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Today has been six years since God broke our hearts and took you to your heavenly home. Our love and memories of you will last forever in our hearts and in your child. You were our first born and God left us your first born, God makes no mistakes; you are an angel now. Love, Dad, Mom, Child, Brother & Family

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ASE Certified Technician needed for a local franchise dealership. 5 day work week with competitive pay. Submit resume to: P-431 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

For Sale or Trade 2 Schwinn bikes, 3 BBQ grills, GE washer & dryer, Truck tool box, & misc. Call before 9 PM 803-905-3147

Help Wanted Part-Time

Want to Buy Septic Tank Cleaning Call the pros for all of your septic pumping needs. 803-316-0429 Proline Utilities, LLC

LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 & $3

EMPLOYMENT

MERCHANDISE

In Memory

Help Wanted Full-Time

Open every weekend. Call 803-494-5500

PALMETTO CORNISH CHICKENS $12 /case (of 12) B-Grade Southern States 335 Broad St., Sumter 803-775-1204 While Supplies last!

EMPLOYMENT

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales

FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Poultry Legal Service

Help Wanted Full-Time

Minister of Music needed. Must be able to play instruments and direct choir. Send resumes to Ebenezer AME Church PO Box 165 Mayesville Sc 29104 Hiring P/T Caregiver/Housekeeper. Close to downtown Sumter. Must drive a car NOT truck or SUV. Must love animals & not be afraid of water. 803-436-9926. Serious inq. only.

Supervisor needed for trucking company in Sumter, SC to manage local operations & occasional driving. Supervisory experience & good computer skills a plus. Veterans welcome! Call Walter 540-560-1031. F/T Class-A CDL driver needed to haul poultry. Night Shift. Must have 2 years verifiable exp & good MVR. Call Walter 540-560-1031 Property Management Company accepting resumes/applications for the position of "Maintenance Tech" for their Sumter apartment community. Qualified individuals should have at least 2 years of experience in a warranty/handy man maintenance role. Looking for someone career minded for a company that cares about its team members as well as the service we offer our residents. Qualified candidates must have a valid driver's license and a clean background. Resumes can be faxed or emailed to Human Resource Director, 910-435-8934 or resumes@unitedmgtii.com

School Director An opportunity exists at St. James Lutheran School for an experienced early childhood/elementary educator who loves to get children excited about learning. The director will: Have strong Christian beliefs Have teaching experience and experience in curricular scope and sequence Be accountable for program operation, assuring that instructional strategies reflect the school's philosophy and goals Construct and foster partnerships /relationships with home, school, church, & community Mentor and collaborate with the faculty Work with the school ministry team have excellent communication skills Please contact/send resume in care of Harold Chandler: hchandler76@gmail.com or call (803) 468-3284

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It’s Mayo’s “More for your money Christmas Sale”! Buy 1 Regular Priced Suit, Receive 2nd Suit of Equal Value FREE! Great Selection & Savings!

SHIRTS, TIES, PANTS & SHOES Buy 1, Get a 2nd HALF PRICE! IN-STORE ALTERATIONS, FOR THOSE LAST MINUTE OCCASIONS

MAYO’S SUIT CITY If your suits aren’t becoming to you, It’s a good time to be coming to Mayo’s! Wesmark Plaza • 773-2262 • Mon-Sat 10-7

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600-Unit 3 Bultman Drive â&#x20AC;˘\ Sumter \ 774.0006 \ ALLISON.LADDASOFSUMTER@YAHOO.COM Help Wanted Full-Time

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Pilgrims We are current searching for experienced and proven Refrigeration and Maintenance Technicians. Refrigeration Technician Âˇ Qualified candidate must have at least 1-year ammonia refrigeration or maintenance experience in an industrial setting Âˇ Experience with A/C and D/C control device Âˇ Experience with Hydraulic and pneumatics Âˇ Problem solving and troubleshooting skill required Âˇ Able to work weekends and overtime as needed Production Maintenance Technician Âˇ 1-year mechanical experience or equivalent in an industrial setting. Âˇ Welding and electrical skills Âˇ Ability to pass company maintenance tests. Âˇ Problem solving and troubleshooting skill required. We offer an excellent compensation and benefits package which consists of paid holidays, vacation, medical, dental, vision, and 401k plans. Applicants may apply at the Sumter Plant. PILGRIMS 2050 Highway 15 South Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: 803-481-8555 EOE-AA-M-F-D-V

Unfurnished Apartments Nice 1 Br, 1 Ba apt. in downtown area. Hardwood floors, refrigerator & stove, C/H/A, no pets. $450 mo. Call 803-491-5375.

4980 Hwy 15 S. 3br 1ba, liv. rm, din rm, kit., $650/mo + dep. Call 803-481-7118 Sect 8 OK

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LEGAL NOTICES Public Hearing NOTICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN REVIEW The Historic Preservation Design Review Committee will meet on Thursday, December 17, 2015, at 3:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located on the Fourth Floor of the Sumter Opera House (21 North Main Street, Sumter, South Carolina). This is a public meeting.

Public Hearing

22 N. Main St. The properties are represented by Tax Map #s 228-12-04-043, 228-12-04-044, 228-12-04-045 and 228-12-04-046 and zoned Central Business District. HP-15-21, 418 W. Calhoun St. (City) The applicant is requesting Historic Preservation Design Review approval to remove the metal roofing system and replace with Landmark Plus Red Architectural Shingles on property located at 418 W. Calhoun St. and represented by Tax Map #228-11-01-004 and zoned Residential-9. Documents pertaining to the proposed request(s) are on file in the Office of the Sumter City-County Planning Department and are available to be inspected and studied by interested citizens. Joseph T. McElveen, Jr. Mayor

HP-15-20, 14-16-18-20 & 22 N. Main St. (City) The applicant is requesting Historic Preservation Design Review approval for the construction of a new hotel with landscaping on property located at 14, 16, 18, 20 and

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900 Wisacky Hwy, Bishopville, SC 29010 For more information or directions, please call Lt. Dobbs @ 803-896-1665 www.doc.sc.gov Come dressed for an interview, take a tour and meet the institutional staff. You must bring your valid driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license.

CHRISTMAS COLORING CONTEST

GET THE CLASSIFIEDS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR. 803-774-1258

NAME:______________________________________________________________ AGE:__________

Mail to:

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

/ .BHOPMJB 4USFFU t 4VNUFS 4$ XXX UIFJUFN DPN

Thursday, December 3rd

5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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PO Box 1677 Sumter, SC 29151

To enter, just color the picture and submit it, along with the entry form, to the newspaper no later than 12:00 Noon, Thursday, December 17, 2015. A panel of judges will choose one winner from each age group. Ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11-12. Winners will be contacted by phone and announced in the newspaper on Wednesday, December 23, 2015. Each winner will receive a prize. No Photocopies Accepted Please.

