February 3, 2015 by The Sumter Item

LOCAL NEWS: Teen dies in ATV crash while passenger in critical condition A2 LOCAL SPORTS

Sumter High girls take top spot in basketball poll B1 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

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Get to know your local lawmakers Chamber’s annual Legislative Day event happens Feb. 11 BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com More than one member of the legislative delegation from Sumter called the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Day event in Columbia a “win-

win” situation. Rep. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said the event is a good thing for elected officials. “As we advocate for the people of Sumter, it helps us to see the business leaders and the people of Sumter and to educate them on our issues

and get to know them,” he said. Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter, agrees. “It is one of the best tools we have as far as the people being exposed to state government and to have us being introduced to the people,” he

said. “A great benefit is that it gives the leadership of Sumter a first-hand view of the kind of issues we are dealing with in Columbia.” This year, Legislative Day will be Wednesday, Feb. 11, when Sumterites will have the opportunity to spend the day

in Columbia at the South Carolina Statehouse, visit the Senate and House and dine at the Summit Club. “We will hopefully have all seven members of our legislative delegation join us for

SEE LEGISLATORS, PAGE A7

Obama pitches record budget

On your mark, get set, go

$4T spending plan would raise taxes on rich Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Promising to help America’s middle class, President Obama on Monday sent Congress a record $4 trillion budget that would hammer corporate profits overseas and raise taxes on the wealthy while boosting tax credits for families and the working poor. Obama’s budget also would steer hundreds of billions of dollars to the nation’s crumbling infrastructure of roads and bridges, help provide two years of free community college and reverse the across-the-board, automatic budget cuts that

Anneysa Bengston, above, and her dog Fitbit cross the finish line during Westside Christian Academy’s Resolution Race 5K. Saturday’s race was one of eight road races in the 2015 Sumter Series.

SEE BUDGET, PAGE A7

Runners participating in the race, right, take off from the starting line. PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Obama delivers remarks Monday at the Department of Homeland Security on his 2016 budget proposal.

Fireside donations dip though many still need your help BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com Donations dipped again this week for Fireside Fund. But the need is still great, said Christy Lamb, social worker with The Salvation Army. “We’re staying busy,” she

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said. “It’s going good, though. There are still a lot of people waiting to get in and still calling, too.” The $625 raised this week will go toward kerosene and gas, the two biggest fuel demands at this time. “We did have one lady that just moved into a mobile home

with three kids,” Lamb said. “She doesn’t have the lights on, so she’s using kerosene for heat and light.”

Fireside Fund is a partnership between The Sumter Item and The Salvation Army. Started in 1969, it has now raised more than $1.4 million to help people heat their homes during the winter months. The paper collects the contributions and turns them over to the charity to distrib-

DEATHS, B5 and B6 Elizabeth M. Boykin James E. Jackson Pauline S. Stafford Brittany Barber Eleanor C. Verner Janie J. Lloyd Harvey Josey

Lawerence Evans Tameka L. Davis Donald W. Parker Jeffery J. Wilson Ella L. Harvin Frank Wilson Marie B. Miller

Allean B. Sanders George Green Leroy C. Melton Michael Lee Edwards Jr. Levi Pearson Jr.

ute to those in need. The 2014-15 season has been dedicated to the memory of the late retired Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen. If you need help heating your home, contact The Salvation Army at (803) 775-9336.

SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A7

WEATHER, A10

INSIDE

SUNNY

2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 92

Plenty of sunshine today; clear to partly cloudy tonight HIGH 50, LOW 30

Classifieds B8 Opinion A9 Comics B7 Television A8 Lotteries A10

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

7 die on S.C. roads this weekend, 2 in Sumter ATV crash claims life of 18-year-old; 66-year-old dies after 2-vehicle wreck BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com It was a deadly weekend on South Carolina’s highways as seven people died between Friday evening and Sunday morning. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety issued a statement Monday detailing the deaths, which occurred during a 30-hour window beginning 6 p.m. Friday. According to preliminary depart-

ment estimates, all seven of the deadly wrecks this weekend occurred on U.S. routes, S.C. highways or secondary roads. That brings the tally of deaths on South Carolina roads so far this year to 63. A seatbelt was only used in one of the weekend incidents. Sumter County tallied two deadly crashes during that period. The most recent one involved an 18-year-old woman who died in an ATV crash on private property in the 4400 block of Wrangler Trail just after 7:30 Saturday night. Sumter County Coroner Harvin Bullock identified the teen victim as 18-year-old Ashley Carter, noting she died of multiple blunt force trauma wounds.

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol reports, Carter was driving a Yamaha four-wheeler with a juvenile passenger on the back when she crashed into an ATV in front of her as it slowed down. Paramedics had to medically evacuate both Carter and her teenage passenger to Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia. The passenger remains in critical condition. Authorities on Monday also released the identity of a Sumter man who died Saturday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash. Bullock identified the victim as 66-year-old Douglas Britton and said he died of blunt force trauma from injuries he sustained in the wreck. The collision involved a 2007 Chev-

rolet Impala and a 1999 Ford Expedition, which crashed at the intersection of South Sumter and West Williams streets. Britton was driving the Ford SUV westbound on Williams and a 39-year-old motorist was traveling south along Sumter Street when the two vehicles collided. Britton was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck. Both men were injured in the crash. Emergency crews airlifted Britton from the scene to Palmetto Health Richland, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other driver was taken to Tuomey Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities continue to investigate both crashes.

Shadow Day at Sumter Police Department

LOCAL BRIEF FROM STAFF REPORTS

Twenty Sumter County elementary, middle and high school students, who are either children or grandchildren of officers serving with Sumter Police Department, got to learn about their loved one’s jobs during an annual Shadow Day the department held Monday morning. Presentations were given on the functions of several departments, such as recruiting and traffic control. Bri Williams, a 9-year-old student at Alice Drive Elementary School, is guided by Sgt. Tom Moore during a session training the shadows how to shoot taser guns. See more photos on A4.

Free tax assistance available at Spectrum The AARP Foundation Volunteer Tax Aide Program is offering free assistance with income tax returns from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through April 13. Henry Dinkins, who is in charge of the program, said any low-income or elderly persons are eligible for the free assistance. He advised those interested to bring all their tax forms and information as well as a Social Security card and government-issued photo ID. The service, which AARP has offered for around 15 years, will be provided at The Spectrum senior center, 1989 Durant Lane, which is off Pinewood Road near Savannah Plaza. For more information, call (803) 316-0772.

MATTHEW BRUCE / THE SUMTER ITEM

CORRECTION The showing of artist Grainger McKoy’s latest sculpture at Swan Lake Visitors Center will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8, not on Feb. 1 as was reported in the Sunday Sumter Item. The public is invited, and the event is free.

Evening Optimist Club helps fund organ transplant BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Remember your first cellphone and how cool it was? Today, that phone is a dinosaur from another age. But there is good news. If that old phone is sitting in a drawer with a bunch of other outdated phones and small electronic items, the Evening Optimist Club of Sumter can help you put it to good use. The club is working with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to collect and recycle cellphones, spent print cartridges and other small electronic devices during the month of February to raise funds for children such as 6-year-old Sumter resident Nathan Martin. COTA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families raise funds for transplant-related expenses.

Nathan, who is the son of Matthew and DD Martin, is diagnosed with kidney failure, and doctors have recommended a life-saving kidney transplant. COTA is spearheading a community campaign to raise an estimated $50,000 for transplant-related expenses. Bonnie Jean Sherbert is a member of the Evening Optimists Club and has known Nathan’s mom for 10 years, she said. “I have been working with the COTA community campaign and so I brought it to the Optimist Club, and I asked them if they would work in conjunction with COTA on this,” she said. The campaign is a perfect fit for the club. “Everything the Optimist Club does is for the betterment of children,” Sherbert said. The Recycle for Life event will con-

tinue through February. COTA has done other fundraisers in Sumter, but this is the first time they have teamed with the local Optimists, Sherbet said. “We are doing it for Nathan,” she said. Cellphones, small electronic devices and spent print cartridges are being collected during the month of February at each of the following locations: • Signwave, 299 Bultman Drive; • The Sumter Item, 20 N. Magnolia St; • Team Robinson MMA, 262 S. Pike W.; • Office Church School Supply, 780 S. Pike W.; • Professional Training Services, 74 Broad St.; • Harkey Chiropractic, 429 N. Main St.; and • Midlands Vapor, 4 E. Boyce St., Manning.

Direct donations may be mailed to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 W. COTA Drive, Bloomington, Indiana, 47403. Checks or money orders should be made payable to COTA, with “In honor of Team Nathan M” written on the memo line of the check. Secure credit card donations are accepted online at www.cotaforteamnathanm.com. COTA Community Campaigns will receive 100 percent of the recycling value for each recyclable cellphone, spent printer ink cartridge and small electronic device collected. The Evening Optimist Club of Sumter meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. For more information, visit www.eveiningoptimistclubofsumter.org, call Sherbert at (803) 406-3932, or email teamnathanm@gmail.com. For more information on COTA, visit www.cota.org.

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

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The Sumter Item is published six days a week except for July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day (unless it falls on a Sunday) by Osteen Publishing Co., 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, SC 29150. Periodical postage paid at Sumter, SC 29150. Postmaster: Send address changes to Osteen Publishing Co., 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, SC 29150 Publication No. USPS 525-900

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‘Life is Good’ now available

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sen. Graham says he’ll decide on 2016 bid for White House by May to come to see how his message of bipartisan cooperation sells. “I feel like I’m ready to do this. I feel like I’m prepared to be president,” he said. “Whether or not there’s a pathway forward, I won’t know until I try.” Last week, Graham announced he had set up a committee to explore running for the nomination. On Monday, Graham said his national security experience has uniquely equipped him to handle pressing concerns, such as dealing with the Islamic State group.

“The times which we live in are being dominated by the issues I think I’m best capable of dealing with,” Graham said. Graham said that while he considers himself a conservative, he’s a pragmatic person who understands bipartisan support is necessary to make progress in Congress on issues like illegal immigration or energy independence. “I have shown an ability not only to fight for the conservative cause but to solve problems that affect all Americans,” Graham said. “I am a conservative, but I’m also a problem solver.”

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Brig. Gen. David P. Glaser, chief of staff for U.S. Army Central, holds a copy of “Life is Good” during his presentation to the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce retreat Sunday. He was complimenting the magazine for its positive reflection of Sumter. The magazine, published by The Sumter Item, is available for free throughout the community including the Chamber office, 32 E. Calhoun St.

COLUMBIA (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday that he is taking the next few months to assess if he’ll officially run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016. Graham said at GRAHAM a Columbia news conference on Monday that he’s giving himself until May to make that final decision. Graham said he planned to visit other early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire in the months

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STOLEN PROPERTY A Louis Vuitton purse valued at $1,663.80 was reportedly stolen from a home in the 1200 block of Tyron Street the morning of Aug. 7. A Toshiba laptop valued at $600 was reportedly stolen from a home in the 3500 block of Beacon Drive between Jan. 16 and Jan. 18. A 9 mm Ruger P89 handgun valued at $400 was reportedly stolen from a 2003 Dodge Ram truck in the 200 block of North Main Street at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Twenty-two packs of shingles valued at $880 were reportedly stolen from a residence under construction in the 400 block of North Salem Avenue between 4 p.m. Friday and 2:20 p.m. Sunday. Police recovered $600 worth of the alleged stolen shingles in the backyard of one of the victim’s neighbors. A 45-inch TV valued at $500 and 12-gauge pump shotgun valued at $200 were reportedly stolen from a home in the 600 block of Aman Road before 6 a.m. Saturday. A dryer valued at $500 was reportedly stolen from a rental property in the 2300 block of North Main Street at 12:45 p.m. Saturday. A 61-inch LG TV valued at $1,000, PlayStation 4 valued at $400 and 32-inch TV valued at $200 were reportedly stolen from a home in the 1100 block of Jordan Street just before 12:30 Saturday afternoon. A 32-inch Samsung TV valued at $900 and 48inch LG TV valued at

$1,000 were reportedly stolen from a Dalzell home in the first block of Somerset at 7:50 p.m. Saturday. A 65-inch LG flat-screen TV valued at $2,800, 45inch flat-screen TV valued at $700, Xbox game console valued at $500 and Sony Blu-ray DVD player valued at $200 were reportedly stolen from a Wedgefield home in the 200 block of S.C. 261 South at 1:45 p.m. Saturday. DAMAGED PROPERTY A pane of glass was reportedly destroyed during a fight in a room at the Traveler’s Inn, 1210 Camden Highway, which sustained an estimated $1,500 in damage Saturday between 3 and 3:30 a.m. An iPhone 5S valued at $300, pair of Timberland boots valued at $185 and a wallet valued at $30 containing ID and debit cards were reportedly stolen from the room. Police recovered the boots and wallet. A trailer sustained $300 in estimated damage after several rocks were reportedly thrown at multiple vehicles in the first block of Hoyt Heights on Jan. 27 between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Three other cars sustained $1,000 apiece in estimated damage during the incident. CHARGES Regina Lyons, 27, was arrested at 10 a.m. Saturday and charged with her fourth offense of driving under suspension after Sumter County deputies reportedly stopped her driving a 2005 Pontiac Grand Am near the 800 block of Kingsbury Drive.

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High-speed More Shadow Day chase leads to 3 arrests

THE SUMTER ITEM

Officer 1st Class Eric Johnson shows students his partner, Riley, a 3-year-old Labrador Retriever, as he tells them about their job on Sumter Police Department’s K-9 unit at the department’s Shadow Day on Monday.

BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Three Sumter men were arrested Sunday following a highspeed chase that ended in a home invasion. Brandon Ingram, 25; O’Brian Spann 29; and INGRAM Cory White, 28, were each charged with a count of first-degree burglary in connection with the incident. Authorities also SPANN booked Ingram on charges of reckless driving, failure to stop for a blue light and driving under suspension stemming from the WHITE chase and breakin. According to reports from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, deputies spotted the men speeding northbound along Tindal Road in a Lincoln. The car was traveling at speeds of more than 90 mph in a 45-mph zone. Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle but cut the chase short after the car nearly crashed head on into an oncoming vehicle as it sped past one traveling in the same direction. The suspects barreled west along Old Manning Road, blowing through a stop sign at the intersection of Tindal Road. The suspects then veered off the roadway, attempting to evade law enforcement and sped onto Kinsey Road. Residents in the area began pointing officers toward the vehicle, leading them to the 300 block of Seminole Road. A homeowner flagged the deputies down as they approached the scene and told them the three men stormed into his house uninvited and were hiding there. Authorities set up a perimeter around the residence and the men surrendered shortly after. One of the victims who lived at the house, said the men offered money to hide there when they entered the property through the back door.

Matthew Rosario, 9, left, and his 10-year-old brother, Jeremy, pet Riley.

City of Sumter Communications Director Shirlene Skipper shows the shadows how the department’s 911 center handles calls and dispatches emergency personnel each day.

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BY TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT — More than 1,100 claims were filed in the week before Saturday’s deadline to seek payments from the General Motors ignition switch compensation fund. So far, 51 death and 77 injury claims have been granted. But the fund’s deputy administrator says the grants are very likely to rise as she and her boss, compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg, sort through at least 4,180 claims that came before the deadline passed. The last-minute flurry of activity is common in compensation cases, said Deputy Administrator Camille Biros, who has worked with Feinberg on funds for the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the BP oil spill. Although most of the claims were filed electronically, some will “trickle in” in the coming days because they were postmarked by the Jan. 31 deadline, she said. “I can say that there will likely be more” death and injury claims granted, Biros said. “Until we sort through and review the newly submitted documents, we can’t make that estimation.” GM was aware of faulty ignition switches on Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars for more than a decade, but it didn’t recall them until 2014.

