February 25, 2015

IN FOOD: Putting slow-cooked pulled pork and chicken to good use C8 EARN A DEGREE. GET A WORLDVIEW. Military and civilian “Intro to Cybersecurity” Fall 2015 For a complete list of programs, visit: webster.edu/shaw

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

| Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894

75 cents

Shaw Air Force Base Campus Location

Solving the education puzzle Speaker’s task force takes its first bites at funding reform

BY DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ Special to The Sumter Item South Carolina’s Legislature is finally ready to stop

nibbling at the apple; they’re ready for the whole thing.

At least that’s how Terry Peterson, national chairman of Afterschool Alliance and member of the House Education Policy Review and Reform Task Force, might put it. The 17-member task force met Monday for the first time to hear education advocates speak about the state of education reform.

For Peterson, it’s time to stop treating the symptoms and start working on a cure for education’s ailments in the state.

“You can’t just take a bite of the apple anymore. You kind of have to take the whole apple,” he said.

Education is by no means a monolithic issue, he said, and that’s what the task force was organized to address. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas appointed the 17 educators, representatives and industry advoDAMIAN DOMINGUEZ / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM cates to the task force to think outside the box and provide in- Former S.C. Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum says that novative solutions to the state’s without a state bond bill, rural schools in areas that draw less income

from property taxes won’t be able to compete with schools in more SEE EDUCATION, PAGE A6 populated areas.

WEATHER ALERT

S.C. bracing for more wintry mix

BY BRUCE SMITH The Associated Press CHARLESTON — Winter weather returned to South Carolina on Tuesday, bringing snow to the Upstate and Midlands, freezing rain to the coast and causing many schools to cancel classes or open late.

With more than 2 inches of snow in some places, a second storm expected to move in today promised to bring even more.

The National Weather Service in Greer posted a winter storm watch for much of the Upstate and forecasters predicted an additional 5 to 7 inches of snow Wednesday night into Thursday.

Lawmakers in Columbia, anticipating the bad weather, voted to take Thursday off.

The forecast for Columbia, the Midlands and areas to the east is for rain from the second storm.

Tuesday winter weather advisories that had been issued for much of the state expired about midday, with the exception of the south Midlands and Pee Dee. A freezing rain advisory for Charleston and outlying counties expired late Tuesday.

The weather caused problems for travelers.

“The roads are dangerous,” said Richard Young, a 53-year-old truck driver from Henderson, North Carolina, who stopped at a shopping center in Travelers Rest on his way to Greenville. He said it took him two hours, instead of the usual one, to

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Jim Jeko scrapes ice off a car windshield on Heyward Street in Bishopville. The car belongs to his sister-in-law, who was visiting from Florida.

SEE WEATHER, PAGE A6 The National Weather Service predicts a thaw today but a chance for more frozen precipitation on the way tonight in the Upstate.

The Beach Company sells Embezzlement trial begins land around Lake Marion

BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com

BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com The Beach Co. has sold six parcels of land in the Summerton area for about $7.5 million to Flo Fund Domestic LLC. The deed was recorded in the Clarendon County Register of Deeds on Mon-

VISIT US ONLINE AT

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day. Beach Lake Properties LLC, registered to The Beach Co. CEO John Darby, sold 83 percent of its undivided interest, and Darby-Way Family Partnership L.P. sold 17 percent of its undivided interest.

Flo Fund Domestic is

SEE LAND, PAGE A5

CONTACT US Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1237 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News and Sports: 774-1226

A federal embezzlement trial against a former Lee County charter school director accused of siphoning more than $2.2 million from government agencies was delayed one day because of weather Tuesday.

The jury trial for Benita Dinkins-Robinson is expected to proceed today at 9:30 a.m. inside a U.S. District

DEATHS, B7 Betty Alston Dean Robert Lee Cocklin Catherine Scott Harel Benjamin

Ruby Lee Brown John A. Ross Jr. Naomi Dupont China Johnny Arnold

courtroom in Columbia. Attorneys picked a jury for the case Monday and were expected to begin opening arguments and testimony Tuesday morning, but inclement weather forecasts for the area resulted in the delay.

A federal grand jury indicted Dinkins-Robinson in May on two counts of theft of government property.

She faces as many as 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of

$250,000 if convicted of the felony counts. Officials also indicate they might try to seize as much as $2.2 million in cash proceeds and real property from the defendant if she is convicted.

Dinkins-Robinson served as executive director for Mary L. Dinkins Higher Learning Academy, a Bishopville charter school, for several years.

SEE TRIAL, PAGE A5

WEATHER, A8

INSIDE

WARMER, RAIN

3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 111

Thawing today with high in the mid-40s, low above freezing tonight; strong chance of rain today and tonight.

HIGH 46, LOW 33

Food C8 Lotteries A8 Classifieds B8 Opinion A7 Comics C6 Television C7

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

Shaw meeting targets groundwater concerns

Demolition on agenda for Thursday’s meeting

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter Historic Preservation Design Review Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the Planning Department Office, 12 W. Liberty St. Items up for consideration include: • A request to increase the amount of wall signage for a building at 2 N. Main St., the future site of C. Anthony’s Menswear, from five signs to 10. It is proposed that the five signs for the clothing store be placed below the five existing signs for Caldwell Banker Commercial Cornerstone, located in the same building; • A request to construct a 10-foot-by-20-foot storage building at the rear of property at the 200 block of North Salem Avenue, in the Hampton Park Design Review District.

• A request to approve six 5-by-24 inch driveway signs on both sides of the three entrances of Grace Baptist Church at 219 W. Calhoun St. Planning Department staff recommend that the church submit a sign package with a reduced number of signs, designs that fit review guidelines and new sign placement locations; • A request from the City of Sumter to demolish a 1,209-square-foot vacant commercial building at 8 N. Main St. Planning department staff recommend the demolition; • A request from the city to demolish a 7,910-square-foot building, formerly the site of Covington Credit, at 10 N. Main St. in anticipation of redevelopment in connection with the future neighboring hotel. Although the building is classified as historic, it is recommended that it be demolished because it is deemed a potential fire safety hazard and the estimated cost of renovation, $1.6 million or more, is prohibitive for the city; • A request from the city to demolish a 1,597-square-foot vacant commercial structure at 16 E. Liberty St. intended to be the location of new offices for the Sumter County development Board. Planning Department staff recommend that the building be demolished because it has multiple structural deficiencies and signs of deterioration; and • A request to amend the general certification of appropriateness article of the City Zoning and Development Standards Ordinance to better define which review items can be approved by planning department staff as opposed to the design review board.

CORRECTION If you see a statement in error, contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or pressrelease@theitem.com.

THE SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Jaden Buitureira, then 4, tries to right his father Mark’s pirate ship kite during the 2011 Kite Flying Contest at Dillon Park.

Go fly a kite, race a bike

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

month.com, to offer simple directions and encouragement.

You can check out howSpring’s not quite here, cast.com/videos/146-Howbut the folks at Sumter To-Make-a-Simple-PaperCounty Recreation DeKite or wikihow.com/ partment are counting on Make-a-Diamond-Kite, an early arrival of too. warmth and sunshine for There are also books at their annual Kite Flying Sumter County Library Contest and Bike Rodeo with instructions for makfrom 10 a.m. to noon on ing a kite. Call them at Saturday, March 7.

(803) 773-7273 for assisThis year the event is tance. free.

Best Homemade and Registration starts at 9 Best in Show are not the a.m. at Dillon Park. only categories for prizes, “We’re giving people Chambers said. some time to get their Other categories inhomemade kites ready,” clude smallest, largest, said LaTrelle Chambers longest tail of the deand others. partment.

WANT TO GO? Rules for “We love to WHAT: Sumter Recreation competing see the Department Kite Contest and include: homemade Bike Rodeo.

• Each kite kites, and WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon, must be regthe prize for Saturday, March 7; istered; the best one registeration begins at 9 a.m.

• Each kite is always must stay in special.”

WHERE: Dillon Park, 1210 Lourise Kellogg Drive the air one Best in minute; and Show garPHONE: (803) 775-5006, • Only one ners a nice (803) 436-2248 or (803) 774kite per catprize, too, 8822 egory is perand that mitted. winner could Also on actually be a the program for the day is homemade kite. the Bike Rodeo sponsored Never made a kite withby The Salvation Army out a kit?

Boys & Girls Club, SAFE You can find plenty of Kids Sumter County and good websites with easy The Tuomey Foundation. instructions.

There will be a special The materials are easy obstacle course to test the to find and inexpensive, skills of young riders, and as well. the SAFE Kids staff will Newspaper or tissue check out your bikes and and light wood dowels are helmets to be sure they’re a good start. And it’s alsafe. ways fun tearing bits of If you want to particiold cloth to make a tail for pate in the bike race but the kite so it will be well don’t have a bike or helbalanced, because to be met, some will be availeligible for a prize, your able for use. kite must fly.

For more information, As always, Professor call (803) 775-5006, (803) Kite is standing by at his 436-2248 or (803) 774-8822. website, nationalkite-

Officials from Shaw Air Force Base outlined an aggressive strategy for cleaning up chemical contamination in underground aquifers on or near the base at a meeting of the Restoration Advisory Board on Monday night at New Beginnings Banquet Hall, 1335 Peach Orchard Road.

Restoration Advisory Boards are intended to provide a forum for neighbors and local governments to openly discuss cleanup actions on military bases.

Board members are volunteers and the boards are not decision-making forums and they do not vote on issues.

Juv Saloman, a civil engineer with the 20th Civil Engineering Squad, told the board that the cleanup project involves more than $31 million in contracts with 550 treatment wells and more than 800 monitoring wells.

Clean up efforts at Shaw are mandated by the Recourse Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, which requires responsible parties to clean up releases of hazardous substances in the environment.

In 1983, Shaw began assessing the installation for potential environmental damage. Three years later, in 1986, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act refined and expanded CERCLA, and formally established funding for the program.

The Air Force has spent more than $93 million dollars managing the cleanup at Shaw since 1986, and plans to spend an additional $19.7 million during the next five years.

At Shaw, there are four groundwater sites being cleaned up that impact offbase land, predominantly on the west side of the base.

The main groundwater contaminants in these plumes are chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, as well as the jet fuel component benzene and the pesticide Dieldrin, used to treat boll weevils by cotton farmers.

Some of the contamination plumes, such as the Dieldrin, predate the Air Force base’s occupation of the land.

Sites in deep aquifers — below 150 feet — are generally treated with extraction wells which remove contaminated water and pump it equipment to treat con-

JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Juv Saloman, a civil engineer at Shaw Air Force Base, explains the methods of treatment the base is using to decontaminate groundwater under the base to a meeting of the Recovery Advisory Board on Monday evening. taminants, Saloman said.

Recently, that water has been injected back into the ground east of the extraction wells to force the aquifers, which slowly move westward in the direction of the Wateree River, to move more quickly and speed up the recovery process.

“Inserting speeds up cleanup time by 75 percent,” Saloman said. “It will take 45-50 years instead of 180 years.”

Saloman said the Air Force decided to take a more aggressive approach to the recovery in the hope that sites can be removed from the clean up list by 2018 and 2025 target dates.

For sites on shallow aquifers, typically about 30-to-35 feet deep, Saloman said they use a different process. He said there are more than 500 shallow injection systems, most of which pump air into the water table. The air strippers have a 35-to-50 foot radius of influence in which the air either reacts with the contaminants or forces them to the surface where they are rendered inert by sunlight.

While most property owners in the contaminated areas now use domestic water companies, Denny Burkett, a member of the board, said he is able to continue using his well because the Air Force provides a filtering system to remove contaminants.

“It is drinking quality water, clean as a whistle,” he said.

Rachel Poole, a compliance officer with DHEC, said remedies for contamination can vary from site to site and from state to state, but all state agencies model their legislation after federal policy.

“We have a good relationship with our Department of Defense facilities,” she said.

For more information, call Community Relations Manager Robert Sexton at (803) 895-2019 or visit shaw. af.mil/library/restorationadvisoryboard.asp.

HOW TO REACH US IS YOUR PAPER MISSING? ANNOUNCEMENT ARE YOU GOING ON Birth, Engagement, Wedding, VACATION? Anniversary, Obituary 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, S.C. 29150 (803) 774-1200 Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher jack@theitem.com (803) 774-1238 Rick Carpenter Managing Editor rick@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 Waverly Williams Sales Manager waverly@theitem.com (803) 774-1237

Earle Woodward Customer Service Manager earle@theitem.com (803) 774-1259 Michele Barr Business Manager michele@theitem.com (803) 774-1249 Gail Mathis Clarendon Bureau Manager gail@theitem-clarendonsun.com (803) 435-4716

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LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

Snow bird

Boy Scouts to host 4th annual barbecue

BY HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com As the weather starts to heat up, so do the grills.

The Henry Shelor District of the Pee Dee Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, which encompasses Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties, will host its fourth annual Barbecue Benefit on March 6 and 7.

The event will raise money for the Friends of Scouting Council, which supports Boy Scout programs in the area, and will be held at the Sumter County Fairgrounds, 700 W. Liberty St. The Boy Scouts are partnering with the South Carolina Barbecue Association to bring competitive barbecuing teams to Sumter.

The registered teams will enter their barbecue into a competition for prize money, and then the spoils will be shared with the public who have purchased tickets.

The Scouts will be selling tickets Saturday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will be stationed at every Sumter Piggly Wiggly, Simpson Hardware and Food Lion locations across town, as well as Wally’s Hardware and the Bishopville Piggly Wiggly.

Glenn Button, chairman of the Henry Shelor District, says they’re hoping to have 20 teams after last year’s event hosted 15. But-

RANDY BURNS / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM

School board hears about bullying reporting

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com While South Carolina’s 2007 Safe School Climate Act defines the terms harassment, intimidation and bullying as any physical, verbal, electronic or sexual act that is perceived to cause physical or emotional harm, school districts must create their own definitions of the three terms and establish reporting procedures for students and parents.

Kathy Morrison, Sumter School District intervention coordinator, said the district defines bullying as an act of harm or if a student has power over another; harassment is an unwanted aggressive act; and intimidation is when a student feels there is a threat of potential harm to himself or his property at Monday night’s school board meeting.

A student or parent can make an HIB — harassment, intimidation and bullying — report to any staff member whom the individual feels comfortable talking with, said Morrison. All teachers are trained on the HIB procedures, even substitute teachers.

Also according to the law, the district is required to conduct a prompt, thorough and confidential investigation into the incident, Morrison said.

The law requires that all school districts in the state adopt policies that define, prohibit and correct disruptive and harmful behavior among students.

While the district investigates a report, the students involved will be kept apart. Teachers have to create safety plans for a student who feels threatened, for example, assigning new seating arrangements, letting the student leave class early to avoid conflict in the hallways, or assigning a school “buddy” who will escort the student to his or her classes. If the situation is severe, students can change classes, receive tutoring outside of class or even change schools.

Unless it is a preference of the victim or his or her parents, Morrison said the offender will be the first student to be moved.

Morrison said the district will work with parents to prevent the harmful behavior or stop the behavior before there are any consequences. Offenders will also undergo an intervention with a guidance counselor to correct the student’s behavior.

Any act of aggression from one student to another based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or nation of origin can be reported to law enforcement because those are protected civil rights, said Morrison.

blaze. At least three people were listed as residents of the property. All occupants at the home at the time were able to escape without injury.

The structure sustained an estimated $100,000 in burn damages, and a total of $60,000 in contents was estimated to be lost in the blaze. Victims gave statements to authorities indicating arson as a possible cause of the blaze. Sumter Fire Department investigators said Tuesday they made a final determination that arson did cause the blaze, which originated in a back laundry room of the structure.

Sumter Police Department investigators responded to the scene of the fire Saturday night. The incident remains under investigation by police.

A Public Hearing to review the Plans and receive additional comments will be held Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at the Regional Transit Authority, 129 S. Harvin Street, Sumter, South Carolina. This public hearing concerns the Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium’s Fiveyear Consolidated Plan and the first-year Annual Action Plan, which are strategies to be followed in carrying out the HUD Programs and provides the basis for assessing the performance of the Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium. The Five-year Plan and Annual Action Plan will be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on or about April 10, 2015. The Five-year Plan will outline the availability and utilization of HUD HOME funds for a period of five years. The Annual Action Plan will outline the availability and utilization of HUD HOME funds for the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016.

This Public Hearing and the matters to be discussed are subject to the provisions of the Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium’s Citizen Participation Plan, developed in anticipation of participation in the Federal HUD HOME Program, which provides for the participation of the citizens of Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter Counties, as well as the citizens of the City of Sumter in the planning and implementation of projects with HUD HOME funds.

The Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium and its Member Local Governments do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or disability in the admission of, access to, or treatment regarding employment in its federally assisted programs or activities.

Kyle Kelly, ECS Director, (803) 774-1377, has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Department of HUD’s regulations.

G.E. Rabon, DMD - FAGD

is pleased to announce that they have become a Cigna Insurance provider.

Local Cigna dental subscribers include but not limited to: • Caterpillar, Inc. • Continental Tire, North America • International Paper • Lowe’s Companies, Inc. • Duke Energy Corporation • FedEx Corporation • Suburban Propane LP • Staples, Inc. • Game Stop, Inc. • Ruby Tuesday, Inc. • Aldi, Inc. • Michaels Stores, Inc. • O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. Source: cignaforhcp.com

(803) 905-3567

Moving Sale This Week ALL GOODS MUST GO!

Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium 5 Year Consolidated Plan For the Period: April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020 AND First Year Action Plan For the Period: April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016

Copies of the Plans will be provided upon request. Comments may be submitted in writing to Kyle Kelly, Director, Economic and Community Sustainability Department, Santee-Lynches RCOG, P.O. Box 1837, Sumter, SC 29151.

General, Cosmetic, Implant, and IV Sedation Dentistry

669 B. West Wesmark Blvd., Sumter, SC

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PLAN AVAILABILITY FOR REVIEW

The Sumter County Regional HOME Consortium (SCRHC) invites citizens to comment on its Draft Five-Year Consolidated Plan which covers the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020 and its Draft First Year Action Plan which covers the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. The Draft Plans will be available for review from March 8, 2015 to April 6, 2015 at the SanteeLynches Regional Council of Governments’ office at 129 S. Harvin Street (temporary location), Sumter, SC, and in each County at the following locations: Clarendon County Administrative Offices, Manning, SC; Kershaw County Government Center, Camden, SC; Lee County Courthouse, Bishopville, SC; Sumter County Administrative Offices, Sumter, SC.

ton said so far they have 11 teams registered. The Scouts will provide concessions, including drinks, fries, coleslaw and baked beans to accompany the barbecue. Two local bands will provide entertainment Friday and Saturday.

The SCBA will bring in certified barbecue judges to declare winning teams.

“Everybody’s got their own recipes,” said Button, “and once we get the judging out of the way, we can let the public in to sample it all.”

Friday, March 6, will be the night for Wing Ding, when competing teams will make wings, and Saturday will be the pulled pork competition. Tickets can be purchased for either event or for a weekend pass.

Sponsors from across the Sumter community help the Scouts to put on the event. Button said this year has been one of the biggest years for community support. “We really appreciate all the sponsors for the support of the Scouts this year,” said Button. “The community’s reached out to us.”

Tickets for Friday are $8 and are $10 for Saturday. A weekend pass is $15.

Any barbecue teams interested in entering the competition can contact Emil Wodicka at (803) 4068025.

For ticket sales, contact Arland Compton at (803) 983-3762.

Restorative Arts Dental, P.A.

Weekend arson fire destroys home; no injuries No one was hurt when a fire raged through a residence in South Sumter this weekend, which fire officials determined was caused by arson.

The fire sparked about 8:30 p.m. Saturday at 553 S. Main St., causing upward of $100,000 in structural damages and property loss.

According to a Sumter Police Department report, heavy smoke and flames billowed from the back corner of the multi-family dwelling. Nearly 20 firefighters responded to the scene to extinguish the

A3

Break out the grills

A male cardinal perches on former Sumter Item writer’s Randy Burns’ porch railing Tuesday morning.

Burns said his neighborhood of McGee Town in Lee County had about a half inch of snow about 9 a.m.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

Lincoln alumni program remembers war veteran, activist

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

The late Osceola Enoch McKaine will be the topic of a presentation by George Frierson at Thursday’s meeting of The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association.

Open to the public, the 5:30 p.m. program is the association’s second-annual Black History Month observance.

McKaine, a Sumter native, graduated from Lincoln High in 1908 when he was 16 and moved to Boston, where he attended Boston College.

He later worked as associate editor of Cambridge Advocate, a black newspaper in nearby Cambridge, Massachusetts.

At the age of 20, during the 1912 presidential election, he was secretary for the Colored Progressive League of New England.

The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association will hold its secondannual Black History Month program on Thursday night, focusing this year on Sumter native Osceola Enoch McKaine, a World War I veteran and civil rights activist.

