February 7, 2015

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Tuomey will negotiate with Palmetto Health BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The Tuomey Healthcare System board of directors voted unanimously Thursday to enter into an exclusive, but non-binding, arrangement to take steps to negotiate a partnership agreement with Columbia-based Palmetto Health, said Tuomey’s principal restructuring officer Louis

Robichaux on Friday morning. Robichaux said Tuomey had been considering offers from several suitors and voted to ROBICHAUX select Palmetto from the small number of suitors that the board felt most closely met Tuomey’s requirements.

“The board was very pleased with the offers it received,” he said. “We had offers that represented legitimate options and the board struggled through a lot of factors.” Palmetto Health Chief Executive Officer Charles D. Beaman Jr. said Tuomey would be an excellent partner for the organization. “First and foremost, our cultures are highly complementary, with a

shared focus on the patient and commitment to providing high-quality care,” he said. “We are in close proximity to each other, and we have enjoyed a strong relationship with the Tuomey staff and physicians through the years.” Robichaux said the arrangement remains to be negotiated and would

SEE TUOMEY, PAGE A5

Swamp Fox Archers find therapeutic value in sport BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com

F

or many people, Saturday and Sunday are the two days of the week meant for relaxation. For a few, those days of tranquility are Tuesday and Thursday. Twice a week, local members of the Swamp Fox Archers archery club meet at the range in Building 10 on the Sumter County Fairgrounds. Steven Coleman, referred to as a “toxophilite” by his friends and students, is the man to contact to get involved with archery. “Toxophilite’ is a lover of archery, and that’s exactly what I am,” Coleman said. Coleman has been shooting arrows for about 30 years and has no plans to stop any time soon. “My future plans consist of shooting as many tournaments as I can and teaching archery to whoever wants to learn,” he said. According to Coleman, who retired from the U.S. Army on Aug. 1, 2011, archery is great for rehabilitation, especially for ex-military. “It’s cheaper than a psychiatrist,” he said. Shooting a few arrows an evening can be therapeutic for everyone. “It helps people tune out the world and wash today’s stresses off,” Coleman said. “It helps build confidence, build companionship and helps people to not be so shy

LOCAL ARCHERY TOURNAMENT

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Swamp Fox Archery Club members participate in a group shoot during which members have two minutes and 30 seconds to shoot three arrows for points. and step outside of the box.” For Beth Rogers, archery is a way to unlock her inner strength and create a close bond with other shooters. She said her interest in archery developed before Hollywood capitalized on the appeal of bows and arrows. “Everybody always assumes it’s because of ‘The Hunger Games,’ but I got my interest before then,” Rogers said. “I shot pistols and rifles, so I wanted to shoot something different.” Rogers said the friendships and support system that she’s

developed through archery are what she enjoys most about the sport. “Even when we go to tournaments out of town, everyone knows each other,” she said. Even though she enjoys the camaraderie provided by archery, Rogers is also given the chance to build her inner strength. Shortly after celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary in 2007, Rogers was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. “I went in for my regular

mammogram and was fine,” she said. “A few weeks later, I started hurting real bad. I knew something was wrong.” Since 2007, Rogers has undergone multiple lumpectomy surgeries for breast cancer and treatments for ovarian cancer. Every diagnosis was discovered early, so Rogers did not have to go through rigorous treatment. “So, in a way, I kind of don’t feel like I’m worthy enough to be called a cancer survivor, because I did not go through chemo and radiation,” she

WHAT: National Archery in Schools Program State Tournament WHEN: March 25-26 TIME: TBA WHERE: Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St.; CALL: 1-800-277-4301 ONLINE: www.sc-archery.com CONTACTs: • Archery coaching, Steve Coleman, (803) 840-9606; • Sumter Women Archery Team, Beth Rogers, (803) 983-2625; • Swamp Fox Archers, www.swampfoxarcher.com

said. “But I know what it’s like to get that phone call.” Four separate cancer diagnoses have inspired Rogers to start a women’s archery team

SEE ARCHERS, PAGE A5

Coroner: ex-wife killed USC professor in murder-suicide BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A professor who taught anatomy and physiology and was highly regarded by both his students and fellow faculty members was shot and killed by his ex-wife in an apparent murder-suicide at the University of South Carolina, a coroner said Friday. Sunghee Kwon shot Raja Fayad several times in the upper body Thursday afternoon in a fourth-floor office at the university’s Public Health building, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said in a news release. Kwon then committed suicide with a gunshot to her stomach, the coroner said. A 9 mm pistol with an empty magazine was found near the bodies, State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said. No one witnessed the shooting, which happened in a small laboratory and adjacent office, Berry said Friday. Kwon, 46, and Fayad, 45, were di-

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vorced a few years ago but continued to live together until they split up for good a few months ago, Watts said. Kwon was still living in the couple’s home near Lake Murray in Lexington County, while Fayad had moved to a long-term hotel with a family member, according to the coroner. Authorities have searched several different locations but found no notes or other writing to help them find a reason for the shooting, Berry said. Fayad taught anatomy and physiology among other classes. He was interested in trying to find if there were any links between chronic digestive tract inflammation and cancer, according to his university biography. Professor J. Larry Durstine helped recruit Fayad to South Carolina from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2008. He said Fayad was bright, caring and sympathetic toward colleagues and students. Fayad was graduate director and head of the Applied Psychology Di-

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People react after a shooting at the University of South Carolina in Columbia on Thursday. Police officers determined the shooting was a murder-suicide, isolated to one room in the five-story School of Public Health building. vision at the school’s Public Health Department. He got high marks from students on an Internet site that allows them to rate their professors. Fayad decided to go into academics instead of becoming a practicing doc-

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tor after getting his medical degree in Syria, Durstine said. He liked to tinker around his house and was always in a good mood, even during their last phone call to discuss a faulty committee. “I don’t think I’ve seen him any other way,” Durstine said.

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Help offered after recent cyberattack on Anthem FROM STAFF REPORTS The South Carolina Department of Insurance issued a statement saying South Carolina insurance customers who think their information may be compromised in the recent cyberattack on Anthem Insurance should look for communications from the company and monitor their accounts, credit score, bank, credit card and other financial information. Consumers should call 1-877-263-7995, the toll-free number Anthem has established to assist consumers, the department advised. The attack reportedly accessed personal information of policyholders including names, birthdays, addresses and other information. In South Carolina, Anthem Holdings offers insurance products through the following companies: Anthem Life Insurance Co., Unicare Life and Health Insurance Co. and Greater Georgia Life Insurance Co., the department said. In 2013, these three companies wrote approximately $2 million in premiums in South Carolina. “We take the issue of cybersecurity very seriously,” said Ray Farmer, director for the department. Anthem has also set up a dedicated website at www. anthemfacts.com to answer questions. For more information, call the South Carolina Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services at 1-800768-3467 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays.

Summit focuses on entrepreneurs’ spirit BY MATTHEW BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Enterprise and innovation were the key themes of the day Thursday as a packed room gathered for the third-annual Santee-Lynches Summit. About 140 local educators, business and community leaders were on hand inside the banquet hall at Central Carolina Technical College’s Health Sciences Center. The crowd came to glean seeds of successful entrepreneurship from the assembly of small business owners, regional officials and national experts in attendance. Santee-Lynches Regional Education Center, an initiative of the S.C. Department of Commerce, teamed up with Santee-Lynches’ Workforce Investment Board to sponsor this year’s summit, which aims to merge education and business resources in the region to build a stable economic base. Organizers said while previous years focused

more on large-business models such as how to compete in an the manufacturing industry, this year the summit sought to endorse the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels small-business growth. “I think the event went really well; it really showed an interest and desire in the community to promote entrepreneurship,” Regional Education Center coordinator Brenda Golden said. “We recognized that all our job growth is not going to come from those big announcements — that we need to grow our own support system for people who want to start their own businesses.” A panel of local entrepreneurs sat on stage and gave first-hand accounts of their experiences founding their respective businesses and recounting some of the triumphs and hurdles they’ve encountered. South Carolina Department of Commerce director of innovation Amy Love told the crowd about some of South Carolina’s successful recruit-

KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Mary Frances Coker, left, reads about one of the old houses in Turbeville while Randy Wingard looks on at the Turbeville History Center. Coker and Wingard run the town’s museum and are looking for more photographs and other memorabilia from the area for the center.

Piecing the puzzles of Turbeville’s history BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com

LOCAL BRIEF FROM STAFF REPORTS

Department investigates 2014 tax return fraud The South Carolina Department of Revenue is investigating possible fraudulent activity related to 2014 tax returns. The department thinks the fraudulent filings are caused primarily by issues related to third-party commercial tax preparation software. The department is telling taxpayers that Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax, has temporarily paused transmission of efiling tax returns as a result. Taxpayers who have concerns can call the revenue department’s customer care line at 1-803-898-7638 or can call Intuit TurboTax at 1-800-944-8596 with concerns.

ment efforts, noting that the state topped $5 billion in investment totals for the second year in a row in 2014. She also talked about some of the support efforts, such as incubator programs, that the state is funding to help small business in South Carolina. Julie Kirk delivered the keynote address, speaking about federal programs and policies aimed at growing and supporting entrepreneurial endeavors. Kirk, the innovation director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, encouraged those on hand to be fearless in following their ideas and expressed the need for a culture that embraces such calculated risk taking. “You can have a community that inspires innovation, and that helps you through a connected eco-system to gather the resources that you need to bring that idea to life,” she said. “It’s a culture that celebrates start-ups … people taking chances. And one that, dare I say, celebrates failure.”