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Mexican farmers expand plots to supply U.S. heroin boom SIERRA MADRE DEL SUR, Mexico (AP) — Red and purple blossoms with fat, opiumfilled bulbs blanket the remote creek sides and gorges of the Filo Mayor mountains in the southern state of Guerrero. The multibillion-dollar Mexican opium trade starts here, with poppy farmers so poor they live in wood-plank, tin-roofed shacks with no indoor plumbing. Mexican farmers from three villages interviewed by The Associated Press are feeding a growing addiction in the U.S., where heroin use has spread from back alleys to the cul-de-sacs of suburbia. The heroin trade is a losing prospect for everyone except the Mexican cartels, who have found a new way to make money in the face of falling cocaine consumption and marijuana legalization in the United States. Once smaller-scale producers of low-grade black tar, Mexican drug traffickers are now refining opium paste into highgrade white heroin and flooding the world’s largest market for illegal drugs, using the distribution routes they built for marijuana and cocaine. It is a business that even the farmers don’t like. In a rare interview with reporters, the villagers told The Associated Press that it’s too difficult to ship farm products on roads so rough and close to the sky that cars are in constant danger of tumbling off the single-lane dirt roads that zig-zag up to the fields. They say the small plastic-wrapped bricks of gummy opium paste are the only thing that will guarantee them a cash income. “Almost everyone thinks the people in these mountains are bad people, and that’s not true,” said Humberto Nava Reyna, the head of the Supreme Council of the Towns of the Filo Mayor, a group that promotes development projects in the mountains. “They can’t stop plant-

ing poppies as long as there is demand, and the government doesn’t provide any help.” Villagers granted the AP access to their farms and agreed to interviews only if they were not identified, fearing it could draw attention from government drug eradicators or vengeful traffickers. Residents say there are no local users. They hate the taste of the bitter paste, which they sometimes rub into their gums to sooth an aching tooth. It all goes for export, a lucrative business mostly run by the Sinaloa Cartel. According to the DEA’s 2014 National Drug Threat Assessment, Mexico produces nearly half of the heroin found in the United States, up from 39 percent in 2008. While Afganistan is by far the world’s largest producer, it largely sends to markets in Europe and Asia. Mexican government seizures of opium and eradication of poppy plantations have skyrocketed in recent years. The trends are consistent: Opium paste seizures in Mexico were up 500 percent between 2013 and 2014; poppy field eradications were up 47 percent; and seizures of the processed drug increased 42 percent. Along the U.S. border they are three times what they were in 2009. Mexican heroin has become cheaper and more powerful at a time when Americans hooked on pharmaceutical opiates are looking for an affordable alternative. Combined with dangerous additives such as fentanyl, a syn-

thetic opiate also produced in Mexico, it is blamed for a wave of new addictions and overdoses in the U.S. Heroin deaths doubled from 2011 to 2013, while deaths from cocaine and prescription opiates remained steady, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It used to be that Mexican cartels shipped brown heroin from Colombia along with their home-grown black tar. But all producers are making the high-grade white now, and Mexican criminal gangs have learned that they can increase their profits exponentially if they manage the whole production chain, as with methamphetamines, which they also control from precursor to user. The Sinaloa cartel farms out most production of opium paste to smaller traffickers, according to growers, law enforcement and drugtrafficking experts interviewed by the AP. That kind of decentralized system is a recipe for setting Guerrero’s small, feuding drug gangs, the Rojos, Pelones, Guerreros Unidos and others, against each other. Since 2012, Guerrero has been Mexico’s most violent state. But only recently has it gotten world attention, when 43 college students disappeared last September and are assumed murdered by the Guerreros Unidos, who had close ties to the mayor in the town of Iguala and reportedly viewed the students as a rival gang. The growers won’t say which gang buys the opium paste they produce on small

plots. But a buyer affiliated with the local gang lives in almost every village, acting also as a lookout. Most can be identified by the shortwave radios they carry in a region far from telephone lines or cellular towers. When the poppy plants finish flowering about three months into the winter growing season, a farmer armed with a razor-sharp, thumbscorer and a metal scraping pan can collect 300 grams of opium paste, worth 4,000 pesos (more than $275), in a single day. The price for the relatively low-quality marijuana the farmers used to grow at lower elevations has fallen, possibly because of the legalization and medical use of higher-quality U.S. marijuana. Most law enforcement officials say it’s still too early to document an impact. But the farmers see a change. They only get about 250 pesos (about $17) per dried, pressed kilogram (2.2 pounds) of marijuana, compared to 13,000 pesos (nearly $900) per kilo of opium paste. One wiry farmer with a joking manner and a baseball cap noted that’s more than he

could make in a month at any legitimate job, if there were any legitimate jobs around. But they can lose a season’s work in a few minutes to the government helicopters that spray powerful herbicides on any fields they find. Towering pine and fir trees on the hillsides help shield the poppy fields from view, and some of the mountain villages that protect their forests from illegal logging do so to hide their fields. But they are detectable to the experienced eye, rare spots of green in the winter, when most other crops have been harvested. Since they use gravity-fed irrigation systems from mountain streams, they are usually near creek beds, with black plastic tubing bringing the water down to drip or spray systems at each plant. The herbicide kills both the poppies and anything around them. No one in these villages has been told what it is. And it can kill or damage local Ocote pine trees, allowing beetles to move and attack the weakened trees, and then neighboring trees, farmers said.

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Ebola vaccines testing starts in Liberia BY JONATHAN PAYE-LAYLEH The Associated Press MONROVIA, Liberia — Large-scale human testing of two potential Ebola vaccines got underway in Liberia’s capital Monday, part of a global effort to prevent a repeat of the epidemic that has now claimed nearly 9,000 lives in West Africa. Yet even as Liberians volunteered to take part, it remains unclear whether either vaccine ultimately will work and if so how quickly they could be mass produced. There is no licensed treatment for Ebola, a ghastly virus that has killed at least 60 percent of even its hospitalized victims. The studies in Liberia are taking place after smaller tests determined that the vaccines were safe for human use. By comparing them now with a dummy shot, scientists hope to learn whether they can prevent people from contracting the disease. Despite the vaccine study’s promise, authorities must combat fear and suspicion that people could become infected by taking part. Each vaccine uses a different virus to carry non-infectious Ebola genetic material into the body and spark an immune response. On Sunday in one densely populated neighborhood of Monrovia, musicians sang songs explaining the purpose

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A woman is injected by a health care worker as she takes part in a Ebola virus vaccine trial at Redemption hospital, one of the largest hospital’s in Monrovia, Liberia, on Monday. and intent of the trial in a bid to dispel fears. B. Emmanuel Lansana, 43, a physician’s assistant, was the first to receive doses on Monday. Two shots were administered at different points on his right arm. His wife had expressed apprehension about the vaccine trial, but Lansana said he still wanted to take part. “From the counseling, all of the reservations I have were explained, my doubts were cleared,” he said in a room where he was being observed for 30 minutes afterward. Up to 600 volunteers are taking part in the first phase, and trial organizers have said eventually as many as 27,000

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people could take part. “We are targeting about 12 persons for today and hopefully the number will increase as we go along,” Wissedi Sio Njoh, director of operation with the vaccination campaign, told The Associated Press.

The World Health Organization says the Ebola epidemic has infected more than 22,000 people and claimed more than 8,900 lives over the past year. Without a vaccine, officials have fought the outbreak with old-fashioned public health measures, including isolating the sick, tracking and quarantining those who had contact with them, and setting up teams to safely bury bodies. The vaccines being tested won’t be an immediate solution, said Bruce Aylward, who is leading WHO’s Ebola response. “People keep saying we’re going to have a vaccine, but that will be in the middle of the year at the earliest,” he said last week. “We might be able to vaccinate some first responders but it’s a complete uncertainty. We have no idea if it will confer protection, even though the indications are good.” Both experimental vaccines showed promise in first-stage

human safety tests, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said. One was developed by the National Institutes of Health and is being manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. The other was developed by Canadian health officials and is licensed to two U.S. companies, NewLink Genetics and Merck. The vaccine trials come as the three most affected countries — Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia — appear to be making strides against the Ebola epidemic first identified last March. The U.N. health agency said last week that the countries had reported fewer than 100 cases in the past week, for the first time since June. Associated Press Medical Writers Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Maria Cheng in London, and AP writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF OBAMA’S 2016 BUDGET • Spending of $4 trillion and receipts of $3.5 trillion would combine for a $474 trillion deficit. For the budget year that ended Sept. 30, the actual deficit was $483 billion. That was a marked improvement from the $1 trillion-plus deficits during Obama’s first years in office, when the country was struggling to emerge from a deep recession. • The budget offers new funding for preschool programs for low- and moderate-income families and two years of free community college for students from families earning up to $200,000. • A six-year, $478 billion public works program would pay for highway, bridge and transit upgrades. About $238 billion would come from a one-time, 14 percent mandatory tax on the up to $2 trillion in estimated U.S. corporate earnings that have accumulated overseas. That rate is significantly lower than the current top corporate rate of 35 percent. The top corporate rate for U.S. earnings would drop to 28 percent; foreign profits would be taxed at 19 percent, with companies getting a credit for foreign taxes paid. The remaining $240 billion would come from the federal Highway Trust Fund, which is financed with a gasoline tax. • The capital gains rate on couples making more than $500,000 per year would increase from 24.2 percent to 28 percent. Obama wants to require estates to pay capital gains taxes on securities at the time they are inherited. He is trying to impose a 0.07 percent fee on the roughly 100 U.S. financial companies with assets of more than $50 billion. • Obama would take the $320 billion that those tax increases would generate over 10 years and funnel them into low- and middle-class tax breaks. His ideas: a credit of up to $500 for two-income families, a boost in the child care tax credit to up to $3,000 for each of up to two children under age 5, and overhauling breaks that help pay for college. • All told, tax increases would total $1.5 trillion over 10 years, including a hike on a pack of cigarettes from $1.01 to $1.95 per pack. • The budget claims $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction, but takes liberties such as ignoring the cost of replacing Medicare cuts to doctors’ fees and the cost of renewing refundable tax cuts to low-income workers and families with children. • Painful, automatic cuts to the Pentagon and domestic agencies would be eased, with a 7 percent increase in annual appropriations. For 2016, Obama wants a $38 billion increase for the Pentagon. All told, agency budgets would go up $362 billion over the next six years above caps mandated by automatic spending cuts. Source: The Associated Press

LEGISLATORS FROM PAGE A1 lunch,” said Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce President Grier Blackwelder. “We have a packed day.” Blackwelder said guest speakers, will include House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, Attorney Gen. Alan Wilson, new South Carolina Chamber President Ted Pitts and possibly Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster. The event is free to chamber members, but non-members who register may pay $20 for the lunch, Blackwelder said. Sen. Thomas McElveen, DSumter, said he appreciates it any time his constituents make it to Columbia for a visit. “I am always proud when people from my district come to Columbia, and I get to show them off and brag about them,” he said. McElveen said the Chamber event is always a good one. “They usually send a good strong crowd over there, and it is a good chance for the people to interact with legislators,” he said. “We have been able to secure some pretty good speakers. We have had the mayor of Columbia, we had the President Pro-tem of the Senate Bill McConnell, and we hope to have some good speakers this year.” Smith said when he was first elected to the House, the local chamber did not have such an event. “This is something that the delegation urged the local chamber to do because of the

benefits,” he said. “People come up and advocate for their issues and showcase their communities. Florence has been doing it for years — and Myrtle Beach and Lexington and Spartanburg and Greenville. There

BUDGET FROM PAGE A1 have slammed the Pentagon and nearly every government department. In the face of certain opposition from Republicans, an optimistic Obama hailed a “breakthrough year for America” of new jobs, lower unemployment and shrinking deficits after the great recession of 2008, and he called for moving past years of “mindless austerity.” The blueprint for the 2016 budget year that begins Oct. 1 represents a 6.4 percent increase over estimated spending this year, projecting that the deficit will decline to $474 billion. However, Obama’s plan ignores the new balance of power in Washington, with Republicans running both the House and Senate. The GOP found plenty to criticize in his proposed tax hikes that would total about $1.5 trillion. Republicans cited the nation’s $18 trillion debt and assailed what they call Obama’s tax-and-spend policies for failing to address the spiraling growth of benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare. “Today, President Obama laid out a plan for more taxes, more spending and more of

the Washington gridlock that has failed middle-class families,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. “This plan never balances — ever.” Republicans will respond this spring with their own plan, a balanced-budget outline promising to ease the burdens of the national debt on future generations, curb the explosive growth of expensive benefit programs and reform a loophole-cluttered tax code. While Obama’s plan was rejected out of hand on budget day, proposals to ease automatic cuts and boost transportation funding are likely to return later in the year and require extensive negotiation. “These proposals are practical, not partisan,” Obama said of his overall plans. “They’ll help working families feel more secure with paychecks that go further, help American workers upgrade their skills so they can compete for higher-paying jobs and help create the conditions for our businesses to keep generating good new jobs for our workers to fill.” Some people would pay more. Many wealthy Americans would be able to take tax deductions at the 28 percent rate only even if their incomes were taxed at 39.6 percent, and some would also see

an increase in their maximum capital gains rate. However, a couple earning up to $120,000 a year would qualify for a new “second earner” tax credit of up to $500 as well as a maximum $3,000 child care credit for two children, triple the current credit of $1,000. Obama’s initiatives to tax the wealthy and to welcome an influx of immigrants into the United States are going nowhere in the new GOP-run Congress. But there is a bipartisan desire to ease automatic spending cuts that are the product of Washington’s failures to cut deficits beyond an initial round in 2011. Both Republicans and Democrats are howling that such broad cuts savage the Pentagon. Obama said he won’t give more money to the Pentagon without receiving domestic funds he wants. “It would be bad for our security and bad for our growth,” Obama said Monday at the Department of Homeland Security. The centerpiece of the president’s tax plan is an increase in the capital gains rate on couples making more than $500,000 per year. The rate would climb from 24.2 percent to the Reagan-era top rate of 28 percent.

were a lot of us in the delegation at the time who asked ‘Why not have a Sumter Day? Why not go up to Columbia and introduce our business leaders and our stars to the General Assembly?’” Smith said. For more information or to register, call (803) 775-1231 or visit www.sumterchamber.com.