PHOTO PROVIDED

His accomplishments don’t stop there, said James Felder of the association. The following year, McKaine joined the all-black 24th Infantry Regiment and was sent to the Philippines

and then to Mexico to assist in capturing Pancho Villa.

Other highlights of McKaine’s career include attendance at the Colored Officers School in Iowa and service in France from June 10, 1918, to March 28, 1919. He returned to the U.S. after World War I but left for Europe in 1919 and settled in Ghent, Belgium, where he opened a jazz nightclub, Mac’s Place. The club thrived until World War II, when in 1940 the Germans invaded Ghent and his club “was confiscated by (Adolf) Hitler,” Felder said.

Upon his return to South Carolina,

McKaine became active with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, with which he fought for voters’ rights and equal pay for the state’s black teachers.

His list of accomplishments is much longer, as Frierson will address in his Thursday presentation.

McKaine returned to Belgium, where he died in 1955, a month before his 63rd birthday.

“His brother went to Belgium and brought back his body,” Felder said.

McKaine “was the first man to be buried with full military honors in Walker Cemetery (in Sumter.)”

The public is invited to hear local historian Frierson’s presentation on the late Osceola McKaine at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday at The Lincoln Center in the historic Lincoln High School, 24 Council St. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact James Felder at (803) 261-0167.

LOCAL | NATION

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

|

A5

Used cars often sold with unfixed defects, despite recalls DETROIT (AP) — It’s a case of buyer beware, with potentially dangerous consequences.

More than 46 million cars and trucks on the road in the U.S. — about onefifth the total — were recalled because of safety defects but never repaired, according to a study by Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports.

Some of those defects have the potential to cause a crash, injury, even death.

Last year, about 5 million of those cars were sold to new owners.

That’s because there is no legal requirement for dealers or individual sellers to get the repairs done before a used car is sold. They are not even obligated to tell buyers if a car is subject to a recall.

“It’s a very major public safety problem,” says Chris Basso, a used-car specialist for Carfax, which analyzed state registration data to determine that one-fifth of the 238 million cars on the nation’s roads has an unrepaired problem that was the subject of a recall. “When those recalled cars go unfixed, they compound over the years, and it increases the chance of those parts failing.”

Federal regulators are pushing for legislation that requires dealers to fix recalled used cars. Independent dealers oppose such a measure but say they might go along with a requirement to disclose recalls to buyers because a new government database makes it easier to tell if a car on their

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kayla White was killed in November 2014 after her SUV, a 2003 Jeep Liberty, was hit from behind by a Cadillac STS, bounced off a Nissan in front of it, rolled onto its left side and burst into flames. The vehicle was part of Chrysler’s June 2013 recall of 1.56 million Jeeps at risk of catching fire when struck from behind. lot has been recalled.

The number of unfixed cars is certain to rise because automakers recalled nearly 64 million vehicles nationwide last year, double the old record set in 2004. Government data show that 25 percent of car owners never get recall repairs done.

No one is sure how many crashes or injuries happen because of unheeded recalls. But buying an unrepaired car

TRIAL FROM PAGE A1 According to federal prosecutors, the 40-year-old Bishopville woman allegedly embezzled Title I, Title II and IDEA funds from U.S. Department of Education between 2010 and 2013 and allegedly did the same with U.S. Department of Agriculture funds meant for school food and nutritional

LAND FROM PAGE A1 registered as a foreign corporation, incorporated in Delaware, according to the South Carolina Secretary of State’s office. The company is registered to CT Corporation System in Columbia.

The address of Flo Fund Domestic is listed as GMO Renewable Resources, of Boston, Massachussetts.

GMO Renewable Resources, LLC is the forest and farmland investment arm of Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC. Since 1998, GMORR has invested approximately $3.2 billion in rural real estate assets in eight countries. GMORR has provided investors with

cost Carlos Solis his life. The 35-year-old father of two died Jan. 18 when shrapnel from the driver’s air bag in his 2002 Honda Accord tore into his neck after a minor wreck near Houston.

Solis’ Accord had been recalled in 2011 to fix a faulty air bag inflator made by Takata Corp. that can explode with too much force. But neither the two previous owners, nor the independent dealer in Houston who

sold Solis the car last April, had the repair done.

Solis had no other injuries, says Rob Ammons, an attorney representing his family in a lawsuit against Takata, Honda and the dealer. “You fix the defective air bag and he doesn’t die,” Ammons says.

Federal law requires car companies to notify owners of a recall within 60 days of finding a safety defect, which Honda did in 2011. But there’s no legal requirement that companies contact the new owner if a car changes hands.

John Castro, 36, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, traded a pickup truck for a 2011 Toyota Prius in March of last year at Koons Ford in Baltimore.

Shortly after he took the car home, he read a dealer-provided Carfax report and found that his car had been recalled in February 2014 to fix a hybrid component that could malfunction and cause stalling. Koons had not done the repair, and no sales person mentioned the recall, Castro says.

“You think when you buy something, it’s been checked and cleared,” he says.

Dennis Koulatsos, Koons Ford general manager, says Castro’s car should have been fixed because there was a safety issue. All dealers, he says, have incentives to fix recalled cars. They could lose customers to dealers who do, or they could be sued if something goes wrong.

Available at The Item

programs between 2007 and 2012.

The S.C. Public Charter School District ended its partnership with Mary L. Dinkins in 2012, and the facility shuttered about a year later after moving its operations to World International Ministries in Sumter.

At the time of its closing, the school served an estimated 145 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

opportunities to invest in timberland and related investments through a series of pooled funds and separate accounts. Historically, GMORR has also managed agricultural investments ancillary to its timberland properties as part of a strategy to optimize land use and performance.

Register of deeds records also showed that Pastime Amusement Co. sold 99.52 acres in Summerton for $237,677.64 to Flo Fund Domestic, at the same time on Monday as The Beach Company sale was made.

In all, more than 3,300 acres were sold by the two entities. The Beach Co., which at one time had indicated an interest in developing some land around

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Calls to The Beach Co. in Charleston were not immediately returned.

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A6

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

EDUCATION FROM PAGE A1 education issues. The task force includes five representatives from the plaintiffs in the more than 20-year-old Abbeville County School District v.

The State of South Carolina case.

Chief among the issues the speaker took with the state of education was the acceptance of a “minimally adequate” standard of education.

“I disagree strongly, wholeheartedly, with this standard because I do not believe South Carolina believes in minimums,” Lucas said.

Former governor and education advocate Richard Riley agreed with rising above the current standard, but he said there is still a lot of ground to cover.

“We have slipped backwards as this case has moved

through the courts for more than 20 years,” he said.

“Twenty-one years is a long time to wait for a solution.”

Riley’s solutions involved overcoming what he called the devastating effects of low expectations. Having community learning centers, increasing project-based learning to give students hands-on work experience and increasing the standards of rigor for classes across the board were all suggestions he made to the task force.

Two professors presented their perspectives to the task force as well.

Michael Rebell, a professor of law at Columbia University, praised South Carolina for providing the groundwork for more open communication on education between the legislative and judiciary branches, a trait he said was shared by many states attempting to improve their educational systems.

WEATHER

media and law enforcement agencies reported several bridges were closed for sevFROM PAGE A1 eral hours because of ice and wrecks, and roads in drive from Asheville, North rural areas inland were icy.

Carolina.

Power companies across the “I saw a lot of cars slipstate reported only a handful ping and sliding. When of outages. you’re going down those By midday, the storm hills, you got to go real brought slow,” he 2.5 inches said. of snow to Lee Carrell, Pickens 36, of TravelCounty ers Rest wasn’t and 1.6 expecting inches to snow until Greenville later in the County. day.

There was “I know it a dusting doesn’t seem in many like much areas in when you RICHARD YOUNG the Midcompare it to lands. what they’ve Henderson, North Carolina A Nagotten up tional north,” he Weather said. “But you Service advisory said low get a few inches and you pressure would form in the have to drive in it down Gulf of Mexico this morning here, people panic.” and track northeast into the In the Myrtle Beach area,

LOCAL | STATE

THE SUMTER ITEM

Rebell addressed a few concerns about the cost of providing equitable funding.

“The aim is not to equalize the funding; it’s to make sure each student gets what has been determined to be an adequate education,” he said.

USC law professor Derek Black said that if the Legislature doesn’t recognize a minimally adequate education as a constitutional right rather than a political issue, then the case might go on for decades more.

David Longshore, retired superintendent of Orangeburg County Consolidated School District 3, said he’s been involved in that lawsuit since it began and that Black is right.

“It’s my hope that’s not going to happen,” Longshore said, adding the Legislature is making a commitment to resolve the lawsuit’s grievances now rather than drag it out

any further.

Wanda Andrews, superintendent of Lee County School District, who got her start as a Sumter educator, said the size of a school district limits what it can provide, regardless of state funding.

“A smaller, rural district just can’t provide the same services as other larger ones can,” she said.

Two former state superintendents of education gave their perspectives as well.

Barbara Nielsen said to the task force that technology would allow for providing a 21st-century education to all students.

“Technology is the great equalizer; it is the key to our equity issue,” she said, adding that she advocates paying teachers based on a defined percentage of administrative cost per district.

Nielsen also said having schools prepare students for

the jobs available in South Carolina is essential.

“We do have to ask ‘What skills do you need?’ and they’re changing all the time because businesses are changing all the time,” she said.

Transportation was former superintendent Inez Tenenbaum’s biggest issue.

“We have to make it our goal to make sure that no students spend more than 90 minutes on a bus,” she said.

She shared stories about districts where kindergarten students would spend upward of three hours on a bus or another where special education students were still spending nearly two hours on a bus.

The task force will meet again in Dillon on March 23.

For information about the task force or the upcoming meeting, contact Pierce McNair at (803) 734-3053 or at piercemcnair@schouse.gov.

Carolinas.

It said while the storm was expected to bring significant snowfall, its track was still

uncertain and winter storm warnings could be posted later.

A watch means there’s a po-

tential for heavy snow and ice.

A warning means the storm is bringing, or will bring, heavy snow and ice.

‘I saw a lot of cars slipping and sliding.

When you’re going down those hills, you got to go real slow’

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

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

|

A7

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

The cancer that is multiculturalism

P

resident Obama surprised many at the National Prayer Breakfast when he lectured us, “Lest we get on our high horse and think this (barbarity) is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.” Obama went on to explain, “In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often (were) justified in the name of Christ.” In Obama’s mind, Western outrage at Islamic barbarism should be tempered by the rememWalter brance of Williams what Christians did a thousand years ago in the name of Christ. Plus, that outrage should be chastened by our own history of slavery and Jim Crow.

President Obama’s vision is that of a man brainwashed through an academic vision of multiculturalism, in which American exceptionalism has no place. It’s a vision that has been shaped by a longtime association with people who hate our country, people such as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Weather Underground leader and Pentagon bomber William Ayers and Ayers’ onetime fugitive wife, Bernardine Dohrn. A vision that sees a moral equivalency between what Christians did centuries ago and today’s Islamic savagery is quite prevalent in academia. It’s part of what’s worshipped on most college campuses as diversity and multiculturalism.

College campus idiots — and that includes faculty members and administrators — call for the celebration of and respect for all cultures. In their eyes, it’s racist Eurocentrism to think that Western values and culture are superior to others.

But that’s the height of stupidity. Ask your campus multiculturalist who believes in cultural equivalency: Is forcible female genital mutilation, as practiced in nearly 30 sub-Saharan African and Middle Eastern countries, a morally equivalent cultural value?

Slavery is practiced in Sudan and Niger; is that a cultural equivalent? In most of the Middle East, there are numerous limits on women — such as prohibitions on driving, employment, voting and education. Under Islamic law, in some countries, female adulterers face death by stoning, and thieves face the punishment of having their hand severed. Some multiculturalists are members of campus LGBT groups. Ask them to what extent the Muslim culture would tolerate their lifestyle.

At the very heart of multiculturalism is an attack on

‘President Obama’s vision is that of a man brainwashed through an academic vision of multiculturalism, in which American exceptionalism has no place.’

Christianity. Much of that attack has its roots among hypocrites in the intellectual elite.

For example, Duke University sponsored Muslim calls to prayer in the name of promoting “religious pluralism,” until external pressures forced it to cancel the practice. Earlier, Duke administrators removed Chick-fil-A as a campus vendor because of CEO Dan Cathy’s comments regarding his religious opposition to homosexual marriage. So much for religious pluralism, tolerance and free speech.

Some public school boards have attempted to ban songs containing references to Santa Claus, Jesus or religious Christmas symbols. One school district banned a teacher from using excerpts from historical documents in his classroom because they contained references to God and Christianity. The documents in question were the Declaration of Independence and “The Rights of the Colonists,” by Samuel Adams.

Western values are by no means secure. They’re under ruthless attack by the academic elite on college campuses across America. These people want to replace personal liberty with government control; they want to replace equality with entitlement; they want to halt progress in order to worship Mother Earth. As such, they pose a far greater threat to our way of life than any Islamic terrorist or group. Visions of multiculturalism and diversity are a cancer on our society. We stupidly fund them with our tax dollars and generous charitable donations.

Islamists and leftists attack not only Christianity but also free market capitalism. They do so because Christian nations, which have a great measure of economic liberty, have been at the forefront of the struggle for personal liberty and private property rights for centuries. Personal liberty and private property are anathemas to people who want to control our lives. That is part and parcel of the multicultural and diversity movements infecting the Western world.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2015 creators.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR ‘CANTEEN’ AN EXAMPLE OF FAILED LEADERSHIP AT MILLWOOD Millwood Elementary School recently opened up a “canteen” for students.

Parents were informed that this would be opening but were not educated about what exactly the canteen was going to be, how it would be run and what would be offered for purchase. I remember hearing the automated phone call, and didn’t think too much about it. A few days later, it all became clear.

My children came home from school

COMMENTARY

Hanging Rudy out to dry

B

ack in 1987, this writer was invited by friends to advise them on a press conference they had called to oppose President Reagan’s signing of an INF treaty to remove all nuclear missiles from Europe.

My advice: Deplore the treaty; do not attack the president.

The next day, Howard Phillips declared that Ronald Reagan had become a “useful idiot for Soviet propaganda.”

Howie captured the headlines, as did Rudy Giuliani after that dinner at 21 Club for Gov. Scott Walker, where the mayor spontaneously rose to declaim, “I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America. ... He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was Pat brought up, through love of Buchanan his country.”

The next day, Rudy doubled down, bringing up Obama’s old ties to socialists and communists: Stalinist Frank Marshall Davis, radical Saul Alinsky, 1970s bomber William Ayers, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Rudy could not understand why at the National Prayer Breakfast the president launched an attack on the Crusades and the Inquisition, done “in the name of Christ.”

The mayor could not understand why Obama had trouble identifying and naming ISIS as radical Islamic terrorists.

Though this writer heard several radio talk show hosts Friday cheer Rudy on, Republicans swiftly declared that Obama’s love for America must not be questioned. Urged to put space between themselves and Rudy, most Republican leaders swiftly did.

The consultant class’ advice was near unanimous: Cut Rudy loose.

Sensing retreat, the left pursued. And it is not letting go. They still demand to know why Walker did not renounce Rudy and whether he believes Obama is a Christian. For weeks the governor has been bedeviled for refusing to say in London if he believes in evolution.

Walker’s initial response to whether he thought Obama was a Christian was, “I don’t know. ... To me this is a classic example of why people hate Washington, and, increasingly, they dislike the press.”

Yet, Walker’s spokesperson hastily issued this corrective statement, “Of course the governor thinks the president is a Christian.”

Monday, Rudy walked back his remark that Obama does not love America, writing in the Wall Street Journal, “I didn’t intend to question President Obama’s motives or the content of his heart.”

The Republican rout was complete.

While this, too, shall pass away, what it reveals is the balance of power in the cul-

Tuesday with candy in hand. “Mom! Mom! We can buy candy at school!”

Deadpan silence on my part. Surely this was just an exaggerated story.

After all, I had not sent money with my children, and I had not signed a permission slip, so how did they purchase candy? Why is candy being sold in the first place? Upon further investigation, I found that my children had “borrowed” money from their peers for this unauthorized candy. This opens up a whole other can of worms.

I do not want my children to think that it is OK to borrow what they might not be able to pay back. This is a basic life lesson in our house; if you

ture war and which side has the whip hand.

And what it portends is a drive by the left to pull the GOP back onto the terrain of moral and social issues where its candidates are, or can be portrayed, as out of step with modernity.

Lately, this writer heard a political analyst say that if the GOP platform opposes samesex marriage, the party can write off California and its 55 electoral votes. Which may be true. Such has been the cultural and moral shift in America in just a few years.

Yet if the party is true to its past platforms and professed convictions, how can it endorse or equivocate on same-sex marriage?

As for whether one believes in Darwinian evolution, it is neither an inconsequential nor illegitimate question. For where one stands on biblical truth, natural law, a creator and intelligent design is a strong if not absolute indicator of where one comes down on abortion, same-sex marriage, assisted suicide, euthanasia and legalized narcotics.

To traditionalists, the de-Christianized and secularized character of American society is of greater concern than whose flag flies over Sebastopol.

And if the GOP visibly retreats or takes a stand of studied neutrality on these issues, it will lose the enthusiasm of the most ardent of its admirers. And the party can’t afford that.

Democrats and their media allies may be expected to elevate the social issues, both because they sever the GOP from the culturalmedia mainstream and they drive a wedge into the party base between economic and social conservatives.

One imagines those conservatives gathered at Club 21 were more interested in hearing how a President Walker would cut corporate and capital gains taxes than how soon Roe v.

Wade could be overturned.

Since the Republican victory in November, it has not been a good quarter for the GOP. Obama, repudiated, seems liberated.

Ignoring GOP protests, he issued an executive amnesty for five million illegal immigrants. He promises to veto the Keystone XL pipeline. He taunted the GOP in his State of the Union. He is back to 50 percent approval in the polls.

The economy added 1 million jobs in three months. The Dow Jones on Friday hit a record high. Senate Democrats are happily filibustering to death the House bill to defund amnesty. And if the Department of Homeland Security has to shut down for lack of funds, Obama and his media allies will see to it the GOP is blamed.

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.” © 2015 creators.com

can’t pay for it right now, don’t buy it at all. I’m certainly not funding their wish for more sugar — it will come from their own pocket on the rare occasion that I allow them to visit this canteen. Call me mean, but junk food/ dessert is a daily battle in my household, and I sure never thought I would have to battle an elementary school about it as well. What about those children who attend Millwood who don’t have 50 cents to $1 to purchase candy? How is that going to make them feel when they see others regularly visiting the store?

In an age when childhood obesity is at epidemic levels, and with South

Carolina coming in at the 10th highest state for childhood obesity rates in 2014, why are we promoting unhealthy snacking and making it so accessible at school? Life is about choices, yet there are no healthy options offered.

No carrot sticks, apple slices, nothing fresh. It’s all sugar and highly processed foods. The whole idea seems incredibly irresponsible on so many levels, and I am once again disappointed in the new leadership of the school. It does not seem that the best interests of our children are being cared for or even considered.

ANNIE WEHRI Sumter

A8

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

SUPPORT GROUPS AA, AL-ANON, ALATEEN: AA — Monday-Friday, noon and 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA Women’s Meeting — Wednesday, 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA Spanish Speaking — Sunday, 4:30 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA “How it Works” Group — Monday and Friday, 8 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call (803) 494-5180.

Al-Anon “Courage to Change” Support Group — Tuesday, 7 p.m., Alice Drive Baptist Church, Room 204, 1305 Loring Mill Road. Call Dian at (803) 316-0775 or Crystal at (803) 775-3587.

441 AA Support Group — Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 p.m., Hair Force, 2090-D S.C. 441.

AA Summerton Group — Wednesday, 8 p.m., town hall.

Manning Al-Anon Family Group — Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Behavioral Health Building, 14 Church St., Manning. Call Angie Johnson at (803) 4358085.

C/A “Drop the Rock” Group — Thursday, 9:30 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call Elizabeth Owens at (803) 607-4543.

MONDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Vitiligo Support Group — second Monday of each month, 5:45-6:45 p.m., North HOPE Center, 904 N. Main St. Call Tiffany at (803) 3166763. Find us on Facebook at Sumter Vitiligo Support.

TUESDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Connective Tissue Support Group — 1st Tuesday of Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov., 7 p.m., 180 Tiller Circle. Call (803) 773-0869.

Mothers of Angels (for mothers who have lost a child) — Every Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wise Drive Baptist Church. Call Betty at (803) 469-2616 or Carol at (803) 469-9426.

EFMP Parent Exchange Group — Last Tuesday each month, 11 a.m.-noon, Airman and Family Readiness Center. Support to service members who have a dependent with a disability or illness. Call Dorcus Haney at (803) 895-1252/1253 or Sue

Zimmerman at (803) 8472377.

