February 3, 2016

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Suspect’s charge upgraded to murder FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office upgraded a suspected shooter’s charge of attempted murder to murder on Monday after the victim recently died of complications from a wound he suffered in December.

Ricardo Dargan, 29, of 1281 Devonshire Drive, Sumter, was originally charged with attempted murder

after the shooting on Dec. 3, 2015 when the victim, David Clea, was shot in the leg with a 9 mm handgun, according to a news release from the sheriff ’s office.

DARGAN In an incident report provided by the sheriff ’s office, Dargan and Clea, 40, were arguing outside of a residence in the 1000 block

of Vaughn Street when a witness overheard Clea say, “You gonna shoot me with my own gun.”

Shortly after, witnesses heard multiple gun shots. When officers arrived, Clea was found on the ground with a gunshot wound to his right inner thigh and Dargan had left the scene.

Dargan was later located on S.C. 441 and was arrested.

He has been held at Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center since his arrest in December after he was denied bond for his original charge of attempted murder, said Capt.

Robert Burnish with the sheriff ’s office.

Clea was transported to Palmetto Health Tuomey right after the shooting

SEE MURDER, PAGE A6

Volunteers give dignity to the dead Trump

to visit Sumter

Grandmother leads recovery of overgrown, forgotten cemeteries

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com A group of volunteers has taken on the task of preserving local history by cleaning Rembert Branch Cemetery, which has been overgrown and forgotten for decades.

Beulah Carter, who has several relatives buried in the cemetery, decided to preserve her family members’ resting places when she returned to South Carolina after living in New Jersey for years.

On Tuesday, Carter, her grandson and two volunteers worked in the cemetery from 9:30 a.m. into the evening cutting down trees, marking grave sites and fixing headstones.

She said several headstones had been stolen from the cemetery during the years.

Before the cemetery was covered with decades of trees and overgrown brush, Carter said the headstones could be seen from across the road.

One of the last graves added to the cemetery was in 1989, and one of the earliest graves was dug in 1911.

Carter, who used to clean local cemeteries every year with her grandfather when she was a child, now takes on the task with her children and grandchildren.

“If Nana can get out and do it, they are going to help me,” she said.

She hopes to pass on the duty of taking care of the cemeteries to her decedents.

Carter said she gets a joy out of cleaning cemeteries because she knows it’s for a purpose.

“I wish people would take

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Beulah Carter places the top of Amelia Mark’s headstone back in place at the Rembert Branch Cemetary on Tuesday. Mark was buried in 1914. more care in maintaining loved ones’ resting places,” she said. “They deserve dignity, even in death.”

Once obstructions in the cemetery have been cleaned up, Carter said a fence will be built around it.

She said the project had been going on for more than a week and expects that it will take a long time

to complete because there were still several graves off in the woods that had not been cleared.

She said people can take the wood from the trees that have been cut down, for free to help clear off the land.

The group is looking for more volunteers and more tools to help with the project.

Carter said the group is

looking for an individual who can donate a wood chipper, which would make the clearing process much easier.

She said people can also send financial contributions for the project to 2571 Woodrow Road, Sumter, SC, 29153.

Those interested in volunteering can contact Beulah Carter at (803) 514-8712.

It is almost impossible to turn on the evening news without seeing a report of one of the major presidential candidates stumping in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville or Myrtle Beach. As the state prepares to host Presidential Preference TRUMP primary elections Feb. 20 and 27, candidates have not wanted to stray from the big media markets.

In Sumter County, however, except for a visit by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders months ago, not a single major candidate has scheduled an appearance.

As the election nears, that may be about to change, as billionaire Donald Trump has reserved the Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St., for a Feb. 17 event. Tickets are available at no charge at www.eventbrite.com. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and Trump is scheduled to appear at 7 p.m., the website says.

Acting Sumter County Republican Party Chair Jason Reddick said he is expecting more attention to be turned this way.

“I am glad to see that some of the GOP candidates are focusing on some of the smaller counties rather than just concentrating on the big three, Greenville, Columbia and Charleston, and I think we will see more of that in the next few weeks,” he said.

SEE TRUMP, PAGE A6

Campaigns turn to New Hampshire with Cruz, Sanders on the rise Trump looking to rebound from barely edging Rubio for 2nd NEWBURY, N.H. (AP) — Next up: New Hampshire.

Presidential contenders on Tuesday turned their airplanes and their hopes to the next arena in the fight for the nomination, a state that will test Ted Cruz’s broad appeal and give Hillary Clinton yet another chance to revive a battered campaign in the Granite State.

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Local party officials see S.C. primary importance growing

Clinton and rival Bernie Sanders fought to a virtual dead heat in Monday’s Iowa caucuses, an outcome that suggested the Democratic contest was headed toward a protracted wrestling match between its progressive and pragmatic wings.

On the Republican side, Cruz’s win provided a twist worthy of the topsy-turvy race. Winning 27.7 percent support, the Texas senator proved to be beloved by evangelicals, even if much-maligned by many others in his party, and adept at mounting a powerful grassroots operation. Donald Trump’s second-place finish at 24.3 percent

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The results of Tuesday evening’s Iowa caucuses may not change who Palmetto State voters cast their ballots for in the South Carolina Presidential

SEE LOCAL, PAGE A6

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THE SUMTER ITEM

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

LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Police search for shooting suspect Sumter Police are looking for Trey Lorenzo Moore, 22, after a shooting in the parking lot of a Guignard Drive convenience store.

Moore, whose last known address is 114 Willow Drive, Sumter, is wanted for MOORE attempted murder after a couple in a vehicle were approached and robbed at about 3:19 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of Fredrick’s Citgo, 283 S. Guignard Drive.

The man was shot before the suspect fled in the victims’ vehicle, which was later found wrecked on Walker Street. The woman was not injured. The man was taken to Palmetto Health Tuomey, where he is being treated for a non-lifethreatening gunshot wound.

Police converged on an area near Bartlette Street and Guignard Drive and set up a perimeter boundary east of that area while searching for the suspect late Tuesday afternoon.

Anyone with information about Moore’s whereabouts is asked to call Sumter Police Department at (803) 436-2700. Tips can also be given anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (803) 436-2718 or 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Man charged with pointing weapon Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Daniel Browder, 51, on Tuesday for allegedly pointing a weapon at a person in January.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, Browder, of 343 Vesper Court in Sumter, allegedly threatened the life of the 39-year-old male victim by pointing a pistol at the man’s face on Jan. 20 while in the 2600 block of Stern Drive. The release states the weapon was not presented in self-defense.

Browder was transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center and is charged with pointing.

Senate hits the brakes on S.C. roads bill COLUMBIA — After trying to speed a roads bill to the Senate floor, state senators are now hitting the brakes on a plan to get more money to South Carolina’s highways.

Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman told the Finance Committee on Tuesday he wants to bring in the Department of Transportation and the state Infrastructure Bank to tell the panel what they do.

That would push the debate on the Senate floor about how to raise more money for roads, cut taxes and reform the DOT board to at least Feb. 16, which is the week before the Republican presidential primary in South Carolina.

1st Startup Weekend comes to Sumter in late February Event gives aspiring entrepreneurs chance to pitch their big dreams

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Aspiring entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and possibly see them come to life during the inaugural Startup Weekend in Sumter, scheduled Feb. 26-28.

Startup Weekend, an event that has been held in 150 countries, is an opportunity for those with big ideas to work in teams to present a business model for a product or service.

“Startup Weekend is in more countries than Starbucks,” said Jenna Brown, community analyst with Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments.

Brown said the big idea behind Startup Weekend is the “big idea,” a person’s dream to create a product or start a business.

She said the event is organized to take advantage of each participant’s talents whether they be public relations, marketing or coding and programing.

“Participants should bring their laptops, power cords, business cards, cameras and lots of creative energy,” Brown said.

Meals will be provided.

Brenda Golden, regional workforce adviser with South Carolina Department of Commerce, described a startup as a company in the first stage of its operation.

She said previous ideas have included apps, toy designs and medical devices.

During the three-day event, attendees will pitch ideas, form teams to further develop those ideas, receive advice from event coaches and present ideas to judges on Feb. 28.

Not all attendees are required to pitch an idea but those who do will have one minute to convince the other participants to back their idea and join their team, Golden said.

Event coaches include Jared Smith, owner and president of Crossroads Outdoors and president and CEO of Jared’s Ace Hardware in Bishopville, Shaw Air Force Base Community Relations Manager Robert Sexton, and Heather Bauer, a previous Startup Weekend winner.

Golden said teams will be judged on three elements: a sound business model detailing how to attract customers and make a profit, the desirability

of the product or service and a demonstration of the design and funcVisit tionality of the www.up.co/communities/ product or service usa/sumter/startupwith a website or weekend/7575 3D model.

Teams will be judged by Central Carolina Technical College President Tim Hardee, University of South Carolina Columbia Technology Incubator Managing Director Jack Beasley and IT-ology Promote Information Technology Director Jamesetta James.

The prize package for the winning team, worth more than $2,500, includes certified public accountant services, business consulting and other essential services for a start up.

Ticket prices for the event range from $10 just to attend demo day on Feb. 28 when final presentations are given, $45 for those with backgrounds in coding and design and $50 for those with backgrounds in marketing and public relations.

Students can use the code STUDENT to pay just $25 for a ticket. They will be required to show a student ID at the door.

For more information about Startup Weekend Sumter and a link to purchase tickets to attend the event, go to www.up.co/communities/usa/sumter/ startup-weekend/7575

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

2003 capsule reveals state hasn’t made much progress

BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com HILTON HEAD ISLAND — The president of the state chamber of commerce told Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce Retreat on Sunday that a 2003 time capsule the organization opened last month read like today’s legislative agenda.

At the top of that 2003 list to make South Carolina competitive from a business environment: improve the roads and provide a well-educated workforce.

More than a dozen years later, not much has changed.

Ted Pitts, president of South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, said those are the same goals for this legislative session.

Pitts, a former state representative and chief of staff for Gov. Nikki Haley during her first term, said surrounding states are spending more money on roads, including North Carolina, which he estimated invests more than $150,000 per surface mile of its roads compared to South Carolina’s investment of $15,000 per mile.

Echoing much of the governor’s legislative agenda, Pitts said road funding for this legislative session should prioritize spending at least $600 million on improv-

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce President Ted Pitts said his organization’s legislative goals fall in line with Gov. Nikki Haley’s goals to improve roads and provide quality education. ing roads, reforming the governance of the Department of Transportation to make the chief executive accountable to the governor and providing some type of tax relief to offset whatever kind of gas tax the Legislature

might increase.

Pitts suggested tax relief would benefit all residents while an increase in gas taxes would put a third of that tax burden on people who don’t live in the state but use the state’s highway

system and purchase fuel while traveling through the state.

As far as workforce development, Pitts said the state has 60,000 jobs available right now.

“The jobs are there,” he said. “We need to prepare people to take those jobs.”

He applauded Central Carolina Technical College’s announcement that it would provide free college to future graduates of high schools in Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter counties. Graduates from those high schools must meet minimum qualifications for the program. He said that kind of commitment from higher education should help build a viable workforce pipeline to local industry.

Pitts also wants to simplify the state’s business licensing procedures. He said there are more than 70 different licenses, and that makes the state “not very business friendly.”

The Sumter Chamber has held a retreat for members for 45 years. Recently appointed Chamber President and CEO Chris Hardy said the leadership team will look at the organization’s entire structure to determine the feasibility of each program and event, including the retreat.

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Trump can’t meet hype, Clinton underwhelms DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump failed to live up to his own hype and finished second to Ted Cruz, but it was a late surge from Marco Rubio that may wind up the as the biggest surprise of the Iowa caucuses.

Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders finished in what the Vermont senator termed a “virtual tie,” an outcome that may further embolden her critics even as her team claimed victory.

The 2016 presidential contest moves on to New Hampshire, where the nation’s first primary is now just seven days away.

A HUGE TURNOUT, BUT NOT HUGE ENOUGH FOR TRUMP Before Monday’s contest, the major question about Trump was whether his legion of fans would ultimately become an army of voters.

Plenty did, as turnout in the Republican caucuses was up by nearly 60,000 people compared to 2012. The problem for the billionaire businessman was that he still didn’t have enough backers to push past the first-term Texas senator.

Trump, a New Yorker through and through, was never well-positioned to win rural Iowa’s evangelical voters.

More than 4 in 10 Republicans arriving at caucus sites said the candidate

quality that mattered most in their vote was that the candidate shares their values. Among those who said so, Cruz won the support of nearly 4 in 10, compared to less than 1 in 10 for Trump.

Trump will be quick to point out that Iowa backed two deeply flawed GOP candidates in 2008 and 2012, neither of whom went on to win the party’s nomination. Yet he missed an opportunity to deal Cruz a blow that would have made his path to the nomination far easier.

A CLOSE DEMOCRATIC RACE Hillary Clinton’s campaign team declared victory in the early morning hours as they headed to New Hampshire, pointing to her capture of at least 22 delegates to the party’s national convention to Sanders’ 21 — with one left to be decided.

But the Iowa results appeared likely to benefit Sanders’ campaign far more than her own.

“We came in, and we took on the entire political establishment, and we fought them to a draw,” said Sanders adviser Tad Devine. “It’s a huge step forward for us. We’re very, very pleased with what happened.”

Even before the caucuses, Sanders said he was prepared to compete deep into the spring and fight until the

summer convention. He raised $20 million in January and will be wellpositioned to build a campaign organization in the lengthy list of states holding contests in March.

Still, Iowa has a largely white, liberal Democratic electorate, which will make it difficult for Sanders to argue that he’s a stronger candidate than Clinton to face off against the GOP in the general election.

To do so, he’ll need to win over the minority voters who play a major role in upcoming states on the primary calendar, including Nevada, South Carolina and several Southern states that hold contests in March.

IOWA TRUSTED CRUZ By claiming victory in Iowa, Cruz ensures that he’ll be a force in the Republican primary contest for weeks to come — if not longer.

He moves on to New Hampshire as the favorite of his party’s most conservative voters. Expect him to pick up support from like-minded candidates who underwhelmed on Monday, among them former neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul — and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who dropped out of the race.

Cruz won with an impressive ground game and beat back brutal at-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Workers takes the podium down after Republican presidential candidate and businessman Donald Trump spoke at his caucus night rally on Monday in West Des Moines, Iowa. tacks from Trump and others about his trustworthiness, the cornerstone of his campaign and his “TRUSTED” slogan.

And he’s got built-in advantages that will help him sustain his momentum as the race moves into the spring.

Cruz began the year with more money than most of his competitors combined, and after New Hampshire, he’ll be able to spend it in more friendly territory as the GOP race moves into the South.

Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil ‘predicts’ early spring PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — The handlers of Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, said the furry rodent failed to see his shadow at dawn Tuesday, meaning he “predicted” an early spring.

“Is this current warm weather more than a trend?

Perchance this winter has come to an end? There is no shadow to be cast; an early Spring is my forecast,” read Jeff Lundy, vice president of the Inner Circle of The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Lundy is a member of the group sporting top hats that announces the forecast every year.

A German legend has it that if a furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2 winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early.

The forecast was delivered with temperatures in the low 20s, on a clear day when the temperature was expected to reach the unseasonably mild mid-40s.

The Inner Circle congratulated the mid-week crowd of about 10,000 revelers, which

Groundhog Club co-handler John Griffiths holds Punxsutawney Phil during the annual celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

the group said was one of the largest for a weekday celebration.

Many of those in attendance had stayed overnight and partied into the wee hours waiting for the groundhog’s forecast.

Truth be told, Phil’s handlers don’t wait to see if he sees his shadow — which he almost certainly would have Tuesday.

Instead, the Inner Circle decide on the forecast ahead of time and announce it on Gobbler’s Knob, a tiny hill near

forecast. The handlers for Staten Island Chuck in New York, General Beauregard Lee in Georgia and Jimmy the Groundhog in Wisconsin said the rodents predicted an early spring.

But, others didn’t agree.

In Michigan, handlers of Woody the Woodchuck said she predicted six more weeks of winter.

The same went for Ohio’s Buckeye Chuck.

And in Canada, two fourlegged forecasters split the decision. Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam called for an early spring, while Ontario’s Wiarton Willie expected six more weeks of winter.

the town for which the groundhog is named, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Records dating to 1887 show Phil has predicted more winter 102 times, while forecasting an early spring just 18 times.

There are no records for the remaining years.

Tuesday’s celebration was billed as the 130th forecast by Phil.

A number of other prognosticating groundhogs sided with Phil on the extended

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Obama, GOP leaders meet as campaign din hinders compromise WASHINGTON (AP) — Searching for potential compromise, President Obama brought the Republicans who run the House and Senate to the White House on Tuesday to try to hash out an agenda for his final year, even as his top legislative priorities appear to be losing steam.

Obama’s meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan was his first since the Wisconsin Republican took the helm more than three months ago, the long delay illustrating the lack of urgency for Obama in engaging with a Congress clearly resolved to wait him out.

Obama and Ryan planned a private lunch after a joint meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose focus this year is largely on protecting vulnerable Republicans and keeping the Senate in GOP hands come November.

Ahead of the meeting, Ryan told reporters that he was excited to see the start of voting in Iowa’s presidential caucuses Monday night because “what it tells me is the days of Barack Obama’s presidency are numbered.”

As Ryan swept into the speakership in October, the White House was cautiously optimistic that the policyminded Republican, given a powerful mandate by his unruly caucus, might be able to work with Obama in 2016 on a narrow set of issues with some bipartisan overlap. Although Obama has scaled back his legislative ambitions

from the sweeping proposals he pushed earlier in his presidency, he still needs Congress to help finish what he’s started in certain areas — trade being chief among them.