Open House Refreshments, Complimentary Gift Wrapping, Storewide Sale (Some Exclusions Apply) Enter for $50 Gift CertiďŹ cate (with $20 Purchase)

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FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims — early settlers of Plymouth Colony three-day feast to celebrate — held a a bountiful harvest. This event is regarded by many as the nation’s first sttThanksg Thanksgiv giving ing. g. ThheeeW The W Wa Wampano ampanoag a Indians I di d played a key role. Historiansin attendance have recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America. These include the British colonists in Virginia as early as The legacy of thanks 1619. and survived the centuries, the feast have as came a national holiday the event be152 years ago (Oct. 3, 1863) when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the November as a national last Thursday of day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiv ing should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage shopping, never on the earlier holiday occasional fifth Thursday.

Lafayette Gold & Silver Exchange

480 E. Liberty St. Sumter, SC 29150 (inside Coca-Cola Building) Building)

803-773-8022

2015

| Serving South Carolina

since October 15,

1894 | $1.50 cents

20 adopttions fin iinn ttiime ffor the h alize olida

WHERE TO FEAST 117 million

We Buy: Gold, Silver, .925 Jewelry, Diamonds, Coin Collections, Pocket Watches & Wrist Watches Flatware & Estates Open M-F 8:30-5:30, Sat 8-2

NOVEMBER 25,

Number of occupied housing the nation in the second units across quarter of 2015 — all potential stops for Thanksgiving dinner.

4.5 million

Number of multigene rational households in the U.S. in 2014. It is households, consisting possible these of generations, will have three or more to purchase large quantities of food to accommodate all the family members sitting around the table for the holiday feast — even if there are no guests!

Number of places in the named after the holiday’ United States s traditional main course. Turkey Creek Village, Louisiana, was the most populous in residents, followed by 2014, with 443 Turkey Creek, Arizona (412), Turkey City, Texas key Town, North Carolina (396) and Tur(296). There are also 11 townships in the U.S. with “Turkey” in the name.

Number of places and townships in the United States that are named Cranberry, a popular side dish at Thanksgiving. Cranberry township (Butler County), Pennsylvania, was the most populous of these places in 2014, with 30,170 residents. Cranberry township (Venango Pennsylvania, was next County), (6,546).

Number of counties, places and townships in the United States named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims. The two counties, both named Plymouth, are in Massachusetts (507,022) and Iowa Plymouth, Minnesota (24,874). , is the most populous place, with 75,057 residents in 2014. There are two places in the United States named Pilgrim: one, a township in Dade County, Missouri, had a population the other, a census designate of 129; Michigan, had a population d place in of 36. And then there is Mayflowe r, population was 2,345, Arkansas, whose and lage, California, whose Mayflower Vilpopulation was 5,662.

Participants in the First Feast eaast 24.4 million Number of U.S. residents

try as of 2014. Some of English ancescould of the Plymouth colonists be descendants who participated in the feast that is widely one of the first Thanksgiv thought to be ings — especially the 655,000 living in Massachusetts.

SEE FACTS, PAGE

VISIT US ONLIN

the

A11

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.com

Jayson Hoagla nd, of their two youngsecond from the left, and his wife Jenniferr,, second Jayden, 4 month est children. Eight-year-old from the right, Jackson, center, s, and his grandm stand with their te stands with JIM HILLEY / THE SUM others, Nancy Brown newly expanded his sister Jemma family after the e, farr lleft, and Sharon McMillion, , 5, brother Jentry, 22 month ado far right. s, youngest sister

Biannual event

BY ADRIENNE SARVI adrienne@theitem.com S

Just in time for the holidays, 20 childr en were adopted into their forever famili es during Adopt ion Finalization Day at Sumte r County Famil y

providess 15 fam

Sumterites gratefu for family, friends l

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

flag from the Statehouse People aroun d grounds to the are taking stock Sumter heroic efforts of their blessings this Thanksgivof South Caroing after a mome linians helpntous year in the Palme tto State. From HARVIN ing each other the Charleston recover from shootings g to o m the 1,000-year flood, flood it nearly tw twoseems as thoug feet of rain and h South raging Carolina has floodwaters. reeled from one catastrophe At a time like to another. this, people But there is say they are much to be most thankful thankful for for the impor this year as tant things well. The grace that are somet of the famiimes overlies of the Charle looked. shooting victim ston “I am thankful s, age of the govern the courfamily, and my for my or and life,” said the General Sarah Harvi Assembly to n as she take down the Confederate

Information: 774-120 0 Adverti Adve sing: sing n : 774-123 Classifieds: 774-123 7 Cl Delivery: 774-125 4 8 News and Sports: 774-1226

ilies with new me

Court on Mond ay. Third Judici family court, al really,” he said. George M. McFadCircuiitt Judge The din Jr. r. start- twice special day is held ed Adoption every year, once Finalization on Day in 2008 to exped in June and once in Novem ite the nu numerber. ous backlogged November is adopti also recogon n cases in the nized as Nation area. al Adoption “This is the happie Month, declar ed such in 1995 st d day a in by President Bill Clinton, to

SEE GRATEFUL,

PAGE A7

DEATHS, B7

Frances Flemin min i g John Jackson Elizabeth M. DuBos Lewis E. Grant e Sr. Anthony L. Adger Bertha R. Hilliard

mber

promote aware ness of the children in need of permanent families. South Caroli na of Social Servic Departme es ing community is promot education

SEE ADOPTION,

PAGE A

2 children killed in Monday blaze

BY ADRIENNE

SARVI

and Clarendon adrienne@theitem.com S counties stayed at the scene until 5 The start of a.m. Tuesday. the holiday season hit a low The residence after two girls died Monday with fire when was engulfed night in a Pinefirst wood house ers arrived, Christ respondfire. mas said. Sumter Count He said there Harvin Bulloc y Coroner ple, including were four peok said the girls, the two chil5-year-old Isaya dren, inside the 7-year-old Treve Cook and time of the fire, house at the died of therm ah Myers, two individuals and the other al smoke inhala burns and the house with made it out of tion. no injuries reSumter Fire ported. Department Division Chief As of Tuesday Brian Christ mas said firefighters Christmas could afternoon, patched about were disthe relationship not specify 11:54 p.m. Monday to a reside survivors and between the nce on U.S. 261. deceased. He said units from Sumter