SUMTER CITY-COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Today, 3 p.m., fourth floor, Sumter Opera House, Council Chambers

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter WEDNESDAY MEETINGS: Sickle Cell Support Group — last Wednesday each month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., South Sumter Resource Center, 337 Manning Ave. Call Bertha Willis at (803) 774-6181.

THURSDAY MEETINGS: TOPS S.C. No. 236 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) — Thursdays, 9 a.m., Spectrum Senior Center,1989 Durant Lane. Call Diane at (803) 775-3926 or Nancy at (803) 469-4789.

Asthma Support Group — Every 1st Thursday, 6 p.m., Clarendon County School District 3 Parenting Center, 2358 Walker Gamble Road, New Zion. Call Mary Howard at (843) 659-2102.

Alzheimer’s Support Group through S.C. Alzheimer’s Association — Every 1st Thursday, 6-8 p.m., McElveen Manor, 2065 McCrays Mill Road. Call Cheryl Fluharty at (803) 905-7720 or the Alzheimer’s Association at (800) 636-3346.

Journey of Hope (for families members of the mentally ill), Journey to Recovery (for the mentally ill) and Survivors of Suicide Support Group — Each group meets every 1st Thursday, 7 p.m., St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive. Call Fred Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

FRIDAY MEETINGS: Celebrate Recovery — Every Friday, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. program, Salt & Light Church, Miller Road (across from Food Lion). For help with struggles of alcohol, drugs, family problems, smoking, etc.

Wateree AIDS Task Force Support Group — Every third Friday, 11:30 a.m. Contact Kevin Johnson at (803) 7780303.

SATURDAY MEETINGS: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/ Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Support Group — 1:30 p.m. every third Saturday, 3785 Blackberry Lane, Lot 7.

Call Donna Parker at (803) 481-7521.

TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

A little afternoon rain; warmer

Rain

Mostly cloudy and chilly

Times of clouds and sun

Mostly sunny and chilly

Mostly cloudy, a shower or two

46°

33°

46° / 29°

50° / 28°

50° / 32°

51° / 41°

Chance of rain: 70%

Chance of rain: 75%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 15%

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 55%

E 3-6 mph

NE 8-16 mph

NE 8-16 mph

NE 8-16 mph

ENE 10-20 mph

ENE 7-14 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 46/31 Spartanburg 46/32

Greenville 45/33

Columbia 48/36

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 46/33

Aiken 48/35

ON THE COAST

Charleston 49/37

Today: Warmer; periods of rain in the afternoon. High 46 to 51.

Thursday: Mainly cloudy; a little rain. High 47 to 54.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 43/34/r 21/12/pc 50/31/sn 19/5/s 58/35/r 74/50/s 52/37/r 36/16/s 76/64/pc 36/19/s 72/48/pc 64/50/pc 41/26/s

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

357.91 74.89 74.50 96.05

24-hr chg none none +0.06 -0.05

Sunrise 6:56 a.m.

Moonrise 11:35 a.m.

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

0.20" 4.31" 2.96" 9.11" 5.62" 6.90"

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

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

40° 30° 61° 36° 82° in 1962 21° in 2009

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

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 47/29/c 15/-2/sf 40/23/c 17/-3/pc 61/34/pc 73/54/pc 55/37/pc 26/16/c 73/55/sh 29/16/c 75/50/s 67/55/pc 33/22/sn

Myrtle Beach 45/35

Manning 48/35

Today: Mainly cloudy with occasional rain.

Winds east 3-6 mph.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy and chilly. Winds northeast 4-8 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 46/33

Bishopville 45/33

Flood 7 a.m. stage yest.

12 7.90 19 5.30 14 7.39 14 3.89 80 77.13 24 7.13

Sunset 6:14 p.m.

Moonset 12:45 a.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Feb. 25

Mar. 5

Mar. 13

Mar. 20

TIDES

24-hr chg +0.06 +0.90 +0.30 +1.27 +0.02 +0.29

AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 2:00 a.m.

2:30 p.m.

3:01 a.m.

3:31 p.m.

Today Thu.

Ht. 3.1 2.7 2.9 2.6

Low Ht. 9:02 a.m. 0.1 9:14 p.m. -0.1 10:05 a.m. 0.3 10:15 p.m. 0.1

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 41/28/sn 42/32/r 49/34/r 51/39/r 42/33/pc 49/37/r 47/32/r 44/34/r 48/36/r 45/32/r 42/30/pc 44/32/r 43/32/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 40/24/c 48/31/c 51/31/c 54/37/c 40/31/r 52/34/r 43/28/c 46/33/c 48/32/c 42/26/c 33/24/sn 39/25/c 40/24/sn

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 46/33/r Gainesville 67/57/r Gastonia 48/32/r Goldsboro 45/32/pc Goose Creek 49/37/r Greensboro 46/29/pc Greenville 45/33/r Hickory 45/31/r Hilton Head 51/41/r Jacksonville, FL 58/52/r La Grange 46/35/r Macon 47/36/r Marietta 42/30/sn

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 43/28/c 67/45/r 44/29/c 38/23/sn 51/34/r 38/25/c 46/30/c 42/29/c 53/40/r 61/43/r 53/32/c 52/31/c 47/24/c

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 44/30/r Mt. Pleasant 49/38/r Myrtle Beach 45/35/r Orangeburg 49/36/r Port Royal 50/40/r Raleigh 46/29/pc Rock Hill 47/31/pc Rockingham 44/32/r Savannah 53/39/r Spartanburg 46/32/r Summerville 51/41/r Wilmington 45/34/r Winston-Salem 45/31/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 42/24/c 51/35/r 45/31/r 50/33/c 53/38/c 39/25/sn 43/27/c 41/25/c 56/37/c 44/30/c 53/40/c 43/29/r 40/26/c

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

PUBLIC AGENDA GREATER SUMTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Today, noon, chamber office

DAILY PLANNER

For Comfort You Can Count On, Better Make It Boykin!

SUMTER COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD Friday, 7:45 a.m., Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, 32 E. Calhoun St.

803-795-4257 www.boykinacs.com License #M4217

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Get together EUGENIA LAST with old friends or discuss future plans with someone you love. Take care of timesensitive paperwork. Do something special for someone who has stood by you in the past. Romance is encouraged.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Consider what you’re told, but do your own research. Too much of anything will turn in to a costly affair. An emotional matter will lead to a deceptive situation. Do your best to stabilize a relationship by being straightforward.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t procrastinate -- take action. Your interest in different philosophies and cultures will lead you to interesting events and seminars.

You will have an opportunity to make new friends as well as gather facts that will help you excel.

Romance is encouraged.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take care of responsibilities quickly and then move on to enjoyable projects. A change in your position will turn in your favor. Don’t allow anyone to disrupt the way you live or the things you do at home to relax.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Partnerships will make a difference GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s fun to your outlook and opinion. Make to dream, but don’t create a fantasy changes at home that will ensure world that will hurt your current comfort, ease stress and make your status with a personal or business life more enjoyable. Love is in the partner. Focus on going above and stars, and sharing with someone beyond the call of duty to ensure special will make your life better. you maintain a good rapport.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t close to home. Travel and be afraid to be different. Taking a communication will lead to delays different path will give you an and conflicts. A pushy attitude will inside view of a situation that is festering in the background with a be met with force. Work on your own in order to accomplish the peer or colleague. Stay on top of most. Take a conservative approach matters, but don’t fuel the fire. to whatever you pursue.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Step into the AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): limelight and offer suggestions Looking back will help you move based on what you know to be true, and you’ll get the support you forward. Don’t be discouraged just because someone says no. Plan to need to follow a dream. The take action on your own and follow feedback you get will encourage through with your plans. Romance travel, knowledge and will flourish if you are suggestive communication. Hold out for the with your lover. best deal possible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Someone you thought you could trust will disappoint you. Don’t share personal thoughts or secrets with anyone. Put more effort into doing your own thing and you’ll avoid interference. Home improvements can be made if kept simple.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use your creative energy to implement personal change. Don’t let complaints stand between you and your desires. Problems while traveling can be expected.

Someone will meddle or mislead you if given the chance. Refuse to be manipulated.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

7-13-15-25-35 PowerUp: 2

10-14-18-34-51 Powerball: 26; Powerplay: 2

numbers unavailable at press time

PICK 3 TUESDAY

PICK 4 TUESDAY

LUCKY FOR LIFE MONDAY

6-3-0 and 3-9-5

3-2-0-3 and 3-2-4-1

17-22-24-38-40; Lucky Ball: 12

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC Lisa Smoak comments on her photo submission, “Capt. Hook (aka Dr. Clay Lowder) poses with some castaways aboard the Disney Dream Cruise ship Feb. 7.

From left to right are Emily Reynolds, Dubose Alderman, Lizzie Davis, Capt. Hook, Elise Osteen and Isabelle Weston.

More than 50 families from Sumter and Wilson Hall School went on the Disney Cruise over Winter Break, Feb. 6-9.”

HAVE YOU TAKEN PICTURES OF INTERESTING, EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL OR HISTORICAL PLACES? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Sumter Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandrah@theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150. Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please.

SECTION

B

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Goodson’s block helps WH girls escape Cardinal Newman 46-45

Wilson Hall’s Nicolette Fisher (13) and Cardinal Newman’s Maria Cummings (11) battle for a rebound in the Lady Barons’ 46-45 victory in the SCISA 3A state playoffs quarterfinal game on Tuesday at Sumter Civic Center.

BY EDDIE LITAKER Special To The Sumter Item Tuesday’s SCISA 3A girls basketball state playoff game between Wilson Hall and Cardinal Newman was a classic example of throwing the record books out of the window before a game.

The 21-5 Lady Barons seemed destined for victory against the 12-13 Lady Cardinals, but that outcome was severely in doubt through most of the second

half.

In the end it was a Lauren Goodson block on the Lady Cardinals’ final shot attempt of the night that preserved a comefrom-behind 46-45 victory for the Lady Barons, who advance to take on Northwood Academy on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in a semifinal game.

The Lady Cardinals held their own through the first quarter, which included four ties and three lead changes. Wilson Hall led 13-11 as Nicolette Fisher

closed with a follow, with neither team leading by more than two. Two of the lead changes came as Goodson and Cardinal Newman’s Sierra Bacon exchanged 3-point plays just past the midway point of the quarter.

The second quarter began with a tie as CN’s Hannah Dobbs hit an outside jumper.

Wilson Hall then scored the next five points before Lillie

SEE WH, PAGE B3

Sumter tops Irmo 66-60, advances to lower state

Game plan goes awry

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com

Failure to execute against Hammond costs TSA in 50-34 loss at SCISA state tourney

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com Thomas Sumter Academy head coach B.J. Reed thought her basketball team had the game plan that would help it defeat Hammond in a SCISA 3A state playoffs quarterfinal game on Tuesday at Sumter Civic Center.

There was just one problem.

The Lady Generals didn’t follow through on the game plan.

“We went over our keys, the things we would need to do to win the game, but we just didn’t execute them,” said Reed, whose team lost to the Lady Skyhawks 50-34. “We played hard, gave great effort, but we just didn’t execute.”

TSA closed out its season with a 20-8 record. Hammond, which improved to 21-6, will face First Baptist in a semifinal game on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Sumter Civic Center. First Baptist beat Pinewood Prep 52-32 on Tuesday.

The Lady Skyhawks, the upper No. 2 seed, jumped out KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM to a quick 6-0 lead. However, Thomas Sumter Academy’s Haley Hawkins, right, battles for a rebound with Hammond’s Thomas Sumter seemed to

McKayla Turner in the Lady Skyhawk’s 50-34 victory in the SCISA 3A state playoffs quarterSEE TSA, PAGE B3 final game on Tuesday at Sumter Civic Center.

IRMO — Sumter High School varsity boys basketball head coach Jo Jo English knew what the final outcome was going to be in Tuesday’s 4A boys third-round playoff game before anyone else.

The Gamecocks overcame adversity late and did what they’ve done all season long – value each possession and let their defense become supply ENGLISH their offense as they handed third-ranked Irmo its only loss of the season at Tim Whipple Court and the ‘Temple of Doom’ at the Irmo gymnasium with a 66-60 victory.

“We knew we were going to play at maximum effort,” English said of the victory. “The only thing we had to do was weather the storm. We knew there were going to make a run, but the guys were never defeated.

“I don’t think (Irmo head coach Tim Whipple) was ready for the way I was changing up defense,” English said. “I think he was ready for our full-court man (defense). We switched it up to a zone man and we tried to trap (Devontae) Shuler, but he made some big plays. Our kids

SEE SHS, PAGE B3

3A GIRLS LOWER STATE TITLE GAME TIME CHANGE The starting time for Saturday’s SCHSL 3A girls basketball lower state championship game at Florence Civic Center between Crestwood and Lakewood has been switched from 6 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Advance tickets ($10) are on sale at both schools. Contact Crestwood athletic director Brian Jackson at (803) 469-6200 or Lakewood athletic director Frankie Ward at (803) 506-2700.

USC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Welch’s 19 points lead Carolina past Lady Vols

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press COLUMBIA — Aleighsa Welch thought No. 2 South Carolina learned many things from its humbling loss to No. 1 Connecticut two weeks ago. She said the Gamecocks applied those lessons in winning their latest showdown with sixthranked Tennessee.

Welch had a seasonhigh 19 points and 14 rebounds to keep

South Carolina perfect in the Southeastern Conference with a 71-66 victory over Tennessee on Monday night.

Welch, a 6-foot senior, said the players didn’t hang their heads or listen to outsiders fret that the season was over with their 87-62 loss to the Huskies on Feb. 9. Instead, the Gamecocks worked even harder to get back on track.

“The biggest thing we did,’’ Welch said,

“we know how to turn the page.’’

And perhaps start a new SEC chapter of South Carolina success.

The Gamecocks (261, 14-0 SEC) can clinch a share of their second straight league title with a win over No. 11 Mississippi State on Thursday night. After that, there’s even more to achieve, Welch said.

“It’s a good win for

SEE CAROLINA, PAGE B4

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

South Carolina forward Aleighsa Welch (24) is fouled by Tennessee guard Jaime Nared (31) during the second half of the Gamecocks’ 71-66 victory on Monday in Columbia.

B2

|

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Randolph, ‘Bama topple USC 59-51 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Levi Randolph scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists to lead Alabama to a 59-51 win over South Carolina Tuesday night.

Retin Obasohan scored 15 points and Rodney Cooper added 11 for the Crimson Tide (17-11, 7-8 Southeastern Conference).

After South Carolina RANDOLPH battled to tie the score at 44 with 8:31 left, Alabama outscored the Gamecocks 15-7 down the stretch and Randolph netted seven points in the final 6:07.

Alabama’s Jimmie Taylor dunked to tie the score at 22 at halftime. The Crimson Tide opened the second half with a 19-11 run and was up 41-33 after another dunk by Taylor at the 12:56 mark.

South Carolina led 10-3 early and stayed in front throughout most of the first half. Alabama closed to within one point on three occasions before tying it at 20 on a 3-pointer by Randolph with 1:52 left.

Chatkevicius scored 18 points and Duane Notice had 16 for South Carolina (13-14, 4-11).

(14) MARYLAND 59 (5) WISCONSIN 53

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Dez Wells scored 26 points, and No. 14 Maryland held off fifth-ranked Wisconsin 59-53 Tuesday night, ending the Badgers’ 10-game winning streak and ruining their bid to clinch a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.

Melo Trimble added 16 points for the second-place Terrapins (23-5, 11-4 Big Ten), who blew an 11-point halftime lead but finished the game with a 12-6 run.

The victory improved Maryland’s home record to 17-1. The Terrapins are 9-0 in games decided by six points or fewer, and they’ve won their last three by a total of 17 points.

(6) VILLANOVA 89 (25) PROVIDENCE 61

VILLANOVA, Pa. — Darrun Hilliard scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, JayVaughn Pinkston had 16 points and eight rebounds, and No. 6 Villanova clinched at least a share of its second straight Big East regular-season title with an 89-61 rout of No. 25 Providence on Tuesday night.

Ryan Arcidiacono added 13 points and four assists for the Wildcats (26-2 overall, 13-2 Big East), who shot 53 percent from the field and 52 percent from 3-point range en route to their ninth straight win.

Tyler Harris led Providence (19-9, 9-6) with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting.

Before the game, Hilliard and Pinkston were honored for Villanova’s senior night ceremony. Tuesday’s game was the Wildcats’ last of the season at the Pavilion, their on-campus gym where they’ve won 26 straight dating back to the 2012-13 season.

(20) WEST VIRGINIA 71 TEXAS 64

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Devin Williams scored 14 points to lead No. 20 West Virginia to a 71-64 win over Texas on Tuesday night.

Daxter Miles Jr. and Jonathan Holton added 12 points apiece and Jevon Carter had 10 for West Virginia.

Their outside scoring helped the Mountaineers (22-6, 10-5 Big 12) break open a close game in the second half and end a four-game losing streak to the Longhorns (17-11, 6-9).

Demarcus Holland scored 14 points and Isaiah Taylor added 13 for Texas, which couldn’t overcome an 18-point first-half deficit and lost its third straight.

West Virginia figured out a way to outfox the bigger, more physical Longhorns. West Virginia scored 28 points in the paint — 14 more than in a 77-50 loss to the Longhorns last month in Austin, Texas.

NBA WARRIORS 114 WIZARDS 107 WASHINGTON — Stephen Curry returned from a one-game absence to lead all scorers with 32, Klay Thompson added 17 more and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Washington Wizards 114-107 Tuesday night.

Curry missed Sunday’s loss at Indiana with a sore right foot and played nearly 34 minutes, hitting 11 of 18 field goal attempts, including five of nine from 3-point range.

Paul Pierce led the Wizards with 25 points, 18 in the second half. Marcin Gortat added 16 points and 11 rebounds, while John Wall chipped in 16 nd 11 assists.

From wire reports

SPORTS ITEMS

Two members of Congress write Goodell about domestic violence WASHINGTON — Two members of Congress have asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to clarify whether teams can lose draft picks if they do not properly address domestic violence.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Goodell, Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, and Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from CaliforGOODELL nia, wrote: “We urge you to create accountability at all levels of the NFL, particularly among team owners, who have the most direct financial incentives to avoid long-term suspensions and quickly get players back on the field.’’

The letter noted that the league has docked clubs draft picks in the past, such as when the Saints were investigated for a bounty system and when the Patriots were caught videotaping an opponent’s sideline signals.

Asked by The Associated Press to comment, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said: “We look forward to responding to the letter.’’ McCarthy also pointed out that clubs can be docked money for repeated violations by players of the league’s personal conduct policy.

Domestic violence became a major topic of discussion during last season for the NFL because of a series of cases involving players, notably former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.

USC - DAVIDSON BASEBALL GAME CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER COLUMBIA — Tuesday’s South Carolina-Davidson baseball game was canceled due to inclement weather in Columbia.

No makeup date has been announced.

The Gamecocks return to action on Friday at Clemson with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

THE CITADEL 3 GEORGIA SOUTHERN 2

STATESBORO, Ga. – Freshman John Patrick Sears pitched five shutout innings to pick up the victory in The Citadel’s 3-2 college baseball victory over Georgia Southern on Tuesday.

Sears, the former Wilson Hall standout, scattered three hits and struck out five to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Zach Sherrill, another former Wilson Hall standout, pitched a scoreless inning as well.

Jacob Watcher and Phillip Watcher, freshmen from Sumter High School, both had hits for the Bulldogs, who improved to 4-4.

BUSCH CRASH LEADING TO ADDITIONAL SAFER BARRIERS CHARLOTTE — International Speedway is developing a plan for the installation of additional SAFER barriers at Daytona and Talladega, and will review the safety standards at its other racetracks.

The renewed focus comes three days after NASCAR star Kyle Busch broke his right leg and left foot in a crash into a concrete wall at Daytona.

Busch left a Daytona Beach, Florida, hospital on Tuesday and was transferred to another facility in North Carolina for further treatment.

RAGAN, JONES TO REPLACE KYLE BUSCH AT ATLANTA CHARLOTTE — David Ragan will drive Kyle Busch’s car in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Atlanta, while 18-year-old Erik Jones will drive Busch’s car in the Xfinity Series.

Ragan will drive the No. 18 Toyota for at least the next several weeks. The move was accommodated by Front Row Motorsports, the team Ragan currently drives for, and sponsor CSX. Jones will drive the No. 54 Toyota in Saturday’s race.

From staff, wire reports

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

Portland Oklahoma City Utah Denver Minnesota PACIFIC DIVISION

TV, RADIO TODAY

2:30 p.m. – International Soccer: UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 First Leg Match – Monaco vs. Arsenal (FOX SPORTS 1).

2:30 p.m. – International Soccer: UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 First Leg Match – Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen (FOX SPORTS 2).