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FROM PAGE A1 If you’re interested in donating, monetary gifts may be mailed to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151 or dropped off at the office, 20 N. Magnolia St. Please spell out acronyms and names clearly. Information will be printed as it is given. Contributions received as of Monday included: In honor of Bessie Williamson and in memory Hiawatha Williamson, $25; Women of Fraser Church, $25; The Book Club, $50; In honor of Amandalee Arnold from Charlie Pitts, $25; In memory of Jesus from Paul Harvin, $100; In memory of Rupert Kimbrell and Norwood Readon from Sandra Carter, $50; Patricia Boozer, $100; In memory of Joyce Stokes from Friendship Circle of St. John Methodist, $100; In honor of Peggy Cain from Evelyn and Tommy Dabbs, $50; In memory of May B. Sharp from Marie Burns, $50; and Nu Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, $25. Total Combined Anonymous: $25 Total This Week: $625 Total This Year: $43,627.27 Total Last Year: $62,869.17 Total Since 1969: $1,427,810.46

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WIS News 10 at Entertainment Parks and Recre- Parks and RecreTonight (N) (HD) ation (N) (HD) ation Business news update. trip. (N) (HD) News 19 @ 7pm Inside Edition (N) NCIS: We Build, We Fight An openly Evening news up- (HD) gay soldier is killed. (N) (HD) date. Wheel of ForJeopardy!: Teach- Shark Tank Device meant to elimitune: Fun & Fit (N) ers Tournament nate clogged sinks and grass delivery (HD) (N) (HD) service for pets. (N) (HD) Making It Grow (N) Genealogy Roadshow: New Orleans - Board of Trade Civil War ties; a link to voodoo. (N) (HD) The Big Bang The Big Bang MasterChef Junior: Family Style BaTheory (HD) Theory Breaknana dishes and salmon en croute. through. (HD) (N) (HD) How I Met Your Anger Manage- The Flash: Crazy for You Barry asks a Mother: Ten Ses- ment Angry sports reporter on a date. (N) (HD) sions (HD) neighbors. (HD)

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THE SUMTER ITEM

Marry Me: F Me About a Boy: Deface a sign. (N) About a Prostitute (HD) (N) (HD) NCIS: New Orleans: The Walking Dead Radiation poisoning of friend. (N) (HD) Marvel’s Agent Carter: The Iron Ceiling Peggy and Agent Thompson work together. (N) (HD) American Experience: The Big Burn 1910 wildfire in Rockies examined. (N) (HD) New Girl: Swuit The Mindy ProBusiness idea. (N) ject Her own (HD) practice. (N) (HD) Supernatural: About a Boy People vanishing and leaving clothes. (N) (HD)

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‘Big Burn’ recalls 1910 national catastrophe BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Smokey Bear’s refrain, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,” reverberates throughout “The Big Burn” on “American Experience” (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings). It recalls a national catastrophe that occurred at exactly the moment when the federal government was beginning to assert responsibility over the nation’s resources. During the summer of 1910, a series of forest fires consumed 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies, consuming whole towns in mere moments, reducing an area the size of Connecticut to a charred wasteland. It also recalls the establishment of the U.S. Forest Service under Gifford Pinchot during the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt. The two men shared a deep reverence for nature and its conservation, notions considered both romantic and radical by the railroad, mining and timber interests accustomed to getting their way in the unsettled West. Those corporate sentiments explain why Roosevelt’s successor, President William Taft, would fire Pinchot before his Forest Service proved its mettle during the blaze. Combining elements of comedy and tragedy, “The Big Burn,” based on a book of the same name by Timothy Egan, cries out for dramatic re-creation.

“Burn” revolves around Pinchot’s handpicked forest agents, often nature-loving, college-educated men, who were wildly out of place in a region populated by woodsman and roughnecks who established shanty towns by the sides of newly created railroad lines. Some of these towns are reminiscent of the HBO series “Deadwood,” places where “professional” women outnumbered their clientele 5-to1. Arriving in one town, the neophyte newcomers wired Washington, D.C.: “Two undesirable prostitutes have set up shop in our offices. Please advise.” Washington replied: “Find desirable ones.” The urbane agents, aided by whatever local residents they could muster and federalized black cavalry troops popularly known as the Buffalo Soldiers, would offer the only line of defense against the raging conflagration of 1910. • “Street Art Throwdown” (9 p.m., Oxygen) challenges 10 emerging talents, mostly tattooed and flamboyantly clad, to a series of urban installations located in various Los Angeles neighborhoods. A winner walks, or perhaps skates, away with $100,000.

mission on “Marvel’s Agent Carter” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Strangers suddenly vanish on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, TV14) * A need for green on “About a Boy” (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * A career opportunity may ruin everything on “The Mindy Project” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO / PBS

Forest Ranger Ed Pulaski, right, and an unidentified man are shown at a fire lookout station. Airing at 9 p.m. today on PBS, “The Big Burn” on “American Experience” recalls the wildfire of 1910 that destroyed more than 3 million acres across the Northern Rockies. • A pretty, pastoral setting is anything but placid on “Person of Interest” (10 p.m., CBS, TV14). • New clues about Shay on “Chicago Fire” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14). • Art stolen by the Nazis looms large in a new case on “Forever” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14). • Stolen explosives may be Boyd’s undoing on “Justified” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA).

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

SERIES NOTES

• On two helpings of “Parks and Recreation” (NBC, TV-PG), Ron meddles (8 p.m.), April in Washington (8:30 p.m.).

Evidence of a bias crime on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Caitlin bursts into song on “The Flash” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) * A

2014-15

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF TOM OLSEN

defendant’s certain glow on “NCIS: New Orleans” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Creative vandalism on “Marry Me” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * A breakthrough in casual wear on “New Girl” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * A super-secret

Bill Browder is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Steven Yeun and Mark and Jay Duplass are on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Dr. Phil McGraw, Robin Tunney and Diana Krall appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Young and Doc Severinsen on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Debra Messing, Horatio Sanz and Mario Batali visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Sean Hayes hosts Allison Janney on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

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SOUTHERN WITH A GULF COAST ACCENT

The majorettes are back in town

y prediction for the New Year is that America will experience a definite upswing in all categories. The overall population will be happier, businesses will prosper and gravy will be lumpfree. I know this to be true because of the main indicator I’ve tracked for years — the Majorette Factor. Several years ago, while attending a parade, I noticed there wasn’t a single majorette. The marching band had flag corps members, but there was no majorette anywhere. “What is this world coming to?” I wanted to know. “America is losing sight of what’s important. Twirling batons make the world a better place!” Sure enough, shortly after my observation, the USA plummeted into a huge recession, Leslie Anne country Harrison music lost its focus and the bee population almost vanished. There was a time when all little girls either took dance or baton lessons. I chose to be a majorette because my hands were more coordinated than my feet and the baton could double as a weapon. Every week, my mother would take me to the Myrtle Grove YMCA and Miss Rita would teach us how to twirl. We wore blue sparkly costumes our Mamas sewed for us and marched in parades all over town. Southern girls love to be majorettes because everything about them is so sparkly. Much more so than a simple cheerleader who usually wears a plain cotton uniform (except for NFL cheerleaders, but that’s misusing the power of sparkles in a questionable way). Hairpieces are often used to achieve coordinating “poufs” among the twirl line and lipstick is custom ordered to harmonize with the sequins. After a few years, someone hurt my feelings and broke the news to me that I was skinny, so when it came time for high school, and Daddy asked if I wanted to audition for majorette, I replied, “Humph! That’s for girls who can’t read music.” I had moved on to another silver love, the flute, but would never confess the real reason for shunning the majorette gig

COMMENTARY was because even in the sweltering Southern month of September, I felt much more secure beneath the cover of a heavy wool band uniform than a skimpy costume, no matter how many rhinestones they tried to bribe me with. In college, my roommate was a former all-star twirler from her high school, but in those days, the universities had the gall to enforce weight and height restrictions, and since she was a curvaceous 4-foot, 11-inch beauty, she didn’t even bother. But she brought her bag of batons with her to school, and she and I would stand on the front lawn of the dorm and twirl and spin until we had a group of girls join us, all laughing and shouting at the fun. It seemed like we all had a smidgen of inner-majorette just dying to get out. The most incredible twirling feat I’ve ever witnessed came from two male twirlers at Troy University. Each young man stood in an end zone and at the given moment, threw their batons across the entire length of the field to each other, over the head of an Elvis impersonator who was playing an electric guitar on the 50-yard line, and then to the crowd’s delight … caught them! No one remembered what song Elvis was playing, but we all went home talking about the magnificent majorettes, uh … majors … baton twirlers. This year, when it came time for the Christmas parade, I stood in front of the hardware store and heard the sound of drums approaching. And I Suwanee, if not one, not two, but three entire groups of baton twirlers came strutting down Fairhope Avenue! Adorable babes and girls ready for the big leagues were all sparkles and smiles. Hallelujah! You just wait and see. Civility will once again rule the earth, puppies will smell sweeter and a Southerner will reclaim the title of Miss America. All in the world will be right again, because the majorettes are back in town. Leslie Anne Harrison is a contributing writer for The Sumter Item and Gulf Coast Newspapers — www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com. She also has a popular website — Fairhope Supply Co. — which can be found at www.fairhopesupply.com. She can be reached at la@ fairhopesupply.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The happiest majorette of 1974.

COMMENTARY

Bad policy becomes bad politics

ord comes that Barack Obama’s budget will, not surprisingly, call for ending the sequester spending limits now in effect. That’s not surprising. White House aides proposed the sequester, but Obama thought it wouldn’t go into effect because Republicans couldn’t accept its sharp limits on defense spending. But with voters recoiling against foreign military involvement, they could and did. At the time, Keynesian economists predicted that the sequester — “austerity” — would squelch economic growth. And they predicted that Republicans’ failure to continue extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks would result in mass misery. The Keynesian predictions have proven unfounded. The 2009 stimulus, much of it devoted to preserving public employee union jobs, didn’t seem to stimulate much. Michael Growth after the tough early 2014 winter, though Barone still not dazzling, has been stronger than in presequester years. Unemployment fell sharply as an end of benefits prompted workers to find jobs and employers to hire them. Obama will argue for more spending on the grounds that the federal budget deficit is now sharply down. It is: The Congressional Budget Office says it declined from 10 percent of gross domestic product in his first year in office — blame George W. Bush and the financial crisis if you like — to around the 50-year average of 2.7 percent. The sequester contributed to that by holding down spending. But credit also goes to the fact that our tax system is much more progressive than you’d gather from Obama’s rhetoric. CBO reports that the top 20 percent of earners pay 70 percent of all federal taxes, and the top 1 percent pay 24 percent. The U.S. tax system is actually more progressive than the systems of Western European welfare states that rely heavily on value-added (i.e., sales) taxes. Those can be raised stealthily, without even showing up on credit card receipts. U.S. income tax increases show up on every worker’s pay stub and W-2 form. Progressive taxes produce volatile revenue streams, plunging when profits and capital gains are low, zooming upward when they’re high. That’s because high incomes and capital gains are volatile, and high earners can, legally and morally, structure their affairs to minimize taxation. So even in a period of tepid economic growth, federal revenues rose from 15 percent of GDP in 2009 to 17 percent in 2014 — not as much as in the early 1980s recovery or the late 1990s bubble, but still significant. Yet there are limits. In the 2008 campaign, ABC’s Charlie Gibson asked Obama if he would raise capital gains taxes even if, as has often been the case, that would mean lower tax revenues. Obama said yes. For him “fairness” meant taking more of people’s money

‘Obama’s Democrats have rejected all attempts at entitlement reform. At every opportunity they opt to run one more campaign assailing Republicans for cutting Social Security or Medicare, even though the over-65 crowd has become a solidly Republican voting bloc.’ even if the government ends up with less. That reduces after-tax economic inequality. But it doesn’t help reduce federal budget deficits. To do that, you have to do more than raise tax rates on high earners. As Bloomberg’s Megan McArdle writes, “We are simply running out of room to pay for generous new programs with higher taxes on the small handful of people who make many hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.” Income taxes as a percentage of GDP, the CBO reports, are already approaching the highest level in the last 50 years. To exceed that level, you have to go where the money is — you have to raise taxes on the middle class. Obama claims he’s advocating “middle class economics.” But a Brookings-Urban Institute study showed his tax and economic policies would produce no significant gains for those on the middle 60 percent of the income ladder. And Obama had to ditch his proposal to tax withdrawals from 529 college savings accounts after protests not just from Republicans but from Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chris Van Hollen, who represent affluent gentry liberal districts. In any case, as CBO reports, the budget deficit is on track to rise as a percentage of GDP far in future years. Entitlements — Social Security, disability insurance, Medicare — will eat up a growing slice of the economy. Obama’s Democrats have rejected all attempts at entitlement reform. At every opportunity they opt to run one more campaign assailing Republicans for cutting Social Security or Medicare, even though the over-65 crowd has become a solidly Republican voting bloc. So entitlement spending will increasingly squeeze out spending on Democrats’ domestic wish lists. That puts pressure on Democrats to raise taxes that will inevitably fall on the middle class, and more so as Keynesian policies sputter. Bad policy is, sooner or later, bad politics. Michael Barone is a senior political analyst at the Washington Examiner. © 2015 creators.com

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

A10

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 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) 435-8085. 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) 316-6763. 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) 847-2377.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

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

Plenty of sunshine

Clear to partly cloudy

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Warmer with clouds A couple of morning and sun showers

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Considerable cloudiness

Mostly sunny and warmer

50°

30°

60° / 41°

57° / 23°

47° / 28°

62° / 40°

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 60%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

NNW 4-8 mph

S 3-6 mph

SSW 4-8 mph

NE 10-20 mph

ENE 7-14 mph

SSW 8-16 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 49/27 Spartanburg 51/30

Greenville 51/30

Columbia 53/28

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 50/30

Aiken 52/27

ON THE COAST

Charleston 52/33

Today: Plenty of sunshine. High 48 to 52. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy and warmer. High 58 to 63.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 52/32/s 26/17/sn 57/41/pc 22/22/pc 50/41/sh 75/53/s 53/45/c 26/21/s 66/50/s 30/23/s 75/52/s 63/50/c 39/30/s

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 357.47 74.46 74.09 96.18

24-hr chg -0.02 +0.01 +0.09 +0.07

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

0.68" 0.68" 0.24" 5.48" 3.05" 4.18"

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

60° 55° 56° 33° 81° in 1950 12° in 1979

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

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 58/37/c 26/1/sn 62/35/c 31/6/sf 62/47/r 74/53/s 57/45/r 41/32/c 73/57/c 46/33/pc 76/52/s 61/51/pc 52/36/pc

Myrtle Beach 49/34

Manning 51/27

Today: Brilliant sunshine. Winds southwest 4-8 mph. Patchy clouds. Wednesday: Intervals of clouds and sun. Winds southwest 4-8 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 50/29

Bishopville 50/28

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 8.72 -0.10 19 4.15 -0.41 14 8.62 -0.30 14 3.10 +0.24 80 77.84 -0.01 24 6.29 +0.46

Sunrise 7:18 a.m. Moonrise 5:57 p.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:54 p.m. 6:47 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Feb. 3

Feb. 11

Feb. 18

Feb. 25

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 8:36 a.m. 8:57 p.m. 9:13 a.m. 9:36 p.m.

Today Wed.

Ht. 3.1 2.8 3.1 2.8

Low 2:57 a.m. 3:33 p.m. 3:38 a.m. 4:10 p.m.