SEE FIRE, PAGE

WEATHER, A12

INSIDE

SUNNY AND COLD

Sunshine and some today, and mostly clouds cloudy tonight. HIGH 61, LOW 44

4 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 36

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

‘Lessons and Carols’ offered in Mayesville Traditional festival retells Christmas story in song, readings BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

ayesville Presbyterian Church will present A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. This traditional service is offered as a gift to the wider community in preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The century-old service alternates carols and scriptural readings to retell the Christmas story, or the lessons to be learned from that story, said Tammy Williams, choir director and organist. Williams will lead the choral and instrumental music, which will be performed by guest organist William Douglas, the church choir and hand bell choir, with flute and brass. Officiating for the special service will be Mayesville Presbyterian’s pastor, the Rev. Brian Peake, and the readings will be by members of both the congregation and the community. Williams said the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols originated 135 years ago in Truro, England, when the local bishop — later Archbishop of Canterbury — put together a program of “nine lessons and carols” for a Christmas Eve service. The story, possibly apocryphal, has it that Bishop Edward Benson came up with the idea to keep Truro’s men out of the pubs and sober on the holy night. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has been associated with King’s College in Cambridge, England, for nearly a century. The first service in 1918 was to cele-

brate the end of World War I. Williams noted that Eric Milner-White, the dean of the college, had been an Army chaplain in the war and that he was looking for a positive way to celebrate Christmas. The service became very popular, and although its origin was in the Anglican church, many other Protestant denominations adopted the custom. Live radio broadcasts of the service started in 1928, and for many years it has been broadcast live on NPR and PBS. The service includes nine scripture readings (“lessons”) that recount the biblical prophecies of the coming of a messiah and the ultimate birth of Jesus. Each reading is followed by a congregational carol or choral anthem that reflects on the message of the lesson. While it has been adapted for local cultures and churches, and it is not always presented on Christmas Eve, the format is essentially the same. One major change in the order of lessons resulted in the service now always beginning with the carol “Once in royal David’s city.” “Mayesville Presbyterian Church is pleased to share this tradition with the community,” Williams said, adding that “an informal reception will follow the service. Those who attend the service are asked to bring a canned good or staple item to donate to Sumter United Ministries.” In addition to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Mayesville Presbyterian Church has also established its Sundays at 4 Concert Series. It began in

Members of the Mayesville Presbyterian Choir rehearse for A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, a service traditionally offered during Advent, the liturgical season dedicated to the celebration of Christ’s coming. October and will continue Feb. 28, 2016, with Dr. Richard Thomas, cello, and Amy Blackwood, piano, followed on April 3 with The Carolina Trombone Collective. The public is invited to attend all of these concerts at no charge. Regular Sunday services are held at 11 a.m. at Mayesville Presbyterian Church, 109 W. Sumter St. To get to the church, take U.S. 378 (Myrtle Beach Highway) about 11 miles to Mayesville, turn left on Lafayette Street, go about three blocks, look for the sign and turn left, drive two blocks. The church will be on the right.

Artists’ guild offers unique gifts BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

Mayesville Presbyterian Church will present A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. Admission is free, but the church asks those attending to consider bringing some nonperishable food to donate to Sumter United Ministries. PHOTOS PROVIDED

Opera House presents Steep Canyon Rangers

inding that unique

FROM STAFF REPORTS

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f you’re a bluegrass music fan, and especially if you’re one who’s been missing the Bluegrass Express concerts that were formerly presented at the Sumter Opera House, you’ll want to be there Thursday night at 7:30. That’s when Grammy-winning artists Steep Canyon Rangers will play for one show only at the historic venue. Steep Canyon Rangers has been lauded as “...one of the most expressive bluegrass bands you’ll find,” by Country Music Television Edge. The Tennessean praised the group, saying the group is “holding fast to bluegrass roots but refusing to do what some hardliners maintain passes for tradition: aping the sounds and styles of first-generation bluegrassers Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs.” When comedian and banjo player Steve Martin heard the Rangers, he extended an invitation for them to perform with him in a benefit concert for the Los Angeles Public Library. The response was such that Martin asked the group to accompany him on a “world bluegrass tour” that included venues such as New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Festival hall and the Wang Center in Boston. Later Garrison Keillor featured Martin and Steep Canyon Rangers during a radio broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion. Martin and the group played at various other venues and festivals, including one at the U.S. Capitol on July 4, 2011. Steep Canyon Rangers will perform songs from their latest album, Radio, which was produced by Jerry Douglas. The album has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The Wall Street Journal wrote, “Led by bright fiddle and tight, interlocking harmony vocals, the track is a wide-eyed tribute to the magic of discovering music over the airwaves, with sly references to other songs salted into the lyrics.” Radio is the group’s ninth album. The Steep Canyon Rangers are Woody Platt on guitar, Graham Sharp on banjo, Charles R. Humphrey III on bass, Mike Guggino on mandolin, Nicky Sanders on fiddle and Mike Ashworth on the box kit. In addition to its newest releases, the group will also perform many fan favorites, including songs from its 2013 release, Tell the Ones I Love, and other previously released albums. Tickets for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. concert by the Steep Canyon Rangers are $35/$32/$28 and are available from the Sumter Opera House ticket office, 21 N. Main St., or call (803) 436-2616 or visit www.SumterOperaHouse.com. Next on the Opera House schedule is the Christmas concert by The Embers on Thursday, Dec. 10. It will be followed by the New Year’s Eve Comedy Explosion on Thursday, Dec. 31.

friend or relative is

about to get a little easier. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, the Sumter Artists’ Guild will host its annual holiday mart at the Sumter County Gallery of Art, offering many one-of-a-kind items to put under the tree. Or to reward yourself, said event coordinator Laura Cardello, who will have her own decorative and functional pottery on sale. Cardello will be joined by more than 20 other members of the guild, all local artists. “We always encourage people to shop locally,” she said, “and even all our artists are local.” Shoppers will also be able to meet and talk with the artists about their work, an opportunity that’s usually not readily available in non-local shopping. Cardello noted that there will be a lot of seasonal work on sale, including ornaments, cards, paintings, stained glass and more. And perhaps best of all, you won’t have to worry about giving someone something they already have. Among the artists participating are Sue Czerwinski, paintings; Carole Swartz, watercolor paintings, pottery vessels; Mackenzie Anderson Sholtz, fabric, jewelry; Mike Tucker, blacksmith, with knives, metal sculpture; Denise Greer, paintings; Thomas Duggin, custom wood writing pens; John Cotner, wire sculptures, some of which will work as holiday or-

Laura Cardello, potter and coordinator of the Sumter Artists’ Guild Annual Holiday Mart, is shown with a recent mermaid sculpture. More than 20 artists will have their work on sale Saturday. naments; Trisha King, photography and button trees; Betty Reese, glass totems made from old, reclaimed and antique glassware; Also Don and Carole Carberry, stained glass, watercolors; Jim Wade, paintings, sculpture; David and Linda Brown, paintings, fabric art; Connie Brennan, paintings, ornaments, cards and jewelry; Susan Davenport with work by her father, Ray Davenport; Cara-lin Getty, handmade dyed silk scarves; Trisha King, photography and button trees; Halimah Shah, pottery; Helen Kinser, handmade jewelry; Bobbi Adams, paintings; both Ceecy Mitchell and Julie Pilola will have paintings. Also during the holiday mart, the gallery will offer a variety of pecan gift items from Calhoun Pecans (Young Plantations) in Florence. A portion of the proceeds from the guild sale will also benefit the gallery.