5 p.m. – PGA Golf: Honda Classic Pro-Am from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (GOLF).

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

7 p.m – College Basketball: Virginia Commonwealth at Richmond (ESPN2).

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Connecticut at East Carolina (ESPNU).

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Virginia at Wake Forest (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Kentucky at Mississippi State (SEC NETWORK).

7:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Central Florida at Cincinnati (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at Houston (ESPN).

8 p.m. – College Basketball: Tulane at Tulsa (ESPNEWS).

8 p.m. – College Basketball: Marquette at Butler (FOX SPORTS 1).

8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Pittsburgh at Washington (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Charlotte at Chicago (SPORTSOUTH).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Duke at Virginia Tech (ESPN2).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Baylor at Iowa State (ESPNU).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Florida State at Miami (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Georgia at Mississippi (SEC NETWORK).

9:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Fresno State at Wyoming (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

10 p.m. – International Soccer: CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal First Leg Match – America vs. Saprissa (FOX SPORTS 2).

10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN).

11 p.m. – College Basketball: Washington at UCLA (ESPN2).

11 p.m. – College Basketball: Oregon at California (ESPNU).

1 a.m. – LPGA Golf: Honda LPGA Thailand First Round from Chonburi, Thailand (GOLF).

5 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Joburg Open First Round from Johannesburg (GOLF).

GOLF

By The Associated Press PGA TOUR SCHEDULE-WINNERS

Oct. 9-12 -- Frys.com Open (Bae Sang-moon) Oct. 16-19 -- Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (Ben Martin) Oct. 23-26 -- The McGladrey Classic (Robert Streb) Oct. 30-Nov. 2 -- CIMB Classic (Ryan Moore) Nov. 6-9 -- Sanderson Farms Championship (Nick Taylor) Nov. 6-9 -- WGC-HSBC Champions (Bubba Watson) Nov. 13-16 -- OHL Classic at Mayakoba (Charley Hoffman) Jan. 9-12 -- Hyundai Tournament of Champions (Patrick Reed) Jan. 15-18 -- Sony Open in Hawaii (Jimmy Walker) Jan. 22-25 -- Humana Challenge (Bill Haas) Jan. 29-Feb. 1 -- Waste Management Phoenix Open (Brooks Koepka) Feb. 5-8 -- Farmers Insurance Open (Jason Day) Feb. 12-15 -- AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm (Brandt Snedeker) Feb. 19-22 -- Northern Trust Open (James Hahn) Feb. 26-March 1 -- The Honda Classic, PGA National Resort & Spa-The Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. March 5-8 -- Puerto Rico Open, Trump International-Puerto Rico, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico March 5-8 -- WGC-Cadillac Championship, TPC Blue Monster at Doral, Doral, Fla. March 12-15 -- Valspar Championship, Innisbrook-Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, Fla. March 19-22 -- Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill Course, Orlando, Fla. March 26-29 -- Valero Texas Open, AT&T Oaks Course, San Antonio April 2-5 -- Shell Houston Open, Golf Club of Houston-Tournament Course, Humble, Texas April 9-12 -- The Masters, Augusta National, Augusta, Ga. April 16-19 -- RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, S.C. April 23-26 -- Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana, Avondale, La. April 29-May 3 -- WGC-Cadillac Match Play, TPC Harding Park, San Francisco May 7-10 -- THE PLAYERS Championship, THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. May 14-17 -- Wells Fargo Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C. May 21-24 -- Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Colonial Country Club Course, Fort Worth, Texas May 28-31 -- AT&T Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas, Irving, Texas June 4-7 -- Memorial Tournament, Muirfield Village Golf Course, Dublin, Ohio June 11-14 -- FedEx St. Jude Classic, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn.

June 18-21 -- U.S. Open Championship, Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.

June 25-28 -- Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

July 2-5 -- The Greenbrier Classic, The Old White TPC, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. July 9-12 -- John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Ill. July 16-19 -- Barbasol Championship, Robert Trent Jones at Grand National-Lake Course, Opelika, Ala. July 23-26 -- RBC Canadian Open, Glen Abbey, Oakville, Canada July 30-Aug. 2 -- Quicken Loans National, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Va. Aug. 6-9 -- Barracuda Championship, Montreux Golf and Country Club, Reno, Nev. Aug. 6-9 -- WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio Aug. 13-16 -- PGA Championship, Whistling Straits-Straits Course, Kohler, Wis. Aug. 20-23 -- Wyndham Championship, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C. Aug. 27-30 -- The Barclays, Plainfield Country Club, Edison, N.J. Sept. 4-7 -- Deutsche Bank Championship, TPC Boston, Norton, Mass.

Sept. 17-20 -- BMW Championship, Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest, Ill. Sept. 24-27 -- TOUR Championship, East Lake Golf Course, Atlanta Oct. 9-11 -- The Presidents Cup, Jack Nicklaus GC Korea, Incheon City, South Korea.

NBA STANDINGS

By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta Washington Miami Charlotte Orlando CENTRAL DIVISION Chicago Cleveland Milwaukee Detroit Indiana

W 37 23 21 12 10

L 19 31 33 44 45

Pct .661 .426 .389 .214 .182

GB – 13 15 25 26 1/2

W 44 33 24 22 19

L 12 23 31 32 39

Pct .786 .589 .436 .407 .328

GB – 11 19 1/2 21 26

W 36 35 31 23 23

L 21 22 25 33 33

Pct .632 .614 .554 .411 .411

GB – 1 4 1/2 12 1/2 12 1/2

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION Memphis Houston Dallas San Antonio New Orleans NORTHWEST DIVISION

19 25 34 36 43

.655 .554 .382 .357 .218

– 5 1/2 15 16 1/2 24

W 43 37 29 19 14

L 10 20 28 35 41

Pct .811 .649 .509 .352 .255

GB – 8 16 24 1/2 30

MONDAY’S GAMES

Miami 119, Philadelphia 108 New Orleans 100, Toronto 97 Chicago 87, Milwaukee 71 Houston 113, Minnesota 102 Boston 115, Phoenix 110 Brooklyn 110, Denver 82 Utah 90, San Antonio 81 Memphis 90, L.A. Clippers 87

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Golden State at Washington, 7 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Indiana at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Toronto at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Miami at Orlando, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

New York at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Charlotte at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

Washington at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Houston, 8 p.m.

Phoenix at Denver, 9 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Utah, 9 p.m.

Memphis at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

San Antonio at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Golden State at Cleveland, 8 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m.

NHL STANDINGS

By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W Montreal 59 38 Tampa Bay 62 37 Detroit 58 33 Boston 59 29 Florida 59 26 Ottawa 57 24 Toronto 60 24 Buffalo 60 17 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W N.Y. Islanders 61 39 N.Y. Rangers 58 36 Pittsburgh 60 34 Washington 61 33 Philadelphia 60 26 New Jersey 60 25 Columbus 58 26 Carolina 58 21

L OT Pts GF GA 16 5 81 157 131 19 6 80 203 167 14 11 77 173 153 21 9 67 157 156 21 12 64 143 166 23 10 58 163 161 31 5 53 167 183 38 5 39 110 202 L OT Pts GF GA 20 2 80 195 172 16 6 78 185 145 17 9 77 172 149 18 10 76 181 152 23 11 63 161 174 26 9 59 136 158 28 4 56 153 180 30 7 49 130 158

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L OT Nashville 60 40 13 7 St. Louis 59 38 17 4 Chicago 60 35 20 5 Winnipeg 61 30 20 11 Minnesota 59 31 21 7 Dallas 60 27 24 9 Colorado 60 26 23 11 PACIFIC DIVISION GP W L OT Anaheim 61 38 16 7 Vancouver 59 34 22 3 Los Angeles 58 28 18 12 Calgary 59 32 23 4 San Jose 61 30 23 8 Arizona 60 20 33 7 Edmonton 61 17 34 10 NOTE: Two points for a win, overtime loss.

Pts 87 80 75 71 69 63 63 Pts 83 71 68 68 68 47 44 one

GF 181 186 177 169 168 189 159

GA 141 146 144 166 156 198 170

GF GA 182 171 169 155 161 152 171 156 171 174 133 201 140 205 point for

MONDAY’S GAMES

Anaheim 4, Detroit 3, SO New Jersey 3, Arizona 0

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Vancouver at Boston, 7 p.m.

Arizona at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.

Calgary at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Montreal at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Colorado at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Edmonton at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Dallas at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Florida at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Detroit at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Calgary at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Washington, 8 p.m.

Ottawa at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Vancouver at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Arizona at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Montreal at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

Chicago at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

St. Louis at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Minnesota at Nashville, 8:30 p.m.

Ottawa at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

Detroit at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

TRANSACTIONS

By The Associated Press BASEBALL

American League DETROIT TIGERS _ Agreed to terms with RHP Joba Chamberlain on a one-year contract.

Designated RHP Chad Smith for assignment.

TEXAS RANGERS _ Claimed LHP Edgar Olmos from Seattle off waivers. Placed INF Jurickson Profar on the 60-day DL. National League CHICAGO CUBS _ Named Josh Lifrak director-mental skills program, Rey Fuentes Latin coordinator-mental skills program, Dr. Ken Ravizza consultant-mental skills program, Manny Ramirez hitting consultant and Kevin Youkilis scouting and player development consultant and Daniel Carte, Kevin Ellis, Greg Hopkins and Alex Levitt area scouts.

Promoted Tim Adkins to midwest/northeast crosschecker and Trey Forkerway to central crosschecker, Terry Kennedy to major league scout and Jason Parks professional/ amateur scout.

American Association JOPLIN BLASTERS _ Signed OF Oscar Mesa.

KANSAS CITY T-BONES _ Signed OF Kyle Robinson.

LAREDO LEMURS _ Released RHP Caleb Graham.

SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS _ Traded LHP Lars Liguori to Lincoln to complete an earlier trade.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS _ Signed F Jordan Hamilton to a 10-day contract.

UTAH JAZZ _ Signed F Jack Cooley to a 10day contract. Assigned G Ian Clark to Idaho (NBADL).

FOOTBALL

ATLANTIC DIVISION Toronto Brooklyn Boston Philadelphia New York SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Golden State L.A. Clippers Phoenix Sacramento L.A. Lakers

36 31 21 20 12

W 41 38 38 34 29

L 14 18 20 22 27

Pct .745 .679 .655 .607 .518

GB – 3 1/2 4 1/2 7 1/2 12 1/2

W

L

Pct

GB

National Football League ATLANTA FALCONS _ Re-signed FB Patrick DiMarco and DE Cliff Matthews to contract extensions.

NEW YORK GIANTS _ Released DE Mathias Kiwanuka.

OAKLAND RAIDERS _ Signed K Giorgio Tavecchio.

Canadian Football League WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS _ Released DE Ameet Pall and WR Jarrell Jackson.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League MONTREAL CANADIENS _ Traded RW Jiri Sekac to Anaheim for RW Devante Smith-Pelly.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS _ Reassigned D Anthony Bitetto to Milwaukee (AHL).

NEW YORK ISLANDERS _ Agreed to terms with D Nick Leddy on a seven-year contract.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer SPORTING KANSAS CITY _ Waived MF James Marcelin. Mutually agreed to part ways with MF Jorge Claros.

National Women’s Soccer League WASHINGTON SPIRIT _ Aquired D Estelle Johnson from Western New York for D Toni Pressley.

COLLEGE

NEBRASKA _ Named Brian Stewart defensive backs coach.

PREP SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

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B3

SCHSL PLAYOFFS BOYS

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Wilson Hall’s Hannah Jordan, right, prepares to go up for a shot against Cardinal Newman’s Sierra Bacon in the Lady Barons’ 46-45 victory in the SCISA 3A state playoffs quarterfinal game at Sumter Civic Center on Tuesday.

WH FROM PAGE B1 Powers and Hannah Jordan swapped 3s, leaving Wilson up 21-16. The Lady Cardinals tied the score with their own 5-0 run before Wilson Hall closed the half on an 8-2 run for a 29-23 halftime lead.

Jordan scored the Lady Barons’ first six points of the second half, on a low-post bucket and two free throws, as Wilson Hall built its largest lead, 34-27, with 5:55 left in the third quarter. Then the Lady Barons went on an extended cold streak from the field as CN

SHS FROM PAGE B1 just refused to lose.”

Sumter, now 17-6 on the season, will advance to its third straight lower state title game.

Friday’s lower state title for the third straight year under English. Sumter will face either James Island or South Florence at Florence Civic Center at 8:30 p.m.

“We don’t have any all-state, all-star and we don’t care about none of that,” English said. “We go out there and we buckle down, we find our guy (to defend), we guard the guy and we guard the basketball, we block out and rebound, don’t turn it over and good things are going to happen.”

Gamecock senior Brandon Parker pitched in 11 of his team-high 24 points and the defense shut down the Yellow Jackets to 12 points in the final stanza while putting up 22 of its own.

“This is like a homecourt advantage for us,” Parker said of going after the lower state title again. “We’ve been two times before so it’s a homecourt advantage. We’ve just got to get our head right.”

went on an 11-0 run that was broken with a Jordan free throw as time expired, leaving the Lady Cardinals with a 38-35 lead heading to the fourth.

CN led by five, 42-37, before a Jordan three pulled Wilson Hall within two with 3:29 to go. A Holly Scott putback 33 seconds later tied the score before the Lady Cardinals retook the lead on a low-post bucket by Mary Emma Dayhuff.

The CN lead was three after Bacon hit the front-end of a 2-shot foul with 1:31 left.

Goodson then somehow beat a

triple-team for a bucket on the right wing to pull the Lady Barons within one, and Wilson Hall completed the final lead change of the night with a Jordan bucket inside at the 19-second mark. A steal by Hayley Smoak, a tie-up that gave Wilson Hall the jump ball and a Jordan steal kept the Lady Barons on top, though five missed free throws in the final 19 seconds left the door firmly ajar for Cardinal Newman.

Jordan led all scorers with 16 while Bacon topped Cardinal Newman with 13 points.

Senior teammate Quentin Kershaw, who only had five points, connected on one of two from the free throw line with 24.3 seconds to push SHS’ lead to 64-60.

“Every win on the way to state is a statement win for us,” Kershaw said. “We’re showing everybody that we’re not just going to back down and we’re not sorry; we are here to play.”

The Gamecocks were also aided by senior Micah McBride’s 19 points, including four 3-point baskets.

Irmo, who came in on a 14game winning streak, ended its season with a 23-4 record.

The Yellow Jackets were led

by Shuler’s 16 points. Dre’Von Sweat added 14 and RJ Gunn contributed 10 to complete all scorers in double digits.

Shuler appeared to give the home team some late momentum when he hit a key 3-pointer that gave Irmo a 51-46 lead, but the Gamecocks kept chipping away. Sumter’s Charles Patton hit a bucket that pulled SHS within three, trailing 5148. Then Parker scored a bucket in transition and added a free throw to tie the game at 51-51 with 4:25 to play.

After the teams went backand-forth scoring, Shuler then hit a long jumper to give Irmo a 59-57 lead with 1:06 left, but he missed a free throw with 40 seconds to play and the momentum was gone.

That’s when Parker took over for SHS. Twice he was left open for easy shots underneath the basket to give SHS a 61-59 lead. Then after Shuler’s missed free throw Cedric Rembert hit two free throws to push the Gamecocks lead to 63-59 and ensure a victory.

Sumter looked like it was going to run away with the game early. The Gamecocks opened the game with a 9-0 run, but Irmo didn’t panic. Instead the Yellow Jackets countered with a double-digit run and took an early 12-9 lead.

After both teams tied the game at 16 apiece, McBride hit a 3-pointer and SHS used a 7-4 run to close out a 23-20 firstquarter lead.

The scoring slowed tremendously in the second. Irmo held the Gamecocks to just two field goals and a free throw while taking the lead on a Sweat 3-pointer and would outscore SHS 10-5 for the quarter for a 30-28 halftime lead.

TSA FROM PAGE B1 right the ship, scoring the next four points to make it a 2-point game.

That was as good as it got for the Lady Generals though.

Hammond scored the final nine points of the opening quarter to open a 15-4 lead.

Clara Castles drained a 3-point basket to open the second quarter to make it 12 unanswered points and an 18-4 lead.

The Lady Skyhawks pushed the lead to 26-6 before Latrice Lyons hit a trey just before halftime to cut the lead to 17.

“At halftime we told the girls that we wanted to get it down to eight going into the fourth quarter,” Reed said.

“We scored the first basket of the second half, I said, ‘Here we go.’ We just couldn’t put anything together though.”

Taylor Knudson sank two

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Thomas Sumter Academy’s Haley Hawkins, right, tries to wrestle the ball away from Hammond’s McKayla Turner in the Lady Skyhawk’s 50-34 victory in the SCISA 3A state playoffs quarterfinal game on Tuesday at Sumter Civic Center. free throws to start the third quarter and cut TSA’s deficit to 26-11. Hammond responded

with 10 straight points though to push the lead to 36-11.

The Lady Skyhawks led 42-17 entering the fourth quarter. Thomas Sumter’s point total in the final stanza matched what it did in the first three quarters, but it was too little, too late.

Reed was happy with her team’s no-quit attitude, and she paid tribute to her six seniors – Knudson, Kayla Chappell, Emily DeMonte, Sarah Jackson, Hannah Jenkins and Emily Nevels.

“Those girls have done so many things in the last three years, not just in basketball, but volleyball and softball,” Reed said. “They’ve set the standard for the young girls behind them.”

Knudson led TSA with nine points, while Chappell had eight and Lyons seven.

Morgan Walker led Hammond with 16 points. Ahlea Myers had 13 and Amelia Green added eight.

4A Tuesday Third Round Upper State (1) Spring Valley at (1) Hillcrest (2) Blythewood at (1) Wade Hampton Lower State (1) Sumter at (1) Irmo (3) South Florence at (1) James Island (Today) Friday Upper State Championship At Bon Secours Arena (Greenville) 8:30 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center 8:30 p.m.

3A Tuesday Third Round Upper State (2) Southside at (1) A.C. Flora (Today) (3) Lower Richland at (2) Dreher Lower State (2) St. James at (1) Darlington (1) Wilson at (1) Midland Valley Saturday Upper State Championship At Bon Secours Arena (Greenville) 8 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center 8 p.m.

2A Today Third Round Upper State (2) Andrew Jackson at (1) Strom Thurmond (2) Chesnee at (1) Keenan Lower State (1) Battery Creek at (1) Ridgeland-Hardeeville (2) Whale Branch at (1) Timberland Saturday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) 4:30 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center 4:30 p.m.

1A Tuesday Third Round Upper State (1) Southside Christian at (1) Fox Creek (1) Calhoun County at (1) C.A. Johnson Lower State (1) Burke at (1) Allendale-Fairfax (Today) (4) Timmonsville at (1) HannahPamplico (Today) Saturday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) 12:30 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center 12:30 p.m.

GIRLS

4A Monday

Third Round Upper State (1) Spring Valley 75, (2) Dorman 60 (2) Dutch Fork 62, (1) Spartanburg 41 Lower State (1) Irmo 55, (1) Sumter 40 (1) Goose Creek 69, (1) Summerville 55 Friday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) (2) Dutch Fork vs. (1) Spring Valley, 7 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center (1) Irmo vs. (1) Goose Creek, 7 p.m.

3A Monday Third Round Upper State (1) Dreher 68, (1) Belton-Honea Path 55 (1) Lancaster 41, (1) Southside 40 Lower State (1) Lakewood 55, (1) Orangeburg-Wilkinson 51 (2) Crestwood 48, (1) Myrtle Beach 38 Saturday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) (1) Dreher vs. (1) Lancaster, 6 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center (2)Crestwood vs. (1) Lakewood 6 p.m.

2A Tuesday Third Round Upper State (2) Keenan at (1) Pendleton (1) Indian Land at (1) Newberry Lower State (1) Bishop England at (1) Ridgeland-Hardeeville (2) Whale Branch at (1) Dillon Saturday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) 2:30 p.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center 2:30 p.m.

1A Monday Third Round Upper State (1) Christ Church 71, (2) Ridge Spring-Monetta 31 (1)Calhoun County 54, (1) C.A. Johnson 48 Lower State (2) Latta 62, (1) Cross 31 (1) Carvers Bay 61, (1) Timmonsville 59 Saturday Upper State Championship At Bons Secour Arena (Greenville) (1) Christ Church vs. (1) Calhoun County, 11 a.m.

Lower State Championship At Florence Civic Center (2) Latta vs. (1) Carvers Bay, 11 a.m.

SCISA STATE TOURNAMENTS GIRLS

3A Quarterfinals Tuesday (U4) Pinewood Prep vs. (U1) First Baptist (U3) Thomas Sumter vs. (U2) Hammond (L4) Porter-Gaud vs. (L1) Northwood (L3) Cardinal Newman vs. (L2) Wilson Hall Friday Semifinals at Sumter Civic Center Semifinal 1, 3:30 p.m.