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 48/24/s 53/28/s 53/26/s 52/37/s 40/30/s 52/33/s 49/29/s 52/32/s 53/28/s 49/28/s 41/27/s 49/28/s 49/28/s

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 55/31/pc 58/36/c 60/38/c 63/46/c 54/48/s 63/45/c 57/38/pc 58/39/c 61/40/pc 59/39/pc 54/41/s 60/41/pc 58/40/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 50/29/s Gainesville 60/42/pc Gastonia 49/29/s Goldsboro 47/28/s Goose Creek 52/32/s Greensboro 46/29/s Greenville 51/30/s Hickory 48/27/pc Hilton Head 49/39/s Jacksonville, FL 57/40/pc La Grange 56/32/s Macon 53/30/s Marietta 50/28/s

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 61/42/c 65/51/c 58/37/pc 57/41/pc 63/45/c 56/35/pc 58/37/pc 57/35/pc 59/47/c 62/50/c 61/38/c 58/38/c 57/37/c

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 49/21/pc Mt. Pleasant 51/34/s Myrtle Beach 49/34/s Orangeburg 51/30/s Port Royal 51/35/s Raleigh 46/29/s Rock Hill 49/27/s Rockingham 49/25/s Savannah 53/35/s Spartanburg 51/30/s Summerville 50/38/s Wilmington 49/28/s Winston-Salem 46/28/s

Wed. Hi/Lo/W 56/32/pc 62/46/c 59/44/pc 61/43/c 61/46/c 56/38/pc 57/36/pc 58/37/pc 63/46/c 58/38/pc 60/46/c 60/45/c 55/34/pc

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

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

PUBLIC AGENDA BISHOPVILLE CITY COUNCIL Today, 6:30 p.m., Colclough Building

TOWN OF LYNCHBURG PLANNING COMMISSION Wednesday, 4 p.m., town hall

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

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Direct your EUGENIA LAST energy wisely. Keep your mind on what’s important, not on what others are doing, and you will reach your goal. A social encounter will spark a renewed interest in something or someone that you used to find inspiring.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. You may know what you want to do, but expect to face opposition. Don’t be daunted by comments or criticism. Focus on finishing what you start and accommodating others only when possible. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t expect to receive help from others and you won’t be disappointed. Making changes to your home or professional direction will turn out to be a good investment. Learn new skills and don’t let a personal relationship limit what you can do. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Get down to business and you will excel. A partnership will be problematic if you are too compliant. Don’t make a hasty decision that can have costly results. It’s OK to do things differently or to follow your own path. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You may be all wrapped up in your personal relationships and trying to make changes to the way you live, but you should be focusing on financial and contractual matters that have the potential to turn costly. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself. Someone will use personal information against you if you are too open. Take time out for self-improvement and raising your level of confidence. Don’t give in to emotional blackmail or demanding

individuals. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t fight the inevitable. Go with the flow and see where it takes you. The changes that take place will turn out surprisingly well. Use your intelligence and take advantage of an emotional opportunity. Don’t limit what you can do. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Follow your heart, not what you hear. Gather information and come to your own conclusions before you make a choice. A change in the way you do things will help you avoid someone who wants to take control or shove you aside. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Listen carefully, but do your own fact-finding. The information you gather will clear up issues you have been concerned about, allowing you to move forward and make positive personal changes at home. Act fast and finish what you start.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 LUCKY FOR LIFE MONDAY MONDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

11-13-28-33-34 PowerUp: 3

5-11-16-26-50 18-31-39-45-55 Powerball: 34 Powerplay: 2 Megaball: 6 Megaplier: 5

8-24-37-42-44 Lucky Ball: 13

PICK 3 MONDAY

PICK 4 MONDAY

7-2-1 and 2-4-9

6-9-2-3 and 5-5-0-5

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take care of pressing family matters. Get involved in your community and you will be able to control the outcome of a situation that could affect an investment that concerns you. An old friend or lover will give you something to think about. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Emotional matters will surface. Don’t put off what must be taken care of immediately. You can’t move forward without clearing a path. It’s out with the old and in with the new. Raise pressing issues and secure your future. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get involved in organizational events that allow you to meet interesting and informative individuals. Sharing your thoughts will spark interest and lead to unexpected opportunities. Mix business with pleasure and you’ll make a new and very valuable acquaintance.

Ht. -0.4 -0.1 -0.3 -0.1

Jodi L. Belenski shares a photo she took at Treehouse Nursery recently.

MEGAMILLIONS FRIDAY

SECTION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

SCBCA GIRLS POLL

Lady Gamecocks top SCBCA 4A basketball poll BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com When the Sumter High School varsity girls basketball team takes to the floor today against South Florence, it will do so with a big target on its back. The Lady Gamecocks moved to the top of the 4A poll in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Top 10 polls released on

Monday. Also, the Crestwood boys moved into the 3A poll for the first time this season in a tie at No. 10, while Lakewood and Crestwood held their spots in the girls 3A poll. SHS moved from No. 2 to No. 1 after beating previous No. 1 West Florence 62-45 last Tuesday and followed it up with a 58-35 victory over Conway on Friday. Sumter

will bring an 18-2 overall record and a 6-0 Region VI record into the road game against South Florence. The Lady Gamecocks will take a 14-game winning streak into the contest. West Florence dropped to No. 4, while Irmo is second and Spartanburg is third. The Crestwood boys are tied for 10th with Orangeburg-Wilkinson. The Knights are 17-4 overall and

tied for first in Region VI-3A with Darlington with a 6-1 record. Crestwood will be on the road today against Hartsville. Darlington is ranked eighth. In the 3A girls poll, Lakewood remained No. 6 and Crestwood stayed at No. 9. The Lady Gators are 16-3 overall and 7-0 in Region VI

SEE POLL, PAGE B5

4A 1. Sumter 2. Irmo 3. Spartanburg 4. West Florence 5. Dorman 6. Spring Valley 7. Westside 8. Ridge View 9. Summerville 10. Goose Creek 3A 1. Lancaster 2. OrangeburgWilkinson 3. Eastside 4. South Pointe 5. Southside 6. Lakewood 7. Myrtle Beach 8. Dreher 9. Crestwood 10. St. James, Wren 2A 1. Dillon

2. Mullins 3. Bishop England 4. Newberry 5. Pendleton 6. Andrew Jackson 7. Abbeville 8. RidgelandHardeeville 9. Edisto 10. Columbia 1A 1. Christ Church 2. Timmonsville 3 Latta 4. Ridge SpringMonetta 5. St. Joseph’s 6. Carvers Bay 7. Southside Christian 8. Calhoun County 9. Hemingway 10. North

PRO FOOTBALL

Super Bowl save Seahawks’ decision to pass latest call to create controversy BY ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press The Seattle Seahawks had both the Lombardi Trophy and greatness in their grasp with 36 inches and 26 seconds to go. They watched their coronation as a modern day dynasty slip away with the decision not to put the ball in Marshawn Lynch’s hands. In what some are viewing as one of the great miscalculations in sports history, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, backed by head coach Pete Carroll, called for a pass play, leaving Lynch — and ultimately the rest of the Seahawks — stunningly emptyhanded. When Malcolm Butler stepped in front of Ricardo Lockette and picked off Russell Wilson’s pass, the undrafted and previously unheralded rookie sealed New England’s 28-24 Super Bowl win. It also added Bevell and Carroll to the long list of sportsmen whose decisions backfired so spectacularly so as to haunt and taunt the also-rans and their crestfallen fans.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

New England strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) intercepts a pass intended for Seattle wide receiver Ricardo Lockette (83) during the final secSEE SAVE, PAGE B3 onds of Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. The Patriots held on for a 28-24 victory.

LOCAL SIGNINGS

10 to make college pick on National Signing Day BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com It will be a busy day in Sumter School District on Wednesday on National Signing Day as six student-athletes from Lakewood High School and two each from Sumter and Crestwood will be putting their names to national letters of intent. BUFFALO Wednesday is the first day football players can sign to be part of the 2015 recruiting class. Lakewood will have five players doing DENGKOL that as well as girls basketball player Sonora Dengokl. The five Gator football players who will sign are Khafari

SEE PICK, PAGE B5

Pats’ Brady set on more titles BY BARRY WILNER The Associated Press PHOENIX — Tom Brady knows what’s next: more Super Bowl wins. At least he hopes so. The most successful quarterback of his era was still riding the high of his fourth NFL championship on the morning after New England’s 28-24 victory over Seattle. Brady had every right to look back at his four touchdown passes against the NFL’s top-ranked defense and beam. Instead, he was looking ahead. “I am still kind of in the midst of my career,” Brady said Monday before being presented with a car and his third Super Bowl MVP trophy, tying him with his boyhood idol, Joe Montana. “I just love the game. I love playing. I love representing our team.” That team — or previous versions of the Patriots he has quarterbacked — won three Super Bowls in four years, then lost in its next two trips to the big game. Brady knows how close the Patriots came to a third straight flop against the NFC champion, needing an interception with 20 seconds to go to clinch the crown.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

New England quarterback Tom Brady (12) is looking to win more Super Bowls after picking up his fourth ring on Sunday in the Patriots’ 28-24 victory in Super Bowl XLIX over Seattle in Glendale, Ariz. “We’ve been on the other end of this two times in the last seven years, being ahead late in the game with the chance to win it, and not closing it out,” Brady said of losses in 2008 and 2012 to the

New York Giants. “I’m glad we had the opportunity to do it. Coach talked all week about how it was going to take all 60 minutes and it certainly did. “It never broke our will.

We were down 10 in the fourth quarter and (Seattle) being on the 1-yard line with 20 seconds left, but the guys never gave up. And you fight

SEE BRADY, PAGE B3

SPORTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

SCOREBOARD TV, RADIO TODAY

2:30 p.m. -- International Soccer: FA Cup Round 4 Match -- Manchester United vs. Cambridge (FOX SPORTS 1). 4 p.m. -- College Football: National Signing Day Preview from Charlotte (ESPNU). 6:05 p.m. -- Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Indiana at Wisconsin (ESPN). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Georgia at Kentucky (ESPNU). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: St. John’s at Butler (FOX SPORTS 1). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Mississippi State at Tennessee (SEC NETWORK). 7:30 p.m. -- College Basketball: St. Joseph’s at Saint Louis (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 8 p.m. -- College Basketball: West Virginia at Oklahoma (ESPN2). 8 p.m. -- NHL Hockey: Chicago at Minnesota (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Florida at Vanderbilt (ESPN). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Virginia Tech at Syracuse (ESPNU). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Seton Hall at DePaul (FOX SPORTS 1). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: South Carolina at Arkansas (SEC NETWORK, WDXY-FM 105.9, WNKT-FM 107.5, WDXY-AM 1240). 9:30 p.m. -- College Basketball: Boise State at Utah State (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 10 p.m. -- NHL Hockey: Carolina at Anaheim (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

Varsity Basketball Sumter at South Florence, 6 p.m. Crestwood at Hartsville, 6 p.m. Manning at Lakewood, 6 p.m. East Clarendon at C.E. Murray, 6 p.m. St. Francis Xavier at Patrick Henry (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball Timberland at Lee Central (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Scott’s Branch at Hannah-Pamplico (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Calhoun Academy at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. Thomas Sumter at Orangeburg Prep, 4 p.m. Robert E. Lee at The King’s Academy, 4 p.m. Clarendon Hall at Holly Hill, 4 p.m. Northside Christian at Sumter Christian, 4 p.m. B Team Basketball Calhoun Academy at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. St. Anthony at Robert E. Lee (Boys Only), 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

Varsity Basketball Cardinal Newman at Wilson Hall, 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball Pinewood Prep at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m. B Team Basketball Sumter at Marlboro County (Boys Only), 5:30 p.m. Thomas Sumter at Orangeburg Prep, 5 p.m.

THURSDAY

Varsity and JV Basketball Carolina Academy at Robert E. Lee, 4 p.m. Junior Varsity Basketball Carolina Forest at Sumter, 6 p.m. Crestwood at Lakewood, 6 p.m. Manning at Marlboro County, 6 p.m. B Team Basketball Laurence Manning at Calhoun Academy, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY

Varsity Basketball Sumter at Carolina Forest, 6 p.m. Lakewood at Crestwood, 6 p.m. Marlboro County at Manning, 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball Lee Central at Kingstree (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. C.E. Murray at Scott’s Branch (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Thomas Sumter at Calhoun Academy, 4 p.m. Orangeburg Prep at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m. Colleton Prep at Clarendon Hall, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY

Varsity Wrestling Sumter in 4A State Playoffs (at Goose Creek High School), TBA

COLLEGE BASKETBALL The Associated Press

The Top Twenty Five The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with firstplace votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 1, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. Kentucky (65) 21-0 1,625 1 2. Gonzaga 22-1 1,503 3 3. Virginia 19-1 1,470 2 4. Duke 18-3 1,416 4 5. Wisconsin 19-2 1,381 5 6. Arizona 20-2 1,338 6 7. Villanova 19-2 1,209 7 8. Kansas 18-3 1,177 9 9. Louisville 18-3 1,114 10 10. Notre Dame 20-3 1,072 8 11. Iowa St. 16-4 892 15 12. North Carolina 17-5 861 13 13. Utah 17-4 824 11 14. N. Iowa 20-2 792 18 15. West Virginia 18-3 779 17 16. Wichita St. 19-3 678 12 17. Maryland 18-4 508 16 18. VCU 17-4 479 14 19. Baylor 16-5 420 20 20. Ohio St. 17-5 358 — 21. Oklahoma 14-7 312 24 22. Butler 16-6 250 25 23. SMU 18-4 221 — 24. Georgetown 15-6 162 21 25. Texas 14-7 106 19 Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 40, Seton Hall 22, Arkansas 21, Indiana 18, San Diego St. 18, Colorado St. 11, Dayton 9, Tulsa 8, Xavier 8, Stephen F. Austin 5, Providence 3, Stanford 3, Louisiana Tech 2, Murray St. 2, Oklahoma St. 2, Temple 2, Georgia 1, Michigan St. 1, Rhode Island 1, Valparaiso 1. The Women’s Top Twenty Five The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 1, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. South Carolina (26) 21-0 842 1 2. UConn (8) 20-1 824 2 3. Baylor 20-1 776 3 4. Notre Dame 21-2 748 4 5. Maryland 19-2 680 5 6. Tennessee 19-3 676 6 7. Oregon St. 19-1 650 7 8. Louisville 19-2 629 8 9. Florida St. 20-2 561 9 10. Arizona St. 20-2 528 11 11. Kentucky 17-5 481 10 12. Stanford 16-5 437 12 13. North Carolina 18-4 408 16 14. Texas A&M 17-5 395 12 15. Duke 15-6 356 17 16. Iowa 17-4 303 20 17. Mississippi St. 22-3 296 18 18. Princeton 19-0 288 19 19. Nebraska 17-4 265 15 20. Texas 15-5 201 14 21. Rutgers 16-5 168 22 22. Georgia 17-5 138 21 23. Chattanooga 18-3 92 25 24. George Washington19-2 69 — 25. Syracuse 15-6 60 23 Others receiving votes: Seton Hall 57, Green Bay 49, South Florida 20, Oklahoma 10, Florida Gulf Coast 9, California 8, LSU 8, Dayton 4, James Madison

4, Middle Tennessee 3, Minnesota 3, Gonzaga 2, DePaul 1, Fresno St. 1.

GOLF By The Associated Press

Phoenix Open Par Scores Sunday At TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course Scottsdale, Ariz. Purse: $6.3 million Yardage: 7,266; Par: 71 Final (a-amateur) Brooks Koepka (500), $1,134,000 71-68-64-66–269 -15 Bubba Watson (208), $470,400 65-71-69-65–270 -14 Ryan Palmer (208), $470,400 64-72-68-66–270 -14 Coates Golf Championship Par Scores Saturday At Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club Ocala, Fla. Purse: $1.5 million Yardage: 6,541; Par: 72 Final Na Yeon Choi, $225,000 68-70-66-68–272 -16 Jessica Korda, $104,587 66-72-69-66–273 -15 Ha Na Jang, $104,587 67-65-71-70–273 -15

NBA STANDINGS By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE

Lady Indians finish perfect regular season Furman Middle School’s girls basketball team finished the regular season undefeated with a 63-4 victory over Mayewood on Monday at the Furman gymnasium. The Lady Indians, who are 17-0 on the season, were led in scoring by Kiari Cain with 17 points. M. Wilson and Rahteshia Burgess both had 11 and Lashayla Harvin had nine. ALICE DRIVE 34

L 15 28 30 38 38

Pct .688 .391 .348 .208 .208

GB – 14 16 23 23

L 8 17 26 27 35

Pct .833 .646 .447 .426 .300

GB – 9 181/2 191/2 26

L 19 20 22 30 32

GIRLS AREA ROUNDUP

BATES 38

ATLANTIC DIVISION W Toronto 33 Brooklyn 18 Boston 16 New York 10 Philadelphia 10 SOUTHEAST DIVISION W Atlanta 40 Washington 31 Miami 21 Charlotte 20 Orlando 15 CENTRAL DIVISION W Chicago 30 Cleveland 29 Milwaukee 25 Detroit 18 Indiana 17

THE SUMTER ITEM

Pct .612 .592 .532 .375 .347

GB – 1 4 111/2 13

Khamay Hilton had a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead Bates to a 38-34 victory over Alice Drive on Monday at the AD gymnasium. Nina Edlow added 14 points for the Lady Bantams, who are 8-4.

with a 37-25 loss to Chestnut Oaks on Monday at the Hillcrest gymnasium. Sedajah Rembert led the Lady Wildcats with 11 points.