RYAN But with campaign season in full bloom, enticing Republicans to work with Obama on much of anything is becoming an increasingly arduous task, especially as many lawmakers facing competitive primaries seek to avoid votes that conservative challengers could use against them. Just as Ryan and McConnell were heading to the White House, the Republicans and Democrats running to replace Obama were shuttling from Iowa to New Hampshire for the next step in a presidential primary that’s now the dominant force in the political conversation.

Ryan, speaking after the weekly GOP caucus, said he and Obama get along personally but have their policy differences. He said he hoped they could “put those disagreements in check and see where the common ground is.”

Heading into Obama’s final year, perhaps no issue seemed riper for compromise than a criminal justice overhaul that both parties agree is sorely needed. In an early sign of progress, a Senate panel approved legislation easing strict sentencing re-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, left, followed by members of his security detail, arrives at the White House in Washington on Tuesday for a schedule meeting with President Obama. quirements for some nonviolent offenders.

But McConnell has been moving cautiously without committing to a vote while the bill’s GOP backers downplay prospects for a breakthrough this year. Ryan’s deputy, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, on Monday became the latest Republican to warn that it might need to wait until next year, when Obama steps aside.

The White House said Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis, efforts to deal with opioid addiction and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal were also on the agenda.

“These are all things that Republicans independently say are priorities for them,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Obama is seeking final congressional approval for the sweeping freetrade deal with Asia, which most Republicans support and most Demo-

crats oppose. To Obama’s dismay, many GOP leaders have suggested they might not vote until after November’s election, leaving the fate of a major pillar in Obama’s economic legacy to the unpredictable lame-duck period.

Republican leadership aides listed a number of other likely topics, including North Korea sanctions, energy legislation, Vice President Joe Biden’s cancer initiative and the Guantanamo Bay prison that Obama has been trying to close over GOP opposition.

Obama’s call for a new war authorization was another focus, though Republicans and Obama disagree sharply about what limitations should be included, dimming prospects for a bill this year.

In a sign of GOP eagerness to move past Obama, Ryan will return from lunch with Obama for a House vote on overriding Obama’s veto of a bill gutting his signature health care law.

U.S. proposes more Pentagon funding for Europe aid, equipment WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Tuesday it will propose quadrupling what it spends on its troops and training in Europe, as part of the U.S. military’s accelerating effort to deter Russia.

President Obama, in his final budget request to Congress, will ask for $3.4 billion — up from $789 million for the current budget year — for what the Pentagon calls its European Reassurance Initiative, which was announced in 2014 in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and incursion into eastern Ukraine.

The president was also calling for a 50 percent increase in spending on the war against the Islamic State group to $7.5 billion.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, giving an overview of the administration’s proposed 2017 defense budget of $582.7 billion, described Russia as a growing challenge for the United States. He said the U.S. was taking a “strong and balanced approach” to deterring its former Cold War foe.

“We haven’t had to worry about this for 25 years, and while I wish it were otherwise, now we do,” Carter said in a speech to the Economic Club of Washington.

Obama, warning that Russia had taken an “aggressive posture” near NATO countries, called it a “challenging and important time” for the alliance, whose members in Europe are increasingly concerned about Russia’s intentions after its incursions in Ukraine.

He said the U.S. had taken decisive steps to bolster NATO since the start of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, but that it hadn’t been enough.

“It is clear that the United States and our allies must do more to advance our common defense in support of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace,” Obama said.

NATO’s top civilian official, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, issued a statement applauding Carter’s proposed increase in spending in Europe.

“This is a clear sign of the enduring commitment by the United States to European security,” he said. “It will be a timely and significant contribution to NATO’s deterrence and collective defense.”

Addressing the beefed-up request for funding to fight IS, Carter said U.S. warplanes have been striking the extremist group in Iraq and Syria with so many precision-guided bombs and rockets that “we’re starting to run low” on some types. “So we’re investing $1.8 billion in 2017 to buy over 45,000 more of them,” he said.

Carter also discussed proposals to boost spending on cutting-edge technologies and efforts to modernize the force to deal with longer-term threats.

The Pentagon’s proposed 2017 spending plan will be unveiled next week as part of the federal budget proposal.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity.

During the past six months,

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during trips to Eastern Europe and in NATO meetings, Carter has pledged additional military support for the region.

The 2016 budget for military activities to reassure allies covered the costs of sending hundreds of U.S. troops in and out of Europe for short deployments, military exercises and other training missions.

Carter’s proposal to quadruple that amount would allow the U.S. to send more troops to Europe for shortterm deployments and also provide additional equipment and improve facilities so that more forces could be accommodated.

In Tallinn, Estonia, last June, Carter stood with defense chiefs from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and announced that the U.S. would spread 250 tanks, armored vehicles and other military equipment across six of the former Soviet bloc nations.

And he promised NATO that the U.S. would contribute weapons, aircraft and forces, including commandos, for the alliance’s new rapid reaction force.

The Pentagon has already increased the pace of troop rotations in and out of Europe, providing training and other advice and assistance to the region.

The increased U.S. military activity is seen as an effort to deter Russia from taking any further aggressive action

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against any other nations there.

Russia’s aggressive military intervention in Ukraine has worried Eastern European nations, who fear they may be next. But for much of southern Europe, the bigger concern is the growing threat from the Islamic State group.

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THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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Agency: North Korea plans satellite launch

BY HYUNG-JIN KIM The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — Weeks after its fourth nuclear test, North Korea announced plans Tuesday to launch an Earth observation satellite on a rocket later this month in what critics see as a covert test of banned technology for a ballistic missile that could strike the U.S. mainland.

An official at the Londonbased International Maritime Organization said North Korea declared that the launch would be conducted between Feb. 8 and 25, between 7 a.m. and noon Pyongyang time. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she hadn’t been authorized to speak publicly yet.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said North Korea also informed the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Telecommunication Union of the planned satellite launch.

“Right now, we’re carefully monitoring developments and are in close touch with the interested parties and the international organizations,” Haq said at U.N. headquarters in New York.

The declaration, which is meant to warn civilians, shipping and aircraft in the area about the rocket and falling debris, comes after North Korea’s claim last month to have tested a hydrogen bomb, the country’s fourth nuclear test. It will be seen as a snub

by North Korea of its only major ally, China, whose representative for Korean affairs landed in Pyongyang for talks on Tuesday.

The International Telecommunication Union said North Korea also informed its Geneva office of its intention to launch a Kwangmyongsong (Bright Star) -type Earth observation satellite with a fouryear operational life. But the ITU’s U.N. representative, Gary Fowlie, said not enough technical information had been supplied to register the planned launch in its Master International Frequency Register.

A South Korean official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of office rules, said Seoul was also informed of the plans and estimated that the first stage of the rocket would fall off the west coast of South Korea, more debris would land near

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

South Korean army soldiers patrol along the barbed-wire fence in January in Paju near the border with North Korea, South Korea. North Korea has declared plans to launch an earth observation satellite later this month, an official with the London-based agency International Maritime Organization, said late Tuesday. the South’s Jeju Island and the second stage would land off the Philippines’ east coast.

North Korea’s last longrange rocket launch in December 2012 was seen as having successfully put the country’s first satellite into orbit after a string of failures. The North also told international agencies before that launch of its plans. Each new rocket launch improves North Korea’s missile technology, which is crucial for its goal of developing a nucleararmed missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

North Korea, an autocracy run by the same family since 1948, is estimated to have a handful of crude nuclear devices and an impressive array of short- and mediumrange missiles, but it closely guards details about its nuclear and missile programs.

This means there is considerable debate by outsiders about whether it can produce nuclear bombs small enough to place on a missile or mis-

siles that can reliably deliver their bombs to faraway targets.

North Korea has spent decades trying to develop operational nuclear weapons. It calls its rocket launches satellite missions, but the U.N., the United States, South Korea and others say they are meant to test ballistic missile technology. The U.N. Security Council prohibits North Korea from nuclear and ballistic missile activity.

The North’s Jan. 6 nuclear test has led to another push in the U.N. to tighten sanctions, something that came after North Korea’s 2012 rocket launch and its 2013 third nuclear test. The North followed that test with an escalating campaign of bombast that included threats to fire nuclear missiles at the United States and South Korea.

North Korea has said that plutonium and highly enriched uranium facilities at its main Nyongbyon nuclear

complex are in operation and that its scientists have improved “the levels of nuclear weapons with various missions in quality and quantity.”

But just what is happening

at Nyongbyon is unclear.

North Korea booted out international inspectors in 2009, and independent assessments by outside experts since then have been spotty.

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LOCAL | NATION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

LOCAL FROM PAGE A1 Preference primaries Feb. 20 and 27, but the results may make South Carolina’s primaries even more important, said leaders of the Sumter County Democratic and Republican parties.

“As far as South Carolina goes, I don’t think it will have a tremendous impact, but it will have some,” said Jason Reddick, acting chairman of the Sumter County Republican Party. “I think here locally most people are diehards behind a certain candidate.”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was the top vote-getter in Iowa, coming out ahead of billionaire Donald Trump, who was leading in the polls going into the caucuses. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio polled a strong third, while one-time front runner Dr. Ben Carson finished fourth.

Reddick said he doesn’t see much local impact because of the strong commitment most local Republicans have already shown for particular candidates. While there are not as many undecideds locally as in previous elections, he said, as candidates drop out, their votes may become available.

“It looks like the top three of four are emerging, and it may put a little more weight on South Carolina than we usually have,” Red-

TRUMP FROM PAGE A1 Sumter County Democratic Party Chairman Allen Bailey said he is working on getting the Democratic candidates to pay a visit to Sumter.

“Bernie (Sanders) already has been here, and I am working on getting both of them (Sanders and Hillary Clinton) here,” he said. “I think the chances of getting both of them here just before the 27th is really good.”

dick said.

“Maybe South Carolina can play a big role in determining the top three Republican candidates.”

Allen Bailey, chairman of the Sumter County Democratic Party, said the virtual tie between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shows both candidates carry a strong message.

“I am proud of both teams,” he said. “Iowa is Iowa; it has its own magic with coin tosses, and the way they do their caucuses are very unique, but it works for Iowa.”

Bailey doesn’t think either candidate has an edge in Sumter County.

“I think Clinton is a little better known,” he said. “Sanders is doing a lot of introducing (himself) more than anything else.”

He also said he thinks the Iowa results may increase the importance of the vote in South Carolina.

“I think South Carolina is going to be where it’s at,” he said.

President Obama used South Carolina to turn the tide in 2008, Bailey recalled.

“I think Obama won Iowa, lost New Hampshire and then came and won South Carolina,” Bailey said.

Bailey said the Iowa results are good for both Clinton and Sanders.

“I believe both are incredible candidates,” he said. “They are both working hard, and they both got the same results.”

The South Carolina primaries are among the first in the nation, with only Monday night’s Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire Primary Feb. 9, coming before South Carolina’s Republican vote on Feb. 20.

Nevada holds a Democratic primary on Feb. 20, and a Republican primary Feb. 23, and South Carolina holds its Democratic primary Feb. 27.

More than a dozen states hold primaries March 1.

“I think South Carolina is where it’s at,” Bailey said.

FROM PAGE A1 and underwent emergency surgery for his injury. He was released from the hospital on Jan. 6, 2016 and later returned on Jan. 22 for treatment stemming from complications of his injury, the release states.

Clea died Jan. 31 at the hospital after an having additional surgery.

According to the release, records show that he died as a result of complications from the gunshot wound.

Sumter County Coroner Harvin Bullock said a pathologist at Palmetto Health Tuomey is conducting a culture test to determine the exact

Homeowners nters and Renters Insurance, too. too

CAMPAIGN FROM PAGE A1 was a humbling blow to the boastful mogul who had dominated the polls for weeks. Coming in at a close third with 23.1 percent, Marco Rubio was catapulted to the top of the heap of establishment candidates vying to be the party’s preferred alternative to Trump or Cruz.

With just one precinct outstanding, Clinton led Sanders by less than three-tenths of 1 percent. The Iowa Democratic Party declared the contest “the closest in Iowa Democratic caucus history.” Landing in the early-morning dark in New Hampshire, Sanders did not concede the race to Clinton, his spokesman Michael Briggs saying Tuesday that they are “still assessing” whether to ask Iowa’s Democratic Party for a recount.

The virtual tie was still good news for Sanders, whose upstart campaign tapped into youthful enthusiasm and the party’s Clinton-fatigue to hinder the former secretary of state’s coast to the nomination. Sanders said the razor-thin results were a “giant step” toward overcoming doubt about his campaign’s long-term viability.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” he told reporters abroad his flight to New Hampshire early Tuesday.

The senator didn’t waste any time.

Upon landing at dawn, he immediately addressed a hardy group of supporters in Bow, New Hampshire, who anxiously awaited his arrival.

The Vermont senator arrived in his neighboring state that has appeared to be friendlier territory than Iowa. New Hampshire has been receptive to Sander’s anti-establishment, anti-Wall Street message.

But the Clintons have made New Hampshire comebacks the stuff of political lore. After coming in third in Iowa eight years ago, Clinton fought back to a first-place finish in New Hampshire. When her husband won second place in 1992, Bill Clinton dubbed himself the comeback kid.

“It is rare we have the opportunity

we do now to have a real contest of ideas,” Clinton said Monday night.

“I am a progressive who gets things done for people.”

For Republicans, the pivot to New Hampshire meant the still-crowded cast of the candidates turned toward a less religious, more moderate and mostly undecided electorate.

New Hampshire has historically favored more moderate candidates than Iowa, and more than 40 percent of the state’s electorate are not registered in any political party, giving them the power to choose which parties’ primary to vote in on Feb. 9.

A recent CNN/WMUR poll conducted by the UNH Survey Center shows about 60 percent of GOP voters have yet to make up their minds.

That may be good news for Cruz, who is hoping to avoid the conservatives’ Iowa curse. Unlike past conservatives who found love in Iowa but fizzled fast, Cruz argued Tuesday that his campaign has staying power, resources and national appeal. He suggested he had his eyes fixed on New Hampshire but also the race in South Carolina, 11 days later.

“This is the power of the conservative grassroots and there is a silent majority in this country,” Cruz told CNN. “This is center right country. This is a country built on Judeo-Christian values. And the heart of my campaign is based on common-sense principles.”

Rubio, too, was looking ahead. His campaign announced the endorsement of South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the only African American Republican in the Senate.

“His impact is not just going to be in South Carolina but around the country,” Rubio said during a live interview early Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Rubio’s campaign cast the race as a three-person contest — an attempt to box out the other contenders vying for mainstream Republicans.

That won’t be easy. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are storming into New Hampshire with packed campaign schedules.

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Hillary Clinton faces ‘strong headwinds’

H

illary Clinton, seeking to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, is claiming she won Iowa last night in that state’s Democratic Party primary.

Oh really?

Her face-off with socialist/ Bolshevik Bernie Sanders for all practical purposes wound up in a dead heat during which she allegedly won six precincts by coin tosses.

Oh really?

What are the chances of someone winning six straight coin tosses? We’d

EDITORIAL say slim to none. A statistician went to work last night in Iowa figuring the odds of a coin-flipper winning six tosses. His conclusion: something like 100 to 1.

Sounds to us like the old Clinton black magic is working again.

Hillary’s coronation tour through the primaries appears to be encountering strong headwinds as she seeks redemption during yet another run for the White House. However, her

loyalists (i.e. the upstream media, minorities, unions and know-nothing millennials) aren’t succeeding in transporting the lady-in-waiting to the Oval Office. Perhaps they are having buyer’s remorse about their candidate.

Fact of the matter is Clinton, unlike her more skilled husband, just doesn’t have the charisma and pizzazz that her wayward husband possesses. Her campaign has become a steady drone as she seeks (and fakes) authenticity and sincerity. It’s entire-

ly possible that her admirers will start to lose interest if she continues to fail in putting Bernie away. Maybe it’s because his passion for big government, more taxation, more regulation for Americans is catching on among admirers of the welfare state.

She can continue to bray about being a true “progressive,” (which is the code word far-left liberals have appropriated), but she’s not getting much traction if what happened in Iowa is the shape of things to come in her so far shaky campaign.

COMMENTARY

‘Isn’t it strange?’

T

here is a letter titled “Isn’t It Strange?” making the rounds in email boxes.

It asks questions to which our fellow Americans should know the answers, save for those caught up in modernity.

It starts off asking, “Isn’t it strange that after a bombing, evWalter eryone Williams blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture but ... after a shooting, the problem is the gun?”

In other words, after a shooting, it is the gun, an inanimate object, that is the culprit, but after a bombing, it is not the bomb that receives the blame but the evil individual. In both cases it is the evil individual who is to blame.

Ronald Reagan had it right when he said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”

Speaking of guns, the letter has a 1950s photo of high school girls at an indoor shooting range.

The photo caption states: “Back in the 1950s and even later, many high schools had shooting ranges. Students even brought their own rifles to school.”

It asks, “What changed in society that we could trust such activities then but not now?”

Youth involvement with guns has a long history.

The 1911 second edition of the Boy Scout Handbook made qualification in NRA’s junior marksmanship program a prerequisite for obtaining a BSA merit badge in marksmanship.

In 1918, the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. established its own Winchester Junior Rifle Corps. The program grew to 135,000 members by 1925.

In New York City, high school gun clubs were started at Boys, Curtis, Commercial, Manual Training and Stuyvesant high schools.