To preserve and celebrate the rich history of its town — that is the goal of Turbeville’s History Center. The town celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. The museum displays the town’s history from 1914 to present day with several hundred photographs and other memorabilia. Many of the photographs were collected and framed by the late Cindy Thigpen, a Turbeville native who passed away in December 2013, several days before the museum was scheduled to open. “Cindy was fascinated with the history of this town and genealogy in general,” said Mary Frances Coker, one of the museum’s organizers. “She deserves much of the credit for collecting most of what the museum contains.” Coker and local history enthusiast Randy Wingard run the museum together. Collections include photos from the town’s founding families and old homes through the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s to the present day. There is a special wall dedicated to all of the veterans from

YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE Turbeville History Center is looking for more material to display from Turbeville and surrounding areas. Anyone interested in providing photographs or other items can stop by the center during operating hours, Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 5 p.m. The museum is at Town Square, 1537 Main St., in Turbeville.

the area from World War I to today, with photos in their uniforms. One particular veteran, the late Robert J. “Mutt” Osborne, is recognized with a special section. During World War II, Osborne was a ball-turret gunner in a B-17 bomber. The pilot in that airplane was shot while flying over Germany. Osborne, who had not been trained as a pilot, made sure that all of the crew members had parachuted out before taking control of the plane and flying it back to England, with the dying pilot. “A documentary was made about him, called ‘The Man From Puddin’ Swamp,’” said Coker. Another wall displays coins that were used instead of money at the Alderman General Store in Alcolu and other parts

of the county. The Aldermans were a family in Alcolu who owned a saw mill. There was a railroad that ran from Alcolu through Turbeville. Another wall has pictures of disasters including the snow of 1973, which shut the town down for two weeks; the flood of 1973; Hurricane Hugo; and fires. There are also maps of early Turbeville and its expansion. Finally, there are two large murals that were painted for the town’s 100th anniversary. One shows the town’s history from 1950s to the present day, painted by local Jessie Welch. The other is a mural of Turbeville’s old buildings, painted by local Ashley Knowlton. The museum is also online. Wingard has borrowed old yearbooks from Turbeville locals dating as far back as the 1930s, scanned the photographs and posted them on the museum’s Facebook page. “Back in the 1930s, many of the yearbook photos were without names,” Wingard said. “Through Facebook and talking to people, we have been able to identify them.” Wingard has posted hundreds of photos online. Wingard has also posted several family trees on the Facebook page.

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Pay jumps; employers add 257K jobs in January BY CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added a vigorous 257,000 jobs in January, and wages jumped by the most in six years — evidence that the job market is accelerating closer to full health. The surprisingly robust report the government issued Friday also showed that hiring was far stronger in November and December than it had previously estimated. Employers added 414,000 jobs in November — the most in 17 years. December’s gain was revised sharply up to 329,000 from 252,000. Friday’s data provided the most compelling evidence to date that 5½ years after the Great Recession officially ended, the U.S. job market is finally enjoying the hiring and pay growth typical of a healthy recovery. Average hourly wages soared 12 cents last month to $24.75 — the sharpest increase since 2008. Over the past 12 months, hourly pay, which has long been stagnant, has now risen 2.2 percent. That is above inflation, which rose just 0.8 percent in 2014. The unemployment rate rose last month to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent. But that occurred for a good reason: More than 1 million Americans — the most since January 2000 — began looking for jobs, though not all of them found work, and their numbers swelled the number of people counted as unemployed. The influx of job hunters suggested that Americans have grown more confident about their prospects. “For the average American,

it’s certainly good news — 2015 is going to be the year of the American consumer,” said Russell Price, senior economist at the financial services firm Ameriprise. “With job growth being strong, we’re going to see a pickup in wages and salaries.” The resurgent job and pay gains make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will begin raising the short-term interest rate it controls by midyear. Indeed, investors responded to the better-than-expected jobs figures by selling U.S. Treasurys, sending yields up, a sign that many think a Fed rate hike might be more imminent than they thought before. The yield on the 10year Treasury note rose to 1.93 percent from 1.81 percent shortly before the jobs report was released. Stock prices rose modestly. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 51 points in latemorning trading. A sharp drop in gas prices has held down inflation and boosted Americans’ spending power. Strong hiring also tends to lift pay as employers compete for fewer workers. A big question is whether last month’s jump in wages can be sustained. Job gains have now averaged 336,000 for the past three months, the best three-month pace in 17 years. Just a year ago, the three-month average was only 197,000. “The labor market was about the last thing to recover from the Great Recession, and in the last six months it has picked up steam,” said Bill Hampel, chief economist at the Credit Union National Association. “The benefits for the middle class are now solidifying.”

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Sand man

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Ricky McLeod uses a belt sander to smooth out the railing of the new boardwalk behind Palmetto Tennis Center on Wednesday.

No charges against Lee shelter director BY MATT BRUCE matthe@theitem.com The former director of Lee County Animal Shelter won’t face criminal charges stemming from an animal cruelty complaint late last year. County administrators on Nov. 24 suspended Doris Winstead from the post she held for nearly 20 years amid allegations she performed an unlicensed neutering surgery on a cat adopted from the shelter, subsequently botching the procedure and torturing the animal. Third Circuit Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney III said this week his office would not pursue criminal charges against the 64-year-old Bishopville woman. “We didn’t feel we had

enough evidence to prove that she had done anything wrong criminally,” Finney said. “She was in charge of the agency, and apparently she lost her job because of that. But it takes more evidence to take somebody to court, and I didn’t see that in the investigators’ files.” Lee County Sheriff’s Office took the original complaint concerning Winstead and passed the investigation off to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, citing the relationship between the animal shelter and LCSO’s animal control division. SLED led the probe and turned its investigation files over to the Solicitor’s Office to determine if it would move forward and prosecute the woman.

Winstead was immediately suspended in the wake of the allegation in November, pending the result of the investigation. County Administrator Alan Watkins said she resigned her position Jan. 9. Winstead founded the county shelter in her backyard close to two decades ago and served as its leader through the years, establishing the framework that volunteers and staffers use there today. She spearheaded the facility through a period when administrators said it euthanized a high number of the pets admitted there and helped reduce that pace to less than 10 percent. In fact, officials at the shelter said it became a “no kill” shelter in November, shortly after Winstead’s departure.

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TUOMEY FROM PAGE A1 be subject to regulatory approval and a further board action by both organizations’ boards, as well as possibly by Tuomey’s bondholders. The outcome of Tuomey’s appeal of a $237 million judgment against the hospital in the U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth District could also affect the agreement. The court case began because of part-time contracts Tuomey used in 2005-06 to encourage physicians to keep outpatient services at the hospital. It evolved into charges the hospital violated the Stark Law that intended to reduce Medicare payments, and the False Claims Act, also intended to reduce the cost of Medicare. A ruling in the hospital’s appeal of the case is expected soon. He said discussions involved a range of outcomes from the lawsuit. “If it (the judgment) is

more, then that is going to require further negotiations and considerations on their part whether that is acceptable or not,” he said. “If it is less, then there is extra value that the parties have agreed to negotiate how that would be distributed and used.” Robichaux said the factors that weighed in Palmetto’s favor were that it would be a true partnership and that Sumter would be a natural fit in the Columbia market. “We looked at specifically what market they’re in,” he said. “Whether or not we would be a concentric strategic addition or whether we were a bolt-on from afar. Obviously, we preferred to be part of a cohesive system with nearby partner operations.” He said the deciding factor may have been the governance structure Palmetto offered. “There will continue to be a local board in a revised role,” he said. “From the look and feel of the typical board meet-

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

ing, it will look and feel the same.” He said some decisions previously made by the local board now would be decided by the parent board, but Tuomey would have representation on that board consistent with its contribution to the group. “We are working hard to make sure we do what is in the best interest of Sumter, our employees and our physicians,” said Tuomey Board Chairman John Brabham. “Starting these negotiations with Palmetto Health is absolutely a step in the right direction.” Tuomey’s President and CEO Michael Schwartz said it was important to find a culturally compatible partner. “The employees of Tuomey care about their neighbors and families, and we wanted a similar system,” Schwartz said. “(Not only) someone who could meet our financial needs, but also someone who cared about the employees and families we serve.”

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A look at Palmetto Health BY HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com Palmetto Health System was born when Richland Memorial Hospital merged with Baptist Healthcare System in February of 1998. The system now includes five hospitals and partners with another in Easley, making it the state’s largest locallyowned non-profit healthcare resource. Based in Columbia, Palmetto Health started as Columbia Hospital, later Richland Memorial, in 1892. The system now collectively operates more than 1,100 beds with more than 8,400 staff and 1,000 physicians. Palmetto Health says it treats almost a half a million patients annually, including 80,000 pediatric and 3,000 cancer patients. The hospitals deliver nearly 6,000 babies per year. In addition to the origi-

nal pairing of Richland Memorial Hospital and Baptist Healthcare System in 1998, Palmetto Health also includes the Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, Heart Hospital and Baptist Parkridge, which opened in 2014. All five hospitals are located in the Columbia area, and a partnership with Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center to operate Baptist Easley Hospital in Easley was started in 2009. The system collectively operates numerous specialty centers, including cardiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry, nephrology, neonatology, neurology and neurosurgery, trauma and emergency medicine. The system is affiliated with the University of South Carolina and has programs in education and residency, research and volunteer and community outreach.