Semifinal 2, 6:30 p.m.

2A Quarterfinals Monday (1) Hilton Head Christian 66, (5) Marlboro Academy 31 (3) Calhoun Academy 55, (7) Oakbrook Prep 43 (1) Palmetto Christian 59, (4) Trinity-Byrnes 32 (2) Spartanburg Day 35, (6) Thomas Heyward 16 Thursday Semifinals at Sumter Civic Center (1) Hilton Head Christian vs. (3) Calhoun Academy, 6:30 p.m.

(2) Spartanburg Day vs. (1) Palmetto Christian, 3:30 p.m.

1A Quarterfinals Monday (1) Richard Winn 72, (5) Curtis Baptist 35 (2) Dorchester 42, (6) Newberry 24 (1) Holly Hill 54, (5) Patrick Henry 37 (3) Laurens Academy 50, (2) St. John’s Christian 17 Thursday Semifinals at Wilson Hall (1) Richard Winn vs. (2) Dorchester, 6 p.m.

(3) Laurens Academy vs. (1)

Holly Hill, 6 p.m.

BOYS

Quarterfinals Today at Sumter Civic Center (U4) Heathwood Hall vs. (U1) Hammond, 6:30 p.m.

(U3) Porter-Gaud vs. (U2) Pinewood Prep, 8 p.m.

(L5) Ben Lippen vs. (L1) Northwood, 3:30 p.m.

(L6) Wilson Hall vs. (L2) Cardinal Newman, 5 p.m.

Friday Semifinals at Sumter Civic Center Semifinal 1, 5 p.m.

Semifinal 2, 8 p.m.

2A Quarterfinals Today at Wilson Hall (A) (4) Trinity-Byrnes vs. (1) Christian Academy, 6 p.m.

(5) Pee Dee vs. (1) Bethesda Academy, 7:30 p.m. at Wilson Hall (B) (3) Spartanburg Day vs. (2) Hilton Head Prep, 6:30 p.m.

(3) Florence Christian vs. (2) Oakbrook Prep, 8 p.m.

Thursday Semifinals at Sumter Civic Center Semifinal 1, 5 p.m.

Semifinal 2, 8 p.m.

1A Quarterfinals Tuesday (3) Anderson Christian vs. (2) Curtis Baptist (4) Holly Hill vs. (1) Charleston Collegiate (4) Dorchester vs. (1) Cathedral Academy (7) Wardlaw vs. (3) Laurens Academy Thursday Semifinals at Wilson Hall Both games at 7:30 p.m.

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B4

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

STANDINGS ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE W 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 7 7 7 7 4 3 2 1

Virginia Notre Dame Duke Louisville North Carolina Syracuse Pittsburgh Miami NC State Clemson Florida St. Wake Forest Georgia Tech Virginia Tech Boston College

Conference L 1 3 3 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 10 13 12 13

Pct. .929 .800 .786 .667 .643 .571 .500 .500 .500 .467 .467 .286 .188 .143 .071

W 25 24 24 22 19 17 18 17 16 15 15 12 12 10 9

All Games L Pct. 1 .962 4 .857 3 .889 6 .786 8 .704 10 .630 10 .643 10 .630 11 .593 12 .556 13 .536 15 .444 16 .429 17 .370 17 .346

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE W 14 11 10 10 8 8 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 1

Kentucky Arkansas Texas A&M Mississippi LSU Georgia Alabama Tennessee Florida Vanderbilt Mississippi St. South Carolina Auburn Missouri

Conference L 0 3 4 4 6 6 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 13

Pct. 1.000 .786 .714 .714 .571 .571 .429 .429 .429 .357 .357 .286 .286 .071

W 27 22 19 19 19 17 16 14 13 15 12 13 12 7

All Games L 0 5 7 8 8 9 11 12 14 12 15 13 15 20

Pct. 1.000 .815 .731 .704 .704 .654 .593 .538 .481 .556 .444 .500 .444 .259

BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE W 12 12 12 11 11 9 9 5 4 3 1

High Point Charleston Southern Coastal Carolina Radford Winthrop Gardner-Webb UNC Asheville Presbyterian Longwood Campbell Liberty

Conference L Pct. 4 .750 4 .750 5 .706 5 .688 5 .688 7 .563 7 .563 11 .313 13 .235 13 .188 15 .063

W 21 18 21 20 16 17 13 9 8 9 7

All Games L Pct. 7 .750 9 .667 8 .724 9 .690 11 .593 12 .586 14 .481 20 .310 22 .267 20 .310 22 .241

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kansas State fans rush the floor following a 70-63 upset victory against Kansas on Monday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan. The onslaught of fans threatened the safety of the Kansas team.

Melee after K-State’s upset win puts spotlight on safety

BY DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press MANHATTAN, Kan. — More than a dozen security officials dressed in bright green shirts gathered behind the basket, just as they were trained. When the final seconds ticked away on Kansas State’s stunning upset of rival Kansas, they immediately sprinted onto the floor.

Thousands of students and fans still beat them there.

The surge of humanity crushed Jayhawks coach Bill Self against a press table. His junior forward, Jamari Traylor, was body-checked by another fan. Assistant coach Kurtis Townsend had to peel away still more fans shouting profanities and making obscene gestures at his players.

“This has to stop,’’ said Self, whose eighth-ranked Jayhawks have watched similar scenes unfold countless times over the years, including earlier this month in a loss at Oklahoma State.

“You need to get security to the point where player safety isn’t a question.’’

What should have been an uplifting victory Monday night for a Kansas State program that has struggled all season instead has become the catalyst for deep-seated dialogue on fan decorum.

How far should they take their celebrations? How much interaction should they have with players and coaches?

How much responsibility falls

on the shoulders of conferences and schools?

“Celebrations are going to happen. We know that,’’ said Dr. Lou Marciani, who directs the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at Southern Mississippi.

“But we have to do a better job of encouraging the conferences and institutions to address this issue in a more serious manner because something is going to happen.’’

In fact, several scary incidents have already happened.

Joe Kay, a Stanford recruit, was paralyzed in 2004 when he was injured in a maelstrom following his final high school game. North Carolina State’s C.J. Leslie once had to rescue a disabled student who had fallen from his wheelchair during a melee after beating Duke.

A year ago, a brawl erupted when New Mexico State players started throwing punches at Utah Valley fans who had rushed the court after the final buzzer.

Longtime coach Fran Fraschilla, who called the Kansas State game as a color analyst for ESPN, remembers winning a conference championship at Manhattan College years ago.

His school’s fans rushed the floor and nearly trampled his wife and infant son.

“Court storming is a part of college basketball, for better or worse,’’ Fraschilla told The Associated Press. “But there are certainly ways you can ensure as much as you possibly can the security of the players

CAROLINA FROM PAGE B1 us,’’ Welch said. “But it’s not kind of the stopping point of the season.’’

Tennessee had long been a stopping point for South Carolina. The Gamecocks hadn’t beaten the Lady Vols at home since 1980 and stand 4-47 alltime against them.

Another loss almost happened.

South Carolina led 67-57 with five minutes left and a raucous crowd yelling to end a run of home losses to the Lady Vols. But Tennessee (234, 13-1) scored nine straight points and closed within 67-66 on Bashaara Graves’ basket with 20.2 seconds left. That’s when Mitchell hit two foul shots to extend the lead.

Cierra Burdick passed down low to Andraya Carter on Tennessee’s next possession.

But Carter’s foot was on the end line for a turnover. Asia

Dozier secured South Carolina’s victory with the final two foul shots.

Burdick explained the play was to find Ariel Massengale for a tying 3-pointer. “South Carolina did a really good job denying that,’’ she said.

Graves had 20 points to lead the Lady Vols.

Mitchell had 17 points for South Carolina.

Tennessee was looking to keep up a mind-blowing run of dominance over South Carolina, having won 43 of the past 44 meetings. The Lady Vols hadn’t lost in Columbia in nearly two generations since a 56-52 defeat on Jan. 23, 1980.

These Gamecocks, though, are defending SEC champions, spent 12 weeks at No. 1 this season, and have a front line of 6-foot-5 A’ja Wilson, and 6-4 forwards Alaina Coates and Elem Ibiam.

and coaches and court personnel so nobody gets hurts.’’

The problem is there are no consistent guidelines. NCAA spokesman David Worlock said it is the responsibility of conference and schools to provide sufficient security, which means there are different protocols at just about every arena in the country.

There are 351 schools playing Division I men’s basketball this season. Some conferences, including the SEC, have banned court-storming altogether, levying up to $50,000 in fines against schools that are repeat violators. But that has hardly stopped the flow of students onto the floor when national powerhouses such as Kentucky are toppled.

The Big 12 said in a statement Tuesday it was reviewing the postgame celebration at Kansas State, but underscored “home team game management is responsible for the implementation of protocols to provide for the safety of all game participants, officials and fans.’’

Security can do only so much, though. At some point, holding back a wave of fans can become just as dangerous as letting them onto the floor.

That is why for years, the late North Carolina coach Dean Smith had players go straight to the locker room when a court-storming was inevitable, rather than try to wade to midcourt for the traditional postgame handshake.

Plus Tennessee was without its leading scorer and rebounder in 6-3 senior Isabelle Harrison, lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered two games ago.

“Yeah, we’re missing our best player and I think one of the best players in the country,’’ Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said. “But we have to move on. This is a solid team.’’

South Carolina’s size took control early, the Gamecocks building a 20-12 lead behind Ibiam’s six points. Once the Lady Vols scratched back tying the game at 26 on Massengale’s 3-pointer with 5:21 left, it was Ibiam again asserting herself.

She scored six of the next eight points as South Carolina headed into the break up 3633.

South Carolina opened an 11-point lead midway through the final period before Tennessee made its late run.

W 13 11 9 9 7 7 6 7 5 5 4 3 1

NC Central Norfolk St. Md.-Eastern Shore Howard Delaware St. Hampton Bethune-Cookman SC State Morgan St. Coppin St. NC A&T Savannah St. Florida A&M

Conference L Pct. 0 1.000 3 .786 5 .643 5 .643 6 .538 6 .538 6 .500 7 .500 9 .357 9 .357 9 .308 9 .250 13 .071

W 21 18 16 15 13 11 10 10 7 6 7 7 1

All Games L 6 11 13 13 15 15 17 19 21 21 21 19 26

Pct. .778 .621 .552 .536 .464 .423 .370 .345 .250 .222 .250 .269 .037

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE Conference L Pct. 2 .875 3 .813 5 .688 8 .500 8 .500 9 .438 11 .313 11 .313 11 .313 12 .250

W 14 13 11 8 8 7 5 5 5 4

Wofford Chattanooga Mercer ETSU W. Carolina VMI Samford The Citadel UNC Greensboro Furman

W 23 20 16 16 13 11 12 10 9 7

All Games L 6 9 13 11 15 16 17 17 20 20

Pct. .793 .690 .552 .593 .464 .407 .414 .370 .310 .259

SCHEDULE TODAY

EAST Army at Boston U., 7 p.m.

Coll. of Charleston at Hofstra, 7 p.m.

Hartford at Maine, 7 p.m.

Davidson at Rhode Island, 7 p.m.

Saint Joseph’s at UMass, 7 p.m.

Navy at American U., 8 p.m.

SOUTH UConn at East Carolina, 7 p.m.

North Florida at Florida Gulf Coast, 7 p.m.

Kentucky at Mississippi St., 7 p.m.

VCU at Richmond, 7 p.m.

Lipscomb at USC Upstate, 7 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman at Savannah St., 7 p.m.

James Madison at UNC Wilmington, 7 p.m.

Virginia at Wake Forest, 7 p.m.

Florida St. at Miami, 9 p.m.

Georgia at Mississippi, 9 p.m.

Duke at Virginia Tech, 9 p.m.

MIDWEST George Mason at Dayton, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Northwestern, 7 p.m.

Youngstown St. at Oakland, 7 p.m.

Wichita St. at Indiana St., 7 p.m.

UCF at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.

Marquette at Butler, 8 p.m.

Illinois at Iowa, 9 p.m.

Baylor at Iowa St., 9 p.m.

Evansville at N. Iowa, 9 p.m.

SOUTHWEST Texas Tech at TCU, 8 p.m.

Tulane at Tulsa, 8 p.m.

FAR WEST Nevada at Air Force, 9 p.m.

San Jose St. at Colorado St., 9 p.m.

Fresno St. at Wyoming, 9:30 p.m.

Washington St. at Southern Cal, 10 p.m.

Oregon at California, 11 p.m.

Washington at UCLA, 11 p.m.

THURSDAY

EAST Houston at Temple, 7 p.m.

SOUTH

ETSU at The Citadel, 6 p.m.

Winthrop at Campbell, 7 p.m.

Northeastern at Elon, 7 p.m.

W. Carolina at Furman, 7 p.m.

Charleston Southern at GardnerWebb, 7 p.m.

Wofford at Mercer, 7 p.m.

Coastal Carolina at Presbyterian, 7 p.m.

Vanderbilt at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

High Point at UNC Asheville, 7 p.m.

Samford at UNC Greensboro, 7 p.m.

Chattanooga at VMI, 7 p.m.

Georgia Southern at Appalachian St., 7:30 p.m.

UTEP at Louisiana Tech, 8 p.m.

FIU at Marshall, 8 p.m.

UTSA at Southern Miss., 8 p.m.

FAU at W. Kentucky, 8 p.m.

SMU at Memphis, 9 p.m.

Tennessee Tech at Morehead St., 9 p.m.

MIDWEST Minnesota at Michigan St., 7 p.m.

Nebraska at Ohio St., 7 p.m.

Rutgers at Purdue, 9 p.m.

SOUTHWEST Charlotte at North Texas, 8 p.m.

N. Dakota St. at Oral Roberts, 8 p.m.

Old Dominion at Rice, 8 p.m.

Troy at Texas St., 8:30 p.m.

FAR WEST Arizona at Colorado, 9 p.m.

Cal St.-Fullerton at CS Northridge, 10 p.m.

UC Irvine at Cal Poly, 10 p.m.

Montana at Idaho, 10 p.m.

BYU at Portland, 10 p.m.

Pacific at Santa Clara, 10 p.m.

UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara, 10 p.m.

Arizona St. at Utah, 10:30 p.m.

San Diego at Gonzaga, 11 p.m.

Saint Mary’s (Cal) at San Francisco, 11 p.m.

Oregon St. at Stanford, 11 p.m.

Long Beach St. at Hawaii, 11:59 p.m.

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PRO BASEBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

|

B5

Burnett ready for one more run with Pirates

THE ASSOICATED PRESS

Yoan Moncada is the latest Cuban-born player signed by a Major League team as he was given $31.5 million by Boston on Monday.

Moncada signing shows Boston’s all-in on Cuba

BY DAVE CAMPBELL The Associated Press FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox are all in on Cuba, with their pursuit of acclaimed prospect Yoan Moncada the latest example.

Moncada’s representative, David Hastings, said Tuesday he is hopeful the contract with a $31.5 million signing bonus will be finalized by the end of the week. The cost for the Red Sox will double because of the tax for exceeding the international signing bonus pool, a provision in baseball’s collective bargaining agreement.

That means $63 million for a 19-year-old, but owner John Henry said he’s not concerned about the risk.

“I think we’re more discerning than ever, despite what people might write this week,’’ Henry said Tuesday at JetBlue Park. “With high-ceiling players, you have to take risks, especially on young players.’’

General manager Ben Cherington decline to confirm the agreement with Moncada, a switch-hitting, multi-skilled middle infielder who was heavily courted by multiple teams. Moncada’s physical is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston and Florida.

Henry was wary, too, of declaring the deal done. Speaking generally, was expressed confidence in the organization’s ability to evaluate

Moncada’s talent.

“There have been a number of Cuban players who’ve come into the game that have really produced, and there’ve been some that haven’t over the years. But I think we’ve done our homework, and we expect a lot,’’ Henry said.

Moncada has played primarily second base, but he’s considered athletic enough to be moved to shortstop or the outfield, too, as he develops.

With speed, an ability to hit for power and contact plus a good glove and a strong arm, Moncada will carry the fivetool label with him into the majors.

“There’s been a lot of interest in him and a lot of teams have spent a lot of time on it and it’s been a competitive process,’’ Cherington said.

Including from the New York Yankees, who offered $25 million and told Hastings they would consider it if he countered at $27 million.

“We went where we were comfortable going,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said.

“It was an uncomfortable number to put forth, but it still fell short.’’

In 2002, the Yankees outbid the Red Sox for Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, prompting president Larry Lucchino to famously call the Yankees the “evil empire.’’ But under the direction of Cherington, senior vice president of player personnel Allard Baird and

director of international scouting Eddie Romero, the Red Sox have tried to stay at the forefront of the Cuban influx.

They were outbid by the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Jose Abreu, but they traded last year for outfielder Yeonis Cespedes, whom they later dealt to the Detroit Tigers. Then they signed outfielder Rusney Castillo to a $72.5 million, seven-year contract.

“There are $150 million contracts that end up being good values, and there’s $500,000 contracts that end up being bad values, and everything in between,’’ Cherington said. “So the exercise is to identify the player, identify what you think he’s worth and then see if you can acquire him for that.’’

Moncada’s bonus will be the most for an international player under 23 who is subject to the signing pool, topping the $8.27 million pitcher Yoan Lopez agreed to in his deal with Arizona last month.

Boston already was over its signing pool for the period running through June 15. Because of that, for the signing periods starting on July 2 this summer and in 2016, the Red Sox will be ineligible to give a signing bonus of more than $300,000 to any international players subject to the pool.

Hastings said the threat of the 100 percent tax impacted negotiations.

Kemp happy, healthy with San Diego

BY MIKE CRANSTON The Associated Press PEORIA, Ariz. — Two things Matt Kemp never expected happened this offseason: The Los Angeles Dodgers traded him, and it became public he has arthritic hips.

Kemp made it clear Tuesday both are now non-issues. He’s eager to help his overhauled new team, the San Diego Padres, try to wrestle the NL West away from his old team.

And those hips? He insists they won’t slow him at the plate or in right field.

“I think everybody has some situation going on as far as being arthritic in their bodies,’’ Kemp said on reporting day for position players.

“All you guys have something going on in your bodies.

But it’s finding a way to get around it and being successful. I actually feel really good.

My hips feel great and I’m ready to go.’’

The 30-year-old Kemp was in a jovial mood as he claimed

the open locker between him and another big offseason acquisition for San Diego, left fielder Justin Upton. The former KEMP Atlanta slugger casually placed a backpack in the open stall.

“We’ve got a beef already,’’ Kemp said, with a grin.

“Chemistry’s bad.’’

In reality, Kemp is seen as the one to lead the new outfield. Wil Myers, the AL rookie of the year in Tampa Bay, is now in center field.

“I’ve been on some talented teams,’’ Upton said. “It’s a matter of how much we come together.’’

New general manager A.J. Preller was perhaps the busiest executive in the game this offseason after the Padres finished last in batting average (.226), on-base percentage (.292) and runs scored (535) a year ago.

Preller finished his offseason spree by signing freeagent right-hander James

Shields to be the new ace.

“Definitely, A.J. and those guys made some moves that I think shocked a lot of people,’’ Kemp said.

Kemp acknowledged he didn’t see his move coming.

He had spent his entire nineyear career with the Dodgers, collecting 182 home runs, two Gold Gloves and two All-Star selections. Kemp became a fixture in the LA celebrity scene as well, including a stint dating Rihanna.

“I think most people in my situation think that they would always be a Dodger,’’ Kemp said. “But I’m not.’’

Kemp stressed he’s happy to be just down the road in San Diego, where he already owned a home.

“I get to save some money and live in my own house,’’ Kemp said.

Not that money will be tight. Kemp is still owed $107 million in the deal he signed with the Dodgers. Terms of the trade call for the Dodgers to pay $32 million of that.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — As he watched the National League wild card game on television last October, A.J. Burnett realized he’d made a mistake by leaving the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“That’s when it really hit me,’’ Burnett said. “I kept saying, `Why am I not there? I should be in that dugout with them.’’’

Burnett won a combined 26 games with a 3.41 ERA for the Pirates in 2012 and 2013. Last year, the lure of a hefty payday as a free agent led him to a $15 million deal with Philadelphia.

He found more money but also endured more misery. Burnett pitched all season with a sports hernia and led the majors with 18 losses, 109 earned runs and 96 walks allowed. The Phillies finished 16 games under .500 at the bottom of the NL East.

On Nov. 3, Burnett turned down his $12.75 million contract option with the Phillies. Then he dialed Pirates general manager Neal Huntington.

“He probably wasn’t expecting me to call,’’ Burnett said. “I’m wondering, `Man, would they want me back or not?’ I didn’t know.