I would like to ask America’s anti-gun fanatics what accounts for today’s mayhem: Have guns become more evil or have people become more evil?

The letter contains several photos under the caption,

“These men support your right to bear arms.” The photos are of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton.

Below it is the caption, “These men oppose it,” with photos of Adolf Hitler, Fidel Castro, Josef Stalin, Idi Amin, Vladimir Lenin and Barack Obama. Then it asks, “Who do you trust?”

Later on in the letter, there is a statement asking us to rename government programs, saying, “Get it straight: Welfare, Food Stamps, WIC ... are not entitlements. They are taxpayer-funded handouts and shouldn’t be called entitlements. Social Security and Veterans Benefits are ‘entitlements’ because the people receiving them are entitled to them. They were earned and paid for by the recipients.”

Then there is a warning: “No society ever thrived because it had a large and growing class of parasites living off those who produced.”

If one listens to the current debate and rhetoric of most politicians, both Democrats or Republicans, it is about expanding the class of Americans who live at the expense of other Americans, whether they are promising “free” education and medical care or forcing Americans to purchase products such as ethanol in order to enrich others.

John Wayne put it best, particularly for my colleagues in academia. “I’d like to know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them a living.”

Toward the letter’s end there is a statement that rings so true and beyond debate: “I vote Democratic, because I’m pro-choice ... except on schools, guns, trade, health care, energy, smoking, union membership, light bulbs, plastic bags, Walmart, what kinds of food you can eat. ...”

Finally, there is a most important message from our 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower: “If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They’ll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads.

“But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government.”

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2016, 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.

Republican debate shows where immigration is headed: Nowhere

D

onald Trump was absent from Fox News’ Republican debate Thursday night, presiding at his own event seven minutes’ drive away featuring cameo appearances by the two previous Iowa Republican caucus winners exiled now to the undercard debate, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.

But the issue Trump raised to high-decibel level at his announcement last June was front and center at the main event: immigration.

It was raised midway through the debate by the moderator Trump cited as the reason for his non-participation, Megyn Kelly. She ran videotape montages of previous comments on the issue by Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz and asked them to explain the discrepancies between what they said then and their positions now. She could have played a similar montage for Trump if he had shown up.

Marco Rubio had the toughest task, to explain why he co-sponsored the 2013 Gang of Eight bill with a path for citizenship for illegal aliens. Rubio said the bill did not provide the “blanket amnesty” he campaigned against in 2010 and which he said was part of the 2007 bill that failed in the Democraticmajority Senate.

With characteristic deftness Rubio segued into his current position: complete the southern border fence, mandatory E-Verify and visa tracking and no legalization or citizenship for illegals until “we can prove to the people of this country that illegal immigration is under control.”

Kelly gave Jeb Bush a chance to point out that Rubio had changed his position —”cut and run” — from the Gang of Eight bill, which he said he supported at Rubio’s request. Next came Ted Cruz’s turn with Kelly’s video showing Cruz arguing for his amendment to Gang of Eight that would provide legalization but not citizen-

COMMENTARY ship for illegals. Cruz argued then that this would make the bill more passable; he argues now that it was intended as a poison pill, to break up the bipartisan coalition in support.

Michael In reply Barone Cruz called for more border guards and ending sanctuary cities as well as welfare for illegals. He pointed out that this amendment was supported by leading Gang of Eight opponent Sen. Jeff Sessions and western Iowa Congressman Steve King.

Kelly then called on Rand Paul, now back in a primetime debate, who said that Cruz wanted to pass a bill with legalization. “He can’t have it both ways,” Paul said, and argued that Cruz had “an authenticity problem” by suggesting that “everybody’s for amnesty except Ted Cruz.”

It’s undeniable that both Rubio and Cruz have changed their positions since 2013. For immigration restrictionists, such as bestselling author Ann Coulter and maverick Democratic blogger Mickey Kaus, that’s disqualifying. Once past the election, they argue, these guys will flip back and with the cooperation of House Speaker Paul Ryan will shove through a path to legalization that will incentivize further illegal immigration.

Presumably, they think that Donald Trump, who also supported forms of legalization, wouldn’t because he has become so identified with the issue.

But the effective reality, as National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru has argued, is that immigration has become a Republican litmus test issue.

Rubio’s and Cruz’s deft maneuvering off their previous positions proves that.

And Rubio is persuasive in arguing that a bill with legalization can’t be passed until the American people — i.e., Republican voters — are convinced that enforcement has been made effective.

My sense is that a President Rubio or President Cruz would be as bound by their current positions as a President Trump. The demand for legalization has diminished — polls show Hispanics not much concerned — and Democrats will balk at legalization and insist on citizenship (for what they believe will be many new Democratic voters).

Paul Ryan is not likely to spend the huge amount of political capital required to pass a bill supported mainly

by Democrats and opposed by a large majority of House Republicans. Donald Trump’s candidacy, however it turns out, has changed the immigration calculus for Republican politicians. Some Republicans fear that Hispanics would make Arizona, Texas and Florida as solidly Democratic as California, but these fears are unfounded.

Arizona and Texas remain safely Republican and Florida still securely marginal, and each is getting more newcomers from other states than from immigration. And California would be safely Democratic if not a single Hispanic voted. Meanwhile, the threat of terrorism strengthens the argument for effective border and internal enforcement, which if possible would tend to reduce the illegal population. The opening for “comprehensive” immigration legislation seems to have closed.

Michael Barone, senior political analyst at the Washington Examiner (www.washingtonexaminer.com), where this article first appeared, is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics. © 2016, creators.com

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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TOPS S.C. No. 236 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) — Thursdays, 9 a.m., Spectrum Senior CenMONDAY MEETINGS: ter,1989 Durant Lane. Call Sumter Vitiligo Support Group — Diane at (803) 775-3926 or second Monday of each Nancy at (803) 469-4789. month, 5:45-6:45 p.m., North Alzheimer’s Support Group HOPE Center, 904 N. Main St. through S.C. Alzheimer’s AssociCall Tiffany at (803) 316-6763. ation — Every 1st Thursday, Find us on Facebook at Sum6-8 p.m., National Health Care, ter Vitiligo Support.

1018 N. Guignard Drive. Call Cheryl Fluharty at (803) 9057720 or the Alzheimer’s AssoTUESDAY MEETINGS: ciation at (800) 636-3346.

Sumter Connective Tissue SupJourney of Hope (for family port Group — 1st Tuesday of members of the mentally ill), Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov., 7 p.m., 180 Tiller Cir- Journey to Recovery (for the mentally ill) and Survivors of Suicle. Call (803) 773-0869. cide Support Group — Each Mothers of Angels (for mothers group meets every 1st Thurswho have lost a child) — First day, 7 p.m., St. John United Tuesday of each month at Methodist Church, 136 Poinnoon and third Tuesday of sett Drive. Call Fred Harmon each month at 6 p.m., Wise at (803) 905-5620.

Drive Baptist Church. Call Betty at (803) 469-2616, Carolyn Klaege at (803) 469-6059 FRIDAY MEETINGS: or Margaret Sanders at (803) Celebrate Recovery — Every Fri469-6887. day, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. proSumter Combat Veterans Group gram, Salt & Light Church, Peer to Peer — Every Tuesday, Miller Road (across from Food 11 a.m., South HOPE Center, Lion). For help with struggles 1125 S. Lafayette Drive. Veter- of alcohol, drugs, family probans helping veterans with lems, smoking, etc.

PTSD, coping skills, claims Wateree AIDS Task Force Supand benefits. port Group — Every third FriParkinson’s Support Group — day, 11:30 a.m., 508 W. Liberty Second Tuesday each month, St. Contact Kevin Johnson at 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabili(803) 778-0303. tation Hospital, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 6613746.

SATURDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Chapter Parents of MurReflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/ dered Children (POMC) — Third Complex Regional Pain SynTuesday, 5:30-7 p.m., Birnie drome Support Group — 1:30 HOPE Center, 210 S. Purdy St. Open to all families or friends p.m. every third Saturday, 3785 Blackberry Lane, Lot 7. who have lost a loved one to Call Donna Parker at (803) murder in a violent way.

481-7521.

PUBLIC AGENDA TOWN OF LYNCHBURG PLANNING COMMISSION Today, 4 p.m., town hall

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take charge EUGENIA LAST by exhibiting discipline and embracing changes you want to make without concern for what others think. Speaking your mind will help you gain confidence and reach your goals. You’ll be surprised by an offer. Get what you want in writing.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep an open mind and you’ll be given privileged information that will help you get what you want. A new skill you pick up or an experience you have will make your peers take notice and help you attract a partner.

not discord.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Pick up information and learn all you can about an interest you have.

Someone you encounter who is inspirational and fun to be with will improve your attitude. Avoid anyone who is trying to dictate what you can and cannot do.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You can gain ground, whether traveling, learning or making an effort to raise your popularity. Your intuition will help you bring about positive changes. What you do for others will result in an unusual turn of events.

Romance is highlighted.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take your career seriously. Someone you work with could cause you grief. Don’t waste time arguing, as it will make you look bad and deter you from doing your job. Don’t give in to bullying or blackmail.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotional matters will surface if you try to evade issues or if you aren’t honest about the way you feel. Your best efforts will come from home improvement projects or making adjustments to your living arrangements that will improve your personal life.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Make unusual changes at home that will surprise friends and family and make your place the destination everyone wants to visit. A relationship you have with someone will help you expand your interests.

Love is on the rise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Someone from your past will remind you of a dream you once pursued.

Turn back the clock and update your idea to fit the current economic trends. Romance is on the rise, and making special plans for two is highlighted.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’re ready to take on the world. Make sure to dedicate time to being and doing the best you can. A partnership looks interesting and will provide you with innovative ideas that will lead to good fortune.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A change of plans will work in your favor. Check out a job offer or consider a change in your vocational direction. What you have to offer will tie in nicely to a movement that is growing in your community.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Indulge in something that excites you.

Surround yourself with people who share your curiosity. Avoid emotional situations or someone who puts too many demands on you. Re-evaluate your living arrangements. Focus on romance,

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t limit what you can do. Find out what’s required to pursue your dreams and pick up the skills, qualifications or education required to follow through with your plans.

Someone you’ve worked with in the past will help you get ahead.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

T-storms; maybe damaging winds

Overcast, t-storms; mild

Cooler; a morning shower

Sunny

Mostly sunny with a shower

Morning rain; mostly cloudy

74°

53°

61° / 35°

53° / 29°

54° / 36°

54° / 36°

Chance of rain: 80%

Chance of rain: 70%

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 65%

S 10-20 mph

WSW 6-12 mph

WSW 4-8 mph

NNE 7-14 mph

E 4-8 mph

NE 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 66/47 Spartanburg 66/46

Greenville 68/45

Columbia 73/56

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

Sumter 74/53

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 70/52

ON THE COAST

Charleston 75/57

Today: Showers and a heavier thunderstorm. High 67 to 71.

Thursday: Rain at times; cooler. High 57 to 61.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

66° 46° 56° 33° 81° in 1950 12° in 1979

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

355.66 76.35 75.34 94.92

24-hr chg +0.12 -0.01 -0.09 -0.23

RIVER STAGES

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

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

0.00" 0.00" 0.24" 2.30" 5.48" 4.18"

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today City Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 64/39/r Chicago 39/20/sf Dallas 53/29/s Detroit 54/28/c Houston 62/36/s Los Angeles 65/45/pc New Orleans 68/45/r New York 60/49/r Orlando 83/65/pc Philadelphia 66/51/r Phoenix 58/38/s San Francisco 55/45/c Wash., DC 64/49/r

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

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 53/30/pc 31/22/pc 56/34/s 36/24/pc 59/33/s 70/47/s 59/40/s 54/35/pc 76/50/t 52/30/pc 65/41/s 57/46/pc 51/32/pc

Myrtle Beach 70/58

Manning 75/57

Today: Rain. Winds south-southwest 8-16 mph. Cooler.

Thursday: Clouds yielding to sun. Winds northwest 3-6 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 73/54

Bishopville 72/55

Today Hi/Lo/W 66/36/r 68/43/r 73/52/t 71/57/t 67/60/t 75/57/t 68/48/t 69/47/r 73/56/t 72/56/t 71/59/t 73/59/t 74/58/t

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 9.95 -0.12 19 5.80 -0.10 14 8.99 -0.57 14 10.65 -0.07 80 80.11 -0.13 24 12.97 +0.12

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 48/24/pc 58/29/pc 61/33/c 58/38/r 61/37/r 59/38/r 61/31/pc 60/33/pc 62/35/c 59/35/c 62/34/sh 62/35/sh 61/35/sh

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 73/54/t 80/65/t 66/49/t 75/61/t 74/57/t 67/50/t 68/45/t 66/42/t 69/56/t 79/63/t 68/41/r 70/47/t 65/38/r

Sunrise 7:18 a.m.

Moonrise 2:47 a.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:54 p.m.

1:32 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Feb. 8

Feb. 15

Feb. 22

Mar. 1

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Thu.

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 60/36/sh 66/37/r 58/30/pc 62/37/sh 59/38/r 55/30/pc 61/30/pc 55/28/pc 59/40/r 64/36/r 54/28/pc 58/31/pc 52/28/pc

High 4:33 a.m.

4:37 p.m.

5:30 a.m.

5:34 p.m.

Ht. 2.7 2.4 2.8 2.5

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

Low 11:29 a.m.

11:28 p.m.

12:24 p.m.

---

Today Hi/Lo/W 64/38/r 71/57/t 70/58/t 73/56/t 69/56/t 70/57/t 67/50/t 70/56/t 75/57/t 66/46/t 74/56/t 74/63/t 66/47/t

Ht. 0.5 0.2 0.3 ---

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 53/27/pc 60/39/r 59/37/r 59/36/sh 58/39/r 57/33/sh 58/30/pc 59/32/c 57/38/r 58/29/pc 59/37/r 64/37/r 55/30/pc

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

ODDITIES

Roller derby advocates press for the right to hit in Maine AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Young women named Hard Dash, Kill Any and Betty B. Tough are putting the squeeze on Maine lawmakers to make it easier for them to expand the sport of roller derby.

Roller derby advocates told a legislative panel Tuesday that an old statute that prohibits skaters from hitting each other is preventing them from building a new rink. Two women testified wearing skates and their roller derby uniforms.

The sport is growing in

Maine, with nine leagues, some of which have several teams.

“Roller derby is happening,” said Alyssa “Spry Icicle” Bergeron, 36, of Auburn. “I want to make sure it keeps happening.”

Bergeron said Maine skaters have been forced to break the law for the last 10 years and now want to play their sport legally.

Members of the Legislature’s Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee appeared eager to

help the skaters scrap the law, which dates to 1991. Nobody at the hearing could explain the reason behind the law.

Committee members said it seemed unfair that hockey players are allowed to check each other but derby skaters can’t.

“Because in Maine, if you put on roller skates and bash into something, you are breaking the law,” said Rep. Joel R. Stetkis, a Canaan Republican.

“This seems to be one of the most ridiculous laws in Maine.”

SUMTER ANIMAL CONTROL PET OF THE WEEK

Snookie, a young petite female with wonderful manners and a gentle spirit, is available for adoption at Sumter Animal Control in kennel 27. Weighing in at 21 pounds, she would make a wonderful pet for a single or elderly person. Snookie seems to like everyone she meets. Thank you for considering a homeless pet. Sumter Animal Control is located at 1240 Winkles Road, (803) 436-2066. You can also view more found and adoptable pets on Facebook at Sumter Animal Control.

SECTION

b

Wednesday, February 3, 2016 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

Taking control

Sumter boys shut down SF offense in 44-35 triumph

PREP BASKETBALL

Lady Knights cruise to victory over Red Foxes

by EDDIE LITAKER Special to The Sumter Item The showdown turned into a beatdown on Tuesday at The Castle.

The varsity girls basketball teams from Crestwood and Hartsville high schools entered play as the top two teams in Region VI-3A, with both also residing in the SCBCA Top 10. However, it was the third-ranked Lady Knights who cruised to an emphatic 57-25 victory over the 10th-ranked Lady Red Foxes.

With the win, Crestwood moved to 16-3 overall and remains unbeaten at 7-0 in region play.

Hartsville is now two games off the pace in region play at 5-2 while dropping to 11-4 overall.

While the Lady Knights ended up winning by a wide margin, it was kind of a slow burn to get there. The Crestwood lead was only six, 13-7, after the opening quarter.

“The reason why we started off slow and with no energy is because that’s the way we practiced,” said Lady Knights head coach Tony Wilson. “I’ve always told them that the way you practice is the way you’re going to play. So we didn’t come out the way I wanted us to come out, but that’s a learning experience for us because Hartsville came out and played hard and established what they wanted to do.

see KNIGHTS, Page B5

USC BASKETBALL

Maten leads UGA past No. 25 USC

By CHARLES ODUM The Associated Press

Keith Gedamke / The Item

Sumter’s Raymond Johnson (53) goes up for a shot against South Florence’s Jordan Burch in the Gamecocks’ 44-35 victory on Tuesday at the SHS gymnasium.

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com The Sumter High School varsity boys basketball team took control of the Region VI-4A race on Tuesday by taking control of the South Florence offense from the outset.

The Gamecocks limited SF to just 22 points through the first three quarters on the way to a 44-35 victory at the SHS gymnasium.

The victory improved Sumter to 6-1 in region play, leaving it as the only team in the region with just one loss.

The Bruins, who handed the Gamecocks that loss in the region opener for both schools, fell to 4-2 in region play.

