FIERY METEOR EXPLODES OVER RUSSIA
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ON THE HARDWOOD: SHS girls, boys look to keep playoff hopes alive while other locals are just getting started B1 VOL. 118, NO. 101 WWW.THEITEM.COM
Why your scale gets a bad rap BY MISSY CORRIGAN Special to The Item
D
o you step on the scale first thing in the morning? For some, it’s a helpful tool in maintaining current weight, and for others, it’s a tool used to measure progress for weight loss. More often than not, we allow that scale to have the power to determine our mood, attitude and selfworth. Why is our body weight so important? And why does the number on the scale hold such tremendous value? From the time we are born we are compared to a standard height and weight chart based on CORRIGAN age and gender to determine our growth progress. As we age, various factors including genetics, environment, physical activity level and nutrition intake shape and define our weight outcome. Being told to lose weight in order to be healthy can bring about tremendous stress and pressure. Based on your weight loss goal, the relationship between you and the scale becomes very close and can often become unhealthy. That number that is seen on the scale includes your skin, bones, muscles, fat, organs, water, food recently consumed and anything that you are wearing at the time. It doesn’t identify how many pounds of that total weight is fat, muscle or water. It’s just total body weight. On a daily basis I come in contact with men and women who are either exercising excessively and/or restricting calories just to see the number on the scale come down. And yes, maybe there is some satisfaction seeing that number on the scale decrease, but by using the scale as the only measuring tool, there is no way of knowing if the weight loss was water, muscle, fat or SEE HEALTHY LIVING, PAGE A8
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Teens reportedly threaten students with pellet guns Pair faces 5 years in jail, $5,000 fine if convicted BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com Two Sumter teenagers were arrested Thursday after students outside of the Academic Learning Center were reportedly threatened with pellet guns designed to look like more powerful handguns, according to the Sum-
ter Police Department. The two men, 18-yearold Sean Michael Jensen of 1160 Pinewood GARCIA Road and 18-year-old Justin Michael Garcia of 1989 Forrest Drive, were each charged with car-
rying weapons onto school grounds. Both men were in custody at Sumter-Lee Regional DeJENSEN tention Center awaiting a bond hearing as of Friday afternoon. If convicted of the felony
MORE INSIDE See photos of the pellet guns on page A8.
charge, both face a maximum penalty of five years in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. While the pellet guns are not as dangerous as the SEE TEENS JAILED, PAGE A8
Wedgefield blaze kills 2 Fire destroys home from Civil War era BY NICK McCORMAC nmccormac@theitem.com A Wedgefield couple is dead after their historic home caught fire late Thursday. Edward “Ed” Hall, 87, and his wife, Harriett Hall, 83, died after their home at 1020 S.C. 261 S. caught fire about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The house, part of which predates the Civil War, was fully engulfed when fire crews arrived, said Sumter Fire Capt. Joey Duggan. Electrical problems are being blamed for the fire, and the couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning and thermal burns. SEE COUPLE DIES IN FIRE, PAGE A5
Sherry Salyer of Bishopville, the daughter of Edward and Harriett Hall, inspects the damage to the couple’s home Friday. A fire Thursday evening killed the Halls and gutted the home, part of which predates the Civil War. NICK McCORMAC / THE ITEM
No accumulation expected from snowfall BY RANDY BURNS Special to The Item Don’t be surprised to see a few snowflakes in the tricounty area this afternoon, forecasters said Friday. Much colder air is expect-
ed to enter the state today behind a dry, cold front. AccuWeather Meteorologist Mark Paquette said precipitation is likely for five or six hours, beginning mid-afternoon. No need to change plans,
Paquette said, but a few snowflakes could mix with the rain during the afternoon and could change to snow before ending early in the evening. “I do think you are going to see some snowfall on Satur-
DEATHS Roxie Williams Mary Ann R. Pleasant Sally H. Ridgeway Robert Sabb Earline B. China
Mary Ellen B. Owens Katherine D. Shoffstall Sandra E. Brown Charles R. Robinson Edward Hall
Harriett R. Hall Harvey C. Waddell Michael J. Washington B3, B4
day,” Paquette said. “But the ground and roads are going to be too warm. So, we don’t expect any accumulation.” He said there is going to be plenty of cold air in the upper SEE SNOWFALL, PAGE A5
OUTSIDE WILL IT SNOW? Mostly cloudy today; a little rain, cooler tonight HIGH: 48 LOW: 26 A8
INSIDE 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES
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