ARCHERS FROM PAGE A1 for cancer survivors so they too can find the inner power they may be missing. “Everybody’s got it. Some of us just don’t know how to unlock it,” she said. The Sumter Women Archery Team will be open to all women, but Rogers said she mostly wants the team to be a support group for women cancer survivors. According to Michael Rogers, Beth’s son who has been shooting for two years, if his mother wants to do something, she will find a way to get it done. “She’s a tough woman,” he said. The range in Building 10 also provides some of its visitors with the opportunity to pass down the joys of archery to younger generations. Swamp Fox Archers President Jimmy Sanders taught his daughter to shoot, and now his daughter is teaching her son the art of archery. Whitney Lucas, Jimmy Sanders’ daughter, started shooting when she was 4 years old, and her 3-year-old son Byron is also starting young. “He’s been asking all week long to shoot,” she said. “It’s very relaxing for me, and it provides something that you don’t get anywhere else,” she said. “It’s my yoga.” Byron Lucas is not the only young archer to visit the range. Four-year-old Isaac Brownlow has been training with Coleman at least once a week since the beginning of January. “It’s a great sport he can grow and improve with,” said Christi Brownlow,

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Whitney Lucas, a member of the Swamp Fox Archers club, adds wax to the string of her bow to keep it from fraying. Isaac’s mother. “I’m amazed at how focused he is when he’s up there. It’s one of the only times I see him stand still.” Coleman travels to as many tournaments as he can every year, but as much as he loves to compete, he has the same passion for teaching. “My future goal is to open an archery training center with hopes of helping those who would like to per-

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fect their skills for whatever their goals may be,” he said. Coleman has trained members of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, residents of the Spector Senior Center and hopes to work with the local Boys & Girls Club. “Just give me a few minutes on the range, and you’ll be hooked for life,” he said.

Coaching costs $25 per hour, and there is a $25-per-hour fee to use the equipment provided by Coleman, but the first training session is free for children and adults. “It’s free to make sure that it’s really what you want to do,” he said. According to Coleman, archery is the only sport where size, sex, age and disability do not matter.

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NATION

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

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A7

Technology behind police body cameras raises questions (AP) — Body-worn cameras are the latest must-have devices in police work and are spreading fast to departments nationwide. But the technology is raising a lot of questions, from the cost to the accessibility of the footage. Here are answers to some questions about body cameras.

between police and the communities they serve. Demand has exploded since the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August by a police officer and the subsequent controversy about what happened. Officers like the recordings because they protect them against false accusations and can be powerful evidence in court. Community activists say they are a check on police misTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS conduct.

How are they used? Officers wear a camera on their chest or the side of their sunglasses that records their interactions with the public. Some cities allow officers discretion about when the cameras are on or off. Hours upon hours of footage are cataloged, loaded onto a server and purged after a set period of time, depending on its value as evidence in ongoing legal cases.

What do they cost? Depending on the features,

Police officer Dan Merseth points to an image on his computer that was made by the body camera, left, he was wearing during a shoplifting investigation in Duluth, Minnesota. the cameras can cost anywhere from $200 to more than $1,000. Agencies also need docking stations to charge their batteries and software programs to store and access their footage. Optional cloud-based data storage plans for each camera typically run anywhere from $20 per

month to more than $100, depending on the volume of data. Agencies that opt to store the footage internally will likely need to buy additional servers.

Online condolences may be posted to www.summertonfuneralhome.com. The family will receive friends at 1503 Governor Richardson Road, Summerton. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Summerton Funeral Home LLC, 23 S. Duke St., Summerton, (803) 4853755.

law, Mike Burr of Elgin; and a host of nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Mr. Posey was preceded in death by two sisters, Rhonda Burr and Kimberly Posey Bartlette. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends on Sunday one hour prior to the service from 5 to 6 p.m. at Bullock Funeral Home and other times at the home of his brother, Glenn Posey. The family would like thank Tuomey Hospice for their excellent care of Mr. Posey. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, RFL of Blythewood, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210. You may sign the family’s guest book at www.bullockfuneralhome.com. The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

Why are they gaining popularity? Body cameras have been touted as a tool to improve relations

Who are the main players in the body camera industry? One of the biggest is Taser International, the Arizonabased maker of police stun guns. Taser has landed contracts with scores of departments to supply cameras and a cloud-based storage system. Hundreds more are testing cameras. Its most popular model, the AXON body, retails

for $399. Another industry leader is Seattle-based VieVu, which says its 4,000 U.S. law enforcement customers shot 10 million hours of police video in 2014. Company President Steve Lovell says the cameras will help pay for themselves by reducing lawsuits and settlements. What legal questions are police departments and other officials grappling with? The biggest is who gets to see or download the mountains of data accumulated by the cameras, from innocuous encounters to serious run-ins. Departments are being swamped with public records requests from watchdog groups and others. As a result, lawmakers in many states are reviewing the laws governing access. Officials are also assessing how long videos must be kept for use in legal cases.

OBITUARIES ALLEAN B. SANDERS Allean B. Sanders, 61, wife of James Sanders, died on Feb. 2, 2015, at her residence in Summerton. Born on Sept. 30, 1953, she was a daughter of the late Roy and Retus C. Benbow. She attended the public schools of Clarendon School District One. She joined Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church in her youth and remained faithful SANDERS until her health began to decline. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Jannie Ruth Black; stepson, Matthew Dixon; four brothers; and one sister. Fond and loving memories will be cherished and remembered by her husband, James Sanders of the home; six children, Shirley (Joseph) BlackOliver of Manning, Doreace (Willie) Felder of Columbia, Bridget (Leroy) Black-Harvin and Asontray Black, both of Summerton; six children she reared as her own, Rosetta (Willie) Felder, Paula (Rickie) Bryant, Reponza Ragin and Nathaniel Sanders, all of Summerton, Courtney Starks of Miami, Florida, and Aaron Benbow of Brooklyn, New York; four stepchildren, DeAngelo Smith of Bronx, New York, Elixander (Brenda) Dow of Davis Station, Teree and Sheree Boyd Black of Baltimore; five sisters, Willene Johnson and Millie Benbow, both of Brooklyn, Frances (Milton) Riles of Greenville, North Carolina, Sarah (Columbus) Conyers of Paxville and Lenora (Edward) Brailsford of Columbia; five brothers, Leon (Daisy) Benbow of Summerton, John (Sallie) Benbow and Willie J. (Sarah) Benbow, both of White Plains, New York, Daniel Benbow of Greenville, North Carolina, and Wille L. (Equality) Benbow of Tom River, New Jersey; one aunt, Kate Benbow of Brooklyn; one uncle, Joe Hickson of Scranton; nine grandchildren, Gloria, Shiquita, Shanika (George), Shaneena, DaQuan (Shalena), Shaviaye, Shaquela, Kenyell, Davion, Jaelyn and Keshaun; eight sisters-in-law, Evalina Green of Columbia, Barbara Benbow and Rush Richburg of Brooklyn, Maxine (Leroy) Hampton, Willie Lee (James) Holland, Alicestine Dow and Kathleen Bennett, all of Summerton, and Evangelist Della (Herbert) Lee of Manning; three brothers-in-law, Leroy Sanders, Thomas (Virginia) Black and Albert Black, all of Summerton; seven greatgrandchildren; five godchildren; a host of foster children, foster grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral services for Mrs. Sanders will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. W.T. Jonson, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The remains will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. until the hour of the service. Viewing will be held from noon to 6 p.m. today.

FRANCES S. ARD Frances Scott Ard, 83, widow of Bennie Ard Jr., died on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, at a local nursing facility. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Ollie Clyde Scott Sr. and Fannie Preto Johnson Scott. She was the wife of a U.S. Air Force veteran. Survivors include two sons, Chuck Ard (Debbie) of Manning and Joseph Ard of Nashville; two brothers, O.C. Scott Jr. (Betty) and Glenn Scott (Carleen), both of Sumter; three sisters, Dorothy Kightlinger (Bill) of Bakersfield, California, Kathleen Ryles of Dallas, Texas, and Judy Taylor (Buddy) of Sumter; a brother-in-law, Dale Bean of Sumter; a daughter-in-law, Brenda Ard of Sumter; and a number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sons, Dean Ard and David Ard; a grandson, Patrick Ard; one sister, Peggy Bean; and one brother, Jerry Scott. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Paul Goff and Bubba Benenhaley officiating. Burial will be in Paxville Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Horace Scott, Robert Scott, Brad Scott, Chip Taylor, Jordan Brinson and Logan Brinson. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday at Elmore-CannonStephens Funeral Home and other times at the home of Buddy and Judy Taylor. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements. www.ecsfuneralhome.com

RONALD B. POSEY Ronald Bruce Posey, 52, died on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, at his residence. Born in Charleston, he was a son of the late Ronald E. and Marion Klein Posey. He was a graduate of Sumter Area Technical College. He was previously employed by Honda and served in the Army National Guard. Surviving are one son, Steven Andrew Posey of Sumter; two brothers, Patrick Posey and his wife, Kim, and Glenn Posey and his wife, Racheal, all of Sumter; one brother-in-

EARLINE C. ARTIS With deepest sorrow, we at Henryhand Funeral Home regret to announce the passing of Earline C. Artis, 85, of Sumter, who passed away on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, at Sumter Valley Nursing and Rehab. She was a retired teacher in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, school system. All arrangements and professional services have been entrusted to Henryhand Funeral Home of Kingstree, (843) 354-2292.