Both Carolina Forest and West Florence entered Tuesday’s action with two region losses.

ATHENS, Ga. — Yante Maten scored 18 points, Kenny Gaines had 17, and Georgia beat No. 25 South Carolina 69-56 on Tuesday night, giving the Gamecocks their third loss.

Georgia led by 10 points at halftime and never trailed in the second half.

J.J. Frazier scored 13 points — all in the second half — and hit two 3-pointers in the closing minutes for Georgia (12-8, 5-4 Southeastern Conference). The Bulldogs snapped a two-game losing streak.

South Carolina (19-3, 6-3) was denied its attempt to reach 20 wins for the first time since 2008-09, when the Gamecocks finished 21-10.

Sindarius Thornwell led South Carolina with 18 points.

Michael Carrera had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Gamecocks, ending his streak of three straight games with 20 or more points.

No other South Carolina player scored in double figures.

The Gamecocks fell to 2-3 in SEC road games.

Georgia scored the last six points of the first half, including a jam and a layup by Maten, for a 33-23 lead over the cold-shooting Gamecocks.

Georgia took a big lead at 39-26 early in the second half before Duane Notice and Thornwell hit consecutive 3s for the Gamecocks. A basket by Carrera capped a quick 8-0 run to cut the lead to 39-34.

see SUMTER, Page B5

see USC, Page B5

PREP BASKETBALL

Defense powers Lady Barons past Thomas Sumter

By JUSTIN DRIGGERS justin@theitem.com

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Wilson Hall’s Mary Margaret Munn (4) goes up for a shot as Thomas Sumter Academy’s Josie Reed (30) pursues during the Lady Barons’ 46-34 victory on Tuesday at Nash Student Center.

Poor free throw shooting and an inability to hold on to a fourth-quarter lead wound up costing Wilson Hall’s girls basketball team in its first contest against region rival Thomas Sumter Academy.

On Tuesday, the Lady Barons made sure that didn’t happen again.

The WH defense smothered TSA in the second half and held the Lady Generals to 15 points over the last 16 mintues. Meanwhile, a balanced offensive attack and a 15-for-20 showing at the free throw line in the second half powered the Lady Barons to a 46-34 victory at Nash Student Center.

Wilson Hall improved to 12-8 overall and 4-2 in SCISA Region II-3A. The loss is just the second for TSA, who fell to 18-2 overall and 5-1 in the region. The Lady Generals will now likely need to win both games against Calhoun Academy and Laurence Manning Academy to clinch the region outright.

“A lot of things have to happen for us to wind up as co-reigon champs,” WH head coach Glen Rector said.

“But for tonight, we played incredible defense and the girls played with a tremendous amount of intensity.

They played with tremendous effort.

“That’s something rewarding for a coach to see and shows them that hard work is paying off.”

The defense really shined in what turned out to be a peculiar fourth quarter. Neither team got on the board until midway through the frame, and all 13 points were scored from the charity stripe with Wilson Hall making nine and TSA hitting four.

“When you can’t get in an offensive flow, you can’t do anything,” Lady Generals head coach B.J. Reed said. “They played tenacious team defense and hats off to them. They were coached very well and played great and we didn’t step up to meet the challenge.”

An 8-2 run by the Lady Barons in the third quarter finally gave them

some breathing room in what had been a back-and-forth contest. WH got offensive contributions from nine different players and held TSA leading scorer Bree Stoddard to 18 points, including nine in the second half.

“Diamond Crawford, Nicolette Fisher and Courtney Clark were on Bree most of the night and we were constantly trying to deny her the ball,” Rector said. “We felt like we had to have a lot of focus on her, but the other girls playing defense off the ball did a tremendous job as well and really kept up the pressure.”

It was a tight game for most of the first half as neither team led by more than four at any point.

The Lady Barons took an early advantage behind Mary Margaret Munn and Betsy Cunningham.

Munn had five points in the first period, including a 3-point basket, and Cunningham added a shot from downtown as well.

see BARONS, Page B5

B2

|

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

sports

The SUMTER ITEM

Scoreboard

COMMENTARY

TV, Radio

The Associated Press

Brandt Snedeker holds the Framers Insurance Open trophy and a ceremonial surfboard after winning the weather-delayed tournament on Monday.

In hindsight, perfect ending for Snedeker

By DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press

I woke up it was, ‘We’re done, I’ve got no chance.’ And then the break of a lifetime.

The wind is pumping into them the last five SAN DIEGO — Nothing brings out hindholes. You can’t make this stuff up.” sight in golf like the weather.

It was the perfect storm — bad weather, One year when the Match Play was in Ari- great golf — to make up a six-shot deficit. zona, the opening round was delayed by As wild as it seemed to Snedeker, that’s snow that covered Dove Mountain. And what the rules staff had to rely on to make while it took five hours the next day for the their decisions. snow to clear, PGA Tour officials told playThere was a mixture of disgust and irritaers to be at the course in the morning in tion in the locker room Sunday afternoon case it melted earlier. when play was suspended for the third and One player was furious. He said there was final time. Players dealt with the wretched no way the course would be ready by noon, conditions all day, and about half of those tour officials knew it and there was no reawho finished couldn’t break 80. And yet, it son for players to have to wait around. Fair was clear that some were angry on behalf of enough. But if he was so certain of this, why Snedeker. They were in awe of his score and not just stay at his hotel? wanted to see it rewarded. To stop play The player said he couldn’t risk not being meant a chance the leaders would have calm at the course on the odd chance it was ready conditions in the morning.

— the very logic used by the rules officials.

Charley Hoffman, tied with Snedeker These guys are good. going into Sunday until he shot an 80, went But they are the best in the world at play- so far as to post on Instagram, “Rules staff ing golf tournaments, not running them. absolutely botched (Farmers Insurance Brandt Snedeker was tempted by hindOpen). Whole field could have finished sight after one of the great final rounds on today. Rules officials need to be held acthe PGA Tour on Sunday. He closed with a countable. Sorry CBS.” 3-under 69 at Torrey Pines in rain and gusts Or maybe that was his idea of campaignthat consistently topped 40 mph. He went ing to be chair of the Players Advisory the final 17 holes without a bogey. He shot Council. Voting ends in two weeks.

32 on the back nine. His longest par putt was Hoffman never explained what was 3 feet. botched. The two delays Sunday morning Snedeker, who started the final round in a were a combined 1 hour, 35 minutes, so it’s tie for 27th, was one shot behind and looking not like the round would have finished, anygood when he finished. The leaders still had way. Mark Russell, the tour’s vice president to play the back nine. A short time later, of rules and competition with 35 years of however, the horn sounded to suspend play experience behind him, no doubt would love and everyone came in off the course. Sudto see players make these decisions. Because denly, Snedeker’s odds seemed to get longer. whether or not play was halted, someone “Weather looks perfect to me outside!!” he was going to complain. tweeted.

Snedeker was asked if he thought he Was he joking? Not entirely. could a run tournament. The answer was “Last night if you had seen the texts bequick even by his standards. tween me and my brother ... ‘I can’t believe “No,” he said with a big grin. “The thing I they called it,’ and ‘I got hosed,’ and ‘Maybe realize, that most guys on tour realize, is it will be a good thing,”’ Snedeker said Mon- these officials do the best they can. They’re day after his one-shot victory. “And my cad- out there 15 hours a day. The forecast is die kept saying, ‘Don’t worry about it. what it is, and sometimes you can’t guess Maybe it will work out.’ This morning when right.”

Monday’s Games

TODAY 8 a.m. – High School Football: ESPNU National Signing Day Special (ESPNU).

10 a.m. – High School Football: National Signing Day Special (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

1 p.m. – High School Football: ESPNU National Signing Day Special (ESPN2).

2 p.m. – LPGA Golf: Coates Golf Championship First Round from Ocala, Fla. (GOLF).

5 p.m. – High School Football: ESPNU National Signing Day Special (ESPNU).

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

6:30 p.m. – College Basketball: St. John’s at Xavier (FOX SPORTS 1).

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Notre Dame at Miami (ESPN2).

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Penn State at Iowa (ESPNU).

7 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Cleveland at Charlotte (FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST).

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

7 p.m. – College Basketball: Arkansas at Florida (SEC NETWORK).

8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Golden State at Washington (ESPN).

8 p.m. – College Basketball: Creighton at Villanova (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Detroit at Tampa Bay (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

8:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Marquette at Seton Hall (FOX SPORTS 1).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Kansas State at Kansas (ESPN2).

9 p.m. – College Basketball: Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (ESPNU).

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

9:25 p.m. – International Soccer: Mexican League Match – Guadalajara vs.

University of Guadalajara (UNIVISION).

9:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Carolina at Calgary (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Minnesota at Los Angeles Clippers (ESPN).

11 p.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Dubai Desert Classic First Round from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (GOLF).

PREP SCHEDULE

TODAY Varsity and JV Basketball Porter-Gaud at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m.

B Team Basketball BD Cooper at Laurence Manning, TBA Middle School Basketball Bates at Chestnut Oaks (Girls Only), 5 p.m.

Mayewood at Alice Drive (Girls Only) 5 p.m.

THURSDAY Junior Varsity Basketball Sumter at Carolina Forest, 6 p.m.

Lakewood at Crestwood, 6 p.m.

Marlboro County at Manning, 6 p.m.

Lee Central at Kingstree, 6:30 p.m.

B Team Basketball Sumter at Orangeburg-Wilkinson (Boys Only), 5 p.m.

FRIDAY Varsity Basketball Carolina Forest at Sumter, 6 p.m.

Crestwood at Lakewood, 6 p.m.

Manning at Marlboro County, 6 p.m.

Kingstree at Lee Central, 6:30 p.m.

Scott’s Branch at C.E. Murray, 6:30 p.m.

Varsity and JV Basketball Laurence Manning at Orangeburg Prep, 4 p.m.

Thomas Sumter at Calhoun Academy, 4 p.m.

Clarendon Hall at Patrick Henry, 4 p.m.

Sumter Christian at Emmanuel Christian (No JV Girls), 4 p.m.

SATURDAY Varsity and JV Basketball Thomas Sumter at Northwood, 2 p.m.

B Team Basketball Thomas Sumter at Calhoun Academy, 10 a.m.

NFL Playoffs

By The Associated Press

Wild-card Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 9

Kansas City 30, Houston 0 Pittsburgh 18, Cincinnati 16

Sunday, Jan. 10

Seattle 10, Minnesota 9 Green Bay 35, Washington 18

Divisional Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 16

New England 27, Kansas City 20 Arizona 26, Green Bay 20, OT

Sunday, Jan. 17

Carolina 31, Seattle 24 Denver 23, Pittsburgh 16

Conference Championships Sunday, Jan. 24 AFC

Denver 20, New England 18

NFC

Carolina 49, Arizona 15

Pro Bowl

PRO BASEBALL

Sunday, Jan. 31

Braves’ Freeman says ailing right wrist finally pain-free

By CHARLES ODUM The Associated Press ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman’s slowhealing right wrist finally is pain-free, allowing the Braves first baseman to take swings on back-to-back days this week for the first time this offseason.

Freeman said at the Braves’ FanFest on Saturday the wrist never fully recovered last season after he spent five weeks on the disabled list in June and July. He said a turning point came when he had an injection in the wrist on Dec. 20.

“It was a tough offseason, the first couple months to try to get healthy, but I am 100 percent healthy now,” Freeman said.

He said taking swings two straights days was a big step.

“Everything felt good, so I am on the right path to being 100 percent ready to go, full bore, for the first day of spring training,” Freeman said.

“It took seven months for all the pain to go away,” he added. “I’m really happy it did.”

The Braves called the injury a contusion.

Freeman also spent two weeks on the DL with a right oblique injury, only adding to his frustrations.

Freeman being healthy is crucial for the rebuilding Braves, who have too few established bats in the middle of their lineup. He

At Honolulu Team Irvin 49, Team Rice 27

Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7

At Santa Clara, Calif.

Denver vs. Carolina, 6:30 p.m. (CBS)

NBA Standings

By The Associated Press

says he hit off the tee and hit underhand tosses without pain this week.

“He’s kind of graduating to batting practice, but he’s got a big smile on his face,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He feels great.”

Freeman is Atlanta’s only remaining starting position player from its last NL East champion team in 2013. He hit a career-best .319 with 23 homers and 109 RBIs on that team that won 96 games.

The Braves fell to fourth in Freeman the East in 2015, four games above last-place Philadelphia.

The Braves’ commitment to youth continued with more dramatic moves this offseason. The team traded Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons and right-hander Shelby Miller. This came after Atlanta unloaded Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Evan Gattis and Melvin Upton before the 2015 season.

The underpowered Atlanta offense finished last in the majors in homers as the Braves won only 67 games, their low since 1990. General manager John Coppolella has said Freeman, 26, won’t be traded. Despite the injuries, Freeman hit .276 with 18 homers and 66 RBIs last season. He was limited to 118 games, his low since making his debut with Atlanta in 2010.

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division

Toronto Boston New York Brooklyn Philadelphia Southeast Division

Miami Atlanta Charlotte Washington Orlando Central Division

Cleveland Chicago Detroit Indiana Milwaukee

W L Pct GB 32 16 .667 — 27 22 .551 5½ 23 27 .460 10 12 37 .245 20½ 7 41 .146 25 W L Pct GB 27 21 .563 — 28 22 .560 — 23 25 .479 4 21 25 .457 5 21 26 .447 5½ W L Pct GB 35 12 .745 — 26 21 .553 9 26 23 .531 10 25 23 .521 10½ 20 30 .400 16½

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division

San Antonio Memphis Dallas Houston New Orleans Northwest Division

Oklahoma City Portland Utah Denver Minnesota Pacific Division

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

W L Pct GB 40 8 .833 — 29 20 .592 11½ 28 23 .549 13½ 25 25 .500 16 18 29 .383 21½

Cleveland 111, Indiana 106, OT Detroit 105, Brooklyn 100 Memphis 110, New Orleans 95 Oklahoma City 114, Washington 98 Atlanta 112, Dallas 97 San Antonio 107, Orlando 92 Utah 105, Chicago 96, OT Denver 112, Toronto 93 Sacramento 111, Milwaukee 104

Tuesday’s Games

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

Miami at Houston, 8 p.m.

Toronto at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Milwaukee at Portland, 10 p.m.

Minnesota at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Cleveland at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Detroit at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Orlando at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Golden State at Washington, 8 p.m.

New Orleans at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

Miami at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Denver at Utah, 9 p.m.

Chicago at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

Minnesota at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Thursday’s Games

New York at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Houston at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 9:30 p.m.

Toronto at Portland, 10 p.m.

NHL Standings

By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Florida 49 29 15 5 63 135 108 Tampa Bay 49 27 18 4 58 130 117 Detroit 49 25 16 8 58 122 124 Boston 49 26 18 5 57 147 131 Montreal 50 24 22 4 52 136 134 Ottawa 50 23 21 6 52 139 155 Buffalo 50 20 26 4 44 114 136 Toronto 48 17 22 9 43 114 134 Metropolitan Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Washington 47 35 8 4 74 158 104 N.Y. Rangers 49 27 17 5 59 142 129 N.Y. Islanders 47 25 16 6 56 130 118 Pittsburgh 48 24 17 7 55 121 120 New Jersey 50 25 20 5 55 114 118 Carolina 51 23 20 8 54 123 135 Philadelphia 47 21 18 8 50 109 127 Columbus 51 19 27 5 43 133 163

WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Chicago 53 33 16 4 70 147 122 Dallas 50 31 14 5 67 162 133 St. Louis 52 28 16 8 64 129 128 Colorado 52 27 22 3 57 143 142 Nashville 50 24 18 8 56 129 131 Minnesota 49 23 17 9 55 121 115 Winnipeg 49 22 24 3 47 126 140 Pacific Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Los Angeles 49 30 16 3 63 129 113 San Jose 48 26 18 4 56 142 129 Arizona 49 24 20 5 53 131 146 Anaheim 47 22 18 7 51 101 111 Vancouver 50 20 19 11 51 122 139 Calgary 48 21 24 3 45 126 146 Edmonton 50 19 26 5 43 122 149 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

Monday’s Games

No games scheduled

Tuesday’s Games

Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

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

Montreal at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Florida at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

St. Louis at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Dallas at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Chicago at Colorado, 9 p.m.

Columbus at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Los Angeles at Arizona, 9 p.m.

San Jose at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

Buffalo at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m.

Carolina at Calgary, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday’s Games

Boston at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

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

N.Y. Islanders at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

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

Edmonton at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.

Detroit at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

San Jose at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Dallas at Colorado, 9 p.m.

Chicago at Arizona, 9 p.m.