B TEAM BASKETBALL WILSON HALL 30 LAURENCE MANNING 11 Wilson Hall improved to 14-0 with a 30-11 victory over Laurence Manning Academy on Monday at Nash Student Center. Dubose Alderman led the Lady Barons with seven points. Emily Reynolds added six. LMA, which fell to 8-4, was led by Katherine Burns with six.

JV BASKETBALL

CHESTNUT OAKS 37

HARTSVILLE 35

HILLCREST 25

CRESTWOOD 25 Crestwood High School fell to 6-4 with a 35-25 loss

DALZELL – Hillcrest Middle School fell to 3-9

to Hartsville on Monday at The Castle. Alexandria Dukes led the Lady Knights with 12 points.

VARSITY BASKETBALL THOMAS SUMTER 30 LAURENCE MANNING 24 DALZELL – Thomas Sumter Academy defeated Laurence Manning Academy 30-24 on Friday at Edens Gymnasium. Taylor Knudson led TSA with 16 points.

BOWLING ATKINS FINISHES AS GIRLS INDVIDUAL STATE RUNNER-UP

Laurence Manning Academy’s Ashleigh Atkins took runner-up in Thursday’s girls SCISA individual bowl state championship at Royal Z Lanes in Columbia. Atkins bowled a 425 series to finish second.

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION W Memphis 35 Houston 33 Dallas 32 San Antonio 30 New Orleans 25 NORTHWEST DIVISION W Portland 32 Oklahoma City 23 Denver 19 Utah 17 Minnesota 8 PACIFIC DIVISION W Golden State 37 L.A. Clippers 33 Phoenix 28 Sacramento 17 L.A. Lakers 13

L 12 15 17 18 22

Pct .745 .688 .653 .625 .532

GB – 21/2 4 51/2 10

L 16 24 29 30 39

Pct .667 .489 .396 .362 .170

GB – 81/2 13 141/2 231/2

L 8 15 21 29 35

Pct .822 .688 .571 .370 .271

GB – 51/2 11 201/2 251/2

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Miami 83, Boston 75 New York 92, L.A. Lakers 80

TODAY’S GAMES

Denver at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Miami at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Boston at New York, 7:30 p.m. Utah at Portland, 10 p.m. Golden State at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

NHL STANDINGS By The Associated Press

Furman Middle School L OT Pts GF GA 15 4 68 166 133 14 3 67 130 111 12 9 67 149 129 16 7 61 134 124 16 10 52 115 132 19 9 49 136 136 25 4 48 144 156 33 3 31 94 179 L OT Pts GF GA 16 1 65 158 139 14 8 64 145 129 15 4 60 139 112 15 10 60 147 129 22 7 51 140 151 22 9 47 113 138 24 3 45 120 151 26 6 40 105 129

WESTERN CONFERENCE GP 49 49 50 51 49 50 49

W 32 32 31 26 23 21 23

Bates Middle School’s boys basketball team finished the regular season with a 15-1 record with a 50-48 victory over Alice Drive on Monday at the AD gymnasium. Calvin Felder had a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Bantams. Kareem Burson Wells added 14 points and five assists. Keonte Gregg led the Hawks with 19 points, while Naqwan Mickens added 10. FURMAN 49

CENTRAL DIVISION Nashville St. Louis Chicago Winnipeg Dallas Colorado Minnesota PACIFIC DIVISION

Bantams edge Hawks 50-48

MAYEWOOD 53

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W Tampa Bay 51 32 Montreal 49 32 Detroit 50 29 Boston 50 27 Florida 47 21 Ottawa 48 20 Toronto 51 22 Buffalo 50 14 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W N.Y. Islanders 49 32 Pittsburgh 50 28 N.Y. Rangers 47 28 Washington 50 25 Philadelphia 51 22 New Jersey 50 19 Columbus 48 21 Carolina 49 17

BOYS AREA ROUNDUP

L OT Pts GF GA 11 6 70 149 115 13 4 68 160 120 17 2 64 155 115 17 8 60 142 132 19 7 53 157 159 18 11 53 131 141 20 6 52 135 140

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Anaheim 50 32 12 6 70 147 134 San Jose 50 27 17 6 60 139 135 Vancouver 48 27 18 3 57 131 124 Calgary 50 27 20 3 57 144 129 Los Angeles 49 21 16 12 54 134 132 Arizona 50 18 26 6 42 116 170 Edmonton 50 13 28 9 35 115 166 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Arizona 3, Montreal 2 St. Louis 4, Washington 3 Nashville 4, Pittsburgh 0 Minnesota 4, Vancouver 2

B TEAM BASKETBALL LAURENCE MANNING 37 WILSON HALL 25 Laurence Manning Academy defeated Wilson Hall 37-25 on Monday at Nash Student Center. LMA, which improved to 9-2, was led by Wyatt Rowland with 13 points. Luke DeCosta added eight and

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JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL NORTHWOOD 65 LAURENCE MANNING 48

NORTH CHARLESTON – Laurence Manning Academy lost to Northwood Academy 65-48 on Monday at the Northwood gymnasium. Taylor Lee led LMA with 17 points and Brewer Brunson had 12.

Virginia dominates 2nd half to beat UNC 75-64 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Malcolm Brogdon scored 17 points and No. 3 Virginia’s defense locked down in the second half to beat No. 12 North Carolina 75-64 on Monday. Justin Anderson added 16 for the Cavaliers (20-1, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who responded to their first loss of the season by blowing open a tight game at halftime for an impressive road win. Coming off Saturday’s loss to Duke in one of the program’s biggest home games in years, Virginia erased a 33-32 halftime deficit by shooting 50 percent while holding the Tar Heels (17-6, 7-3) completely in check to build an 18-point lead and improve to 8-0 in true road games this year. After shooting 52 percent in the first half, UNC went just 11-for-29 (38 percent) after halftime while preseason ACC player of the year Marcus Paige struggled for open looks. NBA

TODAY’S GAMES

Chase Lee had six. Mills Herlong led 9-7 Wilson Hall with eight points. Chandler Scott and Landon Van Patten each added six.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

HORNETS 92

Ottawa at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Florida at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m. Los Angeles at Washington, 7 p.m. Arizona at Columbus, 7 p.m. Buffalo at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. Tampa Bay at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Toronto at Nashville, 8 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Colorado at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Winnipeg at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Carolina at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

WIZARDS 88 WASHINGTON — Al Jefferson had 18 points and 12 rebounds Monday night, and the Charlotte Hornets’ hot January carried over into Groundhog Day with a 92-88 win over the Washington Wizards. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 13 points and 13 rebounds, Brian Roberts scored 18

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points, and Gerald Henderson put in 17 for the Hornets, who have won six of eight to work themselves into playoff position in the perpetually middling Eastern Conference. They went 10-4 in January despite losing Kemba Walker to a knee injury that will keep him sidelined at least six more weeks. John Wall, who continues to battle a sprained right ankle and migraine-like headaches that give him an aversion to bright light — not a good scenario for anyone in an NBA arena — scored 16 points on 4-for-14 shooting with 10 assists for the Wizards, who have dropped three straight. CAVS 97 SIXERS 84

CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving scored 24 points, LeBron James added 18 points and 11 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers staggered to their 11th straight win, 97-84 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The winning streak is Cleveland’s longest since reeling off 13 in a row — a franchise record — in 2010, the last season of James’ first stint with the club. The Cavs had trouble putting away the young Sixers, who did all they could to stay close but don’t have the firepower to keep up with Irving, James and one of the NBA’s hottest teams. From wire reports

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SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

SPORTS ITEMS

South Carolina still atop poll in women’s hoops South Carolina remains No. 1 in The Associated Press poll for the 11th straight week, while George Washington enters the Top 25 for the first time since 2008. The Gamecocks stayed perfect at 21-0 after winning all three of their games this past week by an average of nearly 22 points. South Carolina is followed Monday by UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame and Maryland. Tennessee, Oregon State, Louisville, Florida State and Arizona State round out the first 10. (1) SOUTH CAROLINA 77 MISSISSIPPI 59

OXFORD, Miss. — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley says freshman Bianca Cuevas is like a lot of first-year point guards, learning when to push the pace on offense and when to back off and be patient. The 5-foot-6 Cuevas scored a career-high 21 points as No. 1 South Carolina recovered from a slow start for a relatively easy 77-59 victory. BROWNS QUARTERBACK MANZIEL ENTERS TREATMENT

AP FILE PHOTO

Michigan’s Chris Webber (4) stands with his hands on his hips as North Carolina shot technical foul shots in the final seconds of the 1993 NCAA championship game. Webber called a timeout Michigan didn’t have, allowing UNC to shoot the technical free throws and win the game.

SAVE FROM PAGE B1

NEW ENGLAND 28, SEATTLE 24 New England 0 14 0 14—28 Seattle 0 14 10 0—24 Second Quarter NE_LaFell 11 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 9:47. Sea_Lynch 3 run (Hauschka kick), 2:16. NE_Gronkowski 22 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), :31. Sea_Matthews 11 pass from Wilson (Hauschka kick), :02. Third Quarter Sea_FG Hauschka 27, 11:09. Sea_Baldwin 3 pass from Wilson (Hauschka kick), 4:54. Fourth Quarter NE_Amendola 4 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 7:55. NE_Edelman 3 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 2:02. A_70,288. NE Sea First downs 25 20 Total Net Yards 377 396 Rushes-yards 21-57 29-162 Passing 320 234

Some choices that stand out for their deleterious results: MEADOWLANDS MIRACLE

In the final seconds of a 1978 NFL game, all the New York Giants had to do was take a knee and they had the Philadelphia Eagles beaten. But they inexplicably called a running play and quarterback Joe Pisarcik botched the handoff. Defensive back Herman Edwards scooped up the loose ball and scored the winning touchdown. POOPED PEDRO

Just five outs from guiding Boston to the World Series, manager Grady Little left an exhausted Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series. Martinez had just given up three consecutive hits and was clearly done. After Little returned to the dugout without his ace, Jorge Posada hit the game-tying double and the Red Sox went on to lose. The curse lived on for another year. BEST BENCHED

While Al Michaels was shouting, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” Soviet hockey fans on Feb. 22, 1980, were

asking, “Why isn’t Vladislav Tretiak between the pipes? No!” Soviet coach Victor Tikhonov benched the world’s best goaltender with the score tied at 2 after the first period. The American team made up of mostly college kids capitalized against backup Vladimir Myshkin to beat the mighty Soviets 4-3 in the “Miracle on Ice.” VEXED VAN DE VELDE

Needing just a double bogey to win the 1999 British Open, Frenchman Jean Van de Velde decided not to play things conservatively and triple bogeyed the 18th hole, forcing a three-way playoff with Paul Lawrie and Justin

BRADY FROM PAGE B1 until the end and great things happen.” Brady knows all about great things, obviously. A two-time league MVP, he threw for four touchdowns against the NFL’s stingiest defense, and led a comeback from a 10-point deficit through three quarters. He connected on all eight of his throws on the decisive drive that ended with a 3-yard TD pass to Julian Edelman. Brady is 37 and has said he hopes to play well into his 40s, and he works hard to stay in top physical shape. So he doesn’t see his winning toss to Edelman as his final Super Bowl moment. But he certainly recognizes how difficult the journey is. “Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “I was a young kid when we won those first three. I know in ‘04 after we

beat the Eagles, I was like, ‘I’m just ready for this to be over, get the offseason started,’ just because we had experienced it. Obviously, with some perspective of that game, it’s a hard thing to get here and then it’s a hard thing to win the game. “Playing against the other best team, obviously, one play here, one play there, all things change, and we’ve been on the other end of that, too. So I’m just proud that we really got a chance to finish it out.” His coach, Bill Belichick, recognizes the value of a likely first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback running his offense. When the Patriots were being dominated by the Seahawks in the third quarter Sunday, Belichick understood that if they could keep it close, they had the closer.

Punt Returns 3-27 2-6 Kickoff Returns 3-49 0-0 Interceptions Ret. 1-3 2-14 Comp-Att-Int 37-50-2 12-21-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-8 3-13 Punts 4-49.0 6-44.8 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0 Penalties-Yards 5-36 7-70 Time of Possession 33:46 26:14

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_New England, Blount 14-40, Vereen 4-13, Edelman 1-7, Brady 2-(minus 3). Seattle, Lynch 24-102, Wilson 3-39, Turbin 2-21. PASSING_New England, Brady 3750-2-328. Seattle, Wilson 12-21-1247. RECEIVING_New England, Vereen 11-64, Edelman 9-109, Gronkowski 6-68, Amendola 5-48, LaFell 4-29, Develin 1-6, Hoomanawanui 1-4. Seattle, Matthews 4-109, Lockette 3-59, Kearse 3-45, Lynch 1-31, Baldwin 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.

CLEVELAND — Johnny Manziel has sought help to change his off-field lifestyle. Following a rough rookie season in the NFL, Manziel has entered a treatment program for unspecified reasons, an adviser for the Browns quarterback said in a statement released by the team on Monday. Beckworth’s statement did not indicate reasons for Manziel needing treatment. However, the 22-year-old QB’s penchant for partying followed him from college into the pros and Manziel’s nightlife has been wellchronicled by both social and mainstream media. FALCONS HIRE SEAHAWKS’ QUINN AS COACH

Leonard that he lost. The lasting image from golf’s biggest implosion was Van de Velde slipping off his socks and shoes and stepping into the knee-deep water to reclaim his third shot

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons’ long wait for new leadership on the field finally ended Monday when Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was named the team’s coach. The Falcons said Quinn will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday. Quinn replaces Mike Smith, who was fired following a 6-10 finish in 2014.

FAB FIVE FAIL

USC SUMTER 10

Chris Webber’s Michigan Wolverines trailed North Carolina 73-71 in the closing seconds of the 1993 NCAA men’s basketball championship when he found himself double-teamed and called a timeout. Because Michigan had no timeouts left, Webber was assessed a technical foul and the Tar Heels cruised to the title.

CATAWBA VALLEY CC 3

“He’s a great player,” Belichick said. “It’s been a great privilege to coach Tom for the last 15 years, 14 years as starting quarterback. We have a great relationship. We meet on a regular basis weekly several times. “I can’t think of a more deserving player than Tom to be the recipient of the accolades that he has this week, and particularly last night and today here. He’s our leader. He competes as well as any player I’ve ever coached. He’s well-prepared. He has great poise and great presence. He may not always be perfect, as it is for any of us. We all have our moments, but Tom, like many other players on our team, is the guy that fights to the end and competes until the end. “There’s no player I respect more for that than Tom. That’s been a great pillar of strength for our football team for the past decade and a half.”