ELLA L. HARVIN Ella “Diva” Louise Harvin was born on Nov. 8, 1950, in Sumter, a daughter of the late R.L. Bennett and Edna Harvin (John) Sharper. She departed this life on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Ms. Harvin was educated in the public schools of Sumter County and was a graduate of Lincoln High School Class of 1968. She was employed over the years with Becton-Dickinson, Cooper Tools, and Gates Gas Station, until her health failed. Ella was a proud fan of the Dallas Cowboys, whom she loved to watch. Ella leaves to cherish her memories: five children, Carlos (Tammy Bennett) Harvin, Michelle H. Bracey, Tawania (Fredrick) Galloway and Monique June, all of Sumter, and Orgeeba (Amaris) Harvin of Killeen, Texas; two brothers, Robert (Elizabeth) Andrews and Gregory “Pee Wee” (Roberta) Sharper; five sisters, Wanda (Charlie) Garris, John-

nie Mae Sharper, Gwendolyn (Wayne) Montgomery, Patricia Ann Sharper and Wendy Sharper, all of Sumter; one uncle, James Harvin of Sumter; one great-aunt, Mary Nesmith of Durham, North Carolina; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Marshall “Michael” Sharper and Jimmie Harvin. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary. Ms. Harvin will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. on Sunday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Salem Chapel & Heritage Center with Bishop Levern McKenny officiating. Interment will follow in Hillside Memorial Park. The family will be receiving friends at the home, 944 Boulevard Road, Sumter. Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements. Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary. net.

SERPICO GILLARD BISHOPVILLE — It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of Serpico Gillard, who passed away on Feb. 5, 2014. The family is receiving friends at 424 W. Causar St., Bishopvillle. Services are incomplete and will be announced later by New Life Funeral Services LLC of Bishopville.

Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Neil Benjamin and Ernestine McLeod Hudson. Mr. Hudson attended Gateway Baptist Church and coached boxing at the Optimist Club. He was inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. He was well-known as “the boiled peanut man.” Surviving are his wife of Sumter; two sons, Eddie Hudson Jr. (Mellisa) of San Diego, California, and Patrick Hudson (Anna) of Sumter; a daughter, Tonya Owens of Sumter; five grandchildren, Headen Owens, Brodie Stewart, Eli Hudson, Elizabeth Hudson and Janna Hodge; four brothers, Roy Hudson, Tommy Hudson, Fred Hudson and Clyde Hudson; a sister, Evelyn Phillips; several nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. He was preceded in death by a brother, Frank Hudson; and a sister, Dewlean Reaves. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with Pastor Charles Ahtonen officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of his son, Patrick, 28 Bland Ave. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 107 Westpark Blvd. No. 220, Columbia, SC 29210. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

EDWARD E. HUDSON SR. Edward E. Hudson Sr., 68, husband of Diana Bilger Hudson, died on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, at Palmetto Health Richland hospital in Columbia.

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A8

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

AROUND TOWN Randolph Manor. Willie The Sumter County League of Wester, president of the Women Voters will meet at 6 Summerville Chapter of the p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, in National Federation of the County Council Chambers, League of Women Voters to meet Blind, will speak. If you 13 E. Canal St. The topic will know a blind or visually imbe youth programs available in Sumter County. Rep- paired person, contact Debra Canty, chapter presiresentatives from Palmetto dent, at DebraCanC2@fronYouth Connection, SC tier.com or via telephone at Works, Adult Education and (803) 775-5792. For updated Sumter County YouthBuild are scheduled to speak. Call information, call the recorded message line at (206) Delois Woodard, president, 376-5992. at (803) 934-3178. The Stroke Support Group The Shepherd’s Center, 24 Council St., will offer public in- (Overcomers) will meet at 6 formation sessions from 11 to p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, in the Alice Drive Baptist 11:50 a.m. on Thursdays as follows: Feb. 19, estate plan- Church library. Those who have had a stroke or heart ning with Amanda Miller of Edward Jones; Feb. 26, plan- attack, their caregivers or encouragers are invited to ning your spring garden attend. Call Joyce or Wayne with a Clemson Extension Hunter at (803) 464-7865. Service representative; March 5, tips, tricks and The American Red Cross will troubleshooting iPad and offer New Volunteer OrientaPCs. tion / Disaster Services Overview for new Red Cross volClarendon School District One unteers from 9 a.m. to noon will conduct free vision, hearing, speech and developmental on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 1155 N. Guignard Drive. This class screenings as part of a child is for anyone who would find effort to identify stulike to volunteer in any cadents with special needs. Screenings will be held from pacity with the Red Cross. Call (803) 775-2363 to regis9 a.m. to noon at the Sumter. merton Early Childhood Center on the following The Purple Heart Chapter of Thursdays: Feb. 12; March Sumter will hold a Valentine’s 12; April 9; and May 14. For Day event at 6 p.m. on Saturmore information, call Sadie day, Feb. 14. Dinner will be Williams or Audrey Walters served. All Purple Heart reat (803) 485-2325, extension cipients and their spouses / 221. significant others are invited. Call (803) 506-3120 for deThe AARP Foundation Voluntails no later than Feb. 10. teer Tax-Aide Program will offer free income tax assisThe 2015 SPCA Valentine tance for low-income or elderly Dance will be held 7-11 p.m. taxpayers. You will need: all Saturday, Feb. 14, at the tax forms and information; Elaine D. Korn Memorial government-issued ID; SoCenter, 1100 S. Guignard cial Security card; all W-2’s, Drive. Music will be provid1099s and 1098s; and suped by The Footnotes. Cost is porting documents if you $20 per person (must be 21 plan to itemize. Assistance years or older) and all prowill be available 9 a.m.-2 ceeds benefit the SPCA. Call p.m. on Mondays and (803) 773-9292. Wednesdays through April The MLK Riders of S.C. will 13 at The Spectrum senior host a black history month pacenter, 1989 Durant Lane. rade at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Call (803) 316-0772. Feb. 15. The parade will Free income tax filing services begin at Riley Ball Park and and FAFSA applications will be end at Atlantic Street on provided through April 15 as Manning Avenue. No regisfollows: 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. tration fee to participate. Wednesdays, SC Works — Contact Jacob Dennis Sr. at Santee Lynches, 31 E. Cal(803) 840-4784 or Mr. Harry houn St., (803) 774-1300; 9:30 at (803) 983-5289. a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays, 3-8 p.m. The Lincoln High School AlumSaturdays, appointments ni Association will meet at 4 only on Sundays, Goodwill p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, at — Job Link Center, 1028 the Lincoln High School cafBroad St., (803) 774-5006; eteria, Council Street. Call and 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ThursJames L. Green at (803) 968days and 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Lee County Adult 4173. Education, 123 E. College St., The Salterstown Neighborhood Watch will hold its monthly Bishopville, (803) 484-4040. meeting at 6 p.m. on TuesCall Ms. Samuels at (803) day, Feb. 17, at the Salter240-8355. stown Community Center, A South Main Street neighbor800 Saltertown Road. All hood watch meeting will be community residents are held at 6 p.m. on Monday, encouraged to attend this Feb. 9, at the South Sumter meeting and get involved to Gym. All concerned residents are encouraged to at- build a safer, crime-free community. Call Raymond tend. Mack at (803) 795-3193 or The Sumter Chapter of the Na- Corp. Gene Hobbs, Sumter tional Federation of the Blind County Sheriff’s Office, at will hold its monthly meet(803) 436-2010. The Improveing with the “King or ment Council Committee Queen” contest at 7 p.m. on meeting will follow. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Shiloh-

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Set your goals EUGENIA LAST and don’t stop until you reach your destination. Concentrate on self-improvement, health and taking care of personal matters. Don’t put off what needs to be done in order to advance. Offer help and you’ll be rewarded.

The last word in astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Relax and enjoy whatever comes your way. Take part in creative endeavors that include the young and old alike. Stop worrying so much and make time for the people and pastimes that bring you the most in return. Romance is highlighted. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t believe everything you hear. You are best to do your own research and follow what best suits your needs. There is nothing wrong with playing it safe. Emotional arguments will get you nowhere and will lead to sorrow. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do what you want, not what someone else demands. A self-improvement project will help you make personal improvements that boost your confidence. Not everyone will be happy with your choices, but don’t be dissuaded from doing what you must. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a moment to consider the changes you can make to brighten your day and your future. Taking care of emotional needs will result in having the wherewithal to go after something you want in your life.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Warmer with plenty of sun

Clear

Mostly sunny, breezy and mild

Mostly cloudy, showers around

Plenty of sunshine

Nice with plenty of sunshine

62°

40°

69° / 48°

67° / 42°

60° / 34°

64° / 41°

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 60%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 5%

SW 8-16 mph

SW 6-12 mph

SW 10-20 mph

W 8-16 mph

NNE 8-16 mph

SW 7-14 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 59/39 Spartanburg 62/40

Greenville 61/39

Columbia 64/39

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

Sumter 62/40

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 63/36

ON THE COAST

Charleston 62/41

Today: Brilliant sunshine; warmer. High 57 to 61. Sunday: Mostly sunny; pleasant. High 64 to 69.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 63/40/s 41/34/c 69/52/s 38/35/c 69/56/pc 70/56/sh 68/52/s 37/33/sf 72/49/s 44/34/c 80/54/pc 66/58/sh 51/37/pc

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 357.60 74.40 74.17 96.79

24-hr chg +0.06 -0.04 none +0.26

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

0.00" 0.72" 0.72" 5.52" 3.10" 4.66"

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

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

48° 21° 57° 34° 79° in 2008 14° in 1996

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

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 66/51/pc 38/22/r 73/45/s 41/21/r 75/52/s 76/57/pc 74/55/pc 43/35/sn 75/55/s 51/38/c 81/55/s 65/54/r 60/46/pc

Myrtle Beach 58/46

Manning 62/39

Today: Warmer with plenty of sunshine. Winds southwest 6-12 mph. Sunday: Mild with clouds and sun. Winds west-southwest 8-16 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 61/40

Bishopville 62/39

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 8.27 -0.15 19 3.60 -1.89 14 6.88 +0.06 14 6.01 +0.59 80 77.33 +0.40 24 6.15 -0.20

Sunrise 7:14 a.m. Moonrise 9:30 p.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:58 p.m. 9:01 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

Feb. 11

Feb. 18

Feb. 25

Mar. 5

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 10:56 a.m. 11:22 p.m. 11:29 a.m. 11:57 p.m.