Columbus at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Anaheim at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

Monday’s Men’s College Scores

By The Associated Press

EAST

American U. 58, Holy Cross 45 Iona 75, St. Peter’s 67 Loyola (Md.) 68, Colgate 65 Monmouth (NJ) 93, Siena 87 Navy 64, Army 50 Quinnipiac 64, Fairfield 59 St. John Fisher 94, Utica 68 Stockton 66, Rutgers-Newark 63 William Paterson 87, Rutgers-Camden 62 Yeshiva 77, NY Maritime 73

SOUTH

Alabama St. 83, Prairie View 77 Chattanooga 125, The Citadel 85 Delaware St. 86, Cheyney 70 Florida St. 77, NC State 73 Georgetown (Ky.) 86, Cumberlands 73 Jacksonville 83, Florida Gulf Coast 80 Kennesaw St. 75, SC-Upstate 62 Life 77, Lindsey Wilson 63 Louisville 71, North Carolina 65 MVSU 72, Grambling St. 59 Md.-Eastern Shore 85, Howard 67 Mercer 85, Samford 70 Morgan St. 83, Coppin St. 43 NC Central 81, Florida A&M 63 NJIT 90, Lipscomb 78 New Orleans 74, Nicholls St. 53 Northwood (Mich.) 112, Lake Superior St. 111, OT Oakland 85, N. Kentucky 74 SE Louisiana 82, McNeese St. 80 Spring Hill 74, LeMoyne-Owen 67 Stetson 86, North Florida 82 Tenn. Wesleyan 96, Voorhees 88 Texas Southern 71, Alabama A&M 68 Union (Ky.) 84, Bryan 67

MIDWEST

E. Illinois 101, St. Ambrose 59 Ferris St. 74, Grand Valley St. 71 Michigan Tech 69, N. Michigan 56 Saginaw Valley St. 72, Hillsdale 69

SOUTHWEST

Houston 71, SMU 68 Jackson St. 66, Ark.-Pine Bluff 53 Sam Houston St. 69, Lamar 66 Texas 67, Baylor 59

FAR WEST

No scores reported

TRANSACTIONS

By The Associated Press

W L Pct GB 37 13 .740 — 23 26 .469 13½ 22 25 .468 13½ 19 30 .388 17½ 14 35 .286 22½ W L Pct GB 44 4 .917 — 32 16 .667 12 21 27 .438 23 14 35 .286 30½ 9 41 .180 36

BASEBALL American League KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Agreed to terms with RHP Peter Moylan on a minor league contract.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Agreed to terms with INF Sherman Johnson, LHP Tyler DeLoach, C Stephen McGee, C Michael Strentz, INF Alex Yarbrough, LHP Greg Mahle, C Taylor Ward, OF Chad Hinshaw, RHP Yunesky Maya, C Wade Wass, RHP Kyle McGowin and LHP Nate Smith to minor league contracts.

sports

The SUMTER ITEM

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

|

B3

SUPER BOWL

Practice squad receiver helped Manning get to the Super Bowl

By ARNIE STAPLETON Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jordan Taylor sauntered into the locker room, a spiffy custom-made charcoal suit slung over his right shoulder.

“Let me see it,” Peyton Manning asked excitedly.

The Denver Broncos’ practice squad receiver unzipped the white vinyl bag to reveal the three-piece enmanning semble as Manning admired the craftsmanship and choice of color.

The suit was a gift from Manning, his way of thanking Taylor for helping him regain his rhythm and reclaim his starting job in time to make this run to Super Bowl 50.

A 6-foot-5 rookie from Rice with runway model good looks and long, golden locks, Taylor served as Manning’s personal practice partner when the fivetime MVP began his comeback from a left foot injury in December.

“I don’t think I could have gotten through my rehab and gotten back if it had not been for him,” Manning said Tuesday. “I am very grateful for his help.”

To show his appreciation, Manning sent Taylor to see his tailor.

“I bought him a suit, two shirts and two ties for the road trip — and he may have been one of the best dressed players on the team coming out here on Sunday,” Manning said. “I just appreciate his help.”

The workouts consisted of assistant equipment manager Mike “Harry” Harrington snapping to Manning and Taylor running himself ragged.

“We’d work from the right side first and run all of the route tree: curls, fades, hitches, slants, all that. We’d do 10 routes on the left side, 10 routes on the right side,” Taylor said.

“And then he likes to get into two-minute mode hurrying up and calling things out.

So, we would do that up and down the field three or four times. So, it was exhausting and then I’d have to go to practice later that afternoon.”

The Associated Press

Carolina safety Roman Harper says linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) is “the nicest guy you ever want to meet.,’” but when Kuechly hits the field he changes into a person you wouldn’t recognize -- ferocious, fiery and competitive.

Newton: Carolina’s nice guy LB Kuechly has ‘alter ego’

By STEVE REED The Associated Press

“On the field he turns into something else — like Captain America saving everySAN JOSE, Calif. — Luke body and everything,” corKuechly strolls happily nerback Josh Norman said. through the Carolina Pan“He has a switch. Some thers locker room smiling players got it and some playand addressing teammates ers don’t — he definitely has as he passes. one.”

He stops at defensive tackWhatever switch Kuechly le Dwan Edwards’ locker has, it certainly works. first and shares a laugh beHe has more tackles than fore moving up the carpeted, any player in the league rectangular room and sitsince being selected by the ting with a group of runPanthers in the first round ning backs to chat. out of Boston College in He talks. He laughs. He 2012. He has more intercepleaves people in a better tions (11) than any linebackmood as he departs. er during that span and was The Panthers seem to named NFL Defensive Playagree that Kuechly is, as er of the Year in 2013. safety Roman Harper deThe Panthers are 44-24-1 scribes him, “the nicest guy since his arrival and will I’ve ever met in the world.” play in the Super Bowl on “Definitely,” adds EdSunday against the Denver wards.

Broncos.

But they also know about Coach Ron Rivera said he Kuechly’s “other side” — sometimes has to remind the moment when the Allhimself that Kuechly is only Pro linebacker steps on the 24. football field, things change “What more could you ask quickly. for than a guy to come in “He has this alter ego he and take the league by manages to control. In the storm?” tight end Greg Olsen locker room he’s so jolly, said. “There is that expectalike, ‘Hi Cameron,”’ said tion of what more can he do quarterback Cam Newton, year-in and year-out? He raising the pitch in his voice seems to top himself. He’s a at the end to simulate Kuech- special player.” ly’s cheery voice.

“He’s my favorite football “And then on the field he’s player ever,” said running like ‘Arrrrgh!”’ Newton said, back Jonathan Stewart. his voice turning more inThe humble Kuechly gets tense. bashful, almost embarThe QB shakes his head, rassed, talking about himself “It’s crazy.”

— particularly when it

comes to his fiery demeanor on the field.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Kuechly says he lives by the simple motto of treating other people the way you want to be treated, but acknowledges that kind of goes out the window on game day.

“You can be one guy off the field, but when you get on the field the competitive aspect of who you are takes over,” Kuechly said. “It doesn’t matter who it is, everyone wants to compete, everyone wants to win and you have to do your best because if you let up for one second something bad will happen to you.”

Broncos tight end Owen Daniels calls Kuechly “an animal” on the football field.

“He’s sideline-to-sideline, flying around, passing guys, his own teammates, to make tackles,” Daniels said. “You see all that stuff on film and it’s really impressive.”

Then he laughs and says, “Good to know he’s a nice

guy off the field.”

Kuechly has 19 tackles, three pass breakups and two interception returns for touchdowns already this postseason.

Newton never misses a chance to playfully poke a little fun at Kuechly’s humble, nice-guy persona. He was the one that dubbed the seemingly too-good-to-betrue Kuechly “Captain America,” in part, to pick on him.

But when the teasing ends, he wants Kuechly on his team.

“Being around Luke makes me better,” Newton said. “I haven’t been around a lot of people that I can say their preparation, their play, their skillset brings the best out of me. When I see Luke and the work that he puts in from working out to preparing in the classroom and for it to come out on the field, it makes a person like me want to be better.”

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B4

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sports

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The SUMTER ITEM

SUPER BOWL

Newton to Oher: ‘I need you’ to play in Carolina The Associated Press

He may well play just a bit part at this Super Bowl, but Denver Broncos tight end Vernon Davis (80) is back in the Bay Area he has called home for more than a decade.

Davis hopes to play role in Super Bowl with Broncos

By JANIE McCAULEY The Associated Press The Associated Press

When the Carolina Panthers turned their attention to signing free agent offensive tackle, Michael Oher, right, quarterback Cam Newton started texting Oher that he needed him in Charlotte to protect his blind side. Oher, the main character in the popular movie by that name, has fit in nicely in the Panthers’ run to the Super Bowl.

By STEVE REED The Associated Press SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Cam Newton discovered the Carolina Panthers planned to make a run at signing Michael Oher last offseason, he texted the free agent offensive tackle: “I need you. I don’t want you. I NEED you.”

Newton had sent text messages before to potential free agent prospects — but this time he was desperate. The Panthers weren’t planning to re-sign struggling left tackle Byron Bell, and Newton needed someone to protect his blindside. He thought Oher, the main character in the popular movie by that name, would be a perfect fit.

The fifth-year quarterback turned out to be right.

Oher is having his best statistical season, and the Panthers (17-1) are the highest-scoring offense in the league and will play the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

“Yeah, it meant a lot,” Oher said emphatically Monday night. “I mean, it’s Cam Newton. You get a text from Cam Newton telling you that he needs you, well, you appreciate that. It’s definitely something that resonated with me.”

Turns out Newton had inside knowledge on Oher.

Newton’s younger brother Cecil, an offensive lineman, had been teammates with Oher with the Baltimore Ravens and raved to his brother about Oher’s work ethic and professionalism.

Newton bought in — and so did the Panthers.

Oher signed a two-year, $7 million contract with Carolina, a move that wasn’t particularly popular with Panthers fans considering he’d struggled in 2014 with the Tennessee Titans and been released one year into a three-year contract.

The Associated Press

Carolina offensive tackle Michael Oher (73) has done an outstanding job in protecting the blind side of quarterback Cam Newton (1) during the Panthers’ run to Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos.

“I got killed on that one,” Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said.

But Oher has been solid.

In fact, he’s been more than solid, helping the Panthers finish second in the NFL in rushing and helping Newton achieve an MVPtype season with 45 combined touchdowns.

Oher played in 98.4 percent of the team’s snaps this season and allowed a career-low four sacks — tied for eighth-fewest in the league — and was penalized only three times for 25 yards, according to STATS. Those numbers were a major improvement over his final two seasons in Baltimore, when he allowed a combined 21 ½ sacks, and last season when he allowed six sacks in 11 starts with the Titans.

“He’s been a key asset to say the least,” Newton said.

Panthers center Ryan Kalil said

Oher had the perfect personality to fit in on Carolina’s comedic offensive line.

He and his teammates regularly tease Oher about “The Blind Side” — a movie Oher doesn’t particularly like because he felt it portrayed him as a kid who doesn’t like football.

Panthers right tackle Mike Remmers is the first to text Oher to tell him when the movie is on TV — and it seems to be on all of the time.

Remmers also regularly recites lines from the movie, drawing a roll of the eyes from Oher.

“Michael Oher has a great personality and an incredible work ethic,” Kalil said. “You talk about trying to add talent to your football team, but you also want good character guys who will rub off on the younger guys and show guys what it means to be a pro — and Michael Oher is the epitome of that.”

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Vernon Davis got to sleep at home for a night in the Bay Area, stay in the same hotel where he lived during 49ers training camp last summer, and the equipment staff even promised him his old locker at Levi’s Stadium this weekend.

No matter that he might play a bit part in this Super Bowl for the Denver Broncos, Davis is back where he has made a home for more than a decade and ready to win a championship ring after coming up just short three years ago with San Francisco.

It just so happened he arrived Sunday for Super Bowl week on his 32nd birthday, too.

“It hasn’t been that long since I left here, so it kind of seems like I was just here,” said Davis, who was traded from the 49ers to the Broncos on Nov. 2. “I’ll look around a little bit and get a gauge on things and I’ll come to the realization that I’m actually playing in the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.”

The veteran tight end has had discussions with many a teammate already on the importance that they “just stay together, just stay in this moment, and don’t get caught up on the outside because the moment you do there’s a lot of risk.”

Davis didn’t even have plans to stop by the Jamba Juice store he owns.

He would love nothing more than to leave his mark on this Super Bowl, somehow. Even if he has played all of 11 snaps this postseason with one target and no catches.

“You haven’t seen me but there’s a chance that you could see me,” he said. “I don’t know.

I’m all about faith, anything could happen just like that. The moment it does, I have to take advantage of my opportunities. They will come. ...

I’m a patient guy and I’m ready whenever the opportunity presents itself.”

Davis’ short time in the offense — and playing with two different quarterbacks in Peyton Manning and backup Brock Osweiler — made for a challenging transition to his new team.

According to Football Perspective, Davis is one of just four players to have competed in home games on the Super Bowl field during the regular season then return for the championship game with a different team.

For Davis, that three-point loss to Baltimore in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season has stuck with him — just as it has for many of his former 49ers teammates.

“It just weighs heavy on you when you make it to the Super Bowl and you can’t pull off the victory,” Davis said. “It’s not a good feeling at all. I stressed that to some of my teammates, I wanted to make them aware of what it can feel like if things didn’t go our way — just give them that fire and that motivation.”

Denver LB Miller hanging loose as leader of Super Bowl run

By ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press SAN JOSE, Calif. — When the NFL turned its anvil into a carrot, giving Von Miller a way out of its drug program, Denver’s star linebacker was free to be himself this season — and was he ever.

Not only did Denver’s loquacious linebacker set the tone for the Broncos’ run to Super Bowl 50 by haunting offensive linemen and hammering quarterbacks, but he loosened the locker room.

He figured the best way to lift up his teammates was with his cutup personality and childlike cheer.

“So, it’s the fourth day of training camp, it’s all rough and everybody’s ready for the preseason, I’m going to come

in and make them laugh, probably wear something in here to get everything going,” Miller said.

As in his Russian fur trapper hat or his outlandish cowboys boots.

“And that’s just where my mindset was. I didn’t have Miller to worry about anything else this year other than playing football and being here with my teammates,” Miller said. “So, I really just tried to lose myself in that.”

The NFL changed its drug policy in 2014. Instead of perpetually being one strike — even a missed urine test — away from a lifetime ban from the NFL, Miller was dis-

charged from the league’s drug program last summer after staying clean for two years.

The weight of the world no longer on his shoulders, the locker room became both his den and his Zen. Equipment guys who are always around long after players have left for the day often would find him hanging out on the leather couch in the locker room watching opponents on his iPad late into the evening.

When he wasn’t picking apart the pixels to find a weak point in a tackle’s technique by night, Miller was taking on all comers in a game of Connect Four during breaks from the weight room and classroom.

“I become the king of the Connect Four probably when I was real young before I even got to Texas A&M and then when I got here we just started playing and we got all these large personalities and everybody thought they were the best — until they played me,” Miller said.

Emmanuel Sanders can give him a run. So can Aqib Talib.

But in a seven-game series, even those two concede Miller is the undisputed champ.

“Nobody ever beats me,” Miller said.

Miller laughs at the notion — millionaires playing a kid’s game, “a plastic $5 game, the travel one, at that.”

If he’s not gleefully beating his teammates in the Milton Bradley classic, he’s usually

cracking them up with his comedy-club humor or dance moves.

He said Peyton Manning shouldn’t have won his starting job back last month — not that he was sticking up for Brock Osweiler. He insists he was the better option.

“This is how I look at it: I rush the passer, so I have to know everything about the passer. And to do that, I’ve got to become a passer, kind of,” Miller tried to explain.

See the quarterback, be the quarterback.

“Yeah, in my own mind, I’m the passer as I’m rushing the passer,” Miller said. “I thought this was my opportunity. I’ve got to keep grinding. Maybe I’ll get my opportunity in the Super Bowl.”

sports

The SUMTER ITEM

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

|

B5

AREA ROUNDUP

Pack’s near triple-double helps Gators topple Monarchs MANNING -- Davontae Pack nearly pulled a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals to help lead Lakewood’s varsity boys basketball team to a 73-57 victory over Manning on Tuesday at Thames Arena.

Jarvis Johnson had 14 points and seven assists for the Gators. Latheron RogersAnderson added 12 as LHS improved to 18-5 overall and 6-2 in Region VI-3A.The Gators will host Crestwood on Friday.

Rayvon Witherspoon had 22 points to lead Manning followed by Jalen White with nine and both Jamerian Lee and Khalid Lackings with eight each.

LAKEWOOD Pack 15, Johnson 14, Rogers-Anderson 12, Tindal 8, Osborne 6, Singleton 6, Cocklen 4, Wilson 4, Still 3.

Laurence Manning 55 Calhoun Academy 43 MANNING -- Rashaad Robinson scored 12 points and Taylor Lee added 10 as Laurence Manning Academy earned a 55-43 victory over Calhoun Academy on Tuesday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium.

LMA plays again today at Gray Collegiate Academy,

JV BASKETBALL Lakewood 50 Manning 42 Lakewood High School defeated Manning 50-42 on Monday at The Swamp.

Malik Richardson and Travius Epps both had 15 points for the Gators. Juwan Purdue added nine.

Marcus Lane led the Hawks with 15 points. Carldrelle Cooper had 11 and O’Donnell Fortune and Trevonte Brunson both had 10.

Alice Drive will play host to Bates in a semifinal game on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Bates 45 Chestnut Oaks 30

Alice Drive 65

Tylee Craft had 17 points and seven rebounds as Bates Middle School earned a 45-30 victory over Chestnut Oaks on Tuesday at the Bantams gymnasium in a first-round playoff game.

Vance Ragin had six points and eight assists for Bates while Kendall Hawk added six points and seven rebounds.

Bates will travel to Alice Drive on Wednesday at 5 p.m. for a semifinal game.

Hillcrest 16

Spaulding 45

Alice Drive Middle School had four players score in double figures as it defeated Hillcrest 65-16 in a first-round game in the Sumter Middle School Conference tournament on Tuesday at the AD gymnasium.

Scott’s Branch 27

Laurence Manning 51 Calhoun Academy 21 Chase Lee scored 15 points and Wyatt Roland added 11 to help lead Laurence Manning Academy to a 51-21 victory over Calhoun Academy on Tuesday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL

LAMAR – Scott’s Branch Middle School lost to Spaulding 45-27 on Monday at the Spaulding gymnasium.