I wanted to be very blunt that it’s not about money.

It’s about me coming back and wearing the uniform if they want me back.’’

Although they have grown their payroll to around $95 million for the first time, the Pirates could not match the money Burnett would have made if he’d stayed with the Phillies.

“It made the negotiations very different than anything I’ve ever experienced,’’ Huntington said.

“You want to be respectful and not take advantage of a player who wants to come back and is very open about being willing to leave money on the table. At the same time, every dollar we can allocate in different spots makes us a better team.’’

After a few days, the sides settled on an $8.5 million deal. Burnett, 38, who mulled retirement after the 2013 season, insists this contract will be the last one of his 17-year career.

“I feel like I’ve done it right, for the most part,’’ Burnett said. “You don’t want to ever look back and wish you could’ve done more. I can look back and say, ‘You know what? I pitched 17 years and I don’t regret a single day.’”

Burnett figures to slot somewhere in the middle of the Pirates’ starting rotation, behind left-hander Francisco Liriano and right-hander Gerrit Cole.

Charlie Morton might open the season in the No. 3 spot if he continues to make good progress in his recovery from offseason hip surgery.

The Pirates like Burnett’s reliability and durability. Despite his injury, Burnett last season ranked seventh in the NL with 213 2/3 innings pitched.

“He’s a leader,’’ Liriano said. “Everybody looks up to A.J. because he’s a hardworking guy.’’

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pittsburgh catcher Francisco Cervelli, right, talks with pitcher A.J. Burnett after finishing a bullpen session in Bradenton, Fla.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

RECRUITING CORNER

Philadelphia TE has Carolina in top 5 T

he University of South Carolina football program has positioned itself nicely with tight end Naseir Upshur of Philadelphia.

His good friend and former teammate is USC running back David Williams.

Upshur visited USC last season for the Georgia game and has been high on USC since then. However, he is looking hard at others. He was offered

by Louisiana State last week and plans to take visits to Florida, Maryland, Miami and Arizona State along with a return trip to USC. Upshur said he’s in regular contact with USC recruiter GA Mangus.

“Honestly, if I were to have a top five South Carolina would be in that category,” Upshur said. “I really love South Carolina. They know how to get tight ends the ball.

They have two great tight ends right now that possibly could go to the next level.

That’s what makes me so high on them. I just felt like when I was there it would be a nice fit for me.”

Upshur said he had thought about making an early decision, but now he plans to take his time and may wait until National Signing Day in 2016.

“The two I would actually put in my top five, they are in there because of how they use their tight ends,” Upshur said.

“I’m not picking any school that doesn’t give the tight ends the ball.”

Upshur said Miami would be the other school in his top five along with USC at this time, if he had a top five.

Some of his other offers are Arizona, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Tennessee, Penn State, Ohio State, North Carolina, Michigan, Michigan State, Auburn and Florida State.

Conway High School wide receiver Bryan Edwards made a visit to UGA on Saturday and now says UGA and USC are now at the top of his list.

Edwards had been favoring USC, but now says UGA is at the same level. Wake Forest, Duke and UF also high up on his list.

He’s been in touch with USC recruiter Steve Spurrier Jr. and plans to return for a visit for the spring game. Edwards said he’s also heard from new Florida head coach Jim McIlwain about coming in for a junior day there. He’s not hearing much from Clemson at this point.

Edwards wants to see what new offers he gets this spring before closing in on a decision, which he plans to make around the start of fall practice. He also has offers from Virginia Tech, UNC, California and Kentucky. Edwards does plan to graduate in December and enroll in college in January.

Linebacker Jonathan Jones (6-feet-1-inch, 210 pounds) of Orlando, Fla., attended USC’s

junior day in late January and plans to give the Gamecocks a loo,k though right now he has a top three of Michigan, Duke and UK. “I loved the experience,” Jones said of his USC visit.

“They are showing a lot of interest. I want to go to school for business and their International Business School is ranked No. 1, and that sits well with me.”

Jones plays Mike and Sam LB and had 120 tackles with five quarterback sacks last season.

“They said I definitely look like I know the game and would have a good chance at starting,” Jones said. “They like the way I hit and the way I come down hill.”

Though USC is not in his current top three, Jones said it will be considered through the recruiting process. He hopes to make his decision by the end of the spring. Jones also plans to attend junior days at Miami and Duke. He also has offers from Central Florida, Nebraska, West Virginia, Louisville, North Carolina State, Florida Atlantic and others.

USC signee offensive lineman Cory Helms of Alpharetta, Ga., who is transferring from WF, is hoping to avoid sitting out this season by appealing for relief from the NCAA. Helms said one of the main reasons for his transfer is to be closer to his home and his ailing grandmother.

Helms said last week the appeal is in progress.

“We’re putting together the final stuff to send to them,” Helms said. “I’ll talk to (USC) compliance in a couple of days and then send it on to the NCAA. They said there’s definitely a shot (to win the appeal), but there’s no telling.”

In the meantime, Helms has been working out to be ready for this season or at the least to get a head start for the ‘16 campaign.

RB Elijah Holyfield of Atlanta, the son of former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, made an unofficial visit to USC last week. USC is one of over 30 offers for Holyfield, who has not yet narrowed his list.

USC ‘16 commitment WR Kyle Davis of Atlanta visited Auburn on Saturday. USC offered athlete Marquez Calloway of Warner Robins, Ga., while defensive lineman of Naquan Jones of Evanston, Ill., a USC target, was offered

by Michigan and Ohio State.

USC offered WR Austin Mack of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Oklahoma commitment OL Jean Delance of Mesquite, Texas.

USC is the first Football Bowl Subdivision offer for ‘17 defensive back Deon Edwards of Lake Minneola, Fla.

CLEMSON Clemson OL target Jack De-

Foor of Calhoun, Ga., added offers from Michigan and Vanderbilt.

DL Aaron Thompson of Phil Kornblut Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has RECRUITING Clemson, CORNER Miami and Pitt at the top of his list from 22 offers. OL Parker Boudreaux of Orlando favors Clemson at this point, his head coach told 247Sports.

He will visit Clemson for its junior day on March 7. He’s also high on Ohio State, Notre Dame and PSU. Clemson offered ‘17 defensive end Malik Herring of Forsyth, Ga.

CLEMSON AND USC OL Tyler Pritchett (6-2, 288) of Auburn, Ala., is already a hotly recruited prospect with 16 offers on the board. USC offered him several weeks ago, while Clemson joined the list last week. Some of his other offers are UF, Mississippi State, UK, Louisville, Arizona, Missouri, UNC, Cincinnati and Indiana. He has a top five of USC, Indiana, UNC, Mizzou and Louisville in no order.

Pritchett went to USC’s junior day in late January. “It was my first time up there at South Carolina,” said Pritchett, who is friends with USC signee Quandeski Whitlow.

“The coaches, the atmosphere, it had a really good feel. I got a good feel for it, and I’m really glad I too that visit.”

Pritchett said Clemson and USC have talked with him about playing center, and he can also play guard. He said the offer from Clemson did not surprise him.

“It’s a real big offer, I think,” Pritchett said. “(Clemson head) Coach (Dabo) Swinney is trying to make something happen at Clemson.

They are trying to build a national championship-winning program. I respect that. I’ve been up there before. I’ve had a good time up there so I know what they are trying to do.”

Pritchett said he could return to Clemson for its next junior day on March 7. As for hometown Auburn, Pritchett said the Tigers have been recruiting him since the eighth grade, but have not offered.

He also camped at Alabama and would like to get more attention from the Crimson Tide.

LB Tobias Little (6-0, 223) of Atlanta has Clemson, USC, VT, Tennessee and Georgia Tech high up on his list right now. He has visited Clemson three times and was at USC last season for a game. Little also is looking at Auburn, LSU and UF for possible visits. His offers are from Clemson, USC, NCSU, GT, VT and

Colorado State. Little feels Clemson and USC will be in contention for him to the end and he likes both equally.

Right now he plans to make his announcement at his spring game on May 8. Last season, Little had 70 tackles with eight sacks and one interception. He also scored two touchdowns.

WR Christian Bruce (6-3, 180) of Wilson High in Florence had a monster junior season with 72 receptions for 1,476 yards and 18 TDs. “He’s like (former USC and current Chicago Bear WR) Alshon Jeffery, that kind of receiver,” said Wilson head coach Chad Eaddy of Bruc.

“He high points the ball really well. He has long strides and a 36 inch vertical (lea).”

According to Eaddy, Bruce has offers from NCSU, UNC, Virginia and Charlotte. In state, he’s getting only lukewarm interest from USC and Clemson, which Eaddy said is disappointing.

“His mom would like to keep him in state,” Eaddy said. “His mom went to South Carolina and he’d love to stay in state.”

Eaddy said there has been little contact from USC, so Bruce may try to go to the Showcase Camp in Columbia this summer in an effort to open some eyes. Clemson recruiter Danny Pearman came through the school and Bruce plans to go to a 1-day camp there in an effort to earn an offer. Right now, NCSU is showing the strongest interest and has a bit of an edge over the rest.

“N.C. State has been on him since his sophomore season,” Eaddy said. “He went to a junior day there, their spring game last year and he’s made two unofficial visits. N.C. State probably has been his favorite. Wake Forest is also very interested.”

Bruce also wants to visit UVa and might visit Tennessee and Mississippi. Eaddy said Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze wants to see Bruce in person before making an offer.

USC and Clemson target LB Tre Lamar of Roswell, Ga., was offered by UGA over the weekend. Clemson is the current favorite of WR Eddie McDoom of Winter Garden, Fla. He told the Orlando Sentinel Ohio State would be second on his list. USC also has offered him.

DB Saivion Smith of Bradenton, Fla., who holds Clemson and USC offers, was offered

by Texas. He visited LSU over the weekend.

Alabama offered OL John Simpson of Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston. He also has USC and Clemson offers.

USC and Clemson offer OL Luke Elder of LaGrange, Ga., visited Tennessee over the weekend. He’s also recently visited GT and Ole Miss.

OTHERS LB TJ Brunson of Richland Northeast High in Columbia visited NCSU on Saturday. He is scheduled to visit FSU this weekend.

Charlotte and Marshall offered QB Collin Hill of Dorman High in Roebuck, according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. He also has an offer from Samford.

QB Shane Bucenell of Zephyrhills, Fla., committed to Charleston Southern for the ‘15 class.

BASKETBALL The spring recruiting season for basketball will heat up soon and USC and Clemson are keeping warm their connections to teammates and close friends, 6-9 center Johncarlos Reyes and 6-8 small forward Shawntrez Davis, Atlanta natives who attend a prep school in LaGrange, Ga. Both are having big statistical seasons. Reyes estimates he’s averaging 21 points and nine rebounds per game and Davis puts his numbers at 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Reyes said USC coaches were in to scout them last week. “I’ve seen them on TV and I can see myself playing there,” Reyes said. “I think they’re really interested. They invited me to the Kentucky game, (but) I couldn’t make it.”

Reyes said Clemson has also remained in contact with him.

“They talk about how they are improving this season and they want me to take a visit,” Reyes said.

Reyes said USC, Clemson, UCF and PSU are the primary schools with him right now, but he remains open. He is planning to take an official visit to UCF and he plans to sign in April. Reyes doesn’t claim a favorite.

Davis said his focus right now is on USC, Clemson, Oklahoma State, WVU, Texas, Texas Tech and Boston College. He has not decided on official visits.

“South Carolina is telling me they need an athletic dude like me, a kid that can come in and play right away and change the game,” Davis said.

“I’m also talking to Clemson.

Both are close to home and I can’t pick one over the other.”

Davis said he doesn’t have a favorite and will make his decision in April.

Clemson offered 6-9 junior Robert Baker of Marietta, Ga., who made an unofficial visit for the Virginia Tech game, on Saturday. His other offers include George Mason, Middle Tennessee State, Richmond, Texas A&M, Vandy, Stanford and WF. Clemson is showing interest in 6-7 Caleb Hollander of Nashville, Tenn.

Matt Rafferty, a 6-7 player from Darien, Ill., committed to Furman, according to Comcast Sportsnet.

AUTO RACING COMMENTARY

NASCAR got the drama-free Daytona 500 it needed

BY JENNA FRYER The Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It was a bumpy buildup to the Daytona 500, which for days was overshadowed by disputes, drama, an injury to Kyle Busch and the suspension of his older brother, Kurt.

Dozens of cars were wrecked, and on the morning of NASCAR’s seasonopening showcase, reigning series champion Kevin Harvick warned “we’re going to tear up some (more).’’

So there was every reason to feel anxious going into “The Great American Race.’’

It wasn’t necessary, as the Daytona 500 proved entertaining and trouble free — exactly what NASCAR needed.

“It was a great day, a really good event, and we enjoyed it,’’ NASCAR chairman Brian France said Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR radio.

After Jeff Gordon, racing in his final Daytona 500, led the field to green, he set the pace and led a racehigh 87 laps as the event settled into a rhythm. With anticipation building for the final 50 miles, known as go-time at superspeedways because the intensity

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joey Logano celebrates in victory lane after winning the Daytona 500 on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. inches toward its fevered pitch, the racing picked up tremendously.

Drivers fanned out three-wide all the way through the field as cars rode door-to-door in some of the most

breathtaking racing in years. It was Joey Logano for Team Penske who grabbed the checkered flag, albeit under caution because when the racing is that frenzied, something is al-

ways going to give. A wreck in the middle of the field occurred on the last lap of the two-lap sprint to the finish, and NASCAR threw the yellow flag that froze the field.

That last-lap caution? Maybe it robbed NASCAR of a potentially spectacular finish, but after 10 messy days, everyone just needed a drama-free event.

The first exhibition of Speedweeks, with drivers racing for the first time since November, lived up to what it always has been: A crash-fest with only a dozen or so cars running at the end.

It’s a product of the race not counting toward anything of significant value, and drivers shaking the rust off after an idle offseason.

But things went amiss during the first round of Daytona 500 qualifying, which was an absolute debacle under a new format. An accident in the first group session sent several drivers to backup cars, and NASCAR’s biggest stars pounced on the sanctioning body for creating something that favored entertainment over practicality and speed.

The new rules didn’t help much — Xfinity qualifying was marked by its own multi-car pileup.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

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B7

PRO GOLF COMMENTARY

PRO BASKETBALL

More than a few lessons learned from opening West Coast swing

Hawks have fully embraced pass-happy offensive set

BY DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The Florida swing is the unofficial start of the road to the Masters, now just 44 days away and counting.

Greg Norman made it feel that way a few decades ago.

The Shark would play the Tournament of Champions in January and then not show up again until Florida, usually at Doral. He was No. 1 in the world a good chunk of that time, which only added to the feeling that golf began to matter when TV showed swaying palms, sweaty brows and water hazards.

Rory McIlroy better hope the similarities end there.

Norman never did win the Masters, hard as he tried. McIlroy needs a green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam, and the pressure will start building this week at the Honda Classic when the world’s No. 1 player makes his American debut. He already has won this year against a strong field in Dubai.

But it would be a mistake to ignore the opening two months of the season on the PGA Tour. Because if the Florida Swing is the road to the Masters, then the West Coast Swing blazed the trail.

Here’s what emerged from Hawaii to Arizona and up the coast of California,

REED

JOHNSON

beautiful weather nearly every step of the way: • The guy in black pants and a red shirt can be dangerous when he gets anywhere near the lead on Sunday.

That would be Patrick Reed, of course.

Coming off a year in which Reed won a World Golf Championship, went unbeaten in the Ryder Cup and did about everything except reach No. 5 in the world, the 24-year-old showed even more spunk when he overcame a fourshot deficit with four holes to play in Kapalua. He made two birdies and holed an 80-yard sand wedge for eagle, and then beat Jimmy Walker in a playoff.

Yes, he was lucky the hole got in the way on his eagle. But some guys have a knack for that. See Tiger Woods at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2000. Or anyone playing Norman.

• Woods has yet to wear black pants and a red shirt on Sunday.

If not for the West Coast, Woods would not have had a chance to activate his glutes. The bad news is that his glutes deactivated in the cool fog of Torrey Pines.

Woods’ peculiar choice of

words to describe what led to tightness in his lower back turned into a punch line that overshadowed what could turn out to be quite serious. The chipping display at Isleworth at the end of last year, which was attributed to closely mown grass, turned out to be the preview to a horror show.

Until or unless he returns, the signature shot for Woods will be from a bunker on the 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale in the pro-am. It shot out of the sand, over the green and into the bleachers. It was so shocking that some pundits thought he must have done it on purpose.

So one of the greatest short games has short-circuited. And it led to Woods saying he won’t return until he gets his game in shape for tournament golf.

That won’t be at the Honda Classic. The next option is Bay Hill. And unless his schedule changes, the next stop would be Augusta National.

This is a road that feels as if it has 1,000-foot cliffs on both sides. Or in front of it.

• The Phoenix Open offered a snapshot of youth, and it was frightening.

Brooks Koepka emerged as the winner by rolling in a 50-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole. What really stood out was the drive the 24-year-old Koepka hit on the 18th, which was long and pure, reminiscent of Angel Cabrera on the 18th

at Oakmont when he won the U.S. Open.

Phoenix also offered a big picture.

Hideki Matsuyama, the 22-year-old from Japan, missed a birdie putt to force a playoff. Jordan Spieth, the 21-year-old Texan, made a late charge. A pair of 21-year-old rookies, Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger, played in the final group Saturday.

And then one week later, 27-year-old Jason Day won a four-man playoff at Torrey Pines that included 25-year-old Harris English.

It’s getting harder than ever to win. These guys are good. They’re young. And they’re hungry.

• The return of Dustin Johnson.

Johnson took a sixmonth break under curious circumstances — Golf.com reported he failed a cocaine test twice — and missed the cut when he returned. He rallied late at Pebble Beach to tie for fourth. He had Riviera wrapped up until he hit a lob wedge into a bunker on the 17th hole and made bogey. He delivered one of the best shots of the young season, that flop shot over the back bunker on the 10th hole in the playoff, only for James Hahn to match his birdie.

And then Hahn beat him with a 25-foot putt.

Maybe the break and the birth of his son did some good. Or maybe he’s oblivious to it all. Either way, he looks just as good.

BY CHARLES ODUM The Associated Press ATLANTA — The Eastern Conference standings are not the only proof the Atlanta Hawks are mastering Mike Budenholzer’s ballsharing, pass-happy scheme.

The second-year coach said Tuesday he likes seeing his players get on each other when someone BUDENHOLZER strays from his lessons of court spacing, pick-and-rolls and pass after pass.

Long known for isolation basketball, the Hawks had to change their ways when Budenholzer was hired from the San Antonio Spurs.

Now there is balance, with all five starters scoring in double figures.

And there is success.

The Hawks hold a big lead in the Eastern Conference, seven games ahead of Toronto before Tuesday’s games. Only West-leading Golden State has a better record.

Guard Kyle Korver remembers growing pains in Budenholzer’s inaugural season, especially after center Al Horford’s season-ending injury after only 29 games.

“It hasn’t always been smooth,’’ Korver said. “Last year I don’t know if we won a game in February. We had some injuries and it was a tough stretch for us.’’

Last season’s Hawks were 2-10 in February before barely making the playoffs.

This year’s team hasn’t lost more than two straight games. They Hawks play Dallas tonight.

OBITUARIES BETTY ALSTON DEAN ORANGE, N.J. — Betty Alston Dean was born on Sept. 30, 1929, in Orange, one of twin daughters of Mary and John Alston. At an early age, she joined Union Baptist Church in Orange. Residing in East Orange most of her life, she completed her education, married and had a daughter, Alima Haseen Zimmer. Her career included serving as business agent for RWDSU Local 108 for many years, and she found it a rewarding experience. She concluded her career by serving as executive secretary to the mayor of East Orange as well as being personnel director for the city.

Upon retiring in 1992, she settled in Summerton with her mother, who predeceased her.

During her lifetime, she enjoyed singing in various chorales and participated in many worthwhile causes.

On Feb. 21, 2015, Betty left this place for her final rest, leaving behind: her daughter, Alima Haseen Zimmer (Gary); granddaughter, Ikramah Haseen (Ishmael); grandson, Abdul Hadi Haseen; greatgrandson, Talhah Haseen; niece, Leslie Lewis; nephew, Ralph Jacob Jr. and his daughter, Carla Jacob; and a host of relatives and friends.

Services are private.

Woody “Home for Services” of Orange is in charge

of arrangements.

ROBERT LEE COCKLIN Robert Lee Cocklin, 58, entered eternal rest on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia.

Born on Jan. 13, 1957, in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Abraham and Minnie Reese Cocklin.

The family is receiving visitors at the home of his sister, Clinnie Wilder, 8 Davis St. Community Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of these arrangements.

CATHERINE SCOTT Catherine “Ray” Scott, age 80, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at her residence in Summerton.