Today Sun.

Ht. 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.7

Low 5:31 a.m. 5:48 p.m. 6:08 a.m. 6:21 p.m.

Ht. 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 61/32/s 63/35/s 64/33/s 61/42/s 53/46/s 62/41/s 60/42/s 63/40/s 64/39/s 61/39/s 53/38/s 60/40/s 60/39/s

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 64/43/pc 67/49/s 70/46/s 68/50/s 59/51/s 70/49/s 66/47/s 66/50/pc 70/49/s 68/47/s 63/47/s 68/47/s 68/48/s

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 61/40/s 68/42/s 60/40/s 59/39/s 62/41/s 57/37/s 61/39/s 58/35/s 58/46/s 66/41/s 66/37/s 62/33/s 61/36/s

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 70/49/s 73/47/s 67/47/s 67/48/s 70/49/s 66/46/s 66/48/s 66/46/pc 63/50/s 72/47/s 70/51/pc 68/48/s 66/49/pc

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 61/29/s 61/44/s 58/46/s 62/39/s 60/44/s 58/40/s 60/38/s 60/38/s 63/40/s 62/40/s 59/45/s 59/44/s 58/37/s

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 65/42/pc 69/50/s 66/52/s 70/48/s 67/50/s 67/48/s 66/46/s 68/47/s 71/48/s 67/49/s 65/50/s 68/49/s 65/45/s

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

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and plans for the future. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You have plenty to accomplish. Listen and confer with others and you will find it much easier to get things done. Social and community events will have an impact on a decision you need to make about your living arrangements. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A suspicious attitude will help you avoid someone trying to take advantage of you. Protect your interests. Romance is on the rise and will enhance your personal life. Less talk and more action will help you excel. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your intentions may be admirable, but if you are meddling in someone else’s business, don’t expect to get a warm welcome. Rethink your plan and concentrate more on self-improvement instead of trying to change someone else.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 LUCKY FOR LIFE FRIDAY THURSDAY

POWERBALL WEDNESDAY

4-18-31-32-35 PowerUp: 2

24-36-51-52-56 11-22-25-58-69 Powerball: 22 Powerplay: 2 Megaball: 13 Megaplier: 5

1-15-25-43-47 Lucky Ball: 18

PICK 3 FRIDAY

PICK 4 FRIDAY

3-4-0 and 8-3-9

7-0-9-0 and 8-3-5-4

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

SPCA CAT OF THE WEEK

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Focus on forward motion by relying on past experience to give you the confidence to take action. Attending a reunion will lead to something or someone that will remind you of the goals that used to be so important to you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stop living in the past or letting the situations you cannot change drag you down. Looking back will only delay you from following through with what you know is your best alternative. Implement change and don’t look back.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Listen attentively. You will be able to VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put more muscle behind the things you want make a much better decision once you know what everyone else is up to achieve. Be creative in the way to. Don’t judge based on your likes you express your feelings and and dislikes. Support others and desires, and you will encourage someone you love to share ideas you will get the same in return.

Lucky, a neutered 2-year-old orange tabby and white domestic longhair, is available for adoption at the Sumter SPCA. He is housebroken, sweet, affectionate, gentle, friendly and great with other cats. Lucky absolutely adores belly rubs and lots of loving! The SPCA is located at 1140 S. Guignard Drive, (803) 7739292, and is open 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Visit www.sumterscspca. com.


SECTION

USC women get chance to prove No. 1 ranking B4

B

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP SIGNINGS

Lakewood DL Baker, LB Yeadon ink with Methodist College BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com Family is important to Lakewood High School senior Zach Baker. He hopes his signing to play college football with NCAA Division III school Methodist College on Wednesday’s National Signing Day, will serve as an example to his family. BAKER “It’s been a dream; it’s not my dream,” Baker said of playing college football. “It’s a dream that my family had for me. It’s a dream that I want-

ed to set an example for my younger cousins and show them that through your hardships you can turn a positive out of a negative.” Baker played defensive tackle and nose guard for Lakewood., He accounted for 45 tackles, including eight for loss and a quarterback this past season. Baker likes everything he’s seen with Methodist, which is located in Fayetteville, N.C. “It’s a very family-oriented program and (Methodist College head football) Coach (C.J.) Goss stressed you’re not about (playing) football,

SEE BAKER, PAGE B4

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com Lakewood High School senior Justin Yeadon didn’t let his mistakes get in the way to reaching the next level in football. Yeadon played outside linebacker for the Gators this season, accounting for 53 tackles, including eight for a loss. He had a quarterback sack, a YEADON forced fumble and a fumble recovery. On Wednesday’s National Signing Day, Yeadon signed to play with NCAA Division III Methodist College

in Fayetteville, N.C. He expects to compete for a starting spot as an outside linebacker, cornerback or safety. “Justin would be a (NCAA Division) I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) guy if he would’ve lifted weights with us,” former Lakewood head football coach Perry Parks said. “When I first got here he played his sophomore year, ran into some issues and didn’t play his junior year, which is huge. Then he came back and played his senior year and was first-team All-Region (VI-3A). He started every game for us and he

PREP BASKETBALL

Sharing the spotlight

SEE YEADON, PAGE B4

Knights OL Pugh pins hopes with Highland CC BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com Tommie Pugh received no offers from 4-year football schools leading up to National Signing Day on Wednesday, not from a Football Bowl Subdivision school, a Football Championship Subdivision school, an NCAA Division II school, a DIII school or even an NAIA school. That doesn’t mean the dream to PUGH play at a 4-year school, preferably an FBS school, has died for Pugh, an offensive lineman for Crestwood High School. He’s just having to take the junior college route. “That’s what the plan is. That’s what I’m doing this for,” Pugh said of his decision to sign with Highland Community College in Highland, Kan., on Wednesday. “I’m hoping to get to the next (FBS) level.” Pugh started at left offensive tackle for the Knights this past season. The 6-foot-3-inch, 314-pounder graded out at 80 percent and had 25 knockdown blocks. Knights head coach Roosevelt Nelson doesn’t think Pugh is

SEE PUGH, PAGE B4 KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Crestwood’s Cawasha Ceasar, left, tries to get past Lakewood’s Shalexia Pack during the Lady Knights’ 57-53 victory on Friday at The Castle.

CHS girls top rival Lady Gators to move into tie for region lead BY EDDIE LITAKER Special To The Sumter Item As Crestwood High School’s varsity girls basketball team celebrated Senior Night on Friday at The Castle with the Region VI-3A regular-season championship hanging in the balance, the final result came down to, fittingly, a senior

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

The ball gets away from Lakewood’s Daquan Tindel (20) and Crestwood’s James Brailsford (21) during the Knights’ 45-39 victory on Friday at The Castle.

stepping up with a quarter she will likely never forget. For three quarters, Ladazha Cole struggled with her outside shooting and even missed a free throw, which has been a rare occurrence during her three years as a Lady Knight. Then, with her team trailing Sumter School District rival Lakewood

44-41 with three minutes left, Cole hit the first of three 3-pointers that would help carry Crestwood to a 57-53 victory. With the win, Crestwood drew even with Lakewood at 8-1 in the region, clinching at least a tie for the region championship if both teams win their respective games on Tuesday. Howev-

er, due to the Lady Gators’ 47-41 victory over the Lady Knights on Jan. 16, Lakewood would hold the region’s top seed due to points differential. “Right now, if we both win on Tuesday, we’d both be region champs. We’d share the championship,”

SEE SHARING, PAGE B3

LOCAL SIGNINGS Girls Basketball Lakewood Sonora Dengokl (UNC Asheville) Football Lakewood Khafari Buffalo (Citadel) D’onte Washington (Guilford) Zach Baker (Methodist) Justin Yeadon (Methodist) Tyshawn Johnson (Hutchinson Community College) Crestwood Donald Rutledge (Citadel) David Ervin (Avila University) Tommie Pugh (Highland Community College) Manning Raquan Bennett (Coastal Carolina) Aaron Boatwright (Limestone) Hazen Williams (Newport News Apprentice) Sumter Blake Durant (Lackawanna College)

See Sunday’s edition of The Sumter Item for more stories on the individual signees.