Antan Stukes led the Eagles with nine points.

SUMTER

USC

From Page B1 The Bulldogs led 50-48 before two straight baskets by Gaines stretched the lead back to six points. Frazier hit a 3-pointer from the corner for a 59-52 lead.

With only 1:49 remaining and the shot clock about to expire, Frazier hit an unlikely 3 while falling back into the Georgia bench for a 62-53 lead.

WAIT FOR ME Frazier was trapped when

Wilson Hall 46 Thomas Sumter 21 Emory Moore had 13 points as Wilson Hall finished a 10-5 season with a 46-21 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy on Tuesday at Nash Student Center.

Wise Segars added nine points for the Barons while Graham VanPatten had nine rebounds.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL Manning 53 Lakewood 50

day at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Courtney Beatson led the Lady Swampcats with 10 points. Kaela Johnson and Brooke Bennett both haad seven. In the junior varsity game, Calhoun won 16-14.

JV BASKETBALL Wilson Hall 33 Thomas Sumter 30 DuBose Alderman scored nine points and Sydney Jarecki added seven as Wilson Hall earned a 33-30 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy on Tuesday at Nash Student Center.

WH improved to 12-1 overall and 5-1 in the region. Caetlyn Martin scored 10 points to lead TSA.

MANNING – Manning High School defeated Lakewood 53-50 on Tuesday at Thames Arena. Tatyana Weldon led the Lady Gators with 13 points.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL Ki’Ari Cain had 10 points and Scott’s Branch 35 four assists, while Taja Randolph had nine points and Spaulding 11 eight rebounds.

LAMAR – Scott’s Branch Laurence Manning 40 Middle School defeated Spaulding 35-11 on Monday at Calhoun 27 the Spaulding gymnasium.

MANNING – Laurence ManTeja Madison led the Lady ning Academy defeated CalEagles with 17 points and Jahoun Academy 40-27 on Tueszlynn Bowman had eight.

BARONS

From Page B1

“We just had a tremendous defensive game tonight,” said SHS head coach Shawn Jones, whose team improved to 14-4 overall. “Our guys knew what was at stake and played with a lot of intensity.

“We played a lot of matchup zone tonight,” he added.

“I think that confused them a little bit.”

Points were hard to come by both inside and outside for South Florence, which fell to 10-7. SF head coach John Schweitz said there was a simple reason for his team’s offensive woes.

“It was that lid that was on the basket,” Schweitz said. “I thought we were well prepared, but we just couldn’t get any shots to fall.

I wouldn’t have guessed that all of my shooters would be off tonight. I’m disappointed with the loss, but not with the effort.”

Sumter, which lost to the Bruins 50-47 in the first meeting in Florence, raced out to a quick 10-1 advantage to open the game.

South Florence battled back though, tying it at 12-12.

However, the Gamecocks reeled off seven straight points and led by as many as 11 in the first half before taking a 26-17 lead into halftime.

It took over four minutes of the third quarter before SF scored, however, SHS could generate no offense and only led 32-22 entering the final stanza.

“That was frustrating because we had our chances to take over that game,” Jones said.

The Gamecocks did that in the fourth quarter behind post player Raymond Johnson. Johnson had not played prior to the fourth quarter, but he came in and scored eight points as Sumter pushed the lead to as many as 18 before settling for the 9-point victory.

“That shows the depth of our team,” Jones said of Johnson’s fourth-quarter appearance. “We’re able to

B TEAM BASKETBALL

From Page B1

The Lady Generals kept pace behind Emma Gaulke and Logan Morris, who each scored four in the quarter.

In the second, TSA took an early lead with a 6-0 run highlighted by Stoddard’s four straight points. Wilson Hall erased the deficit on back-toback treys from Munn and Cunningham again. Munn led WH with 13 points while Cunningham finished tied for second with seven along with Fisher. The score was tied until Munn’s late basket gave the Lady Barons a 21-19 advantage

at the break.

“They had a lot of girls step up and make shots, especially from the perimeter,” Reed said.

“We were not able to match that tonight, but we’ll regroup and learn from it and move on to (Friday’s) game.”

Logan Morris added eight points for TSA while Stoddard came way with seven rebounds.

In the boys game, Wilson Hall earned a 50-43 victory over TSA to improve to 12-7 overall and 6-0 in the region.

Brent Carraway led the Barons with 17 points followed by Drew Talley with 12.

Justin Lyons and Ron York each had 14 points to lead the Generals.

KNIGHTS

Keith Gedamke / The Sumter Item

Sumter’s Charles Patton (15) tries to get off a shot against the defense of South Florence’s David Vereen in the Gamecocks’ 44-35 victory on Tuesday at the SHS gymnasium.

“We played a lot of matchup zone tonight. I think that confused them a little bit.”

Shawn Jones SHS head coach wear teams down with that.

It’s great that you can bring someone in and finish a game like that. We’re starting to figure out who are our starters and our finishers.”

Charles Patton led a balanced Sumter scoring attack with nine points. Johnson

finished with eight, Andrew Tiller with seven and Jaylenn Corbett with six.

Dominique Small led the Bruins with 12 points. David Burch had six.

Sumter’s girls continued its steamroll through the region, blasting SF 68-32. The Lady Gamecocks, who improved to 18-4 and 7-0, led 29-4 after one quarter.

Kyra Wilson had 12 of her game high 23 points in the opening quarter. Jessica Harris finished with 20, nine of them coming in the opening stanza.

Wilson also had six steals and eight rebounds and Harris had six steals. Anna McBride blocked six shots.

Morgan Perkins led SF, 7-10 and 1-5, with 10 points.

he jumped over the South Carolina bench on the opening possession of the second half.

He finally walked around the bench as Georgia passed the ball around on the other end of the court and then sprinted to join his teammates before catching a pass and calmly making a 3-pointer for his first points of the game.

TIP-INS South Carolina: Carrera was called for his fourth foul with 31.3 seconds remaining and then was given a technical, ending his night. As the hot scorer entering the game, Car-

ures. The scoring was so balanced that a quartet of CrestFrom Page B1 wood players, including Cawasha Ceasar, Tyana Saunders, Jahche Whitfield and Lindsay “Nevertheless, we picked it Rogers, each had eight points. up and got some easy steals, “Any time you can play a and I think the difference in the game and you have balanced game was rebounding. I think scoring like that, that’s a plus we pretty much outrebounded because everybody is contributthem because we had a size ading on the offensive end,” Wilvantage on them, and the zone son said. “But we still have to worked well for us tonight. get better in certain areas. We Coming in, we knew that they stand and watch too much, and couldn’t shoot the ball well from playoffs are a week and a half the outside and we knew they away from now. We want to go couldn’t match up with our bigs into the playoffs clicking on all on the inside.” cylinders, so right now we’ve Though she did not come up just got to maintain and keep big in the scoring column, finthem going, get them to that ishing with four points, level to where we can’t stand Shaquanda Miller-McCray still and watch and take anybody for dominated the low post for a granted because on any given double-double with 15 rebounds night you can get beat.” and 10 blocked shots.

The Lady Knights also dished Crestwood started to pull the ball around well as Rogers away in the second quarter, out- totaled seven assists, Saunders scoring Hartsville 17-4 to take a finished with six and Ceasar 30-11 lead into the locker room. added two. Saquita Joyner The teams traded baskets topped the Lady Red Foxes in through much of the third scoring with 13 points. quarter until the Lady Knights In the boys contest, Crestclosed with an 8-2 run to stretch wood dominated Hartsville, their lead to 24, 47-23, heading winning by a score of 84-42. The into the fourth.

Knights improved to 13-5 overall Thanks to a last-second buck- and 4-3 in the region. et from Destinee Jamison, the Ja Morant led CHS with 24 final victory margin representpoints. Devin Nelson had 14 ed Crestwood’s largest lead of while Dakota Jennings and the night. Without that basket, Trevion Webber both had 12. which gave Jamison 11 points, Crestwood travels to crossthe Lady Knights would not town rival Lakewood on Friday have had a player in double fig- for a 6 p.m contest.

rera was the target of Georgia’s student section, who booed when he touched the ball. ... The Gamecocks made only 6 of 28 shots (21.4 percent) from the field in the first half and was 18 for 57 (31.6 percent) for the game.

Georgia: Junior F Kenny Paul Geno had two points in his first start since the first seven games of the season.

Georgia has recently tried Houston Kessler, Derek Ogbeide and Mike Edwards at the small forward spot. Ogbeide, a The Associated Press freshman, was the Bulldogs’ Georgia guard Charles Mann (4) goes up for a shot during the Bulldogs’ first substitute. ... Charles 69-56 victory over South Carolina on Tuesday in Athens, Ga. Mann had 11 points.

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SPORTS sports

WEDNESDAY, February FEBRUARY 3, 2016 Wednesday,

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

A look back at previous No. 1-ranked recruits

By NOAH TRISTER The Associated Press

No matter which school Rashan Gary signs with, he’ll have some big expectations to live up to.

Gary, a defensive tackle from Paramus Catholic High School, is the No. 1 recruit in the country according to ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports. That kind of unanimity atop the rankings is fairly unusual and suggests that Gary could indeed become a Gary star at the college level.

There are no sure things in recruiting, but the players at the very top of the rankings often go on to distinguished college careers — with NFL success a distinct possibility as well. Here’s a list of players who were No. 1 in recruiting rankings in each of the past 10 years — and what happened next:

By now, you’re noticing a trend with these No. 1-ranked players: They often end up in the Southeastern Conference, and a lot of them are defensive linemen.

Nkemdiche was a secondteam All-American this year and has declared for the NFL draft. His college career ended on a sour note when he was suspended for the Sugar Bowl following an incident in Atlanta when he fell from a hotel window and was charged with possession of marijuana.

see (Rivals, Scout); Matt Barkley, QB, Southern California (ESPN).

Brown’s recruitment was a bit of a soap opera. He signed with Tennessee in mid-March, well after signing day, and played only one season for the Volunteers before transferring to Kansas State. He’s played four seasons in the NFL for Philadelphia, Buffalo and Seattle.

2008

Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State (Rivals, Scout); Da’Quan Bowers, DL, Clem2012 son (ESPN).

Mario Edwards, DL, FloriAfter three productive da State (ESPN, 247Sports); seasons with the Buckeyes, Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Pryor’s college career conMissouri (Rivals, Scout). cluded in messy fashion Edwards played three when he left Ohio State after years for the Seminoles bean investigation into the fore heading to the NFL, and memorabilia-for-cash scanthe Oakland Raiders drafted dal that cost coach Jim Treshim in the second round last sel his job. He’s started 12 year. He admitted that his NFL games for Oakland and college career would have Cleveland in five years. been more impressive if 2007 he’d controlled his weight Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre better.

Dame (Rivals); Everson 2015 2011 Griffen, DL, USC (Scout); Joe Byron Cowart, DL, AuJadeveon Clowney, DL, McKnight, RB, USC (ESPN). burn (ESPN, Rivals); Kahlil South Carolina (ESPN, RiClausen never led Notre McKenzie, DL, Tennessee vals, Scout, 247Sports).

Dame to much success as a (Scout); Trent Thompson, The No. 1 college recruit team, but he did throw for 28 DL, Georgia (247Sports). eventually became the No. 1 touchdowns and only four Even the best recruits have pick in the NFL draft. interceptions as a junior. He a hard time making an imClowney was taken first was drafted in the second mediate impact, which overall by the Houston Texround by the Carolina Panmakes sense since they often ans after three seasons at thers a few months later. sign with top programs that South Carolina. He had 13 2006 have a lot of depth. Of this sacks as a sophomore, and Percy Harvin, WR, Florida group, only Thompson made although his numbers any starts this past season, dipped the following season, (Rivals); Myron Rolle, DB, but it’s still a trio worth he’d already established him- Florida State (ESPN); Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State keeping an eye on. self as a top pro prospect.

(Scout).

2014 2010 Harvin helped the Gators Leonard Fournette, RB, Ronald Powell, DL, Floriwin two national championLSU (ESPN, Scout); Myles da (ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports); ships in three seasons beGarrett, DL, Texas A&M Seantrel Henderson, OL, fore heading to the NFL, and (247Sports); Da’Shawn Miami (Scout).

Wells was tremendous as Hand, DL, Alabama (Rivals).

Powell missed the entire well, rushing for nearly Fournette finished sixth in 2012 season for the Gators 3,400 yards in three years the Heisman Trophy vote in because of a severe knee in- with the Buckeyes. But the 2015 and has rushed for 2,987 jury. Drafted in the fifth most unique path of any yards in two seasons at LSU. round in 2014 by the New top-ranked recruit may beGarrett, meanwhile, already Orleans Saints, he has long to Rolle, who was a has 24 sacks for the Aggies. struggled to make any imthird-team All-American as Hand hasn’t been as big a pact in the pros. Henderson a junior. He left the Semifactor, but he’s part of an Al- was drafted even lower that noles not for the NFL draft, abama defensive front that year, in the seventh round but for Oxford University helped the Crimson Tide win by Buffalo after he acknowl- after being named a Rhodes a national championship. edged that marijuana use Scholar. Rolle earned a masled to him being suspended ter’s degree in medical an2013 several times at Miami. thropology and was drafted Robert Nkemdiche, DL, by the Tennessee Titans in 2009 Mississippi (ESPN, Rivals, 2010 then picked up by the Bryce Brown, RB, Tennes- Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012.

Scout, 247Sports).

OBITUARIES SADIE CONNLEY Sadie Connley, 98, entered eternal rest on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, at Palmetto Health Tuomey.

Born on Nov. 29, 1917, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late James and Katie Ragin Adger. She was a member of Liberty Hill AME Church. She attended the public schools of Clarendon County.

Survivors are special nephews and nieces, Julian Stukes, Julius Adger, Dewey Neal (Yolanda), Naomi Bradley (Charles) and Venice Faison Johnson (Murray); an adopted sister, Mary R. Coleman; sister-in-law, Janie G. Adger; a special cousin, Mazie Brailsford; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church, Summerton, with Pastor Robert China. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family is receiving visitors at the home of her sisterin-law, Janie Adger, 1829 Lace Leaf Circle, Summerton.

Online memorials can be sent to comfhltj@sc.rr.com.

Community Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of these arrangements.

SAM LEWIS JR. Sam Lewis Jr., 89, widower of Alice China Lewis, died on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Sumter.

Born in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Sam Sr. and Rosa Pringle Lewis.

The family will begin re-

ceiving friends on Thursday at the home, 660 Mims Road.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc.

SUSAN CANTY MANNING — On Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, Susan Annette McCray Canty, wife of Will Roger Canty, exchanged time for eternity at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.

Born on April 14, 1959, in Manning, she was a daughter of the late Robert Alexander Sr. and Lillian Virginia Lee Hicks.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence of her husband, 4857 Wilson Road, Alcolu.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

by Fleming & Delaine Funeral Home & Chapel.

BETTY JEAN RHODES Betty Jean Rhodes, 59, entered eternal rest on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, at Palmetto Health Tuomey.

Born on June 22, 1952, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Abraham and Christine Session Rhodes.

She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1970 and continued her education at Morris College. She was a member of Second Presbyterian Church. She was a member of the International Free and Accepted Modern Mason and Order of the Eastern Star, and president of the State Marshall Department.

Survivors are two daughters, Adrian (Jaquan) Coker and Torrie Rhodes; two granddaughters, Bekiya Scott

and Trinity Coker; brother, Angelo (Ruby) Rhode; three sisters, Bobie Jenkins, Yvonne and Glenda Rhodes; a grandnephew, Earl Jenkins; aunt, Mary Lee Walters; uncle, James (Midori) Sessions; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Viewing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Second Presbyterian Church (USA), Sumter, with the pastor, Dr. Ella F. Busby, and Bishop Sylvester Francis, eulogist. Burial will follow in Melina Presbyterian Church cemetery.

The family is receiving visitors at the home, 524 S. Harvin St., Sumter.

Online memorials can be sent to comfhltj@sc.rr.com.

Community Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of these arrangements.

RAYMOND W. GIBBONS Raymond Wright Gibbons, 89, died on Feb. 1, 2016, after an extended illness, at home surrounded by his family.

Born on March 25, 1926, in Clarendon County, he was a son of the late Johnnie Wright Gibbons and Sadie Lou Buddin Gibbons. He was married for 67 years to Zilphia Elizabeth Moore Gibbons. While being a farmer was his first calling, one of his joys as a young man was deer hunting with his friends and later in life visiting the sick and shut-ins. He was a lifetime member of New Zion United Methodist Church and active in the Men’s Bible Sunday School

THE SUMTER ITEM The

AREA SCOREBOARD BASKETBALL Sumter Perseverance Tryouts The Sumter Perseverance youth basketball program is holding tryouts for the upcoming AAU season. Tryouts will run through April 1.

For more information, contact Coach Junko Allen at (803) 795-5513, at coachj_perseverance@yahoo.com or at www. facebook.com/perseverancebasketball.

Carolina Crush Tryouts The Carolina Crush AAU basketball organization of Columbia will host tryouts on Saturday and March 6.

There will be tryouts for for both boys and girls teams age 11-and-under, 13-and-under and 16-and-under. Players must have a parent or legal guardian at the tryout. For more information, call (803) 792-7222 or send an email to crushbasketall2013@gmail.com.