She was born on Jan. 13, 1935, in Clarendon County.

The family will receive friends at the home, 1407 Brailsford Lane, Summerton.

Professional services entrusted to Dyson’s Home for Funerals of Summerton.

HAREL BENJAMIN Harel Benjamin, 65, husband of Gloria Simon Benjamin, died on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at Lexington Medical Center, Columbia.

Born on Sept. 14, 1949, in Sumter County, he was a son of Eddie and Sadie Benjamin Johnson.

The family is receiving

friends and relatives at the home, 3045 Homestead Road.

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

RUBY LEE BROWN Ruby Lee Richburg Brown, 84, widow of Arthur Lee Brown, died on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at Woodruff Manor in Woodruff.

Born in the Bloomville community of Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late William Arthur and Janie Gertrude Ridgeway Richburg.

Mrs. Brown was a member of New Salem Baptist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Stanley Arthur Brown (Chhunlay) of Boiling Springs and Kenneth Bethea Brown (Jacki) of Sumter; one brother, Charles Olden Richburg of Alcolu; one sister, Jewel Lowder of Alcolu; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, William A. Richburg Jr. and Edward Richburg.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday with the Rev. Robert Rivers and the Rev. Kevin Massey officiating. Burial will be in Sumter Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today

at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s AssociationPalmetto Chapter, 4124 Clemson Blvd., Suite L, Anderson, SC 29621.

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

JOHN A. ROSS JR. John Allen Ross Jr., 95, died on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, in Melbourne, Florida.

Born on April 19, 1919, in Camden, Kershaw County, he was a son of the late John Allen Sr. and Daisy Bell Reiney Ross.

Memorial services will be held at a date to be announced

by Stone Funeral Home of Melbourne and Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter.

$35

No experience necessary

Check out our Facebook page to see our monthly calendar!

Johnnie Arnold, age 84, beloved husband of Mary Arnold, died on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at Covenant Place.

Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter.

Naomi Dupont China, 68, widow of Joseph China, de-

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parted this life on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

She was born on Feb. 20, 1947, in Sumter County, a daughter of the late Norman and Dorothy Prince Dupont.

The family will be receiving friends at the home, 320 Wyoming Drive, Sumter, SC 29153.

Funeral plans are incomplete and will be announced later by Job’s Mortuary Inc. of Sumter.

Great Cars. Great Prices. Great People.

13 North Main Street • Sumter, SC 29150

803.773.4388

9-5 M-F and 10-2 on SAT to reserve an easel

3277 Broad St • Sumter, SC • 494-2886 www.randrmotorsofsumter.com

B8

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS SERVICES Home Improvements Land Clearing avail. includes: Digging ponds, excavation, and bulldozer work. Call T & N Septic Tank Co. at 803-481-2428 or 803-481-2421

H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904 Vinyl Siding, vinyl windows and seamless gutters by David Brown.

803-236-9296

Lawn Service Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs!

Free est. 494-9169/468-4008

803-774-1234 OR TO PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE GO TO WWW.THE ITEM.COM/PLACEMYAD For Sale or Trade

Help Wanted Part-Time

Mobile Home Rentals

Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600.

Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364

$$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555

STATEBURG COURTYARD

HD Utility Trailers all w/ 3,500 lb axles, extra tongue support - jack gate. 6x10 $1190; 6x12 $1290; 6x16 Tandem $1790; 803-972-0900 Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves.

Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311 Shop Smith Lathe with band-saw, table-saw, scroll -saw, drill press, & 12" sanding disk attachments. Many misc clamps & brackets. $700 OBO 494-8681

Split Oak Firewood $65/dumped, $75/stacked.

Newman's Tree Service 316-0128.

We have 92, 400 watt metal hallide fixtures & 480 volt valance. All operational, $35 each will sell in small lots. Call 843-552-6300

Legal Service Attorney Timothy L. Griffith 803-607-9087, 360 W. Wesmark.

Criminal, Family, Accident, Injury

Roofing All Types of Roofing & Repairs All work guaranteed. 30 yrs exp. SC lic.

Virgil Bickley 803-316-4734.

Septic Tank Cleaning

Septic tank pumping & services. Call Ray Tobias & Company (803) 340-1155.

Tree Service Call Carolina Tree Care today to speak to one of our ISA certified arborist. Free est. 1-800-411-1495.

STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

Mention this ad & get 10% off.

A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721

PETS & ANIMALS Dogs

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

Help Wanted Good energetic person familiar with air tools metal & wood working. Truck driving abilities w clean driving record req. Resume to: Box 402 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

Help Wanted Full-Time COMMUNITY MANAGER needed for apartment community in the Sumter area. This is an exciting yet challenging FT position. If you possess supervisory experience, marketing, written and verbal communication plus computer skills, then we need you on our team. Previous property management experience preferred but not required. Must pass criminal check and drug screening. Our company offers competitive salary and benefits.

Must live within 25 miles of Sumter.

Please fax cover letter and resume to Attn. Ad#31 at 1-888-985-4447 or email jobsearch.2014@outlook.com with Attn. Ad #31 for subject. EOE. The #1 Furniture Retail Company in the U.S. is seeking highly motivated individuals with outgoing personalities to join our Sales Team.

Candidates must have a working knowledge of computers. They will be required to build sales volume by providing superior customer service and knowledge of product and finance options. This full time position is based on a flexible work schedule that includes evenings, Saturdays and some holidays. Offering unlimited income potential based on commission and bonuses. Guaranteed salary during training process. Send resume to 2850 Broad St., Sumter, SC 29150.

Wanted Body Tech. Must be trained in sheet metal, frame & uni-body repair. Exc. wage & benefits. Apply at McLaughlin Ford 950 N. Main St., Sumter Cashier needed. Must have some computer knowledge, be selfmotivated, dependable & energetic.

Apply at Wally's Hardware, 1291 Broad St.

2, 3 & 4 Bedroom Trailers for rent, Cherryvale & Dogwood Area $250 & up. (803) 651-9926

REAL ESTATE

RENTALS

Homes for Sale

Rooms for Rent Boarding house with nice rooms for ladies. Call 803-565-7924.

Unfurnished Apartments Great Location in town: 2 Br, washer, dryer, water, ideal for senior.

803-505-3100 leave message.

EMPLOYMENT

2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

On 88 acres of Farm and wooded land, Monte Carlo Ln., 4BR 2BA, Heat pump, carpet & vinyl floors, Contact: R. Davis 270-839-0459 Water front house & lot. 4bd/ 2 bath, front deck, boat house w/ track, c/h/a, most furniture can go w/ house .26 acres 1050 sq/ft. 1159 Lakeview Dr Manning SC, White Oak Creek in Wyboo Call 843-659-4332 2BR 2.5 BA 1900 sq ft in Historic Dist. Great area for retiree. Investors welcome. 30 Delorme Ct. $72.900.

Call 803-983-0063

Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette.

775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Minutes WALMART. Acre $4,900.

Utilities! 713-870-0216.

Unfurnished Homes

MIN TO WALMART/SHAW 1 AC +/- Cleared, septic, water, elec. $12,900. 888-774-5720

Must see! Buy or Rent. 3 Br, 1.5 Ba, office, covered carport with workshop in Pinewood. Call Donnie for details 803-972-3110.

Land & Lots for Sale

Dalzell 16.5+ acres paved, water, electric $1950 ac. 713-870-0216

3 & 4 Br Mobile homes & houses, located in Manning & Sumter. 3 - 4 Br houses in Wedgefield / Paxville.

No Sect. 8. Rent + dep. req. Call 803-460-6216.

2 & 3BR Apt & houses available in Sumter. No Sec. Dep. required. Call 773-8402 for more info.

5 br, 3 ba brick home, off Old Manning Rd. between Manning & Sumter on 1 ac. lot. $985 mo. Call 803-225-0389.

Must see! Large family friendly waterfront home in Deerfield,4BR 2.5BA Lg Rec room $1600 Mo +Dep Call 803-468-4659 or 469-0555 Duplex Historic Dist. private completely renovated, lg yard. 1BR 1BA $475 mo + dep. 464-3598 before 8am or after 5pm

3Bd 2.5Ba, Corner of 2980 W. Brewingtion Rd. & Nicholson Dr. Bonus rm over 2 car garage, fenced yard, $1100 mo, dep Contract req., Mil. dis., sm pets allowed. 983-0049 for application.

3BR 2BA Lake House Rental. Call for more info 803-406-6159 9am-8pm leave msg

Early Tax Time Special No Payment Til March As Low As $175.00 Per Mo. On Site Rent. For A Limited Time Only.

Why Rent When You Can Own? “Close to Everything” • AC/Heat Bring back this ad & receive FREE application fee.

Call Now! 469-8515

German Shepherd Pups. (3) M, (2) F. Black/Tan, 1st shots & wormed.

Ready in 2 wks. $200. Call 803-406-0064.

COUNTY OF SUMTER BUSINESS LICENSES

Want to Buy Wanted Washers, Dryers, Stoves, Refrigerators & Stainless Steel Appliances. Working or not. 464-5439 469-7311

Auctions Coins, Antiques & Porcelain Signs Auction. February 28th, 1pm- 361 Woodruff Rd. Greenville S.C. Preview at noon. 864-527-2207 www.manife stauctions.com Online & Live Bidding SCL#4494, SCL#4417

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $2 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend.

905-4242

Autos For Sale

Land & Lots for Sale Subdivision For Sale Minutes Shaw/Walmart 40 lots, 1+/- acre water, underground electric, Oaks, paved & gutters $160,000 Call 888-774-5720 MIN SHAW AFB, 16 + acres. $1750 per acre paved rd. Water, elec. 888-774-5720

Manufactured Housing For Sale Nice 4Br 2Ba DW with large lot 803-983-0408 Turn your Tax Refund into your dream home! Low credit score?

Been turned down for bad credit?

Come try us, we do our own financing.We have 2-3-4 bedroom homes. For more information, call 843-389-4215 AND also visit our Face Book page (M & M Mobile Homes).

LEGAL NOTICES Bid Notices

Resort Property Brevard/Silva, N.C. area. Beautiful 5.5 ac. Frontage on Hwy 215 at Balsam Grove. North Ford River runs thru middle of property. Backs up to Pisgah National Forest. $20K per ac.

Fin. Avail. Also, 2.5 ac lot in gated community. Tuckasegee area off Hwy 107 & 281. $20Kper ac. Bobby Sisson 803-773-4381 lv msg.

RECREATION

Boats / Motors

BID NOTICE Bethel Baptist Church Is currently accepting bids for Lawn Maintenance. You may stop by the church office at 2401 Bethel Church Road, Sumter, and pick up in application. Deadline for bids is March 4, 2015.

Abandon Vehicle / Boat Abandoned Vehicle Notice: The following vehicle was abandoned at Cotton's Garage, 242 E. Calhoun Street, Sumter, SC 29150.

Described as a 2004 Dodge Durango, VIN # 1D4HB48N94F204189. Total Due for storage is $2,750.00 as of February 16, 2015. Owner is asked to call 803-773-0341. If not claimed in 30 days. it will be turned over to the Magistrate's Office for public sale.

02' 200 HP Evinrude OB with controls 20" shaft $3000 Firm 803-983-0345

TRANSPORTATION

84' Cadilac Biarritz Good Cdtn 42K Mi. Asking $5000 OBO Call 803-491-7753 Mark 04' Honda Accord LX 124K mi.

Silver Excellent Cdtn $6000 Call 469-4252

OPEN

Ernest Baker Auto Sales & Equip. Located 3349 N. Main St 5.5 miles from 378 overpass at N. Main., on Hwy 15 N. next to Baker Mini Warehouse. Remember Cars are like Eggs, Cheaper in the Country!!! 803-469-9294

Public Hearing Destruction of Special Education Records (300.573) Sumter School District will be destroying special education records for students exiting during or prior to the 2009-2010 school year. Records being destroyed include all special education referral records, evaluation reports, testing protocols, notifications of meetings, Individual Education Plans (IEP), reviews of existing data summaries, and all other personally identifiable information therein. Under state and federal law, special education records must be maintained for a period of five years after special education services have ended.

Former students over the age of 18, or parents of students over the age of 18, who have retained parental rights through the court's determination, may obtain special education records by contacting and making an appointment with Mrs. Lillarweise Seymore at (803) 774-5500 (ext. 210).

$1,000 SIGN ON BONUS • 5-Day Work Week • End Month Bonus, Fast Start Bonus, F/I Bonus

• Guarantee $400 per week plus Commission • Health & Dental Insurance • 401K Plan

“The required license fee shall be paid for each business subject thereto according to the applicable rate classification on or before the 15th day of March each year.”

• Paid Vacation

A 5% PENALTY WILL BE ASSESSED ON ALL LICENSE FEES WHICH ARE NOT PAID BY THE 15TH OF MARCH, AND AN ADDITIONAL 5% PENALTY WILL BE ASSESSED ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH THAT THE LICENSE FEE REMAINS UNPAID.

Call David Hill or Johnny Elmore

If any license fee shall remain unpaid for sixty (60) days after its due date, the Business License Department shall issue an execution which shall constitute a lien upon the property of the licensee for the tax, penalties and costs of collection.”

If you do not receive an application in the mail, please stop by our office at 12 W. Liberty Street in the Liberty Center (the old Brody bldg) or give us a call at 774-1601. We will be available to assist you with your application or answer any questions you might have.

JOB DESCRIPTION MERCHANDISE

We will be happy to change your ad if an error is made; however we are not responsible for errors after the first run day. We shall not be liable for any loss or expense that results from the printing or omission of an advertisement.

We reserve the right to edit, refuse or cancel any ad at any time.

wc.mhcomm.com

The County of Sumter Ordinance regulating licenses for County businesses states that “Every person engaged or intending to engage in any calling, business, occupation or profession within the limits of the County of Sumter, South Carolina is required to pay an annual license fee and obtain a business license.”

AKC Maltese Pups are 6 weeks of age, De-worming and vaccines current, they come with there own baby bag. Males $500. Health guaranteed in writing. Please call 803-499-1360

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES

11:30 a.m. the day before for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday edition.

9:30 a.m. Friday for Saturday’s edition 11:30 a.m. Friday for Sunday’s edition.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES DIRECTOR Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce Sumter, South Carolina

The Membership Services Director will be the central point of contact for all new member initiatives and inquires. The qualified individual will develop a method of obtaining the required information to recruit and retain members as well as increasing the engagement of existing members in programs, events and initiatives of the Chamber. This requires being knowledgeable and aware of the changes in the business community.

Position: Full Time Education: Bachelor’s Degree Salary Plus Commission: Commensurate with experience and ability Interested parties should e-mail an introductory letter and resume to: chamber@sumterchamber.com

“Don’t make a mistake. Shop the lake.”

Highway 261 • Manning (803) 433-5500 • Santeeautomotive.com

CONTRACTOR WANTED! PINEWOOD PANOLA & RIMINI If you have good, dependable transportation, a phone in your home, and a desire to earn extra income Call Harry Pringle at 774-1257 or Apply in Person at

20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC

MAYO’S “FABULOUS FEBRUARY SALE”

WHERE $1.00 CAN BUY YOU A SUIT!

Choose ONE suit at our REGULAR PRICE Get SECOND suit of equal or less value for ONLY $1.00!

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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 • www.MayosDiscountSuits.com

SECTION

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Monique Beauregard, a staff member of Brock University in Ontario, Canada, wields a hammer in working on her second Habitat home. She said seeing the family living in the home she helped construct last year “really brought home” the importance of what the Habitat program and volunteers do.

Cold no barrier for volunteers

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

project, Williamson said.

Steve Bubonja is also a first-timer here.

“I’ve always wanted to volunteer,” he espite last week’s frigid temperasaid, “and when I saw the application in tures and a day of rain, 36 stuthe Brock Press, it inspired me. I’d come dents from Brock University in back.”

Ontario, Canada put in many hours Bubonja said one of the highlights of working on a new house through Sumthe experience was “getting to see the ter’s Habitat for Humanity program. homeowners, to put faces to the home.”

The students spent their spring break “Getting a nail in straight on the first building and erecting the frames for the day” was a challenge for Cate Talaue house, giving the collegiate volunteers from Stoney Creek, Ontario. “Tuesday I who will follow them over the next four got better.” weeks a good She said, foundation to “When I first work toward met the homecompletion of owner it really the three-bedhit home what room home.

I was trying to Habitat’s execaccomplish for utive director, people and it Leanne Skipper, wasn’t until I said the volunsaw the house teers did an excoming togethcellent job worker that I realing on the nonized what we profit group’s were doing is 118th home since Izzy, a service dog for Brock University student important, not 1987, when the Keely Grossman, keeps watch as students work. just for the local program community but was started. in terms of my own self-reflection.

“The Collegiate Challenge, also called From this experience I’m already lookthe Alternate Spring Break, is a very ing forward to traveling to Lima, Peru important asset to Habitat,” said Teresa White of Sumter Habitat. “The students next year to volunteer.”

Helping to build a home was a first give up their break for this volunteer for Keely Grossman, who said the expeservice.” rience was “fantastic. When I got to The Canadian students and staffers meet the family, it made everything so said the cold temperatures were no real. I’d felt like I was doing something problem for them; after all, Brock is in St. Catharines, Ontario, close to Niagara so small, and I’m only here for a week, Falls, where high temperatures fluctuat- but I’m making a big impact.”

Grossman also learned new skills, ined from below and just above zero all cluding operating a circular saw. last week.

Visually impaired, Grossman was ac“It was just the high winds and rain companied to Sumter by her guide dog, that kept us from working a couple of Izzy, who, she pointed out is the only afternoons,” said Monique Beauregard, Southerner in the group, as she is origia Toronto native who is a recruiter and nally from Georgia. admissions officer, back in Sumter to “Izzy made sure I was safe and that I volunteer for her second consecutive could move around independently just year. like my sighted peers,” she said.

Like the students in the group, BeauThe hardest thing for Grossman was regard said “getting to be outdoors for a the hammering, she said. “I found whole day” was exhilarating. straight hammering easier, but when I “We were able to get the outside had to go outside on the walls, it got frames up as well as the frames for the challenging because it was on an angle, inside walls separating the rooms,” she and that made it hard for me to ‘get a said. picture’ and know OK, here’s the nail.”

Stuart Williamson came to his first Grossman had praise for the program Collegiate Challenge with more experiand the community. ence than most of the volunteers. Hav“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. ing done some building with his father, “Habitat’s been great. I didn’t think they he was able to use the construction would be so open to having a person tools, “And I taught everyone how to who is visually impaired, with a dog, use the saw,” he said. and they are! They’re great. It’s been a While he was hoping for warmer really great experience, and I would defweather, the below-freezing temperainitely do it again.” tures didn’t cool his enthusiasm for the

D

Stephanie Sanders, kneeling, and Katelyn Guertin, students from Brock University, build a wall for the 118th Habitat for Humanity Home last week. They were among 36 volunteers from the university to spend their spring break taking Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge.

Angela Mott is studying geography and GIS; she worked with Sumter Habitat last year, as well, so she’s a student leader this year. She said the program is “a part of Student Life and Community Experience, which is a department at Brock. We do a lot of service learning, and we get to plan these trips.”

Not just students, but the staff and faculty can participate in the service projects, Mott said, and all can choose where they’d like to serve.

Beauregard said she chose to return to Sumter this year because “I made connections with the community, the Habitat crew, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them.”

Getting to know the family whose home they worked on last year also drew her back, Beauregard said.

“Meeting the family living in a house I helped build was very meaningful,” she said. “It’s one thing to know you’re

helping build something for the community, but actually meeting the people whose lives have been changed, to see it happen ... .”

Sumter Habitat for Humanity does not give away the houses its volunteers build. Habitat families, whose annual incomes are about 30 percent to 50 percent of the area median, make a down payment and monthly mortgage payments and are required to contribute 300 to 500 hours to Habitat. The “sweat equity hours,” as they are called within the organization, include working with volunteers to build the home and assisting with fundraising activities. The family pays for the house through a no-interest mortgage, and the payments are recycled through the organization to assist in building homes for others.

For more information, or if you would like to volunteer time or contribute to Habitat, call (803) 775-5767.

Stuart Williamson teaches Keeley Grossman, who is visually challenged, how to use a power saw at the Habitat for Humanity site.

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FOOD

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

Put that warming rack back on the grill

BY ELIZABETH KARMEL The Associated Press If you’re like most Americans, the first thing you did when you brought home your new grill was remove the warming rack that sits above the grates. Today, I want to make a case for putting it back.

I’m a big believer in cooking entire meals on the grill. After all, if you’ve already got it fired up for the main course, why dirty pans or heat up the kitchen for the side? And

that’s where your warming rack comes in. The warming rack really is just a second grill grate that is especially suited to cooking vegetables at the same time as you are grilling a chicken, roast or even ribs!