Robateau, Crestwood top LHS BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPER michaelc@theitem.com Crestwood High School boys basketball head coach Dwayne Edwards preached to his players all week about finishing out games strong. The Knights did just that on Friday against Lakewood with a late 8-0 run as Darnell Robateau scored 13 of his team’s 17 points in the final stanza to help Crestwood to a 45-39 victory at The Castle. With the victory Crestwood , now 16-3 overall, improved to 8-1 in Region VI-3A and sets up a winner-take-all game for the region crown on Tuesday with Darlington at the Falcons’ gymnasium. The Knights, who have won seven in a row, are on the verge of

their first region title since 2008. The only other region title came in 2006 when they won the Region V-3A crown. “We always tell (the kids) a good team plays four quarters, you don’t just play one or two or three,” Edwards said. “You’ve got to play four, and I was challenging them all week long to continue to play hard for four quarters. They stepped up to the test and passed the test tonight.” Lakewood, which fell to 9-13 overall and 4-5 in league play, took possession of the ball with 1:33 left in the game, able to control its own destiny with the game tied at 36 all. A turnover led to a Ja Morant layup and free throw to put eh Knights up 39-36 with 56.7 seconds to play.

The Knights used a 1-3-1 zone to force three late turnovers and took advantage of a late intentional foul as Robeateau scored the team’s final six points after Morant’s bucket. “My guys really got up to play tonight and I thought they played well,” Lakewood head coach Bryan Brown. “I think our biggest issue tonight was youth—and I know we both have got some young guys—but the guys that make a lot of the decisions, my guards, are young. We’ve just got to get better at making decisions, but other than that I’m extremely proud of their effort and the fight that my team had.”

SEE CRESTWOOD, PAGE B3


B2

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SPORTS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

SCOREBOARD

SPORTS ITEMS

TV, RADIO TODAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Phil Mickelson hits out of a bunker on the 11th hole at Torrey Pines on Friday during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. Mickleson was among the big names to miss the cut.

Mickelson among big names headed home SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods is gone from Torrey Pines, and Phil Mickelson joined him Friday by missing the cut. In a tournament that quickly lost a big chunk of its star power, Harris English played another bogeyfree round for a 6-under 66 on the North Course to build a two-shot lead Friday in the Farmers Insurance Open. Mickelson had a 72 on the North. It was the first time since 1992 he has missed the cut in consecutive weeks on the PGA Tour. Woods withdrew after 11 holes on Thursday, making it the first time in his career that he failed to make the cut in consecutive weeks. English was at 10-under 134 and had a two-shot lead over Nick Watney (65), Martin Laird (68) and Jhonattan Vegas (69).

CLEMSON BOARD APPROVES ATHLETIC RENOVATIONS CLEMSON — Clemson’s board of trustees approved a $63.5 million renovation of basketball’s Littlejohn Coliseum and a $62 million football operations complex on Friday. Construction on the arena is expected to start once Clemson’s men’s and women’s teams are finished with their seasons. Those teams plan to play next season about 30 miles away at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville with a re-opening planned for 2016-17 season. The football operations building will include locker rooms, a dining facility, meeting areas and offices for Clemson’s coaches. The new facility will be next to Clemson’s indoor practice building. Construction is expected to be finished in 2017. University vice president for finance and operations Brett Dalton said both projects would be financed by the athletic department and booster group IPTAY.

REFS UNION BACKS FEMALE REF AFTER PAUL’S COMMENTS NEW YORK — The union representing NBA referees defended official Lauren Holtkamp on Friday after “personal and unprofessional comments’’ by Clippers guard

Chris Paul. Paul criticized the rookie referee Thursday, saying she might not be ready for the big leagues after six seasons in the minors. Holtkamp is one of two active female officials in the NBA. Lee Seham, general counsel of the National Basketball Referees Association, said in a statement his group reviewed Holtkamp’s calls and “deems them fully justified.’’ Paul was called for a technical foul by Holtkamp during the Clippers’ 105-94 loss in Cleveland. Following a free throw by Cleveland with 10:17 left in the third quarter, the Clippers were attempting to inbound quickly when Holtkamp stepped in. Paul questioned her and was slapped with the technical. “The tech I got was ridiculous,’’ Paul said. “That’s terrible. There’s no way that can be a technical. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court. When we did that, she said, `Uh-uh.’ I said, `Why uh-uh?’ and she gave me a technical. That’s ridiculous. If that’s the case, this might not be for her.’’

LINCICOME, YOO TOP BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSIC LEADERBOARD PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Brittany Lincicome and Sun Young Yoo topped the Bahamas LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday when second-round play was suspended because of darkness. In wind gusting to 35-40 mph, Yoo completed a first-round 70 and shot 69 in the second to match Lincicome at 7 under on Atlantis Resort’s Ocean Club course. Lincicome was 2 under in the second round with 13 holes left. She shot a 68 on Thursday. After rain delayed play Thursday, only half of the players were able to finish the second round Friday. In May 2013, the inaugural event was reduced to three 12-hole rounds because of flooding. Second-ranked Inbee Park, Dori Carter, Jenny Shin, Kelly Shon were 6 under. Shin and Shon shot 71, Carter had a 72, and Park was 1 under for the round with 13 holes left. From wire reports

NBA ROUNDUP

Raptors rally past Clippers 123-107 TORONTO — DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Kyle Lowry had 21 and the Toronto Raptors rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Clippers 123-107 Friday night, handing slumping Los Angeles its fourth loss in five games. Lou Williams had 18 points, Greivis Vazquez scored 12 of his 17 in the fourth quarter and James Johnson returned from a fourgame absence to score 16 as the Raptors swept the season series with the Clippers. Blake Griffin scored 26, Chris Paul had 22 and Jamal Crawford 18 for the Clippers, who dropped to 2-4 on a season-high eight-game road trip. They have lost three in a row. MAGIC 103 L.A. LAKERS 97

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tobias Harris had a career-high 34 points and the Orlando Magic snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 103-97 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nik Vucevic added 25 points and 13 rebounds. It was the Magic’s first victory under interim coach James Borrego, who took over after Jacque Vaughn was fired on Thursday. Ryan Kelly led Los Angeles with 20 points, connecting on five 3-pointers. Carlos Boozer, Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Lin all finished with 14. NETS 92 KNICKS 88

NEW YORK — Brook Lopez scored 22 points, Jarrett Jack made a clutch 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds left and the Brooklyn Nets beat the New York Knicks 92-88. Lopez had nine rebounds and Jack finished with 20 points and eight assists for the Nets, who led by 17 in the first half before the Knicks chased them down with a big third quarter. From wire reports

6 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Malaysian Open Third Round from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GOLF). 7:40 a.m. – International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match – Arsenal vs. Tottenham (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 9:55 a.m. – International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match – Aston Villa vs. Chelsea (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). Noon – College Basketball: Marquette at Seton Hall (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). Noon – College Basketball: Illinois at Michigan State (ESPN). Noon – College Basketball: Georgia at Tennessee (ESPN2). Noon – College Basketball: Baylor at West Virginia (ESPNU). Noon – College Basketball: Wake Forest at Georgia Tech (FOX SPORTSOUTH). Noon – College Basketball: Creighton at St. John’s (SPORTSOUTH). 12:30 p.m. -- International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match – Liverpool vs. Everton (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 1 p.m. – College Basketball: Notre Dame at Duke (WLTX 19). 1 p.m. – College Basketball: Temple at Memphis (ESPNEWS). 1 p.m. – College Basketball: Providence at Xavier (FOX SPORTS 1). 1 p.m. – PGA Golf: Farmers Insurance Open Third Round from San Diego (GOLF).sea 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Army at Navy (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Georgetown at Villanova (WACH 57). 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Kansas at Oklahoma State (ESPN). 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas-Arlington at Louisiana-Lafayette (ESPN2). 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas Tech at Iowa State (ESPNU). 2 p.m. – College Basketball: Virginia Commonwealth at St. Bonaventure (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 3 p.m. – PGA Golf: Farmers Insurance Open Third Round from San Diego (WLTX 19). 3 p.m. – Women’s College Gymnastics: Boise State, Denver at Brigham Young (BYUTV). 3 p.m. – College Basketball: Oklahoma at Texas Christian (ESPNEWS). 3 p.m. – College Basketball: Oklahoma at Kansas State (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 3 p.m. – LPGA Golf: LPGA Classic Third Round from Paradise Island, Bahamas (GOLF). 3:30 p.m. – College Basketball: DePaul at Butler (FOX SPORTS 1). 4 p.m. – Figure Skating: ISU European Championships (WIS 10). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Nevada-Las Vegas at Colorado State (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas at Kansas State (ESPN). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Syracuse at Pittsburgh (ESPN2). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Nebraska at Penn State (ESPNU). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Saint Louis at Fordham (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: Mississippi State at Arkansas (SEC NETWORK). 4 p.m. – College Basketball: South Carolina at Vanderbilt (SPORTSOUTH, WDXY-FM 105.9, WNKT-FM 107.5, WDXY-AM 1240). 4:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Arizona at Arizona State (WACH 57). 5 p.m. – Senior PGA Golf: Champions Tour Allianz Championship Second Round from Boca Raton, Fla. (GOLF). 5:30 p.m. – Horse Racing: Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and Donn Handicap from Hallandale, Fla., and San Antonio Stakes and San Marcos Stakes from Arcadia, Calif. (FOX SPORTS 1). 5:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Mexican League Match – Monterrey vs. Cruz Azul (UNIVISION). 6 p.m. – College Basketball: Alabama at Louisiana State (ESPN2). 6 p.m. – College Basketball: Texas A&M at Missouri (ESPNU). 6 p.m. – College Basketball: Connecticut at Tulane (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 6 p.m. – Track and Field: New Balance Indoor Grand Prix from Boston (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 6:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Mississippi at Auburn (SEC NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Louisville at Virginia (ESPN). 7 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Chicago at New Orleans (NBA TV). 7:30 p.m. – College Hockey: Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan from Chicago (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 7:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Mexican League Match – Puebla vs. Tigres (UNIVISION). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: South Florida at Cincinnati (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Missouri State at Wichita State (ESPN2). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Southern Methodist at Tulsa (ESPNU). 9 p.m. – College Volleyball: California Baptist at Brigham Young (BYUTV). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Kentucky at Florida (ESPN). 9:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Mexican League Match – Tijuana vs. Jaguares (UNIVISION). 10 p.m. – College Basketball: Hawaii at California-Santa Barbara (ESPNU). 10:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Carolina at San Jose (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 11:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Gonzaga at San Francisco (ESPN2). 3:30 a.m. – Professional Baseball: Australian League Championship Series Game Three (MLB NETWORK).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