BOWLING Gamecock Lane Scores

Dec. 13-26 Sunday Night Mixed: Ron Poole 256585; Tom Teigue 186-468; Harold Allen 652; Don Brown 592; Richard Boisvert 464; Edith Haviland 466; Patricia Hout 367; Lori Williams 550.

Tuesday Night Mixed: Byron Phillips 279–772; Al Heath 264–690; Winston Jewell 267-691; Rowland Yates 279731; Darryl Fleming 238-653; Larry Schultz 278-748; Willie Graham 213546; Tucker Tumblin 206-519; Ricky

Grimmett 222-638; Carll Field 234-605; John Garrett 236-652; Kenneth Smith 247; Richard Roarick 231-682; Don Infelise 631; David Durant 634; Terry Starnes 481; Amy Vohs 509; Tanya Foster 558; Becky Dabbs 528; Debbie Tutton 470; Debbie Bechetti 529; Leslie Bruner 276-638; Loisanne Horne 253-736; Evvie Prioleau 209-555; Jerry Beasley 644; Brad Vohs 679; Nick Pipkin 531; Mike Christy 674; Von Carraway 611; Terrence Williams 658; Billy Prioleau 566; Doug Lauchart 534.

Close Encounters: Mike Barwick 613; David Outlaw 245-667; Steven Ruighaver 244-584; Steven Bartlette 189-435; John Brown 217-579; Evelyn Schroder 181-434; Stan Griggs 512; Robby Carter 492; Kathy Stafford 486.

Afternoon Delight: Geraldine Singleton 183-444; Jerry Coker Sr. 478; Norvell Jackson Jr. 474; Eva Jackson 562.

Industrial Mixed: Chuck Scott 267688; Elias Wells 246-610; Gabe Reynolds 259-673; Kenny Smith 247; Thomas Price 583; Russ Ratcliff 710; Greg Cunningham 567; Earl Fronbarger 619; Steve Anderson 626.

Friday Night Mixed: Eduardo Allen 300-755; Romero Davis 245-611; Kevin Austin 213-534; Gene Jenkins 247-609; Terrence Williams 279-677; Curtis Anderson 275-692; Tracy Herrington 235-680; Kenny Smith 258670; James Canty 243-609; Reggie Ratcliff 213-556; Dandrel Dukes 246657; Tyrone Bailey 259; Tim Jenkins 219-587; Leon Williams 246-656; Greg Jones 693; Jerry Beasley 608; Luke Hicks 637; Norvell Jackson Sr. 512; James Owens 338; Angela Wills 187436; Sue Bailey 254-718; Marie Davis 191-505; Loretta Friday 541; Rosemary Smith 559; Pam Clark 499.

Sunday Night Mixed: Harold Allen 278-696; Debbie Bechetti 205-535; Larry Horne 574.

Hot Shots: Les Shaw Rembert 494.

Tuesday Night Mixed: Rita Blake 497; Steph anie Barbare 202-481; Teresa Harvard 205-508; Heather Brown 392; Loisanne Horne 661; Winston Jewell 279-725; Nick Pipkin 230-574; Terence Williams 279-690; Von Carraway 259-633; Tony Friday 245-614; Brad Vohs 257-680; John Garrett 244636; Ricky Grimmett 229; Billy Brioleau 225-608; Joshua Sweeney 216560; Nick Urban 220-575; Larry Schultz 762; Mike Wallace 656; Don Brown 583; Rowland Yates 690; Richard Roarick 611; Richard Whisnant 530; Joe Spangler 676.

SPORTS ITEMS

Fire Ants sweep Catawba Valley The University of South Carolina Sumter baseball team swept Catawba Valley Community College on Sunday at Riley Park by scores of 5-4 and 8-4.

The Fire Ants, who improved to 3-1, rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in the first game to grab their second late-inning victory of the series. USC Sumter came from behind to beat the Red Hawks 6-2 in the first game on Saturday before falling 10-9 in the second game.

USCS’ next scheduled game is on Feb. 18 at home against the Newberry College JV squad in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

his release in March, a move that has seemed inevitable for months. The conduct by the 23-year-old player — rampant partying, two domestic incidents and a general lack of commitment — have been a major problem almost from the day Cleveland drafted the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner in the first round two years ago.

Class and offices in the church including the chairman of the cemetery committee for many years. In addition, he was a charter member of the Black River American Legion Post No. 149. Mr. Gibbons served as a corporal in the U.S. Army 63rd Infantry Division (Blood and Fire) during World War II. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sadie Jean Childers of Greenville; brother, Robert Neaveland Gibbons of Asheville, North Carolina; and a special nephew, Donald Gibbons Blackmon of New Zion.

Survivors include daughters, Julie Gibbons Griffin of Florence and Ginny Gibbons Wessinger of Lexington; a son, Rodney Wright Gibbons (Kim) of Burlington, Iowa; five grandchildren, Joseph Larry Griffin IV (Heather) of Florence, Megan E. Griffin of North Augusta, Joshua C. Wessinger (Chasity) of Lexington, Rachel E. Gibbons and Jared A. Wright Gibbons of Burlington, Iowa; three great-grandchildren, Victoria and Isabella Griffin of Florence and Finley Wessinger of Lexington; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Both visitation and funeral services will be held at New Zion United Methodist Church, 7169 Salem Road, New Zion.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today, and funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

The family would like to thank Diane McFadden for all of her loving care and attention for several years and

Beebe Coker and Christina Toney with Amedisys Hospice of South Carolina.

Memorials may be made to New Zion United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 33, New Zion, SC 29111, or Amedisys Hospice of South Carolina, 198 E. Wesmark Blvd., Suite 2, Sumter, SC 29150.

Online condolences may be made at www.floydfuneral. com Floyd Funeral Home of Olanta is in charge of arrangements.

NASCAR’s Tony Stewart hospitalized with injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Threetime NASCAR champion Tony Stewart was hospitalized Tuesday with a back injury and Stewart-Haas Racing said the team was unsure of the extent of his injuries just a week before he is expected in Daytona Browns tired of to prepare for his final season Manziel’s antics in Sprint Cup. CLEVELAND — The Browns The 44-year-old Stewart was are about to throw Johnny injured Sunday during an acciFootball away. dent while he was riding an allThe team issued a strong terrain vehicle somewhere on statement Tuesday, condemnthe West Coast, SHR spokesing quarterback Johnny Manman Mike Arning told The Asziel’s actions and pointing to sociated Press.

RODNEY G. HAYDEN Rodney Glenn Hayden, 55, husband of Pam Norton Hayden, died on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, at Palmetto Health Tuomey.

Services will be announced

by Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter.

OLA LEE WHACK FLORENCE — On Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, Evangelist Ola Lee Brown Graham Whack, widow of Hoyt Graham and the Rev. Sam Willie Whack Sr., exchanged her rugged cross for her precious crown at McLeod Hospice House, Florence.

Born on June 9, 1933, in Florence County, she was a daughter of the late Clayton and Letha Wilson Brown.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence of her daughter, Janie Lee Graham Fleming, 1709 Partridge Drive, Florence.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

by Fleming & Delaine Funeral Home & Chapel.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

Dot Goodwin’s mixed media piece titled “Ancient Drummer” includes her original casting. Works by Goodwin and Tari Federer will be on exhibit at Gallery 135 in Patriot Hall from Feb. 11 through 29. Admission is free to the public.

Gallery 135 presents works by 2 artists New exhibition explores Native American culture

work, lending themselves to the creation of iconic images and traditional symbols of institutions and South Carolina in her commercial pieces.”

Now living in the country with her two horses, she

BY IVY MOORE draws much of her inspirais sponsoring the show that ivy@theitem.com tion from nature. runs through Feb. 29.

Active in the community, Goodwin, who lives in CamTwo South Carolina artists den, was born on her family’s Goodwin often volunteers to with a passion for Native support others in their artisfarm in Chatham County, American culture and traditic endeavors, speaking to tion will exhibit their work at North Carolina, but traveled local arts groups, conducting Gallery 135 in Patriot Hall be- across the country after her workshops and served as art father joined the military. ginning Thursday, Feb. 11. director for the Downtown As an adult, she joined the The show by Dot Goodwin Camden Guild. She has military herself, serving and Tari Federer is titled served on the Art Steering three years at Fort Jackson, “Our Native Spirit” and explores the “personal interpre- plus seven more as a civilian Committee for Pinckney Elementary School, an ABC tation and profession of their in the fort’s art shop. While Pilot School for the arts, at love for the rich spiritualism there she mastered several Fort Jackson since 1995. media, from lapidary and ... of the Native American Viewers will see a great leather crafting to wood carvculture.” A reception for the deal of Native American iming, embossing and die-makpublic (from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. agery in Goodwin’s work, esFeb. 11) will begin the exhibi- ing and casting and also bepecially of horses and wings. coming a master framer. tion.

Federer counts Native Goodwin said she enjoys While neither Goodwin nor American spiritualism as “an “the sensation of carving Federer is Native American, integral part of my life” since surfaces, or carefully buildboth said they feel a strong childhood. Now a South Caring multi-level images for connection to Native Ameriolina resident, she spent a lot casting.” She is known for can culture, according to of her life in the Southwest.

Carmela Bryan, executive di- “her strong sense of symmeIn her artist statement, she try and attention to detail ... rector of the Sumter County Cultural Commission, which features that stand out in her writes “My relation to all of

creation is acknowledged in every breath I take. I have a deep reverence and respect for all Nations, and their influence is ever present in all forms of art that I create. My deep interconnectedness with our Earth Mother calls me to create beauty, and with each creation, my soul I give.”

Federer said she often chooses landscapes as her subjects “because of my past experiences hiking, horseback riding and canoeing on rivers. It is the beauty and timelessness of these mental images that allow me to feel interconnectedness with the forces of nature, leaving me with great inspiration to share what I see with others.”

A ceramicist, photographer and painter, Federer will show works in all these media.

During the opening reception, Bryan said, a Native American group will provide entertainment.

Keepers of the Word is an intertribal and interdenominational, nonprofit communi-

ty service organization dedicated to sharing information on Native American culture, traditions and spirituality, according to its website. The group’s drum team will play both traditional and current Native American music.

Members of the organization comprise Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickawas, Ojibwa, Cheyenne, Kiowa-Comanche and Pottawatomie heritages, who are members of several different Christian denominations. They are from Sumter, Richland, Lexington, Orangeburg, Colleton and Dorchester counties.

The Sumter County Cultural Commission presents “Our Native Spirits,” works by Dot Goodwin and Tari Federer, in Gallery 135 at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St., Feb. 11 through 29. The show opens with a free reception for the public from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m on Thursday, Feb. 11.

Gallery 135 is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. For more information call (803) 436-2260.

‘Sunlight and Shadows’ opening at Covenant Place

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

rator Zach Eichelberger, his first since joining the gallery.

Native South Carolinian Sylvester Hickmon Jr. remembers loving to It’s been four years since the Sumdraw from childhood, first drawing on ter County Gallery of Art and Covethe ground and then spending as nant Place Assisted Living Facility much time as possible in his high began their collaboration that brings exhibitions by talented, local artists to school’s art room. Since receiving his bachelor of science degree in art eduCovenant Place’s Mezzanine Gallery. cation from South Carolina State UniSCGA Executive Director Karen Watversity, he has spent the past 20 years son and Melissa Linville, director of teaching art, both in the public sales and marketing for Covenant Place, have both pronounced the proj- schools and at the SCGA. Although ect a resounding success. skilled in other media, as well, HickThe two of them, along with Jane mon has worked exclusively in colOurs and Frank McCauley, worked to- ored pencil for many years. gether to present the shows in the With his exquisite attention to deMezzanine Gallery. tail, use of color, light and shadow, he The exhibitions usually feature two creates realistic drawings that, as he local artists, “thus providing a rich vi- notes in his artist statement, “ ... consual art environment for the resivey brief moments and interludes in dents,” Watson said. our lives and let the viewer’s individuWorks by Sylvester Hickmon and al experience and imagination recapTrisha Roman King will hang in the ture these ‘stories’ and make them gallery from Thursday’s 5 to 7 p.m. their own. opening reception until May 5.

“Our lives are comprised of imporHickmon’s colored pencil drawings tant moments,” he said, “each one are well known, both to Sumterites lived in an instant. Such moments and throughout the U.S.; King’s work vanish quickly, leaving behind memocomprises photography and assemries, impressions, images, colors and blages, such as her “Trees of Life” feelings that shape the routines and made from a variety of materials from rituals of our everyday lives and dejewelry to military memorabilia and fine our humanity.” keepsakes.

Hickmon has received many awards The show, titled “Sunlight and for his drawings, both at the regional Shadows,” was hung by the SCGA cu- and national level, and his work is in

tinued to do so, even after marriage and motherhood. One of her earliest projects was photographing the graffiti she’d grown up with.

King has entered the Sumter Artists’ Guild Show twice and has been recognized with awards both times.

She’s also been juried into the S.C. State Fair Art Exhibit for two years running and plans to continue her studies in photography.

In her artist statement, King writes that photography is her calling: “My PHOTO PROVIDED camera is always with me, and I am Trisha King’s photograph is titled Birds on happiest when I am photographing. a Wire. See it in the Covenant Place Mezza- My subjects choose me. Some of my best work has happened just sitting in nine Gallery from Feb. 4 through May 5. my car observing the rich world around me — the people, places and many private collections. It can also be found in The Artist’s Magazine and things. My heart and soul, the person I am, past and present, are reflected in “The Best of Colored Pencil 5.” He my photographs. They remain my refalso co-authored the book “Colored uge.”

Pencil Step by Step.”

Sylvester Hickmon and Trisha King has been in Sumter only two Roman King: Sunlight and Shadow, years but is already becoming known for her artwork, particularly her pho- opens at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Mezzanine Gallery at Covenant Place, 2825 tography. She currently has several Carter Road. Both artists will be in atpieces in the Sumter Artists’ Guild tendance. The 5 to 7 p.m. reception Winners Show at the SCGA. will be catered by Covenant Place’s Growing up in California with her mother and 15 siblings and surround- chef, and harpist Kipper Ackerman will provide the music. The public is ed by graffiti-covered buildings, King was often left to play by herself with a encouraged to attend, and admission is free. For more information call the toy camera she’d received for ChristSumter County Gallery of Art, (803) mas. At 18 she got her first “real” 775-0543.

Kodak, which fascinated her; it con-

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FOOD

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

THE SUMTER ITEM

Drink better wine by drinking it better

BY MICHELLE LOCKE The Associated Press

A

iming for a new and improved you in 2016? That’s

tough. Improving your wine experience? That’s not hard at all.

Because if you want to drink better wine, the first step is drinking wine better.

To help you get the job done, we asked the pros for their best wine drinking hacks that will make you a better person (or at least a better drinker).

LEARN BY DEGREES Aim for a middle ground when it comes to temperature. Good reds taste better with a little chill on them and good whites taste better when they’re not ice cold, says Joe Campanale, co-owner and beverage director for Epicurean Group, which includes the NYC neighborhood restaurants dell’anima, Anfora and L’Artusi. So if a red wine isn’t being pulled from a temperature controlled cellar or wine refrigerator, put the bottle in a refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes (or until slightly cool to the touch) before serving, says Jessica Pinzon, wine director of the Napa Valley’s Miminashi restaurant.

“Wine shows more acidity and minerality at a cooler temperature, and more fruit and alcohol at a warmer temperature. Experiencing the transition of (wine) warming up in the glass will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the wine,” she says.

ADD A TOUCH OF GLASS Use clean, clear glasses with a good stem, says Campanale, who hosts the weekly “In the Drink” program on Heritage Radio Network. He uses Bordeaux-shaped glasses (your basic red wine glass) for “pretty much all wine, including Champagne.” The stem plays an important role — keeping your fingers from warming the warm.

AGE WISELY Drink most white wines young, says Gordana Kostovski, general manager and sommelier/beverage director of the Volver restaurant in Philadelphia. And these days many red wines are made ready to drink on purchase, too. Big red wines, on the

other hand — think French Bordeaux — may need a little more time. Wondering how long? That’s a hard question to answer since wines vary. You can ask for clues at the wine shop or sometimes the label or wine website will offer suggestions.

DEVELOP A BUBBLY PERSONALITY “Drink more bubbles,” is the advice of Andy Myers, master sommelier and wine director for Washington, D.C.-based chef Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup. His pick, Raventos I Blanc “De Nit” rose from Spain. And skip the flute, says Kosovski.

Serve bubbles in a coup or regular wine glass.

DARE TO DECANT Decanting a wine is good all around. Whether young or old, a wine improves when exposed to a little air (which occurs naturally when pouring the wine from the bottle into a decanter).

And careful pouring also means you leave any sediment in the bottle. “Decanters aren’t just for somber, candle-lit ceremonies to separate the sediment out of venerable, old bottles,” says David Kravitz, certified master sommelier and beverage director of The Smith Restaurants in New York.

“Young, inexpensive wines are often improved with a good, hard splash decanting.

Oxygen will open up the fruit and ease the tannins.”

Note: If you’ve got a decanter gathering dust at the back of the cupboard, now’s the time to use it. If not, simply pour the wine into a clean pitcher or vase, says Pinzon. And don’t limit this to reds, she says. Champagne, white wine or rose can benefit from decanting, too.

PICK SAVVY STORAGE Store wine on its side and in contact with its cork, says Kostovski. And if you’ve got a wine refrigerator, keep it in there at 55 F. If not, look for a spot in a basement or closet that’s shaded from heat and light. Organize your wine and know what you have so you don’t forget it and leave it too long. And, says Kostovski, think about investing in a Coravin, the device that allows you to sample wine repeatedly without pulling the cork.