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTOS

Bobbi Adams will have paintings and other art work on sale at the guild’s holiday sale. Admission is free to the 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Annual Sumter Artists’ Guild Holiday Mart at the Sumter County Gallery of Art, 200 Hasel St., in the Sumter County Cultural Center.

FOOD

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ready to upgrade your cookie baking? We’ve got your pro tips BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

grade tips that help them turn

your oven correctly). Butter simply cannot cream correctly if it’s too cold or too warm. So if a recipe calls for softened butter, you want it to hold its shape, but yield when pressed on. And proper creaming of the butter and sugar is critical to the finished texture of your cookies. On the other hand, if a recipe calls for chilling a dough, do it and don’t try to rush it. It’s there for a reason. Some doughs are too soft at room temperature and need to be chilled so they are easier to handle or roll out. Other doughs will lose their shape if placed from room temperature into a hot oven.

mountains of dough into armies

SCRAPE THE BOWL

of cookies.

You know the part of the recipe that says to scrape your bowl between additions? Do it. It’s important. If you don’t scrape the bowl, it’s likely that your dough won’t be properly mixed. You might end up with a chunk of unmixed butter or sugar, or a smear of egg white, in your dough. Or even worse, you could get a hunk of creamed butter and sugar that hasn’t been mixed into the flour, resulting in a big streak of crispy and unsightly burnt edge.

o matter how ambitious your holiday cookie baking plans are, chances

are good you won’t be cranking out the massive quantities most professional bakers are prepping for this holiday season. But that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow — and benefit from — their pro-

So we’ve assembled the best tips and tricks professional bakers use and show you how to put them into play at home.

FRESHNESS COUNTS If you don’t bake often, your baking soda and baking powder may be past their prime. And that means your cookies won’t have the right puff. If you can’t recall when you bought them, splurge on new ones. Or test them by combining a little with vinegar. If the mixture gets foamy, you’re good to go. You also want to check your ingredients for rancidity. Nuts, seeds and some flours can turn rancid, meaning the fats have gone bad. Test nuts and seeds by taste before you put them in your cookies. If they have a funky or off taste, toss them. Rancid flours will smell off, so just take a whiff. And the best way to prevent this is to store whole-grain flours, nuts and seeds in the freezer in a zipclose plastic bags.

PAY ATTENTION TO TEMPERATURE Temperature can play a variety of roles in a recipe (beyond just setting

PORTION THE DOUGH EVENLY If your cookies are evenly sized, they’re more likely to bake evenly. For drop cookies, your best bet is to use a disher, also known as a cookie scoop. These look like an ice cream scoop, but have a thumb- or other squeeze-activated bar inside the scoop to help dislodge the dough. They are the best way to get your drop cookies evenly sized. You can find them online and at most kitchen shops. (And in the off season, use them for ice cream.) For slice-and-bake refrigerator cookies, the key is to turn your dough log a quarter turn after every slice. This keeps the log from losing its shape, and that keeps the

nice and cold before peeling the paper off.

cookies round.

WET YOUR HANDS

COOL YOUR PANS

When you’re working with a soft or sticky dough, it can be difficult to move it from the bowl to the counter or pan. But if you moisten your hands lightly with a bit of water, the dough won’t stick as much. This works especially well for spreading bars or brownies in a pan, but also if you’re trying to wrap rounds of dough to go in the refrigerator.

If you’re baking more than one pan of cookies, make sure to let your pans cool between batches. Remember how that dough needs to be the right temperature before it goes in the oven? If you put it on a hot pan, the bottoms of the dough will get all melty and the cookies will spread too much during baking.

MAKE DOUGH DISKS, NOT BALLS

FREEZE EXTRA DOUGH

Most drop cookies should be slightly flattened once the dough balls are arranged on the baking sheet. This helps the cookies bake evenly so the centers aren’t still doughy when the edges are done. Pressing each ball gently with the underside of a drinking glass or a moistened palm is a good way to do this.

Maybe you don’t want a huge pile of cookies lying around the house (because you might eat them all at once). Or maybe you want to prep your cookie supply so you can bake off a few at a time later. The solution is the freezer. Most cookie doughs freeze beautifully. Slice and bake cookies should be frozen, well wrapped, as a whole log. Just bring back to refrigerator temperature before slicing. Drop cookies can be scooped into balls and frozen, then transferred to a zip-top plastic bag for storage. Cutout cookie dough can be shaped into disks, then wrapped in plastic and frozen, then rolled out on another day (works great for pie dough, too).

EMBRACE KITCHEN PARCHMENT Kitchen parchment (also called baking parchment or parchment paper) is paper treated to be nonstick and heat-safe. It works wonders preventing your cookies from sticking to the pan, and also makes your cleanup much easier. You can find it alongside the foil at the grocer and it comes as sheets or rolls.

DON’T FLOUR YOUR CUT-OUT COOKIES When you’re going to roll out dough for cut-out cookies, you often turn out the dough onto a floured surface, then sprinkle it with more flour as you roll it flat. Stop it. Rolling the dough between sheets of kitchen parchment eliminates all this extra flour from being worked into the dough. It also allows you to re-roll the scraps more times without making the cookies unpleasantly tough. If the dough sticks a little to the parchment, pop it into the refrigerator or freezer to make sure it is

FREEZE EXTRA COOKIES While freshly baked cookies definitely are better, if you bake too many cookies the freezer still can be your friend. Make sure you freeze your cookies before decorating them. The best option is in an airtight container to help prevent breaking. And separate layers of cookies with sheets of kitchen parchment or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together. Unfrosted bars can be frozen right in the pan. Cookies with a very high sugar content (such as Florentines or other lace cookies) don’t do well in the freezer. You’ll just need to eat those.