Kolby Croxton, Will Thomas and Ray Murphy each drove in two runs to power the University of South Carolina Sumter baseball team

past Catawba Community College on Sunday at Riley Park. Jamie Morlan (1-0) got the win in relief for the Fire Ants, who improved to 2-1 on the year. Fred Wadsworth was 3-for4 with an RBI for USCS while Brett Auckland and Justin Hawkins were each 2-for-5. Thomas was 2-for-4 while Murphy went 1-for-3. KOEPKA RALLIES TO WIN PHOENIX OPEN

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brooks Koepka has lost track of the miles flown, the oceans crossed and the stamps in his passport as he toiled in remote corners of the golfing world for more than two years to prepare himself for moments like Sunday at the Phoenix Open. The most significant journey turned out to be the 50 feet his golf ball traveled from the fringe, up a ridge and right into the cup. That eagle on the par-5 15th hole gave Koepka a share of the lead, and he left the mistakes to everyone else the rest of the way. He closed with a 5-under 66 for a one-shot victory and his first PGA Tour title. AUSTRALIA’S GOGGIN WINS WEB. COM TOUR OPENER

PANAMA CITY — Australia’s Mathew Goggin won the Web.com Tour’s seasonopening Panama Claro Championship on Sunday, closing with a 3-under 67 in hot, windy conditions for a four-stroke victory. EX-NFL STAR WARREN SAPP ARRESTED IN PHOENIX

PHOENIX — Former NFL lineman and Hall of Famer Warren Sapp was arrested Monday on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute and allegedly assaulting two women, Phoenix police said. Hours later, the NFL Network announced that it had terminated its contract with Sapp, who had been working as a broadcaster and was in Arizona for Sunday’s Super Bowl in suburban Glendale. BASKETBALL ANALYST ANTHONY PLEADS NOT GUILTY

WASHINGTON — Basketball analyst Greg Anthony is pleading not guilty to a charge of soliciting a prostitute. Anthony’s lawyer entered the plea on his behalf during an appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Monday. From wire reports

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

Tigers duo possibly changing stripes? T

wo of Clemson’s most prized commitments for its 2015 recruiting football class, wide receiver Deon Cain and ruinning back Ray Ray McCloud of Tampa, Fla., made official visits to Auburn over the weekend. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has a stated policy prohibiting his commitments from visiting elsewhere or risk losing their offer. However, there’s been no indication he’s enforced that with these two players with National Signing Day on Wednesday. Also interesting is the fact that McCloud and his family have consistently denied any plans for taking official visits to other schools. WR/defensive back Denzel Johnson of A.C. Flora High School in Columbia made an official visit to Massachusetts over the weekend. He did not commit and said he’s considering Clemson, UMass, Towson and South Carolina State in no order. He has taken official visits to all four. Johnson had planned to commit to Clemson on his official visit last month, but learned while on campus the Tigers couldn’t take him then because of is academic standing. However, Swinney told him he would hold a spot for him in this class if he could meet the requirements. With that in mind, Johnson said he might not sign on Wednesday to allow for more time to qualify for his Clemson scholarship, and he said he has been in contact with the Tigers. USC

The University of South Carolina football program was supposed to find out on Monday evening if defensive end Arden Key of Atlanta was choosing it or Louisiana State for the ‘15 class. Key planned to announce his decision on the Fox Sports South show, Next Level, which started at 10 p.m. Key was scheduled to visit Auburn over the weekend, but cancelled the visit because he was tired and didn’t want to take another trip, according to his head coach. Also, Key met with LSU coaches for an extended period on Friday, sending recruiting analysts into a tizzy. Now some of them believe Key is LSU bound. Late last week, Key said he still favored USC with Auburn second on his list and LSU third. But now it’s down to the Gamecocks and LSU. “They’ve been with me since Day 1,” Key said of the Gamecocks, who have seen him commit and decommit on two occasions. “They said I have an opportunity to come in and play as a freshman; it’s all up to me.” USC recruiter and defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward was on the phone with Key multiple times over the weekend. DB Damon Arnette of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is headed home after completing his weekend official visit to Ohio State. The longtime USC commitment said nothing has changed and he still considers himself committed to the Gamecocks. “It was nice, it was very cool,” Arnette said of his visit to Columbus. “The coaches showed a lot of love. It’s a hard decision right now. I’m still committed, I think. Nothing hasn’t changed there. I feel like there’s a great opportunity for me (at USC). Me and the coaching staff have a great relationship, so that’s what’s going to make it so hard.” Arnette also took an official visit to Michigan this month and has been considering the Wolverines. Arnette said he didn’t expect to make a final decision until Monday or today, but

won’t put anything out until National Signing Day on Wednesday. DB Rashad Fenton of Miami was scheduled visited Louisville over the weekend, switching that trip from Auburn. He also has been to USC and Florida. As for what he will base his decision on, Fenton said, “Whatever school I see myself being at for the next four years.” He plans to announce on Wednesday when he will be in Texas for the International Bowl. DE Tega Wanogho Jr. of Elmore, Ala., made an official visit to Auburn over the weekend. He was joined by his assistant coach and mentor Todd Taylor, who is helping the Nigeria native to navigate the winding path to a commitment. “Everything went well,” Taylor said. “Everything was great. They took good care of him, and they were very accommodating to his injury (broken leg). Everybody on the staff did a great job. He was most definitely impressed.” Wanogho has also visited LSU. He will not sign on Wednesday and will continue with trips in February. He is scheduled to visit Mississippi State on Feb. 13 and Tennessee on Feb. 20. USC also remains a possibility though Taylor said no date has been set. They last talked with USC recruiter Kirk Botkin last week. “He wants to take other visits,” Taylor said. “It just wears him out. He’s not used to it. I told him it (the decision) is going to come down to your head, your gut and your heart.” Offensive lineman Christian Pellage of Brooksville, Fla., announced on Friday he will follow through on his longstanding commitment and sign with USC on Wednesday. Pellage first committed to USC August in August of ‘14, but took a long look at UF once the new staff took over. “Florida gave me a lot to think about, especially with the new staff and the players, but in the end, after the discussion with my family, South Carolina just felt right deep down in my heart,” Pellage said. “My relationship with (OL) Coach (Sean) Elliott had a huge impact with this decision. It wasn’t always about football; we got to know each other personally. I know I can trust him in my development as a player and a person.” Pellage is one of five OLs committed to the Gamecocks and one of 31 newcomers for the ‘15 class. OL Trey Derouen (6-feet3-inches, 309 pounds) of Lilburn, Ga., announced a commitment to USC on Thursday, picking USC over Louisville. He once was a Mississippi State commitment and he also considered UF and Kansas State. “When I went on my official visit (last weekend) I felt like it was a family,” Derouen said. “I got along with everybody. I loved the facilities. I love (head) Coach (Steve) Spurrier. I love Coach Elliott and I want to be coached by them. Gamecock Nation feels right to me. Plus, the academics are top notch.” OTHERS

Ware Shoals High placekicker Jeremy Hart will sign with North Greenville on Wednesday. DE Corbin Heyward of Hanahan High committed to Navy, while running back Desmond Anderson of Broome High in Spartanburg committed to Middle Tennessee State. Lancaster high PK Shea Rodgers and OL Tevin Watts committed to Newberry, according to the Rock Hill Herald. WR Leron Carn of Woodland High in Dorchester committed to Marshall, Broome linebacker Bavueir Jackson has committed to Limestone for both football and track and field, defensive lineman Chris Bouyer of Northwestern High in

Rock Hill has committed to East Tennessee State and Conway High OL Landon Jones committed to Coastal Carolina. JUNIORS CLEMSON

Clemson is working really hard on its 16 class. It hosted juniors on Saturday and picked up one commitment immediately and could land three more this week. Clemson continued its magic in luring talented skill position athletes from the Tampa area on Saturday when WR TJ Chase (6-3, 180) of Plant City, Fla., committed at the end of junior day activities. Chase attends IMG Academy in Bradenton and was joined for the weekend at Clemson by two other highly-soughtafter prospects in DE Rahshaun Smith and athlete Saivion Smith. Neither of the Smiths committed, but they are also very interested in the Tigers. Chase, however, was ready to make his decision after meeting with the staff and seeing in person what they have to offer. “The strong relationship that I’ve built with Coach Swinney and (co-offensive coordinator) Coach (Jeff) Scott, it was just a good atmosphere,” Chase said. “All the stuff that Coach Swinney and Coach Scott Phil Kornblut was telling me about RECRUITING the campus CORNER and Clemson, when I went out there it was really just like they said it was, like a family atmosphere. I just fell in love with it and I felt like it was home for me.” Chase also took note of Clemson’s offense and its history with receivers from Florida, and that played a role in the quick decision. “That’s a big part of the reason I committed,’ he said. “I’m trying to get to the (National Football) league and stuff like that and they did that with a couple of their players and that played a big role in me committing.” Last season, Chase had 24 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns. He said he is finished with recruiting. Some of Chase’s other offers include USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, North Carolina State, Alabama, Auburn, UF, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State and Virginia Tech. He’s the Tigers’ fourth commitment for the ‘16 class. Spartanburg High RB Tavien Feaster, who attended Clemson’s junior day, plans to announce his college commitment on Wednesday. Feaster has not said anything publicly about a favorite, but it’s widely believed he will announce for Clemson. The Tigers first offered him in 2013 and have remained at the forefront of his recruiting. Swinney met with Scott earlier in the week at his school while cooffensive coordinators Scott and Tony Elliott saw him the week before. Junior LB Jamie Skalski (6-1, 230) of Newnan, Ga., attended Clemson’s junior day and plans to announce a college decision on Wednesday. Skalski said he is deciding between the Tigers, who he has most recently favored, and USC, which he has favored in the past. “I knew I liked the football at Clemson and the coaches already; I just wanted to see the facilities and what they offered academically,” Skalski said. “I saw everything I needed to see, and I really liked it.” Skalski also spent quality time with defensive coordinator and LB coach Brent Venables and Swinney. “Meeting Coach Dabo Swin-

ney, that was great,” he said. “He’s an easy guy to like right off the bat. A natural leader, someone I definitely want to play for. I think they like me as much as I like them.” Skalski has not yet ruled out USC at this point though and talked with LB coach Botkin last week. “I just like the whole thing,” he said of USC. “Steve Spurrier, it’s a good program.” OL Jack DeFoor (6-5, 268) of Calhoun, Ga., was at Clemson on Saturday and was offered by OL coach Robbie Caldwell. He’s considering giving the Tigers a commitment though he’s not sure when. “It could be tomorrow,” DeFoor said on Sunday. “It could be Feb. 4. But like Coach Swinney says, when you know, you know. I think I will know pretty quick.” DeFoor also has offers from Appalachian State, Middle Tennessee State, Cincinnati and Georgia Southern. WR Cornell Powell (6-1, 190) of Greenville, N.C., is one of the early hot prospects in the Carolinas and right now he has Clemson as his clear leader over Ohio State, NCSU and North Carolina. Powell was at Clemson on Saturday and was also in for a game last season. Powell has had two excellent seasons catching the football. Last season, he caught 67 passes for 1,248 yards and 19 TDs. As a sophomore, he had 47 catches for 1,228 yards and 21 TDs. CLEMSON AND USC

DE Rahshaun Smith (6-3, 230) of Baltimore is a national recruit with whom Clemson has become very chummy. Smith attends IMG Academy in Bradenton. He camped at Clemson last summer, went to a game last season, and attended the Tigers’ junior day. Smith has nearly 40 offers and said he does not plan to narrow his list anytime soon. Clemson and USC are among those offers. Smith said he loves Clemson and has similar feelings right now for UF, Oklahoma and Tennessee. As for USC, Smith is very good friends with USC signee Ernest Hawkins and he has talked with Gamecock recruiter GA Mangus. That was about a month and a half ago, and he said he hasn’t heard back from the Gamecocks. He’s not sure if USC will figure in his long term plans. One of the state’s top ‘16 prospects is LB Brandon Hill (6-3 215), who lives in Orangeburg, but attends Heathwood Hall in Columbia. Hill has offers from Clemson, Wake Forest and Duke. He’s also drawing interest from USC, VT and Vanderbilt. Last season, Hill went to one game at Clemson, Vandy and VT and made two game day visits to Duke. Clemson has been showing strong interest in Hill, while USC has been lukewarm toward him thus far, but Hill doesn’t place the blame on the Gamecocks. “I can’t be mad at them,” he said, “because I haven’t taken the time to initiate contact with them.” Hill planned to attend Clemson’s junior day. He will go to VT on Saturday, WF on Feb. 21 and Duke on Feb. 28. WR Bryan Edwards of Conway High spent Saturday at USC taking a better look at the program he currently favors. USC has been by Conway to see Edwards a couple of times and recruiter Steve Spurrier Jr. took in one of his recent basketball games. “It’s just their constant recruiting,” Edwards said in explaining why USC leads for him over Clemson and WF. “They spread the ball around and share the wealth. I feel like if I can

make plays, I can fit in any offense. The relationship I have with Coach Spurrier Jr. and talking to him a lot, he’s telling me a lot of things.” Duke was in to see Edwards and he’s expecting Clemson to get down soon. WF also has been in, but USC is the team to beat and Edwards likes the idea of possibly playing for Spurrier. Edwards said USC has a substantial lead over the rest of the teams on his offer list. That would include Clemson, VT, UF, Duke, UNC, Kentucky and WF. OL EJ Price of Lawrenceville, Ga., was at Clemson on Saturday. Going into the visit he had a top 10, in order, of Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, FSU, USC, Southern California, Clemson, Alabama, LSU and Tennessee. WR Diondre Overton of Greensboro, N.C., was at Clemson on Saturday. He picked up offers last week from USC, Tennessee and Louisville. Clemson offered OL Luke Elder (6-5, 275) of LaGrange, Ga. He also has a USC offer. USC

LB TJ Brunson of Richland Northeast High in Columbia was among the junior visitors at USC on Saturday. He was one of the few ‘16 recruits invited by the Gamecocks without an offer from them, but that soon could change, perhaps as early as this week. “I find out after the meeting the coaches have talked and he (Botkin) said he will call (RNE) head Coach (Jay) Frye,” Brunson said. “He said they think highly of me.” And Brunson thinks highly of USC after checking things out on Saturday. “Academics for one,” he said in recalling some of the standout moments of the visit. “They are very 1-on-1 with their athletes. The facilities, their strength and conditioning program is pretty good. It’s the first time I’ve seen that 1-on-1. We got to look at the new (practice) fields and where they were building the new dorms and things like that.” Brunson has offers from NCSU and Georgia Southern. A USC offer would be big to him, but he’s not sure he would commit right away. Brunson plans to go to junior days at NCSU on Feb. 21 and Clemson on March 7. He’s also thinking about a visit to Louisville. USC welcomed tight end Jordan Giberti (6-3, 225) of Gainesville, Fla., to campus on Saturday and it won’t be his last visit to Columbia. He’s far away from thinking about a commitment, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him make Columbia his college home one day. “I loved it,” Giberti said. “They definitely stress a family atmosphere there. The coaches are really hands on and talk to you personally. They invited 35-40 kids they are seriously looking at and it was pretty cool. I got to see the campus for the first time. I saw the stadium. It was good to get a feel for the program and the academic side as well.” Giberti has an offer from the Gamecocks and Utah and is drawing interest from Central Florida, Cincinnati, Arizona and Northwestern. Giberti plans a return trip to Columbia this summer. He’s also expecting more offers to come in this spring when more schools get a chance to see him. ATH Ahmir Mitchell of Egg Harbor City, N.J., lists his top eight as USC, Ohio state, FSU, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State and VT. USC offered ‘17 WR Louis Dorsey of Jacksonville, Fla., ‘17 quarterback Jake Fromm of Warner Robins, Ga., and ‘18 QB Joey Gatewood of Jacksonville, giving him eight verbal offers. USC also offered RB Elijah Holyfield of Atlanta, the son of former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

1. Hillcrest 2. Wade Hampton 3. Wando 4. Irmo 5. Spring Valley 6. James Island 7. Byrnes 8. Dorman 9. Woodmont 10. North Augusta 3A

1. A.C. Flora 2. Midland Valley 3. Travelers Rest 4. Wilson 5. Belton-Honea Path 6. Dreher 7. Seneca 8. Darlington 9. Berkeley 10. Crestwood, Orangeburg-Wilkinson

POLL FROM PAGE B1 heading into today’s home game against Manning. Crestwood is one game behind Lakewood in the region race at 6-1. The Lady Knights are 14-4 overall and will play host to the Lady Gators on

PICK FROM PAGE B1

SCBCA BOYS POLL 4A

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

2A 1. Ridgeland-Hardeeville 2. Cheraw 3. Keenan 4. Timberland 5. Battery Creek 6. Blacksburg 7. Mullins 8. Strom Thurmond 9. Edisto 10. Garrett Tech

Buffalo with The Citadel, D’onte Washington with Guilford College, Zach Baker and Justin Yeadon with Methodist College and Tyshawn Johnson with Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Dengokl will be signing with North Carolina-Asheville. Sumter High Shrine Bowl wide receiver Ky’Jon Tyler is set to sign with Coastal Carolina, while offensive lineman Blake Durant will sign with Lackawana Junior College in Pennsylvania. The two Crestwood football players set to sign are Donald Rutledge with The Citadel and Tommy Pugh with Highland Community College in Kansas. Buffalo, Rutledge and Tyler will be signing with Football Championship Subdivision schools. The Citadel is a member of the Southern

1A 1. Burke 2. Calhoun County 3. Christ Church 4. Latta 5. Southside Christian 6. Hannah-Pamplico 7. Fox Creek 8. Williston-Elko 9. Great Falls 10. Lewisville

Friday after Tuesday’s game at Hartsville. Hillcrest sits atop the 4A boys poll, while A.C. Flora tops the 3A poll, Ridgeland-Hardeville the 2A poll and Burke the 1A poll. The other No. 1 girls teams are Lancaster in 3A, Dillon in 2A and Christ Church in 1A.