Varsity Wrestling Sumter vs. White Knoll (at Goose Creek High School), 10 a.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE TODAY

EAST Marquette at Seton Hall, Noon Creighton vs. St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, Noon Baylor at West Virginia, Noon Army at Navy, 2 p.m. VCU at St. Bonaventure, 2 p.m. Georgetown at Villanova, 2 p.m. North Carolina at Boston College, 3 p.m. Nebraska at Penn St., 4 p.m. Syracuse at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m. George Mason at Saint Joseph’s, 4 p.m. SOUTH Tennessee at Georgia, Noon Wake Forest at Georgia Tech, Noon Notre Dame at Duke, 1 p.m. Temple at Memphis, 1 p.m. UNC Greensboro at The Citadel, 1 p.m. Wofford at VMI, 1 p.m. USC Upstate at Kennesaw St., 3 p.m. Southern Miss. at UAB, 3 p.m. Florida St. at Virginia Tech, 3 p.m. S.C. State at Coppin St., 4 p.m. Mercer at Furman, 4 p.m. South Carolina at Vanderbilt, 4 p.m. Drexel at Coll. of Charleston, 5 p.m. UCF at East Carolina, 5 p.m. Alabama at LSU, 6 p.m. UConn at Tulane, 6 p.m. Louisville at Virginia, 6 p.m. Mississippi at Auburn, 6:30 p.m. Charlotte at Old Dominion, 7 p.m. Kentucky at Florida, 9 p.m. MIDWEST Illinois at Michigan St., Noon Providence at Xavier, 1 p.m. Texas Tech at Iowa St., 2 p.m. Purdue at Minnesota, 3 p.m. DePaul at Butler, 3:30 p.m. Texas at Kansas St., 4 p.m. Northwestern at Wisconsin, 5:30 p.m. Texas A&M at Missouri, 6 p.m. South Florida at Cincinnati, 8 p.m. Missouri St. at Wichita St., 8 p.m. SOUTHWEST Kansas at Oklahoma St., 2 p.m. Oklahoma at TCU, 3 p.m. Mississippi St. at Arkansas, 4 p.m. FAR WEST Wyoming at Air Force, 2 p.m. UNLV at Colorado St., 4 p.m. BYU at Loyola Marymount, 4 p.m. Arizona at Arizona St., 4:30 p.m. UCLA at California, 8 p.m. Utah at Colorado, 10 p.m. Gonzaga at San Francisco, 11:30 p.m.

GOLF

The Associated Press

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN PAR SCORES

Friday

THE SUMTER ITEM s-Torrey Pines, South Course (7,698 yards, par 72) n-Torrey Pines, North Course (7,052 yards, par 72) San Diego Purse: $6.3 million (a-amateur) Second Round Harris English 68s-66n—134 -10 Nick Watney 71s-65n—136 -8 Jhonattan Vegas 67s-69n—136 -8 Martin Laird 68s-68n—136 -8 Nicholas Thompson 64n-73s—137 -7 Chad Campbell 67n-71s—138 -6 Spencer Levin 68s-70n—138 -6 Marc Leishman 72s-66n—138 -6 Michael Thompson 65n-73s—138 -6 Jason Day 73s-65n—138 -6 Ian Poulter 67n-71s—138 -6 Jimmy Walker 72s-66n—138 -6 Daniel Berger 70n-68s—138 -6 Lucas Glover 70s-68n—138 -6 Andres Gonzales 69n-69s—138 -6

BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSIC PAR SCORES

Friday At Ocean Club Golf Course Paradise Island, Bahamas Purse: $1.3 million Yardage: 6,650; Par: 73 Partial Second Round 60 golfers did not finish the round Sun Young Yoo 70-69—139 Jenny Shin 69-71—140 Kelly W Shon 69-71—140 Dori Carter 68-72—140 Perrine Delacour 71-70—141 Mika Miyazato 71-70—141

-7 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5

NBA STANDINGS By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Toronto Brooklyn Boston Philadelphia New York SOUTHEAST DIVISION Atlanta Washington Charlotte Miami Orlando CENTRAL DIVISION Cleveland Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Indiana

W 33 20 18 11 10

L 17 28 30 39 39

Pct .660 .417 .375 .220 .204

GB – 12 14 22 22 1/2

W 41 31 22 21 15

L 9 20 27 28 37

Pct .820 .608 .449 .429 .288

GB – 10 1/2 18 1/2 19 1/2 27

W 31 30 27 19 18

L 20 20 22 31 32

Pct .608 .600 .551 .380 .360

GB – 1/2 3 11 1/2 12 1/2

W 37 34 34 31 26

L 12 15 18 18 23

Pct .755 .694 .654 .633 .531

GB – 3 4 1/2 6 11

W 34 25 19 17 9

L 16 24 31 32 40

Pct .680 .510 .380 .347 .184

GB – 8 1/2 15 16 1/2 24 1/2

W 39 33 28 17 13

L 8 17 23 31 36

Pct .830 .660 .549 .354 .265

GB – 7 1/2 13 22 1/2 27

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION Memphis Houston Dallas San Antonio New Orleans NORTHWEST DIVISION Portland Oklahoma City Denver Utah Minnesota PACIFIC DIVISION Golden State L.A. Clippers Phoenix Sacramento L.A. Lakers

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Charlotte 94, Washington 87 Cleveland 105, L.A. Clippers 94 Dallas 101, Sacramento 78 Portland 108, Phoenix 87

FRIDAY’S GAMES

L.A. Clippers at Toronto, 7 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Orlando, 7 p.m. Cleveland at Indiana, 7 p.m. New York at Brooklyn, 7 p.m. Golden State at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Denver at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Boston, 7:30 p.m. New Orleans at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Houston, 8 p.m. Memphis at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Utah at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Miami at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Chicago at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Brooklyn at Washington, 7 p.m. Charlotte at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Golden State at New York, 7:30 p.m. Portland at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Boston at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. Sacramento at Utah, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City, 1 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Cleveland, 3:30 p.m. Atlanta at Memphis, 6 p.m. Chicago at Orlando, 6 p.m. Minnesota at Detroit, 6 p.m. Indiana at Charlotte, 6 p.m. Portland at Houston, 7 p.m. San Antonio at Toronto, 7 p.m. Phoenix at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

NHL STANDINGS By The Associated Press

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP Tampa Bay 53 Detroit 51 Montreal 50 Boston 51 Florida 50 Ottawa 50 Toronto 52 Buffalo 52 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP N.Y. Islanders 51 Pittsburgh 51 N.Y. Rangers 49 Washington 52 Philadelphia 52 New Jersey 51 Columbus 49 Carolina 51

W 33 30 32 27 23 20 22 15

L 15 12 15 17 17 21 26 34

OT 5 9 3 7 10 9 4 3

Pts 71 69 67 61 56 49 48 33

GF 172 152 132 136 125 138 147 97

GA 138 129 114 127 142 140 160 184

W 33 29 30 27 22 20 21 18

L 17 14 15 15 22 22 25 26

OT 1 8 4 10 8 9 3 7

Pts 67 66 64 64 52 49 45 43

GF 163 147 148 153 142 115 121 111

GA 145 129 117 130 154 139 155 135

L 12 13 18 18 19 20 20

OT 6 4 2 9 11 6 8

Pts 72 72 64 61 55 54 54

GF 155 165 155 146 134 138 162

GA 123 121 118 140 146 140 167

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

GP 51 51 51 53 52 50 51

W 33 34 31 26 22 24 23

GP W L OT Pts GF Anaheim 52 34 12 6 74 157 San Jose 53 28 18 7 63 149 Calgary 52 29 20 3 61 152 Vancouver 50 28 19 3 59 135 Los Angeles 51 21 18 12 54 136 Arizona 52 19 26 7 45 121 Edmonton 52 14 29 9 37 120 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for time loss.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

N.Y. Islanders 3, Philadelphia 2, SO Carolina 2, Arizona 1, SO St. Louis 3, Buffalo 0 Washington 2, Ottawa 1 Florida 3, Los Angeles 2 Anaheim 5, Nashville 2 Tampa Bay 5, Dallas 3 Detroit 3, Colorado 0 San Jose 5, Vancouver 1