Spice crinkle and chocolate crinkle cookies rolled into 1 BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

t’s a chocolate crinkle cookie. No, it’s a spice crinkle cookie. Wait!

It’s both!

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Since more is always better when it comes to holiday cookies, we decided to combine our two favorite crinkle cookies into one. And for good measure, we added rye flour, which not only adds hearty flavor, it also gives the finished cookie a deliciously pleasant chew. Not a fan of rye? Don’t worry. The flavor isn’t pronounced.

CHOCOLATE RYE SPICE CRINKLES Start to finish: 30 minutes, plus chilling Makes 48 cookies 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup dark rye flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground dry ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon ground mace (or nutmeg) 1 cup cocoa powder, sifted 2 cups packed brown sugar 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons molasses 4 eggs Granulated sugar or powdered sugar, for rolling In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, rye

flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and mace. In another medium bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, molasses and eggs. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all parts are incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. Heat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with kitchen parchment. Scoop the dough balls by the tablespoonful to make 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated or powdered sugar and arrange on the prepared pans, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just set. Allow to cool on the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. Nutrition information per serving: 90 calories; 30 calories from fat (33 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 50 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 1 g protein.

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

With holiday cookies, go big, go bourbon bars! BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

here is something immensely satisfying about bar

cookies. They just have so much more heft than a typical cookie. And in our world, cookie heft translates into serious

satisfaction. So when we created this bar cookie, we decided to go heavy on the indulgence. After all, it is the holidays. We started with a basic pecan-brown sugar base, then heaped a rich bourbon-cherry topping over it. For good measure, we glazed the whole thing with a bit more bourbon and brown sugar. Bourbon not your speed? Substitute rum or brandy.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOURBON CHERRY BARS Start to finish: 45 minutes Makes 16 bars 1 cup pecans, toasted and cooled, plus extra to garnish 1 cup all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon table salt 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided 1 egg 2 cups dried cherries 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons bourbon, divided 3/4 cup powdered sugar Heat the oven to 350 F. Mist an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom with kitchen parchment, letting it also go up the sides. In a food processor, pulse together the pecans and flour until the pecans are very finely chopped. Don’t over process or the mixture will become gummy. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, salt and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar together until creamy. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Stir in the pecanflour mixture just until a dough is formed. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Meanwhile, make the cherry topping. In a food processor, pulse the cherries until the pieces are no bigger than 1/4 inch. In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, cinnamon, orange juice, 1/4 cup of the bourbon, and the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. When the crust is ready, spread the cherry mixture over the top. Allow to cool. Using the parchment paper to assist, pull the bars from the pan, removing and discarding the paper. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 4 teaspoons of bourbon and the powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the tops of the bars, then garnish with pecans. Cut into pieces and serve. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 week. Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 90 calories from fat (35 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (3.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 80 mg sodium; 39 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 27 g sugar; 2 g protein.

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Reader should look twice before hitting ‘send’ DEAR ABBY — I have started using an effective coping skill when I get upset about something or someone Dear Abby at work. I “vent” in a ABIGAIL personal VAN BUREN email to myself and send it to my home email address. Well, today I got upset with my office buddy, so I sent myself an email. But instead of it going to my home, I mistakenly sent it to her and it hurt her feelings. I never meant for her or anyone else to read it. The technique keeps me from staying angry at work. As soon as I realized what I had done, I sent her an apolo-

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

gy and we talked about it afterward. I feel terrible about hurting her, because she is a sweet person, and it was a complete misunderstanding on my part. She told me she accepted my apology. What else can I do for her, or should I just learn my lesson? Flubbed in Florida DEAR FLUBBED — I think your apology was enough. However, because it hasn’t assuaged your guilt, consider asking if you can treat her to lunch. And in the future, look twice before hitting “send.” Better yet, go “old school” and write your thoughts in a notebook you keep in your purse. DEAR ABBY — I am scheduled to attend a wedding later this month. Well, I just found out the groom’s uncle is not a

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

real minister, and that he purchased his minister’s license online. I think it is very disrespectful to people who take religion seriously, and to real ministers who spend years studying in order to be ordained. There’s nothing wrong with having a judge preside over the ceremony, but to have a fake minister preside makes the whole ceremony a fraud. If I say anything, I know it will cause hurt feelings, so I’m keeping my mouth shut. Am I an old fuddy-duddy? Silent in Springfield, Ill. DEAR SILENT —You are entitled to your feelings, but if this uncle is the person the happy couple wants to officiate, you shouldn’t judge. If their choice makes you uncomfortable, stay home.

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

By Alan DerKazarian

ACROSS 1 "Mamma Mia!" group 5 Tunes 10 Fundamentals 14 Talking iPhone feature 15 Destroyer destroyer 16 Messy stuff 17 __ smasher 18 "I'm innocent!" 19 Hindu deity 20 High-speed war plane maneuver 22 Hunter's device 23 Gets close to 24 Cheat, in a way 25 Seasonal malady 27 Find work 30 Shakespearean fairy queen 33 Large-leafed tree 35 Batman portrayer Kilmer 36 Skating commentator Lipinski 37 Passionate 38 Dishes for company 40 Eagerly excited 41 Golfer Ballesteros 42 Furrow maker 43 Ruling period 45 Charlemagne's realm: Abbr. 46 Avant-garde 48 Low or no follower

49 Insert for a 6-Down 51 Shoot well under par, in golf lingo 53 Syria's Bashar al-__ 55 Focuses even harder ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues 59 Letters after phis 60 "The Planets" composer 61 Texter's "If you ask me" 62 Adorable 63 Wipe off 64 Dismissed, with "off" 65 "Until next time," in texts 66 Oscar's roommate 67 Tolkien's Treebeard et al. DOWN 1 PDQ 2 __-Honey 3 *Rhode Island school 4 Pop singer Mann 5 *Like Southern California beaches 6 Duck player in "Peter and the Wolf"

12/2/15 7 Punishment with a grounding 8 Risk, e.g. 9 Canonized Mlle. 10 Feel the same way 11 *Title female "trying to make a devil out of me," in a Santana hit 12 "¿__ está?" 13 Fix, as a pet 21 Blow one's top 22 Cotillion honoree 24 *One of two cold atmospheric cyclones 25 Jiffy 26 Iron-rich meat 28 Miller's "__ From the Bridge" 29 First calendar pg.