TYLER

RUTLEDGE

JOHNSON

PUGH

Conference, while Coastal is a member of the Big South Conference. Rutledge played free safety for Crestwood and had 75 tackles, three interceptions and broke up 10 passes. Buffalo had 752 allpurpose yards on offense for Lakewood, while coming up with 46 tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back. Tyler had 65 catches for the Gamecocks, picking up 1,367 yards and 12 touchdowns. Washington, Baker and Yeadon will be signing with NCAA Division III schools. Washington, a linebacker, had 99 tackles, nine TFLs, three quarterback sacks and an interception, fellow linebacker Yeadon had 53 tackles

and eight TFLs and defensive tackle Baker had 45 tackles and eight TFLs. Johnson, Durant and Pugh are going the JUCO route. Johnson had 26 tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back for the Gators. Durant graded out at 80 percent and had 42 knockdown blocks for the Gamecocks, while Pugh had 25 knockdowns and graded out at 80 percent on the offensive line for the Knights. Dengokl will be signing with a DI school in UNC Asheville, a member of the Big South. Dengokl is averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for Lakewood, which is 16-3 overall and leads Region VI-3A with a 7-0 record.

ty, her nurses, Kim Griffin and Shelly Hopkins, her CNA’s, Rita Hampton, Elaine Mack, Margie Ballard and Celia Thomas, social workers, Sue Smith, and hospice volunteer, Sherry Floyd. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Grace Baptist Church and other times at the home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Baptist Church, 219 W. Calhoun St., Sumter, SC 29150 or to Hospice Care of Tri-County, 2560 Tahoe Drive, Sumter,

SC 29150. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

OBITUARIES ELIZABETH M. BOYKIN HORATIO — Elizabeth Moore Boykin, 96, widow of William C. Boykin Sr., died on Friday, Jan. 31, 2015, in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Robert Melette Moore and Hattie Sanders Moore. Mrs. Boykin was a member of High Hills of the Santee Baptist Church, where BOYKIN she previously served as the treasurer. Surviving are a son, William “Bill” C. Boykin Jr. and wife, Emily, of Horatio; a sonin-law, Jeffery Hare Gunter Sr. of Hendersonville; a brother, Burrell Moody Moore of Horatio; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Dolores Boykin Gunter; two brothers, Robert Melette Moore Jr. and Isham Moore; and a sister, Martha Dennis. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at High Hills of Santee Baptist Church, Meeting House Road, Dalzell, SC 29040 with the Rev. Ron Underwood officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends following the service at the home, 7105 Moody Road, Rembert. Memorials may be made to High Hills of the Santee Baptist Church, 6593 Francis Marion Ave., Dalzell, SC 29040. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

JAMES E. JACKSON LYNCHBURG — James Edward “Jay” Jackson, 80, widower of Castilia Johnson Jackson, died on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at his residence,

3240 Mt. Sinai Church Road, Lynchburg. He was born on Aug. 19, 1934, in the Scottsville community of Sumter County, a son of the late Edward and Eunice Miller Jackson. He was a graduate of Goodwill Parochial School in Mayesville. He was employed at B.L. Montague Steel, Town & Country, Campbell Soup, Wateree CommuJACKSON nity Action and he was an entrepreneur. He was a member of Goodwill Presbyterian Church, where he served as elder, deacon, trustee, and as a member of the men’s council and the male chorus. He was a member of Golden Gate Masonic Lodge No. 78. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara “Jay Girl” (William) Reynolds of Coltons Point, Maryland; James T. “Jay Boy” (Shannon) Jackson of Lynchburg; 10 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Lizzie Mae Jackson of Washington, D.C.; and a special friend, Ruby Gibson. Masonic Rites will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Hayes F. and LaNelle J. Samuels Sr. Memorial Chapel, 114 N. Church St., Manning. Celebratory services for Mr. Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Goodwill Presbyterian Church, 295 N. Brick Church Road, Mayesville, with the Rev. Dr. Ella F. Busby, pastor, officiating, the Rev. Dr. Franklin Colcolugh Sr. and the Rev. Carnell Hampton assisting. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Mr. Jackson will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time. The family is receiving friends at his residence. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

PAULINE S. STAFFORD Pauline Smith Stafford, 89, widow of Mendel S. Stafford Sr., went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. She

died peacefully at home with her children at her side along with her faithful dog, Murphy. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Thomas “Coga” Sr. and Pearl Rollins Smith. Mrs. Stafford was a member of Grace Baptist Church for more than 80 years and a member of the Faith Sunday School class. She was STAFFORD very active in the WMU and on many committees of the church. She was also a member of the adult choir and senior adult choir, until her health failed. She was a volunteer at Tuomey hospital in the surgical waiting room for several years. She was a loving wife and mother. She retired from the S.C. Employment Security Commission, Sumter office, in 1986. Surviving include two children, Paula S. Wright of the home and Mendel S. Stafford Jr. (Judy) of Peachtree Corners, Georgia; a brother, Charles Leonard Smith (Anne) of Charleston; a sister, Ann Smith Walls of Hampton, Newport News, Virginia; a sister-in-law, Judy M. Smith of Sumter; three step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; three step-greatgreat-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by two brothers, T.C. Smith Jr. and Fred R. Smith; and a son-in-law, Freddie A. Wright. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Grace Baptist Church with Dr. Stephen Williams and the Rev. Steve Shumake officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. Pallbearers will be Tripp Kimbrell, Buddy Wescott, Dan Lyles, Glen Belew, George Hussey and Scott Barrineau. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Faith Sunday School class. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Kimberly Nichols, mother’s sitter for the last six years, and to the entire staff of Hospice Care of Tri-Coun-

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OBITUARIES

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

BRITTANY BARBER God blessed us with a loving daughter and we joyfully share a glimpse of her life story. Brittany was known for her beautiful smile and fighting spirit. She was more concerned about the needs of others BARBER and she believed in enjoying life to the fullest. Brittany battled long and hard and never gave up in her longtime journey of battling uterine sarcoma cancer. Her motto was #WeChooseLife. Brittany Chauntell Laeneé Barber, daughter of Marcia Denise Ragin and Eric Allen Barber Sr., peacefully departed this earthly life on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. She was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Charles Preston “CP” Ragin and Irene Delores Ragin. Brittany received her early education in Sumter School Districts 2 and 17. She was a graduate of Sumter High School Class of 2007. While in attendance, she was a member of the Sumter High School J.V. Tennis Team and a member of the Sumter High School Choir. During this time, she traveled to Carnegie Hall in New York City to perform with the choir. Brittany attended Charleston Southern University, Charleston, and Central Carolina Technical College, Sumter. She was employed by Sykes Enterprises Inc. of Sumter. Despite all of the odds, Brittany kept her faith and trust in God. She began her Christian experience at an early age. Baptized by her aunt, the Rev. M. Charmaine Ragin, she was a member of High Hills AME Church, Dalzell, where she was an active member of the Friendship Choir, Acolytes, Praise Team, Step Team, and the Young People’s Department of the Women’s Missionary Society. She later joined Mount Pisgah AME Church, Sumter, and continued to actively serve as a member of the Young People’s Choir, Young People’s Department of the Women’s Missionary Society and Mission Team. As a member of the Mission Team, she traveled to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, donating books, school supplies and clothing to school age students. At the time of her death, she faithfully worshipped at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church, Summerton. Brittany cherished her family, her loving mother, Marcia Denise Ragin of Sumter; her father, Eric Allen Barber Sr. of Columbia; six sisters, Nytacia Barber of Miami, Tahtianna and Jaszmine Canty of Sumter, and Stephanie Ketcham, Erykah Barber and LaNaycia Hiller, all of Columbia; four brothers, Eric Barber II of Bremerton, Washington, Vance Ragin of Sumter, Troy Ketcham of Camp Pendleton, California, and Isaiah Barber of Columbia; paternal grandparents, Albert and Joyce Thorpe of New Rochelle, New York; one great-aunt, Carol Barber of Mount Vernon, New York; five aunts, Sheila (Charlie) Ragin Choice and the Rev. Dr. M. Charmaine Ragin, both of Sumter, and Joycia Hughes and Judy (Curtis) Lewis, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Toya Barber of New Rochelle; three uncles, Ronald Ragin of Atlanta, John Ragin of Niceville, Florida, and Kevin (Yvette) Creighton of San Diego, California; and a loving boyfriend, Michael White of Alcolu. Brittany was also known as “Auntie Britt” and “Britt Britt” to her nieces and nephews. She also cherished many cousins and friends. Visitation of family and friends will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Palmer Memorial Chapel. Celebratory services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Mt. Pisgah AME Church, 217 W. Bartlette St., Sumter. The Rev. Dr. Betty Deas Clark is the pastor. Interment will follow at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church cemetery, Summerton. Palmer Memorial Chapel of Sumter is in charge of arrangements.

ELEANOR C. VERNER LUGOFF — A memorial service for Eleanor Catherine

Verner, 89, will be held at 3 p.m. today at Powers Funeral Home. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Mrs. Verner, widow of Walter Verner, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. Born in Buffalo, New York, she was a daughter of the late Alexander and Josephine Guzenski. She worked for Leo’s in Lugoff for more than 30 years. Surviving are her son, James Consentino of Sumter; grandchildren, Carrie Ann Consentino, Kimmie Consentino, Gina Consentino and Thomas Consentino; and several great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son, Thomas F. Consentino; brothers, Wally, Guss, Joe, Chuck and Eddie Guzenski; and sisters, Helen Greene, Isabel McDonald, Stella Chrystler and Ginger Roche. Sign the online register at www.powersfuneralhome.net.

JANIE J. LLOYD CAMDEN — Janie Joy Lloyd, 90, of 716 Market St., Camden, died on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. Plans will be announced by Collins Funeral Home of Camden.

HARVEY JOSEY BISHOPVILLE — It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Harvey Josey, who passed away on Jan. 30, 2015. The family will be receiving friends at 46 Lighty Lane, Wisacky community, Bishopville, SC 29010. Services are incomplete at this time and will be announced at a later date. Services are entrusted to the professional staff of Wilson Funeral Home of Bishopville.

LAWERENCE EVANS BISHOPVILLE — It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Lawerence Evans, who passed away on Feb. 1, 2015. The family will be receiving friends at 420 Levy St., Bishopville, SC 29010. Services are incomplete at this time and will be announced at a later date. Services are entrusted to the professional staff of Wilson Funeral Home of Bishopville.

TAMEKA L. DAVIS Tameka LaShawn Davis was born on March 1, 1980, in Sumter, to the late Walter and Shirley Coplin Davis. Affectionately known as “Tammie,” she was educated in the public schools of Sumter and furthered her education by obtaining a CNA certification. In her early years, she attended Bethlehem Baptist Church. Tameka was a devoted mother to her daughter, Takiyah, as well as a loving sister, aunt, family member and friend. Tammie was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, William and Sophia Coplin; and paternal grand-

parents, Luther and Fannie Mae Nelson. Tammie departed this life on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Tammie leaves to cherish her memories: a daughter, Takiyah Henry; a special friend, Antonio Henry; three sisters, Angela White, Thelesia Coplin and Natalie Davis (Chris Wilson); four aunts, Maggie Jones, Marie (Anthony) Singleton, Willie Mae Coplin and Yvonne Coplin; uncle, William (Carrie) Coplin; her loving nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and close friends. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 14 Brand St., Sumter, with the Rev. Larry Barnes, pastor, officiating. Interment will follow in Greater Mt. Pisgah Church cemetery. A public viewing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. today at the mortuary. The family is receiving friends at the home of her sister, Natalie Davis, 42 Lemmon St., Sumter. Online memorials can be made at www.whitesmortuary. net. Services entrusted to Whites Mortuary LLC, (803) 774-8200.

THE SUMTER ITEM He was born on Oct. 17, 1955, in Sumter County, a son of the late Frank and Beanna Addison Wilson. The family will be receiving friends at the home, 26 Rast St., Sumter Apartment No. 30. Funeral plans are incomplete and will be announced later by Job’s Mortuary Inc. of Sumter.

ELLA L. HARVIN Ella Louise Harvin, 64, departed this life on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. She was born on Nov. 8, 1950, in Sumter County, a daughter of the late R.L. Bennett and Edna Harvin Sharper. The family will be receiving friends at the home, 944 Boulevard Road, Sumter, SC 29153. Funeral plans are incomplete and will be announced later by Job’s Mortuary Inc. of Sumter.

FRANK WILSON Frank Wilson died on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at Palmetto Health Richland. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter.

DONALD W. PARKER Donald Willard Parker, 67, husband of Emilie Smith Parker, died on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at his home. Born in Olanta, he was a son of the late Willard M. and Juanita Anderson Parker. He was a member of Christian Ministries Church. He retired from B.L. Montague Co. and Porter Fabrication. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and was a recipient of the Purple Heart. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Patrick Parker of Sumter and Ricky Parker (Tracy) of Dacula, Georgia; a granddaughter, Sarah Parker; five stepchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; 17 step-greatgrandchildren; two sisters, Marilyn Grover (Bill) of Gilbert and Sylvia Avins (Frank “Coot” Avins) of Sumter; and two brothers, James Parker (Evelyn) and Russell Parker (Christine), both of Sumter. He was preceded in death by a son, David Parker; a brother, Allen Parker; and a sister, Martha Geddings. Graveside services with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery with the Rev. Kenny Griffin officiating. Memorials may be made to the family c/o Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home, 515 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements. www.ecsfuneralhome.com

JEFFERY J. WILSON Jeffery Jerome Wilson, 59, departed this life on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at the Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia.

He joined Calvary Missionary Baptist Church early in life. He worked for Sumter Builders and Richardson Landscaping Co. Survivors are his twin daughters, Lakeysha Conyers and Latisha Conyers; a stepson, Sam Henry; two grandchildren, John’ella Goodley and Ja’mauri Conyers; sisters, Melvin Odell Conyers Green and Ceslie Ann Henry; stepsister, Judy Pugh; stepbrother, brother Hikie (Linda) Pugh; an aunt, Gertude Bogier; and a host of other relatives and friends. Viewing for Mr. Conyers will be from 2 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday in the chapel of Community Funeral Home with Bishop Leroy T. James and the Rev. Samuel Benjamin. Online memorials can be sent to comfhltj@sc.rr.com. Community Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of these arrangements.