Why? The warming rack is raised well above the direct heat of the grill, so whatever you put on it cooks more slowly than what is on the grates below. This is perfect for pairing large cuts of meat with vegetables that also are best cooked slowly over low heat,

things like potatoes and other root vegetables, as well as corn on the cob. More delicate choices, such as asparagus, scallions and mushrooms, should be done more quickly and over direct heat on the bottom grate.

In the winter, I love to roast chicken on the grill. And this rosemary chicken is one of my favorites. The outside of the chicken is rubbed with rosemary, salt and pepper.

The inside is stuffed with pearl onions and lemons. It’s an amazing combination. And

you finish the dish by squeezing the roasted lemons over the roasted chicken. The hot chicken absorbs the lemon juice, and the result is a roasted chicken that will wake up your taste buds. It is both fresh and tangy and roasted comfort.

For a side, I go with salt and rosemary-rubbed small red potatoes. They cook slowly on the warming rack during the final half of the chicken’s cooking time. You’ll know that they are done when the skin is puffed out and looks dry. At

this point, they should be very soft at the center. They are the smoothest, silkiest potatoes I have ever had. They don’t even need any butter.

These potatoes also make a good mash. If you prefer a mash, toss them into a bowl when they are steaming hot and mash them, skins and all.

All of the seasoning is on the skin, after all. Add olive oil to taste, and you will have a delicious mash without the butter and cream. You might even discover that you prefer potatoes this way!

GRILLED ROSEMARY CHICKEN AND RED POTATOES Rosemary is a comforting herb that is a safe bet for almost everyone. This recipe also works well with pork and beef, but chicken is my favorite. Add a simple salad and a light red wine and this may become your favorite Sunday supper.

Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes (15 minutes active) Servings: 6 servings For the chicken: 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 lemons, halved 6 to 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled (more or less according to the size of the chicken) 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil For the potatoes: 2 pounds small red potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon kosher salt Prepare a grill for medium heat, indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the grill and cooking on the other side. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side, then cooking on that side.

Remove and discard the neck, giblets and any excess fat from the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the salt, rosemary and pepper to make a rub. Use 1/3 of the mixture to season the inside cavity of the chicken. Place the lemons and onions inside the chicken. Brush the olive oil all over the outside of the chicken, then sprinkle with the remaining rosemary rub.

Place the chicken, breast side up, directly on the cooking grates, or in a V-rack set inside a medium-sized disposable roasting pan, on the cooler side of the grill. Grill until the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 165 F in the breast and 180 F in the thickest part of the thigh, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

About 40 minutes before the chicken is done, make the potatoes.

Place the potatoes in a metal bowl. Pour the oil over the potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt and toss again to coat evenly.

Place the potatoes on the grill’s warming rack, or in the center of the cooking grate around the chicken. Roast the potatoes for 35 to 45 minutes — depending on the size of the potatoes — or until tender. The potatoes are done when the skin puffs slightly and the potatoes are very soft at the center.

When the chicken is done, remove it from grill and set on a serving platter. Use tongs to remove the lemons from the chicken, then squeeze the hot lemon juice over the chicken. Spoon out the onions.

Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve with the onions and potatoes.

Nutrition information per serving: 720 calories; 390 calories from fat (54 percent of total calories); 43 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 170 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 46 g protein; 820 mg sodium.

This dip is another reason to use turmeric

BY AARTI SEQUEIRA The Associated Press

GOLDEN TURMERIC DIP Tahini can vary in thickness by brand. Prepare the recipe as described below. If your dip is too thick, blend in additional water, a couple tablespoons at a time, to get desired consistency.

Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 8 1/2 cup tahini, whisked smooth 1/4 cup warm water 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

2 1/2 teaspoons turmeric 2 cloves garlic Salt and ground black pepper Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish Fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish In a blender, combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, honey, turmeric and garlic. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If desired, add tahini, lemon juice and honey to suit your taste. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with vegetables for dunking.

Nutrition information per serving: 100 calories; 70 calories from fat (70 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 3 g protein; 65 mg sodium.

Ask any Indian person why we love turmeric so much, and you just might want to cancel your appointments for the rest of the day.

In its raw form, it’s not much to look at. Much like its cousin, ginger, turmeric is grown for its nubby brown roots. So if you happen to find it in the produce section, it often is covered in soil and isn’t all that attractive. But scratch its thin skin with your fingernail, and this root will reveal an inner beauty: flesh as vibrant as a summer sunset, and a scent redolent of earth, pepper and mustard.

In fact, while turmeric is used widely in Asian and African cuisines, you’ve probably been eating it all your life here in the U.S. without even realizing it. Turmeric is what gives ballpark mustard that distinctive yellow hue. And back in the day in Europe it was used to dye food, cloth and fingers (!) a gorgeous golden orange (for a fraction of the price of saffron).

Ground turmeric turns up in most any Indian recipe, where it adds a peppery-loamy flavor that provides a warm backbone to our cooking.

Saute a little with onions, cumin seeds and garlic, and that’s the beginning of many a great dish. Add a little to your morning eggs. Make a marinade with oil and garlic and rub it onto a piece of fish.

If you and your friends are gathering for a party, consider trying this golden dip made with tahini (sesame paste) and honey. Set it up on a platter of fancy crudite: blanched haricot verts, florets of neon green romanesco cauliflower, wedges of persimmon and kohlrabi, and paper-thin slices of watermelon radish.

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

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Add white to the rainbow of produce you eat

BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press I talk to my kids every day about eating a rainbow of produce in order to get all the nutrients they need.

But you know what color is left out of the rainbow?

White.

That is, at least according to my 7-year-old twins when I presented cauliflower to them at the dinner table.

What a shame. Have we lost all the love for the contributions of white veggies like onions and cauliflower and all their good-for-you nutrients?

So what better time than winter to celebrate an oftoverlooked white veggie — the turnip! The turnip is misunderstood and passed over all too quickly. Raw, its flavor is sharp, even unpleasant. But as it cooks the turnip softens into a milder, earthy, slightly sweet flavor.

Nutritionally speaking, the turnip is a rock star. A large turnip has only 50 calories but is jam packed with vitamin C, as well as smaller amounts of all sorts of other nutrients. And turnips are a two-for-one veggie, meaning you buy the root and you get the turnip greens for free.

Don’t throw those greens away. They are nutritional powerhouses, too! Wash them, chop them, then saute, steam or braise them as you would any other green. And dunking them in a pot of boiling water for a minute helps remove the bitter taste.

Despite all this great news, outside of pockets of regional turnip lovers, most Americans don’t turn to the turnip very often. A helpful strategy for including turnips at the novice’s table is to pair it with a fellow root veggie. A good way to do this is to combine them in a hash, puree or soup, such as in this roasted garlic, turnip and sweet potato soup.

Tucking into a bowl of veggie-based soup is not only a great health move, but it’s also a perfect way to begin a comforting wintery meal. Enjoy the turnip soup as is, or use it as inspiration to match your favorite flavor profile, by adding curry powder, smoked paprika or even orange zest and cumin.

uids, blend until smooth.

Return the soup to the pan and reheat for several minutes, if needed, over medium. Stir in the vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Add water if soup is too thick. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and top each serving with a bit of yogurt and chives or scallions.

Nutrition information per serving: 140 calories; 70 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 4 g protein; 270 mg sodium.

Roasted Garlic, Turnip and Sweet Potato Soup is the perfect way to try the misunderstood turnip.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ROASTED GARLIC, TURNIP AND SWEET POTATO SOUP Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 6 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 1 large turnip, peeled and diced 3 tablespoons olive oil 8 cloves garlic, whole and peeled 2 shallots, sliced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock 1/4 cup white wine Salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt Chopped chives or scallions, for garnish Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato and turnip. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the sweet potatoes and turnip in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the same bowl, toss the garlic, shallots and thyme with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. After the sweet potatoes and turnip have roasted for 15 minutes, use a spatula to turn the pieces. Add the garlic and shallot mixture to the pan, then roast for an additional 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the stock and wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the roasted vegetable mixture and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Working in batches if necessary, transfer the mixture to a blender. Using caution when blending hot liq-

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Overpacking for trip prompts questions of trust DEAR ABBY — I’m in my 40s and my boyfriend of three years is 12 years older. We are in love and our relationDear Abby ship is great.

He travels ABIGAIL for work and VAN BUREN lives in another state, so he flies in to see my daughter and me every other week.

Because he is older, he uses Viagra, and it’s kept at my place in a drawer. I assumed that’s where it was always kept.

Abby, when he left for his trip yesterday, he took his Viagra with him! He says he grabbed the bottle without

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thinking and that I’m overreacting. The rest of his things are kept in his travel bag, so it’s not like he just gathered up all of his pills. They were the only ones. Now he’s upset with me because “I don’t trust him.”

Can you help me get my thinking straight? I caught him lying about something when we first started dating, so he’s not all squeaky clean like he acts.

Suspicious in Virginia DEAR SUSPICIOUS — Unless your boyfriend was prescribed the Viagra for a condition other than ED, I’d say you have a right to be suspicious.

Because his little blue pills were kept apart from his other medications, it took special effort for him to pack

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

them. Talk with him further because he may have been contemplating a “party of one” during his travels and not have been looking for adventure.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips.

Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

(Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

Good advice for everyone -- teens to seniors -- is in “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

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

ACROSS 1 Mutinous Kubrick computer 4 High-end violin 9 Sextet for Henry VIII 14 British verb suffix 15 “Some glory in __ birth ...”: Shak.

16 Ginsburg associate 17 Sprightly dance 18 Shepherdess’ movie role?

20 Sharp-wittedness 22 Gore, once 23 Jeweler’s movie role?

29 Met previously 30 “I’m listening ...”

31 Delta deposit 32 False flattery 34 Robbins’ ice cream partner 36 ER personnel 39 Horse trainer’s movie role?

41 Org. concerned with the AQI 42 Crankcase component 44 Sends out 46 Boyfriend 47 Bearing 48 Meat pkg. letters

52 Weightlifter’s movie role?

56 Chamber group often including a piano 57 Under control 58 What 18-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across exemplify?

63 Loafer front 64 Madison Square Garden, e.g.

65 Cookbook verb 66 Decorative vase 67 H.S. hurdles 68 Heavy metal cover 69 Del. clock setting DOWN 1 Take by force 2 “... based on my abilities” 3 Peanut, for one 4 Fifth cen. pope called “The Great” 5 “Come to think of it ...”

6 Stephen of “Breakfast on Pluto” 7 Succor 8 Hungry for success, say 9 Track transaction 10 “No thanks” 11 Google Maps directions

word 12 Sea-Tac approx.

13 Protein-rich bean 19 Org. that funds cultural exhibitions 21 Litter peeps 24 Cruise stop 25 Italian archaeological attraction 26 Puma competitor 27 Paper holder 28 Italian tourist attraction 33 CFO’s degree 34 Invite as a member of 35 Verizon competitor 36 Unruly groups 37 The Lord, in Lourdes 38 Response to freshness?

40 “You got that right!”

43 Campsite sight 45 Very 47 Peak near Olympus 49 Lincoln Memorial feature 50 Bloodmobile visitors 51 Zealous 53 Black-andwhite sea predators 54 Narrow inlet 55 __ management 58 Bug on the line 59 Timeline parts: Abbr.

60 Shooter lead-in 61 Sealing goo 62 Periodic table suffix

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The Mysteries of Laura: The Mys- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Chicago P.D.: What Puts You on That WIS News 10 at (:35) The Tonight Show Starring tery of the Exsanguinated Ex December Solstice Feuding family. Ledge Undercover to find missing of- 11:00pm News Jimmy Fallon Comedic skits and ceEx-fiancé suspect. (N) (HD) (N) (HD) ficer. (N) (HD) and weather. lebrity interviews. (HD) Survivor: Worlds Apart: It’s Survivor Warfare Tribes of The Amazing Race: Great Way to Start a Relationship News 19 @ 11pm (:35) Late Show with David Lettervarying occupational backgrounds arrive to compete for Eleven couples navigate a muddy obstacle course and The news of the man Popular celebrities are intercash prize. (N) (HD) jet off to Tokyo. (N) (HD) day. viewed. (HD) The Middle: The Goldbergs Modern Family: (:31) black-ish: Nashville: Somebody Pick Up My ABC Columbia (:35) Jimmy Kimmel Live Celebrities Steaming Pile of Fake illness. (N) Connection Lost The Dozens (N) Pieces Avery commences work on News at 11 (HD) and human-interest subjects. (HD) Guilt (N) (HD) (HD) (N) (HD) (HD) Sadie’s album. (N) (HD) Tavis Smiley BBC World News Charlie Rose (N) NOVA: Hagia Sophia - Istanbul’s An- Earth - A New Wild: Water ManNature: The Last Orangutan Eden (HD) (HD) International kind’s relationship with water. (N) Wild orangutans of Northern Suma- cient Mystery Seismic secrets. (N) news.

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Prince Friends (HD) Friends (HD) Raymond (HD) 154 (6:30) 2 Fast 2 Furious (‘03, Action) Paul Walker. Street racing. (HD) Dredd (‘12, Science Fiction) aaa Karl Urban. Cops take on reality-altering drug ring.

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42 26 27

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FOOD FOXN FSS

40 37 31

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52

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39 45

ION

13

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MSNBC NICK SPIKE

36 16 64

SYFY

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TBS

24

TCM

49

TLC

43

TNT

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TRUTV TVLAND

38 55

USA

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WE WGN

68 8

Tonight’s ‘Modern Family’ is borderline brilliant

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Water cooler television isn’t dead yet. During the past two weeks, the “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special and the Academy Awards have offered much conversation fodder, both real and virtual. But tonight’s episode of “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) may be the most memorable and talked about event of the month — if not the year.

With the exception of the title sequence, the entire episode unfolds on the screen of Claire’s tablet computer. Cooling her heels at the airport, she uses the Apple FaceTime app to video chat with Phil and to ask about the whereabouts of Haley, who has fallen off Claire’s radar after a motherdaughter spat. Claire’s increasingly desperate efforts to contact her eldest daughter drag every other member into the dialogue, all via FaceTime and other video applications.

Cleverest of all, we get to see how a distracted Claire does other things while “talking” to members of her family. She glances at the checkout cart of a clothing retailer while pretending to care about Alex’s college essay, checks her Facebook status, email and other applications. Feeling a tad weepy about Haley, she pulls up some old videos and baby pictures from happier days.

Eventually, Claire uses a fake Facebook identity and lostphone-finder technology to further her search efforts, with predictably disastrous results.

According to the show’s producers, the entire show was “shot” using these phone and tablet cameras, something that might send chills down the spines of union camera operators. This fractured narrative opens more product-placement opportunities than one can count.

But for all of its innovations, the episode offers a perfectly coherent and funny narrative, completely in keeping with the series’ brand of humor. It thoughtfully offers mixed messages about technology’s ability to both connect and alienate people from each other. Claire uses her tablet and myriad apps to stay in touch with nearly a dozen relatives and in-laws in a 20-minute span. At the same time, we see how family members “lose” each other to screen time, even when they

* Manning up on “black-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

LATE NIGHT

ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

Claire’s computer becomes the hub of all the family’s activities via FaceTime when she gets stuck at the airport and is desperate to reach Haley following a fight on ABC’s “Modern Family” airing at 9 p.m. today. are sitting only feet away from each other.

Funny, thought-provoking, innovative and borderline brilliant, this “Modern Family” reflects a clear effort by the show’s team to raise the bar for a mere sitcom.

How do storytellers continue to attract and engage an audience in the face of a thousand technological distractions? Use those very distractions to tell the story.

• “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TVPG) enters its 30th season.

Now in its 26th incarnation, “The Amazing Race” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) moves to Friday nights after tonight’s premiere.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • From the pageant to the morgue on “The Mysteries of Laura” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• The top 12 guys perform on “American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

• Malcolm is captured on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

• Robert Vaughn guest-stars on “Law & Order: SVU” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• Cookie confronts Camilla on “Empire” (8 p.m., Fox, TV14).

• An undercover officer goes missing on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• A “Beverly Hills, 90210” star gets her own cooking show on “Dinner at Tiffani’s” (9 p.m., Cooking).

• Edgehill Republic unravels on “Nashville” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

• Philip may have too many women on his hands on “The Americans” (10 p.m., FX, TVMA).

• “Catfish: The TV Show” (10 p.m., MTV) enters its fourth season.

• Rumors about Mutt and the mayor’s wife abound on “Schitt’s Creek” (10 p.m., Pop, TV-14).

dle” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * A day off goes awry on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Lexa and Clarke are on edge on “The 100” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14)

Conan O’Brien is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Edward Norton, Melissa Rauch and Andrew Santino are on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Julianna Margulies, Eric Ripert and Glass Animals appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Ice-T, Andrew Rannells and Lupe Fiasco on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Will Smith, Elizabeth Henstridge and Sam Hunt appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC) * Christina Aguilera and Colin Quinn visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Kunal Nayyar guest-hosts Billy Bob Thornton, Sarah Hyland and Garfunkel & Oates on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

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Wednesday All American Burger Day Combo Special

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pulled Chicken Greek Pitas

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$ 99

Burger, Fries + Drink

from 11am until close

Put slow cooker pulled chicken and pork to use

BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

L

ots of people love their slow cookers. Just as many folks don’t. We tend to be in the latter group. Not

because we don’t appreciate the dumpand-go convenience. And we certainly enjoy being greeted at the end of the day by delicious smells before we’ve even taken off our coats.

Our objections come down to taste and texture. Too many slow cooker recipes taste just

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like every other slow cooker recipe, no matter what the ingredients. And after bubbling away for so many hours, most recipes end up with that just-shy-of-mush texture. No thanks.

So we decided to see whether we could come up with a stack of slow cooker recipes that didn’t sacrifice ease, but satisfied our need for variety. Our inspiration? Barbecue pulled pork and chicken.

The process is simple. You start with either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or countrystyle pork ribs or rib chops. Throw them in the slow cooker with a handful of aromatics and a flavorful liquid. Put your cooker on low and head off to work. When you get home from work, you’ll have a tender meat ready to shred and turn into an easy dinner.

SIMPLE CROCK POT SHREDDED MEAT No time for a slow cooker? Combine all the ingredients plus an extra 1/2 cup of liquid in a large saucepan. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, then proceed with the recipe.

Start to finish: 4 to 5 hours on high, 8 to 10 hours on low Servings: 4 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 cup white wine, low-sodium chicken broth or apple cider 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or country-style pork ribs or rib chops 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon Italian herb mix 1 teaspoon kosher salt In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine the onion, liquid of choice, meat of choice, peppercorns, bay leaves, Italian herbs and salt. Cover and set to cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The meat is ready when it is fork tender and falls apart easily. Remove and discard the peppercorns and bay leaves. Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding any fat or bones. Use the meat in one of the following dinner ideas:

1DrainQuesadillas any extra liquid from the meat. Spread over large tortillas, sprinkle with shredded cheese, black olives, scallions and diced jalapenos. Top each with another tortilla. Toast on both sides in a dry skillet. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

2Mix Sloppy Joes in 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

Serve on bulky rolls.

3Stir Coconut curry in 1 can of coconut milk, 2 cups chopped cooked vegetables (such as broccoli and roasted red peppers) and 2 tablespoons red curry paste.

Serve over rice.

4WhiskUpside down cottage pie together 1/2 cup half-and-half with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Drain the liquid from the meat into a saucepan. Stir the half-and-half mixture into the meat liquid and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it simmers and thickens. Stir in 1 1/2 cups thawed corn kernels and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme. Stir to-

gether with the shredded meat and serve over mashed potatoes.

5Stir Pesto pizza 1 cup purchased pesto into the shredded meat. Spread over 2 prepared pizza crusts. Sprinkle each with grated Parmesan cheese, then top with slices of fresh mozzarella and sliced roasted red peppers. Bake at 450 F until golden and melted, about 20 minutes.

6DrainMarmalade nachos the meat and stir in 1/2 cup orange marmalade, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. Spread over tortilla chips.

Top with sliced scallions, sliced Peppadew peppers or pickled jalapeno peppers, and shredded cheese. Heat in a 350 F oven just until the cheese is melted.

Pulled Coconut Curry Chicken

7AddPicatta pasta the meat to a pound of pasta, cooked according to package instructions. Stir in 1/4 cup capers and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

8DrainGreek pitas the meat and mix with the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano and 2 minced cloves of garlic. Combine 1 peeled, diced and seeded cucumber with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese. Serve in pita pockets with chopped fresh tomato.

9CookSesame noodles an 8-ounce package of udon or soba noodles according to package directions. Whisk together 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil and a splash of hot sauce. Toss with the meat, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, 1 thinly sliced bunch scallions and the noodles. Top with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.

10 Lemon-ginger barley soup Add 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, and 3/4 cup quick-cooking barley to a large saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the meat and its cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Pesto Chicken Pizza