31 Food court attraction 32 Something to pick lox for 34 ‘50s political monogram 36 Label 39 "__ so?" 44 Fish caught in pots 46 Author Buntline 47 Tennis great Andre 50 Studio piece 52 "Swan Lake" swan 53 Customer holding: Abbr. 54 Closed 55 Produced, as fruit 56 Tel Aviv airline 57 Smidgen 58 Quiet yeses 60 Celeb with a mansion

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

12/2/15

TELEVISION

THE SUMTER ITEM TW

7 PM

7:30

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9 PM 9:30 LOCAL CHANNELS

10 PM

10:30

How the Grinch Saturday Night Live: A Saturday Night Live Christmas A Stole Christmas compilation of the most memorable holiday themed sketches and comedy bits. (HD) Criminal Minds: Internal Affairs The Code Black: Cardiac Support Jesse BAU and the NSA work together. (N) suffers a massive heart attack. (N) WLTX E19 (HD) (HD) The Middle: The The Goldbergs: Modern Family (:31) black-ish: Nashville: Three’s a Crowd Rayna’s WOLO E25 Convention (N) Wingmom (N) Family seminar. Man at Work (N) new artists makes a huge mistake (HD) (HD) (N) (HD) (HD) (N) (HD) Keith & Kristyn Getty: Joy an Irish Christmas (N) (HD) Desert Dreams: Celebrating Five Seasons in the Christmas in Harvard Square (N) WRJA E27 11 14 Sonoran Desert Five seasons in the Sonoran Desert. (HD) WIS

E10

WACH E57 WKTC E63

WIS News 10 at Entertainment Tonight (N) (HD) news update. News 19 @ 7pm Inside Edition (N) 9 9 Evening news up- (HD) date. Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy! (N) 5 12 (N) (HD) (HD)

8 PM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

3 10 7:00pm Local

Christmas in Rockefeller Center The 83rd annual Christmas tree lighting. (HD) Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance (N) (HD)

11 PM WIS News 10 at 11:00pm News and weather. News 19 @ 11pm The news of the day. ABC Columbia News at 11 (HD)

11:30

12 AM

(:35) The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Comedic skits and celebrity interviews. (HD) (:35) The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Stephen Colbert on politics and more. (HD) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel Live Celebrities and human-interest subjects. (HD)

Super Genes with Dr. Rudy Tanzi The future of genetics through self-directed biological transformation. (N) (HD) The Big Bang The Big Bang Rosewood: Aortic Atresia and Art In- Empire: Et Tu, Brute? Lucious makes WACH FOX News at 10 Local news TMZ (N) 2 Broke Girls: Mike & Molly: 6 6 Theory (HD) Theory Injured stallations Serial killer in Miami art a risky move. (N) (HD) report and weather forecast. And the ‘It’ Hole The Honeymoon Penny. (HD) scene. (N) (HD) (HD) Is Over (HD) Anger Manage- Anger Manage- Arrow: Legends of Yesterday Oliver (:02) Supernatural: Just My Imagi- The Closer: Out of Focus A photogra- The Closer: Head Over Heels A porn Hot in Cleveland 4 22 ment Eccentric ment Eccentric and Barry plot against Vandal. (N) nation Sam’s imaginary childhood pher mysteriously dies. (HD) star’s body parts are found. (HD) Friends share therapist. (HD) therapist. (HD) (HD) friend visits. (N) (HD) home. (HD)