LEROY C. MELTON Leroy Conrad Melton, age 78, beloved husband of 49 years to Isabelle Loose Melton, died on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter.

MARIE B. MILLER Marie B. Miller, age 93, beloved wife of the late Edward Joseph Miller, died on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at her residence. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter.

ALLEAN B. SANDERS SUMMERTON — Allean B. Sanders, 61, wife of James Sanders, died on Feb. 2, 2015, at her residence in Summerton. Born on Sept. 30, 1953, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Leroy and Reatus Carter Benbow. The family will receive friends at the home, 1503 Governor Richardson Road, Summerton. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Summerton Funeral Home LLC.

GEORGE GREEN George Lee Conyers Green, 99, entered eternal rest on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, at McLeod Hospice House, Florence. He was born on Aug. 6, 1955, in Wilmington, North Carolina, to the late Gloria Green Covington and was the adopted son of the late Blease and Mary Jane Bogier Conyers.

MICHAEL LEE EDWARDS JR. Deacon Michael Lee Edwards Jr., 46, husband of Minister Angela Conyers Edwards, entered eternal rest on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Born on Oct. 30, 1968, in Mayesville, he was a son of Michael Lee Edwards Sr. and the late Elouise Hannibal Edwards. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 715 Orlando Circle, Sumter. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 14 Brand St., Sumter, with Pastor Larry W. Barnes. Online memorials can be sent to comfhltj@sc.rr.com. Community Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of these arrangements.

LEVI PEARSON JR. MANNING — On Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, Levi Pearson Jr., husband of Minister Clementine “Tina” Jones Pearson, departed this life at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning. Born on July 3,1940, in Manning, he was a son of the late Levi and Viola Clark Pearson. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence, 121 Gregory St., Manning. Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced by Fleming & Delaine Funeral Home & Chapel.

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COMICS

THE SUMTER ITEM

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Stepmother wishes others wouldn’t devalue her role DEAR ABBY — I’m a 42-year-old divorced woman with no children. My ex-husband has a son whose Dear Abby life I was a part of for 18 ABIGAIL years. When VAN BUREN people ask if I have kids, my reply is, “Yes, I have a stepson.” Why do people think it’s OK to say things like, “That’s not the same as having your own,” or, “That doesn’t count”? Then they usually go on to ask why I don’t have children of my own. My response is a big fat lie. I say, “It just never hap-

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

pened.” The truth is my ex didn’t want any more children. What can I say to these people to let them know that they need to stop and think about what they say and ask, because their word choice in this circumstance is hurtful to the point of tears? Stepmom in California DEAR STEPMOM — A person who would downplay your role as a parent is rude, thoughtless and not worth your time. As to asking why someone is childless, I have addressed this subject in my column before. While many folks start conversations by asking whether someone has children, it can be a dangerous question. I learned my lesson and stopped asking after having

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

received an answer from one man that his son was doing life in prison as an accomplice to murder. Another man told me he had two children, a daughter and an estranged son who was also serving a long sentence — for selling narcotics. Neither person was happy to have been asked. After that, I stopped asking. I see no reason why you shouldn’t simply tell the truth about why you are child-free. Not having (or wanting) children is nothing to be ashamed of — it’s a personal choice that an increasing number of couples have opted for without regret. 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.

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 Pharmacy purchase 5 Figure (out), slangily 9 Early Yucat‡n settlers 14 German “a” 15 Irish New Age singer 16 Bite-the-bullet type 17 400 athletes? 19 “Star Trek” lieutenant 20 Trophy prized by actors 21 Watermelon eater’s discard 23 Austin-to-Baton Rouge direction 24 Flat hat with a pompom 26 40 polos? 28 Football club based in Lombardy 32 Many a casino visitor 33 Bank offering 34 Kelly of morning TV 37 Moral code 39 Texter’s “Horrors!” 40 4 tire inserts? 42 Squeeze (out) 43 Local news hr. 45 Mix 46 ESPN analyst Hershiser 47 Wife of Abraham

49 Chatty gathering 51 600 standups? 54 Plea at sea, briefly 55 “Sadly ...” 56 Pouty expression 58 Repetitive musical piece 62 ACC team with a turtle mascot 64 1,500 thermometer units? 66 Gobbled up 67 Letter carrier’s sackful 68 Starbucks order 69 Sound from an angry dog 70 Sugar bowl invaders 71 Battle of Normandy town DOWN 1 Geometric art style 2 Frees (of) 3 Like the word “waitress,” briefly 4 Gummy bear ingredient 5 Susan of “L.A. Law” 6 Small bills 7 Oven-safe brand 8 Stand in a painting class 9 East Lansing sch.

10 Nonreligious sort 11 Mall directory words 12 Bombing missions 13 Sings like Ella 18 Shrunken Asian sea 22 Broadband initials 25 Harry and __, “Home Alone” bad guys 27 Ground breakers 28 Plenty 29 Fesses up 30 Document sealed by King John in 1215 31 Petty peeves 35 Salt (away) 36 “Not __ deal” 38 Boston NBAer 40 Islamic

prayer leader 41 Notable periods 44 Thrive 46 In some respects 48 That guy 50 Five-time Wimbledon champ Bjorn 51 Goes out with 52 Pause punctuation 53 Khartoum’s land 57 Cut a line from, say 59 Well-kept 60 Computer giant 61 Norway’s most populous city 63 NBC comedy staple 65 Some Bronx trains

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2015

803-774-1234

OR TO PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE GO TO WWW.THE ITEM.COM/PLACEMYAD

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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. 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.

REVERSIBLE COMFORTERS

Twin .................. $12 each Full/Queen ......... $16 each 29 Progress St. - Sumter King .................. $20 each

775-8366 Ext. 37

Store Hours Mon. - Sat. • 9:30 - 5:00 Closed Sunday

BUSINESS SERVICES

NEW ARRIVALS

ASST. SHOWER CURTAINS

$10 each

Unfurnished Homes

MERCHANDISE

Business Opportunities

For Sale or Trade

NEED EXTRA $$$? Sell Home & Body Fragrances! Spend $100 with us. Triple Your $$$! Call 774-7823

Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves. Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311

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

Lawn Service Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs! Free est. 494-9169/468-4008 Lifestyles Lawn Service New Year Clean-up Specials! Mil.-Sen. Disc.! Erik 968-8655

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

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time Atlas Transmission looking for a FT Secretary/Office Manager . Apply in person at 301 W liberty St. ASE Certified Technician needed for a local franchise dealership. 5 day work week with competitive pay. Submit resume to: P-387 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151 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. Site Property Manager - for Elderly Section 8 property located near downtown Sumter. Experience in Section 8 apartment management preferred. Must have a prop. mgrs. license. Fax resume' to: Attn: Personnel - 803-345-3804. E.O.E.

Septic tank pumping & services. Call Ray Tobias & Company (803) 340-1155.

Tree Service 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

STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $2 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Finance Trainees No experience needed. Applicants must have a sales personality and enjoy working with our customers. Auto required. Good starting salary and good benefits. We will train you on the job. Apply in person: Lenders Loans 304 Broad St. Sumter SC 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

Help Wanted Part-Time $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555

Trucking Opportunities

Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Victorian Mahogany Furniture 4 pc. set. flowers etched in frames $1200 (downsizing) Call 696-4294

Split Oak Firewood $65/dumped, $75/stacked. Newman's Tree Service 316-0128. Massey Ferguson 35 gas tractor very nice, $3750. OBO Cash only. Call 803-972-0900 Firewood for Sale Will Deliver. Call 803 651-8672

420 N. Magnolia, 2br 1ba, 1 story frame, $400/mo., $400/sec. dep. 803-787-2319 or 840-5305. 3BR 2BA Lake House. Call for more info 803-406-6159 9am-8pm leave msg Tired of Renting? 2015 Could be the year you own your own home. Bad credit Ok, www.wewelcomeallbuyers.com 2BR 1BA home in quiet cul-de-sac w/ C/H/A. $440/mo+ dep. 481-9195 or 418-9444 2 & 3BR Apt & houses available in Sumter. No Sec. Dep. required. Call 773-8402 for more info.

Mobile Home Rentals

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water /sewer/garbage pk-up incl'd. RV parking avail. Call 803-494-8350 SW 3BR 2BA W/D incld. C/H/A Call 803- 410-0136 or 803-410-1153 2, 3 & 4 Br, all appliances, Section 8 accepted. 469-6978 or 499-1500

Commercial Rentals

LEGAL NOTICES Estate Notice Sumter County

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES Persons having claim against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these estates, and to file their claims on Form #371PC with the Probate Court of Sumter County Courthouse, N. Main Street, Sumter, SC, 29150, on or before the date that is eight months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors, (unless previously barred by operation of Section 62-3-803), or such persons shall be forever barred as to heir claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements, indicating the name and the address of the claimant, the basis of the claim, the amount claimed, the date when the claim will become due, the nature of any uncertainty as to the amount claimed and the date when due, and a description of any security as to the claim. Estate:

Personal Representative

Zoned for medical facility; tanning bed; financial office; furniture store; 4,000 sq. ft. Gamecock Plaza, McCrays Mill Rd. Bobby Sisson 773-4381.

Estate:

Donna Jean Young Thompson #2015ES4300056

Willard Darrell Thompson C/O Edwin W. King, Jr. Attorney at Law 2 East Bryan Street Suite 1203 Savannah, GA 31401 Estate:

Marion A. Jefferson #2015ES4300024 Liza Jefferson 125 W. Bartlette Street, Apt. 513 Sumter, SC 29150

Estate:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES

Persons having claim against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these estates, and to file their claims on Form #371PC with the Probate Court of Sumter County Courthouse, N. Main Street, Sumter, SC, 29150, on or before the date that is eight months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors, (unless previously barred by operation of Section 62-3-803), or such persons shall be forever barred as to heir claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements, indicating the name and the address of the claimant, the basis of the claim, the amount claimed, the date when the claim will become due, the nature of any uncertainty as to the amount claimed and the date when due, and a description of any security as to the claim.

Estate:

Hellen W. Osteen 535 E. Brewington Road Sumter, SC 29153 Estate:

REAL ESTATE

Estate:

Archie Bernie Dantzler 1481 Illery Road Sumter, SC 29153 Estate:

Melissa Gibbons 2465 Highview Street Sumter, SC 29154 Estate: May Clark Bynum Sharp #2015ES4300057

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). For Sale Nice 4Br 2Ba DW with large lot 803-983-0408

Land & Lots for Sale

Estate: Margaret Brown-Hackl #2015ES4300052 Personal Representative

James L. Brown 10 43rd Avenue Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Estate:

Elise S. Moore and Esther B. Sharp PO Box 2929 Pawley's Island, SC 29585 Estate:

Personal Representative

Richard S. Metz 106 Mason Croft Drive Sumter, SC 29150 Estate:

Morenike Prescott 1425 A Airport Road Sumter, SC 29153 Estate:

Sarah Wright 2605 Potomac Drive Sumter, SC 29153 Estate:

Janet Smith Clayton C/O J. David Weeks Attorney at Law PO Box 370 Sumter, SC 29151 Estate:

Junior L. Jones #2015ES4300030

John Sammons 15 Doctors Court Dalzell, SC 29040 Estate:

Harriett Elizabeth Poston #2015ES4300045

Personal Representative

Christine L. Poston C/O Player & McMillan Attorneys at Law PO Box 3690 Sumter, SC 29151 Estate:

Elvera Foecking #2015ES430004

Personal Representative

Claudia Miles 3313 Allen Road Effingham, SC 29541 Estate:

Joshua Ronald Lane #2014ES4300025

Personal Representative

Megan Lynn Lane 5695 Hugh Ryan Lane Dalzell, SC 29040 Estate:

Personal Representative

Rhonda Tomlin C/O Garryl Deas Attorney at Law Sumter, SC 29151

Michelle S. Keen #2015ES4300047

Personal Representative

Leroy Smith #2015ES430006

Personal Representative

Louis Wright Jr. #2015ES4300054

Personal Representative

Roseanne Nebblett #2015ES4300018

Personal Representative

Rose F. Metz #2015ES4300044

John Parker #2015ES4300041

Personal Representative

Mary D. Parker 8005 Osborne Road Rembert, SC 29128

Jean M. Thames #2015ES4300020

Personal Representative

Leslie B. McIntosh 1685 Reynolds Road Pinewood, SC 29125 Estate:

Bruce Wyland Cook #2015ES4300035

Personal Representative

Concepcion Dobato De Cook 300 Freedom Blvd. Sumter, SC 29154

5 Acres For Sale by Owner with septic & water. 803-427-3888. Owner financing.

Estate: Rupert H. Kimbrell, Jr. #2015ES4300058

TRANSPORTATION

Barbara T. Kimbrell 2380 Clematis Trail Sumter, SC 29150

Personal Representative

Estate:

George E. Gaymon #2015ES4300019

Personal Representative

Willie G. Moore 6465 Panola Road Pinewood, SC 29125 Estate:

11' Dodge Avenger 17,000 mi. Exc.cdtn, $15K OBO Call 803-406-6159 Lv msg 9-8pm

Estate:

Personal Representative

D. Gene Rickenbaker #2015ES4300038 Mary Kaye Rickenbaker PO Box 1796 Sumter, SC 29151

Charles T. Geddings #2015ES4300023

Personal Representative

Manufactured Housing

Rosa L. Dantzler #2015ES4300050

Personal Representative

Charlie Johnson #2015ES4300051 Lorene P. Chestnut PO Box 368 Pinewood, SC 29125

Roy Laverne Osteen #2015ES4300014

Personal Representative

Eugene C. Brown #2015ES4300011

Personal Representative

Mary Ann Knight 2358 Stevenson Dr. Charleston, SC 29414 Estate:

Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette. 775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Estate Notice Sumter County

Personal Representative

Unfurnished Apartments 2 Apts Avail. 1 Br, 3 Room Apartment, 7A-7B Maney St. No appliances $325 mo. & dep Call 803-775-0776

Estate Notice Sumter County

Hanna Jackson 2800 Wedgefield Road Sumter, SC 29154

Autos For Sale

RENTALS

Janie M.P. Bright #2015ES4300053

Personal Representative

Drivers needed to hauling chips, local, 3 yrs exp. req., full time, Call 803-804-4742

Open every weekend. 905-4242

For Sale or Trade

4 PC. PLACEMAT SETS SHOP WITH US AND SALE.....$3 per set Reg. $5 SAVE ON ALL YOUR TABLE RUNNERS HOUSEHOLD NEEDS... SALE........$2 each Reg. $4 ROUND COTTON SAVE $ SAVE $ SAVE $ SELECTED BRAIDED AREA RUGS ON LOW LOW PRICES 1/2 Off Reg Price

Marion M. Bowman #2015ES4300031

Personal Representative

Patricia Weaver 4715 Cayman Street Sumter, SC 29154 Estate:

I’ve never seen so many cars and people! What do you think is going on over there? Well, I was told she’s having one of those ‘Garage Sales.’ Can you imagine?! Minnie told me she made over $100 last time she had one... Just by placing a Classified Ad in

Dorothy Mae Morant #2015ES430001

Personal Representative

Nicholas M. Morant 3680 Bolden Lane Dalzell, SC 29040 Estate:

Charles S. Strange #2015ES4300055

Personal Representative

Do you think we should have one and place an ad? It sure would help with Spring Cleaning!

Brenda J. Balletine 335 Howell Road Blythewood, SC 29016

MAYO’S “FABULOUS FEBRUARY SALE”

20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 803.774.1234 www.theitem.com

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! Because it’s FABULOUS FEBRUARY

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