Having friends over for dinner and plan to open a nice, older bottle of wine?

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stand the bottle upright (ideally at cellar temperature, or somewhere between 50 F to 64 F) for a couple days before the dinner party, advises Pinzon. This allows any sediment that may have settled in the shoulder of the bottle to settle at the bottom instead, making serving or decanting cleaner and more ideal.

PRIME THAT WINE Drinking two wines at dinner out of one glass? Don’t rinse the glass with water to

make the change, says Chloe Helfland, sommelier at Bazaar Meat in the SLS Hotel Las Vegas. Once the glass is empty, pour in a little of the second wine, swirl it, dump the rinse and you’re ready for a proper pour.

SHOP SMARTER There’s no hacking a really bad wine. Campanale recommends going to a good wine shop to get a head start. If you find a wine you like, make a note of the producer; you’ll probably like

some of their other wines, too.

RELAX Learning about and developing an appreciation for wine is interesting, but don’t make it a chore. “Have fun and enjoy the wine; pair it with food and friends,” recommends Kostovski. And while you’re swirling and sipping — but not while pouring — try closing your eyes. “Feel the wine through your senses,” she says, “Wine is romantic!”

Want to ditch the restaurant this Valentine’s Day? Make your special someone Baked Bay Scallops with Lemon Garlic Cream

BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

T

his Valentine’s Day, take a pass on the expected. As in, ditch the restaurant reservations. You’re just

going to get overcharged for so-so food, anyway.

Instead, stay home and show your lover how much you care by assembling this simple —

but impressive — baked scallop dinner. The beauty is that this recipe — which bathes scallops in a cream sauce and tops them with crispy panko breadcrumbs — is easily prepped up to 24 hours ahead, then refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

When you are ready for romance, just heat the oven to 400 F and pop the individual servings in for about 10 minutes. The result is impressive enough that you won’t miss the restaurant experience even a little. Just add some crusty bread and a salad and you’ll have a complete meal.

BAKED BAY SCALLOPS WITH LEMON GARLIC CREAM Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 2 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon butter, melted Kosher salt 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lemon zest Ground black pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 cups (16 ounces) bay scallops, cleaned (any tough muscles removed) In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, butter, a pinch of salt and the Parmesan. In another small bowl, combine the thyme, garlic, lemon zest, a hefty pinch of black pepper and the cream.

Divide the bay scallops between 2 individual gratin dishes. Pour half of the cream mixture over each dish of scallops, then sprinkle each evenly with the breadcrumbs. At this point, the scallops can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or baked immediately.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 F. Place the gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling all over and the crumbs are browned.

Nutrition information per serving: 510 calories; 270 calories from fat (53 percent of total calories); 31 g fat (19 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 155 mg cholesterol; 1100 mg sodium; 26 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 32 g protein.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

|

C3

A squash dish that will please meat eaters

BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

L

ooking for a vegan main dish that’s robust enough to leave

a meat eater satisfied?

This stuffed squash dish has you covered.

We start by halving and roasting acorn squash, which have a rich, satisfying flavor that only deepens in the oven.

And since the bowl-like shape of the squash just begs to be

filled, we created a mushroom-farro stuffing spiked with lemon zest and juice. If you don’t mind adding some dairy, crumbled soft goat cheese or feta would be a delicious addition to the stuffing.

Each half is just about right as an entree serving, but they are easily cut into quarters to work as a side dish. And if you want to feed a crowd, the recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WINTER CITRUS, MUSHROOM AND FARRO STUFFED ACORN SQUASH Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 4 2 medium acorn squash Olive oil Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mixed mushrooms 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups cooked farro 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme Zest and juice of 1 lemon Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a small baking pan (such as a 9-by-9-inch pan) with foil and spritz with cooking spray.

Cut the acorn squash in half from stem to point and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

Slice off a small piece of skin from the rounded side of each half so the squash can sit flat with the cut side up. Rub the cut side of each half with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then arrange in the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the farro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest and juice.

When the squash has cooked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and spoon the filling into each half. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the squash flesh is tender when pierced with a paring knife.

Nutrition information per serving: 350 calories; 90 calories from fat (26 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 250 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 10 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 10 g protein.

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THE ITEM

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QUANTITY RIGHTS RESERVED. NONE SOLD TO DEALERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CORRECT PRINTER’S ERRORS. PHOTOS FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY - PRODUCT APPEARANCE MAY VARY

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

THE SUMTER ITEM

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTS

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY'S SHOE

Woman on registry need not volunteer her status DEAR ABBY — I recently decided that I wanted to help an infertile couple conceive by becoming an egg donor. I’m Dear Abby well-educatABIGAIL ed and have VAN BUREN a job I love.

I understand the commitment both time-wise and emotionally. I am now part of a registry, and I could be selected for a donation at any time.

Like other young women, I am dating. However, I am conflicted about whether to tell my dates about my involvement with egg donation and if so, how. I under-

stand that this is extremely personal, but at the same time I could have genetic offspring out there. Can you advise?

Helping out in Baton Rouge DEAR HELPING OUT — I do not think it would be appropriate to share this information with any man you are seeing casually. However, if a relationship becomes serious, you should discuss it. A way to start the conversation would be to say, “It’s said that the most meaningful gift a person can give is a gift of self. Well, I have taken it literally.”

DEAR ABBY — My 22-year-old daughter, a recent college graduate, is back living at home. She has been bringing

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

her boyfriends home and having sex in her room. I have a real problem with it.

There are younger children living here. My husband is not aware of what goes on behind her closed doors at night. How should I handle this?

Still under my roof DEAR STILL — If you prefer not to involve your husband in this, have a private chat with your daughter and tell her you are not comfortable with her entertaining her boyfriends in your home in the manner you have described. Tell her that if she wants to have sex, she should do it elsewhere -- but not under your roof with younger children nearby.

Because it’s your home, your rules should apply.

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.

By C.W. Stewart

ACROSS 1 *Where deliveries may be left 9 Adorn in relief 15 First three of ten digits 16 Bad guy 17 *Airport pickup 18 State with conviction 19 "It's __ cause" 20 *Modest garment 22 Extra-play qtrs.

24 Influenced by, in recipes 25 July baby, maybe 26 *Hiker's pouch 31 Storm winds 33 Have yet to pay 34 NFC South team 35 Part of rpm 36 Whipped cream amount 38 Musical sequence found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues 40 Authoritarian figure 44 Chair part 46 Balderdash 47 Poetic tribute 48 Volunteer's offer 51 *Infant's dietary prohibition 54 Buck's mate 55 Sun Devils of the Pac-12

2/3/16 14 Brief arguments 43 Like the bull in the Chicago 21 Divided terr.

Bulls' logo 23 Cramp, say 45 __ peanuts 26 Weather condition in the 48 In neutral 49 Temporary final scene of wheels "Casablanca" 50 Tenant 27 Belt maker's 51 California's tool Big __ 28 Opposite 52 Can't stand of paleo53 Didn't hit the 29 Flight books? coordinators: 56 Hit the books Abbr.

59 It has its highs 30 Light cigar and lows wrapper 60 Minimally 32 Part of a ring DOWN 61 Skid row 35 __ point: 1 Swimmer regular embroidery Torres with 12 63 Jackson stitch Olympic medals 5 brother 37 Groceries 2 Pitcher 64 Voting no quantity Hershiser 65 Discontinued 39 "u r a riot!"

3 Wine lover's depilatory 41 Menagerie prefix 68 Part of rpm: 42 Excitement Abbr.

4 Exposes to the cops Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved 5 Absent-minded, to a Brit 6 Front-of-bk. list 7 Red-coated cheese 8 Prefix with scope 9 Text alternative 10 Many a text 11 Get some rays 12 "The Hairy Ape" playwright 13 Yes or no follower ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 2/3/16 57 Afternoon social 58 *Breaking point 62 Giant 66 Where it originally was 67 *History book chart 69 Had to have 70 Cordial with a licorice-like flavor 71 Prone to avarice 72 *Words of admonishment

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‘Madoff ’ is water-cooler worthy, great drama

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH “Madoff” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14, concluding tomorrow) is the kind of event television that networks used to regularly broadcast during February sweeps. It’s water-cooler worthy and very good — make that great — drama, to boot.

In what could be one of the signature performances of his career, Richard Dreyfuss (“Jaws,” “The Goodbye Girl,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”) captures the essence of financial swindler Bernard Madoff. In fact, Dreyfuss captures several versions of Madoff, or at least the faces he turned to the world.

He’s seductive as the financial investor and adviser, a sage veteran who appears to be doing you a favor by allowing you to park your savings in his account, a portfolio the steady earnings of which appear to defy the roller-coaster nature of the market. He’s also a stern but caring father, a loving brother, a great uncle, a generous philanthropist and a pillar of society.

A wizard of multitasking, Dreyfuss’ Madoff celebrates his brother’s cancer remission with a family party while fielding phone calls from his criminal confederates about a threat to their Ponzi scheme. And all the while bouncing a grandchild on his knee.

And throughout this great double, or triple, performance, Dreyfuss also narrates “Madoff,” giving viewers an inside look at his own thinking, his strategies and techniques. During a scene involving an investigation or negotiation, Madoff the narrator tells us exactly how he bluffs to get over on his clients, his colleagues and family and finally the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission.

This narration may remind some of Ray Liotta’s voice-over in “Goodfellas.” Both films are about organized crime and both invite viewers into a very particular social and ethnic milieu. Madoff would cut a swath through New York’s Jewish society — from lofty figures like Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel and heads of major charitable organizations, to middle-class teachers and secretaries who trusted him with their money, often their life savings.

A great cast includes Blythe

Danner as Madoff’s wife, Ruth.

Michael Rispoli (“The Sopranos) is Frank DiPascali, the computer wizard at the heart of Madoff’s scams, and Charles Grodin and Lewis Black play heavyweight investors.

Frank Whaley brings real pathos to Harry Markopolos, an analyst and mathematics genius who stumbled upon Madoff’s fraud years before it came to light. Unable to translate his highly technical findings into comprehensible English, Markopolos is long dismissed as a crank. He is the Cassandra of this tale, but hardly the only victim of the Madoff tragedy.

It may be a backhanded compliment to describe “Madoff” as something you might more likely see on HBO or Netflix. But it points to its quality and the rarity of such offerings on network television. I can only hope this becomes a trend.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • The Hollywood rounds continue on “American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

• Neighbors turn a blind eye to an assault on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• “NOVA” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) presents “Creatures of Light,” a look at deep-sea creatures that sparkle and glow.

• Eric comes clean on “American Crime” (10 p.m., ABC, TV14).

• Josh makes an awkward career move on “Man Seeking Woman” (10:30 p.m., FXX, TVMA).

CULT CHOICE

MICHAEL PARMALEE / NBC

Kelli Giddish, left, stars as Detective Amanda Rollins and Mariska Hargitay as Lt. Olivia Benson in the “Forty-One Witnesses” episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” airing at 9 p.m. today on NBC. doctor had strange enemies on “The Mysteries of Laura” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) * The Calculator strikes on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) * A shocking bequest on “Mike & Molly” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Bludgeoned brides on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * Roast duck looms large on “Hell’s Kitchen” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * Sheriff Jody returns on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) * Violence enters the corridors

on “Code Black” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * A crooked cop targets casinos “Chicago PD” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Dr. Phil McGraw, Mark and Jay Duplass, Michael Eric Dyson and Anderson Paak and the Free Nationals are booked on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Mar-

tin Scorsese, Gillian Jacobs and the Chainsmokers on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Alan Cumming, Matt Harvey, Alexander Chee and Russell Simins visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Rosie O’Donnell and Nikki Glaser appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

2015-16

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLES R. “PAP” PROPST

An enchanted nanny (Emma Thompson) uses magic to subdue the seven unruly children of a widower (Colin Firth) in the 2005 comedy “Nanny McPhee” (9 p.m., Freeform/ ABC Family), a variation on a theme found in “The Sound of Music,” “Mary Poppins” and TV’s “Nanny and the Professor.”

SERIES NOTES Caroline hangs with the wrong clique on “2 Broke Girls” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * A sports

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Show your love with have-it-your-way homemade doughnuts

BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

M

ost everybody loves fresh, warm doughnuts. But most everybody doesn’t love the has-

sle of making those fresh, warm doughnuts. It’s a messy process that involves making a dough that can be tempera-

rack over a rimmed baking sheet and set near the pot of oil. When everything is ready, fry your doughnuts in batches of 3 to 4, being careful to not overcrowd your pan. The doughnuts will take about 3 minutes per side.

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully turn each doughnut over, cooking until deep golden brown. Transfer the finished doughnuts to the prepared rack to drain. Repeat until you’ve used all your dough, allowing the oil to return to the proper temperature between batches.

mental. Who has time for that on Valentine’s Day?

GLAZING

So we’ve created a method of making doughnuts that takes the temperamental out of the equation. You start with a dough — we’ll get to your choices in a moment — that you buy at the grocery store. Next, cut it and fry it. It’s way easier than it sounds, especially since you aren’t fussing with making the dough. Now just top the doughnuts with something fun. You can even make it a project you do with your partner. Or it can be a fun activity to do with kids (the toppings, not the frying).

To start, you’ll need to select your ingredients. You’ll need dough, oil and toppings.

Let’s start with the dough. Pick any of the following — tubes of flaky biscuits, homestyle biscuits or cinnamon buns. All of these can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocer, usually near the dairy. If you’d like to make raised doughnuts, you can find loaves of raw white bread dough in the freezer case.

Just thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, then let warm to room temperature before using.

If you go for a biscuit or bun dough, simply unroll and separate them. For bread dough, roll it out to 1/2 inch thick, then use 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutters to cut rounds or rings from it.

For the frying, you’ll need about 4 cups of oil. Peanut oil or grapeseed oil are great choices, but canola will work, too. It’s also handy to have an instant or candy thermometer. This makes it much easier to monitor the temperature of the oil.

The toppings are where the real fun happens. We’ve listed some fun topping combinations below, including some glazes (which glue the toppings to the doughnuts), but feel free to have fun with different combinations.

Spread out a topping bar of different glazes and toppings, then let people design their own doughnuts. If you want to keep it simple, you could just fill a large bowl with cinnamon-sugar, then toss the warm doughnuts in that until coated.

Once the doughnuts are fried, it’s time to glaze them.

• Simple vanilla glaze: Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

• Chocolate glaze: Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small bowl in the microwave until simmering. Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips and stir until completely melted.

• Caramel glaze: Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan with 1 cup caramel candies over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth and melted.

• Peanut butter glaze: Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small bowl in the microwave until simmering. Add 1 cup peanut butter chips and stir until completely melted.

FRYING To fry, fill a large, deep pot with 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350 F to 375 F. Adjust the heat to maintain this temperature. Place a cooling

TOPPINGS While the glazes are still wet, sprinkle any of the following (or whatever inspires you) over them: • Cap’n Crunch cereal • Cocoa Pebbles cereal • Froot Loops cereal • Crumbled cooked bacon • Chopped dried banana chips • Toasted coconut flakes • Chopped, toasted nuts • Shaved chocolate • Slivered crystallized (candied) ginger • Chopped dried fruit • Candy sprinkles

SUGGESTED COMBINATIONS • The Elvis: peanut butter glaze, crumbled bacon, banana chips • The Chocolate Bomb: chocolate glaze, Cocoa Pebbles, shaved chocolate • The Turtle: caramel glaze, toasted pecans, shaved chocolate • The Tropical: vanilla glaze, chopped dried pineapple, crystallized ginger, toasted coconut • The Black Forest: chocolate glaze, dried cherries, drizzle with vanilla glaze Alison Ladman is a chef, food writer and recipe developer for The Associated Press. She also owns The Crust and Crumb Baking Company in Concord, New Hampshire.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chai truffles are perfect

BY MEERA SODHA The Associated Press

quembouche, just something special.

These chai spiced chocoValentine’s Day can throw late truffles are perfect.

They are dark and dense the best of us into a wild orbs, made using good qualipanic. How to show the one ty 70 percent dark chocolate you love the way you feel infused with cream and the without succumbing to cliches? You know what I mean gorgeous sweet spices ordinarily used in chai, includ— booking a table at a romantic restaurant for the set ing ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. They can steak dinner with a side of be made in advance, then reheavy breathing couples, or frigerated, leaving you more buying a bunch of roses on time to spend with your the way home. Always loveloved one. They are perfect ly, but never original. eaten after dinner and with Best to avoid both, in my a little dessert wine or just opinion. What everyone nibbled slowly all by themwants is to feel like they’re selves. being thought about or They don’t just have to be cared for. For me, making something for someone does for your partner, either. Valentine’s Day is fast becomexactly that because it’s a ing a time to appreciate evsimple act of love. It need eryone you love — father, not be a pudding flambe or mother, siblings and friends. an Eiffle Tower-high cro-

CHAI SPICE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES Start to finish: 2 hours 25 minutes (25 minutes active) Makes 48 truffles 8 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground dry ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium, combine the cream and butter. Heat until the butter melts and the cream starts to bubble. Be careful not to burn the cream. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate, whisking to melt the chocolate until you have a smooth mixture. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and sugar. Mix well, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.

To make the truffles, place the cocoa powder in a bowl to one side. Using a melon baller or small cookie scoop dipped in hot water, scoop out a little of the firm chocolate mixture and shape into a ball. To coat, roll around in the bowl of cocoa powder until well covered. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition information per truffle: 50 calories; 40 calories from fat (80 percent of total calories); 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 0 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 1 g protein.