CABLE CHANNELS Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty: John Luke Gets (:02) Duck Dy(:32) Duck Dy(:01) Duck DySurprise wedding. (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) Hitched Wedding ceremony. (HD) nasty (HD) nasty (HD) nasty (HD) Jingle All the Way (‘96, Comedy) aa Arnold Schwarzenegger. Frantic Are We There 180 Last Holiday (‘06, Comedy) Queen Jingle All the Way (‘96, Comedy) aa Arnold Schwarzenegger. Frantic Latifah. European spree. (HD) dad searches for a sold-out toy. (HD) dad searches for a sold-out toy. (HD) Yet? (‘05) (HD) 100 River Monsters (HD) River Monsters (HD) Racing Extinction (N) (HD) (:36) Racing Extinction (HD) (:12) River (HD) #TheWestBrooks (N) (HD) #TheWestBrooks (HD) Wendy Williams 162 (6:00) Good Deeds (‘12, Comedy) aa Tyler Perry. An entrepreneur’s bor- Being Mary Jane (HD) ing life is shaken up after meeting an impoverished woman. (HD) Show (N) Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles: Mil lion Dol lar List ing LA: It’s a Mad Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles Top Chef: Stop the Presses Cook ing (:15) What Hap (:45) Top Chef: Stop the Presses 181 The Hustler Hustle Mad Madison World (N) competition. (N) pens (N) (HD) Cooking competition. 62 Leno’s: Design of the Times Shark Tank Spy training. (HD) Shark Tank (HD) Jay Leno’s Garage (N) Shark Tank (HD) Shark (HD) 64 Erin Burnett OutFront (N) Anderson Cooper 360° (N) (HD) This Is Life (N) CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Anderson Cooper 360° (HD) Life Moonbeam City Daily Show with Nightly Show w/ (:01) @midnight 136 South Park Paris (:29) South Park South Park (HD) South Park Guitar South Park (HD) South Park (HD) South Park (N) Hilton. (HD) (HD) Hero. (HD) (HD) (N) Trevor (N) Wilmore (N) (N) (HD) Liv and Maddie BUNK’D Making Liv and Maddie Best Friends Whenever: Cyd and K.C. Undercover Austin & Ally Jessie: Toy Con Girl Meets World So Raven: Escape 80 Best Friends Whenever (HD) (HD) friends. (HD) (HD) Shelby Strike Back (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) Claus 103 Alaskan Bush People (HD) Alaskan Bush People (N) (HD) Racing Extinction (N) (HD) (:36) Racing Extinction (HD) Alaskan (HD) 35 (:15) College Basketball: Louisville vs Michigan State z{| (HD) College Basketball: Indiana Hoosiers at Duke Blue Devils (HD) (:15) SportsCenter (HD) 39 College Basketball: Wisconsin Badgers at Syracuse Orange (HD) (:15) College Basketball: Notre Dame vs Illinois z{| (HD) College Basketball Live (HD) NBA (HD) (:45) The Santa Clause (‘94, Holiday) aac Tim Allen. After accidentally killing Santa, The 700 Club Snow (‘04) 131 (6:00) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (‘00, Holiday) Jim Carrey. Christmas plot. (HD) a divorced father turns into St. Nick. (HD) aac 109 Cutthroat Kitchen (HD) Cutthroat Kitchen (HD) Cutthroat Kitchen (N) (HD) Mystery (N) Mystery (HD) Mystery (HD) Mystery (HD) Cutthroat (HD) 74 On the Record with Greta (N) The O’Reilly Factor (N) (HD) The Kelly File News updates. Hannity Conservative news. (HD) The O’Reilly Factor (HD) The Kelly File 42 College Basketball: Hartford Hawks at Providence Friars z{| College Basketball: VCU vs Middle Tennessee z{| ACC Gridiron Live! (HD) Basketball Most Wonderful 183 (6:00) 12 Gifts of Christmas (‘15, Ro- Northpole: Open for Christmas (‘15, Romance) aa Lori Loughlin. Handy- Matchmaker Santa (‘12, Holiday) aac Lacey Chabert. A woman bemance) Katrina Law. (HD) man and elf help businesswoman. (HD) comes stranded in a small town with her fiancé’s assistant. (HD) Time (HD) 112 Property Brothers (HD) Home on the Ranch (HD) Home on the Ranch (N) (HD) Hunters (N) Hunters (N) Property Brothers (HD) The Ranch 110 American Pickers (HD) American Pickers (HD) American Pickers (N) (HD) (:03) Christmas Dec (N) (HD) Christmas Dec: The 60s (HD) American (HD) Law & Order: All New Firefighter tor- Law & Order: Exchange Scientist Law & Order: Skate or Die Murders Law & Order: The Drowned and the Law & Order 160 Law & Order: Promote This! Bias against illegal immigrants. (HD) tured and murdered. (HD) couple killed in house fire. (HD) of three homeless men. (HD) Saved (HD) (HD) A Gift Wrapped Christmas (‘15) Personal shopper helps workaholic single (:02) Crazy for Christmas (‘05, Holiday) aac Andrea Roth. A limo driver (:02) Gift 145 The Real St. Nick (‘12, Holiday) Torrey DeVitto. Man’s claims. (HD) father find the spirit of Christmas. (HD) is stuck driving around a millionaire on Christmas Eve. Wrapped (‘15) 76 Hardball with Chris (N) (HD) All in with Chris Hayes (HD) The Rachel Maddow Show (N) Lawrence O’Donnell (HD) All in with Chris Hayes (HD) Maddow (HD) 91 Talia (N) (HD) Thunderman Nicky, Ricky: Go Hollywood Full House Full House Full House Full House Friends (HD) Friends (HD) Friends (HD) 154 Walk Tall (HD) The Fast and the Furious (‘01, Action) Paul Walker. Street gangs race fast cars. (HD) Walking Tall (‘04, Action) Dwayne Johnson. Man fights crime. (HD) Fast (‘01) (HD) 152 (6:30) Underworld (‘03, Horror) aaa Kate Beckinsale. Medical student Underworld: Evolution (‘06, Horror) Kate Beckinsale. As their tribes feud, a Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (‘09, Thriller) aaa sought in war of undead. (HD) forbidden love grows between a vampire and a lycan. (HD) Michael Sheen. Lycan-vampire feud. (HD) The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang Conan (N) (HD) 2 Broke Girls 156 Seinfeld Pez ruins Seinfeld: The recital. (HD) Fix-Up (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) Theory (HD) (HD) Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Mu- Guys and Dolls (‘55, Musical) aaa Marlon Brando. A gambler bets that he can persuade a (:45) Pal Joey (‘57, Musical) aaa 186 Madeleine (‘50) MGM Parade aaa Ann Todd. Show sic Singer performs. mission worker to go on a date with him. Rita Hayworth. A man schemes. 157 My 600-lb Life Steady job. (HD) My 600-lb Life (HD) My 600-lb Life (HD) My 600-lb Life Marital fears. (HD) My 600-lb Life Steady job. (HD) My 600-lb (HD) 158 Castle: Little Girl Lost Beckett works Limitless (‘11, Thriller) aaa Bradley Cooper. Drug bestows exceptional Red (‘10, Action) aaac Bruce Willis. A retired black-ops CIA agent who CSI: NY (HD) with ex on case. (HD) mental capabilities on an ordinary man. (HD) is marked for assassination looks for answers. (HD) 102 Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Santas in the Barn (N) (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) Jokers (HD) 161 Facts Life Facts Life Facts Life (:48) Loves Raymond (HD) Raymond (HD) Younger (HD) Younger (HD) Queens (HD) Queens (HD) Queens (HD) Law & Or der: Spe cial Vic tims Unit: Law & Or der: Spe cial Vic tims Unit: Law & Or der: Spe cial Vic tims Unit: Law & Or der: Spe cial Vic tims Unit: Mod ern Fam ily: Mod ern Fam ily Chrisley Knows 132 Vanity’s Bonfire (HD) Lessons Learned (HD) Dreams Deferred (HD) Presumed Guilty (HD) Pilot (HD) (HD) Best (HD) Law & Order: Sideshow (HD) Law & Order: Disciple (HD) Law & Order: Harm (HD) Law & Order: Shield (HD) Law & Order: Juvenile (HD) Law (HD) 172 Person of Interest (HD) Person of Interest (HD) Person of Interest (HD) Person of Interest (HD) Manhattan: Human Error (HD) How I Met

A&E

46 130 Duck Dynasty: Till Duck Do Us Part

AMC

ANPL

BET

BRAVO

CNBC CNN

35 33

COM

DISN

DSC ESPN ESPN2

42 26 27

FAM

FOOD FOXN FSS

40 37 31

HALL

HGTV HIST

39 45

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LIFE

MSNBC NICK SPIKE

36 16 64

SYFY

TBS

TCM

TLC

TNT

TRUTV TVLAND

38 55

USA

WE WGN

68 8

‘Racing Extinction’ wonders for whom the bell tolls BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH A film as provocative as its title, “Racing Extinction” (9 p.m., Animal Planet, Discovery) unfolds a little bit like a police procedural. Is it a murder mystery? Or a suicide saga? Viewers will have to judge for themselves. Produced by the team behind “The Cove,” a controversial 2009 film about the mass slaughter of dolphins in Japan, “Racing” takes a global view. It details a number of aquatic species well on the way toward disappearing. Using undercover surveillance techniques including hidden cameras and false identities, the movie’s team scours China’s vast black market in endangered species, a trade, it contends, that rivals the international drug market in size and scope. Perhaps most effectively, it demonstrates the effects of mass dumping of carbon and methane on the world’s oceans. According to “Racing,” we are not merely witnessing the piecemeal extinction of one rare species after another, but possibly the death of the oceans, and of “nature” itself. This mass dying-off could rival the disappearance of the dinosaurs as an epoch-defining catastrophe, a doomsday scenario that may include the human race. Not entirely gloom and doom, “Racing” also shows what individuals, families and communities can do to slow, if not reverse, these ominous trends. • Global awareness of a very different sort is featured on “Rev Runs Around the World” (10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Travel, TV-PG). Run-D.M.C. frontman Rev Run embarks on a new travel series with his family, showing them some of the places he performed in his hip-hop heyday. They include Kingston, Jamaica (10 p.m.) and Mexico City (10:30 p.m.). • The holidays have no shortage of reality TV competitions. Contests to find the best bakers, house decorations, choirs and “Nutcracker” performance have been the staple of holiday series for some years now. “Santa in the Barn” (9 p.m., TruTV) is such an obvious idea I can’t

OCEANIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY (OPS) / ANIMAL PLANET

Shawn Heinrichs inspects shark fins drying on a rooftop in Hong Kong. Using undercover surveillance techniques, China’s extensive endangered species black market is investigated in the film “Racing Extinction,” airing at 9 p.m. today on Animal Planet and Discovery. believe it hasn’t been done before. “Barn” brings 10 Santas from all over America to train at a Christmas fantasy camp where they will compete “Iron Chef”-style in North Pole-themed challenges. They also have to convince folks and each other that they live and breathe “the Santa Way.” Only one red-suited, whitebearded contestant can emerge with the title of America’s Best Santa and carry home a $100,000 prize on his sleigh. Of course, if he’s really living “The Santa Way,” he’ll probably give it away on his way home.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • A serial killer with artistic pretensions sees Miami as his “canvas” on the fall season finale of “Rosewood” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14). • The “Today Show” team covers the 83rd annual tree lighting on “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” (8 p.m., NBC).

• Country glances back on “CMT Artists of the Year 2015” (8 p.m.). • The spirit of holiday skits past haunts the repeat “A Saturday Night Live Christmas” (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14). • Boris Karloff narrates “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (9 p.m., NBC, TVG), a favorite since it first aired on Dec. 18, 1966, and an inspiration for a 2000 movie adaptation (6 p.m., ABC Family), starring Jim Carrey. • Lucious discovers that his digital strategy may jeopardize his company on the fall season finale of “Empire” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14). • Catherine O’Hara gueststars as the gang enters group therapy on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14). • Jesse’s cardiac episode worries Leanne on “Code Black” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14). • Rayna’s big new artist may be more trouble than he’s worth on “Nashville” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14). • The new docuseries “Bad Blood” (10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.,

ID, TV-14) looks at families divided and often destroyed by crime. • “Christmas Through the Decades” (10 p.m., History) glances back at the 1970s, the era when “Star Wars” was first mass-merchandized.

CULT CHOICE Acclaimed for intense, gritty performances, Marlon Brando shifted gears to star in the 1955 musical comedy “Guys and Dolls” (9 p.m., TCM) with Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons.

SERIES NOTES “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TVPG) * Frankie and Mike visit Des Moines on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * The Flash crosses over on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) * Adam enlists on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Death among DEA agents may be a matter of national security on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Sam’s imagi-

nary friend from childhood returns on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) * An old pal takes advantage of Dre’s hospitality on “black-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Lupita Nyong’o is booked on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Ken Jeong, Amy Brenneman and Glen Hansard appear on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS). Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

Order Up! Call Rhonda Barrick at: (803) 774-1264 | E-mail: rhonda@theitem.com

me o Ho

f the Chicken Wing! Eat In or Take Out

Ladies Night Out

TUESDAY NIGHT WING SPECIAL Dine-In Only 6:30-9:00 pm

Wednesdays 5-11:00 PM

$3.00 Martini

775-6538

2390 Broad St • Sumter,SC 29150

1961-B McCrays Mill Rd.

803.469.2008

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11am-10pm

Sumter’s Oldest FULL SERVICE

Soda Fountain! EST. 1935 | 78 YEARS STRONG

Breakfast and Lunch Daily Monday-Friday 7am-4pm Saturday 9am-3pm

Sumter Cut Rate 2 Piece Meal $ 00 Soda Fountain 1 side, biscuit and drink 32 S. Main St. Sumter 7 773-8432 73 843ex2. 3 1083 Broad Street • 803-775-0963

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1701 US-15 • 803-481-0157

NOW THROUGH DEC 17 Between 3pm – 6pm

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Santa Claus is coming!

Get your picture taken on December 17th

Rainbow butter cookies

2561 Broad St • Sumter, SC 29150 • 803-905-1212

For information about advertising, contact (803) 774-1212 or (803) 774-1284

Yummy and pretty Holiday cookies that look and taste good

ugar sprinkles are pretty, but they generrally don’t taste like much. So when we created these delicious holiday butter

cookies, we decided to experiment with colorful decorations that taste as good as they look. Our solution? Freeze-dried fruit. You’ll find a wide variety in either the produce or dry goods sections of the grocer. Buy a variety of fruits for a rainbow of colors. Strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple and blueberries are particularly nice. Then you just crush any larger pieces and sprinkle them over the glazed cookies. Instant color. Big flavor.

RAINBOW BUTTER COOKIES Start to finish: 45 minutes plus chilling Makes 60 cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 egg yolks 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons corn syrup Freeze-dried fruit (such as strawberries, mangos, pineapplee or blueberries), coarsely crushed In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and baking powder until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Stir in the flour just until well mixed. Set 2 sheets of waxed paper on the counter, then scoop half the dough onto each. Using slightly moistened hands and the paper to help, form the dough into logs about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Wrap the paper around the dough. Smooth the paper and twist the ends. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with kitchen parchment paper. Unwrap 1 log of dough and slice into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Turning the log as you cut it will help to keep the round shape. Arrange the on the prepared pans, leaving 1 inch between the cookies. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden around the edges. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Repeat with the remainder of the dough. Once the cookies are cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk and corn syrup. Spoon or pipe a small amount of glaze over the tops of each cookie, then immediately sprinkle with the crushed fruit pieces. Allow to set up completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. Nutrition information per serving: 70 calories; 30 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 3.5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 1 g protein.

ROASTED TOASTED SHORTBREAD Start to finish: 1 hour Makes 30 cookies 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons barley malt syrup 1/4 teaspoon table salt 1/2 cup chopped smoked almonds Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a large deep skillet over medium, toast the flour, stirring often, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape out into a bowl, then repeat with the wheat germ, which will take only 1 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a larger bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, sugar, malt syrup and salt just until creamy. Stir in the cooled flour, wheat germ and almonds until a dough forms. It should be a dry, crumbly dough. Place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper and roll out to an even 3/8 inch thick. Cut out using 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutters of your choice. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and reroll the scraps to cut as many cookies as you can. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to fully cool on the pan. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 weeks. Nutrition information per serving: 120 calories; 70 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 30 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 2 g protein.