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Toronto at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Anaheim at Washington, 7 p.m. St. Louis at Columbus, 7 p.m. Chicago at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Pittsburgh at Calgary, 9 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

N.Y. Rangers at Nashville, 3 p.m. Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Boston, 7 p.m. Dallas at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Edmonton at Toronto, 7 p.m. New Jersey at Montreal, 7 p.m. Columbus at Ottawa, 7 p.m. Colorado at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Detroit at Arizona, 8 p.m. Pittsburgh at Vancouver, 10 p.m. Carolina at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

GA 140 144 132 131 139 173 172 over-


SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

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B3

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Vanderbilt, Virginia among CWS favorites again BY ERIC OLSON The Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. — Vanderbilt is the defending national champion and unanimous preseason No. 1 team in college baseball. Virginia was national runner-up and enters the season well-stocked with starting pitching and one of the nation’s best recruiting classes. No one would be surprised if the Commodores and Cavaliers were to meet again in late June in the College World Series finals. First, Vanderbilt must go through the grind of a Southeastern Conference schedule stocked with national title contenders like LSU, Florida and South Carolina. And Virginia will face the usual challenges in the Atlantic Coast Conference from Florida State, North Carolina, Louisville and Clemson — none of them strangers to Omaha. Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin isn’t interested in talk about repeating. “Whether we were 54-21 or 21-54 (last year), it’s a new team and a new group,’’ he said. “They’ll go on their own path and author their book. Their experiences can certainly help, but beyond that, they don’t have much to do

SHARING FROM PAGE B1 said Crestwood head coach Tony Wilson, whose team improved to 16-4 overall. “But if they win (Tuesday, and Crestwood wins) it comes down to a tiebreaker and they’d get the No.1 seed because they beat us by six and we beat them by four. It’s great for the Sumter community, because Sumter’s team is ranked No. 1 (in 4A) and Lakewood and Crestwood are in the top 10. Girls basketball is up in the Sumter area, and it’s good that we’re all competing at such a high level.” For Lakewood head coach Frances Fields, this was that rare scenario where a loss was almost as good as a win. “It was a good ball game, and we knew we had to come in here and fight,” said Fields, whose team still stands at 17-4 on the season. “We didn’t get region champs, but co-region champs is a step up for Lakewood’s program. We’re No. 1 (seed) and looking at the playoffs we get three home games (if we keep winning), so that’s beautiful. I’ve told them that each game from here on out is very important. We just need to end it and finish it well.” The all-important final region games on Tuesday will see Crestwood traveling to

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vanderbilt pitcher Walker Buehler (13) and teammates Carson Fulmer and Tyler Ferguson are as good as any weekend rotation in the country as the defending champion Commodores are one of the top contenders for the 2015 season. with our identity this season.’’ Virginia was in its third CWS in six years and in the finals for the first time, and coach Brian O’Connor said losing a three-game finals provides motivation. “I think they can draw a lot from it, not only the journey to get there, but knowing they are playing in a program that

Darlington while Lakewood hits the road to Bennettsville to take on Marlboro County. Cole added a free throw, Crestwood’s final point of the game, to her decisive 3-minute offensive explosion to close out the night with 13 points. “It was just unreal,” said an emotional Cole after a ceremony to honor the seniors. “He (Wilson) told me to not stop shooting. He said just keep going and they’ll fall in when it’s time for them to fall. It’s Senior Night and I feel honored. I’m at a loss for words.” Wilson was proud that Cole didn’t give up on her shot when it wasn’t falling earlier in the game. “Ladazha is a senior, she’s been with me for three years and she’s capable of knocking the shot down if she gets confidence,” Wilson said. “I was happy she got the confidence tonight because she was struggling for the first three quarters. She’s capable of knocking that shot down if people leave her open, so I was proud of the way she came fighting back and the way that she stepped up tonight.” The game was tight throughout the first half, with two lead changes and three ties, including a 20-20 deadlock at the break. Lakewood scored the games first four points and held a 5-point lead, 17-12, after a Sonora Dengokl 3 at the 4:28

CRESTWOOD FROM PAGE B1 Robeateau hit three field goals and connected on all seven of his free throw attempts in the fourth quarter. He finished with 18 to lead the game as Morant pitched in 16. The Gators were led by Jarvis Johnson’s 10 points. Wactor pitched in seven, Tyshawn Johnson had six and Robert Grant added five in the loss. Both teams played a game of cat and mouse as the

It’s your world. Read all about it.

Knights held the ball for nearly six minutes in the third quarter. Devin Nelson came out of the second half and went on a personal 5-0 run with a 3-point basket and a field goal to put the Knights up 28-24. “It seemed like things weren’t clicking offensively and we were able to at least run some time off the clock and kind of look at them and see what they were doing because I think at

can put itself in a position to have a chance to win it all,’’ O’Connor said. Four schools have made it to the CWS finals since the NCAA went to a best-of-three championship round in 2003. South Carolina did it three years in a row (2010-12) and Texas did it in consecutive years (2004-05), but only Ore-

mark of the second quarter. Crestwood’s only lead of the half came after a Cawasha Ceasar 3 made the score 9-8 with 2:19 left in the opening quarter. The Lady Gators pulled away early in the second half, building a 28-22 lead before Ceasar hit her team’s first basket of the half at the 3:10 mark. A Shaquandra Miller-McCray bucket and two Jahche Whitfield free throws would tie the score, 28-28, before Lakewood closed the quarter on a 7-3 run to take a 35-31 lead into the final quarter. The Lady Gators led by six, 44-38, when Ceasar popped a 3 to cut the lead to 44-41, setting up Cole’s lategame heroics. Ceasar led the Lady Knights with 23 points and five assists while Miller-McCray closed with seven points, 10 rebounds and 14 blocked shots. Jayla Bolden had six rebounds to go with four points while Whitfield had five boards along with her two points. Dengokl, who signed to play collegiately at North Carolina Asheville on Wednesday, finished with 20 points, four rebounds and two steals, while Kamryn Lemon had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists. Taja Randolph chipped in with 10 points and six boards, and Shalexia Pack added a line of five points, five rebounds and four steals.

that point they probably had the momentum,” Brown said. “We just kind of wanted to slow it down and worked on trying to get a good shot.” Lakewood’s Jaylon Wactor hit the only field goal of the third quarter. Each coach said he had his own reason for the lack of offense. In the second quarter, the Gators took advantage of a 4 1/2-minute scoring drought by the Knights. Darlington beat Hartsville 83-61.

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gon State and North Carolina have played a rematch (200607). The regular season starts next Friday, and there will be a big change with the move from the raised-seam to flatseam baseball. The new ball is livelier, which should result in higher offensive numbers. Teams last year averaged 5.1

runs a game and one home run about every three games, the lowest production since the wood-bat era that ended in 1974. There were only three home runs in the College World Series last year. Vanderbilt’s John Norwood hit the biggest, drilling Nick Howard’s 97mph pitch over the left-field fence to break an eighth-inning tie in Game 3 to send the Commodores to their first national title in a men’s sport. Norwood is gone but Vanderbilt returns CWS Most Outstanding Player Dansby Swanson, who’ll move from second base to shortstop, and most of its other everyday players. Carson Fulmer (7-1, 1.98), Walker Buehler (12-2, 2.64) and Tyler Ferguson (8-4, 2.69) are as good as any weekend rotation in the country, and Hayden Stone is back to anchor the bullpen. Virginia isn’t expected to drop off even though it lost five starting position players and their top four relievers. The Cavaliers will be carried by starting pitchers Nathan Kirby (9-3, 1.06) and Brandon Waddell (10-3, 2.45). O’Connor said he hadn’t decided on a third starter to replace Josh Sborz (6-4, 2.92), who is moving to the closer’s role.

AREA ROUNDUP

LC Middle set to host semifinal playoff games Lee Central Middle School will be playing host to the boys and girls semifinal games in the Upper Pee Dee Conference basketball tournament today beginning at noon. The first two games will be girls games. Hannah-Pamplico will face either Spaulding or Scott’s Branch at noon. Lee Central, 14-0 on the season and the regular-season champion for a second straight year will face either C.E. Murray or Kingstree at 1:20 p.m. In the boys semis, Kingstree will take on either C.E. Murray or Spaulding at 2:45. Lee Central, 10-4 and the regularseason champion for a third straight year, will face either Scott’s Branch or HannahPamplico. The championship games will be played on Monday at Lee Central, the girls starting at 6 followed by the boys at 7:30. Sumter Middle semis set The boys and girls games for the Sumter Middle School basketball tournament have been set. On Monday in the girls contests, Bates will visit Alice Drive, while Chestnut Oaks will travel to Furman. The games are set for a 5 p.m. start. On Tuesday in the boys semis, Alice Drive will visit Mayewood, while Bates will play host to Chestnut Oaks. Those games are set for a 5:30 p.m. start. The championship games will be played on Thursday at the Alice Drive gymnasium beginning with the girls at 5 p.m.

Brooke Bennett led LMA with 14 points. Maggie Eppley had 10, while Courtney Beatson had nine points and 14 rebounds.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL ORANGEBURG PREP 34 LAURENCE MANNING 27

MANNING — Laurence Manning Academy lost to Orangeburg Prep 34-27 on Friday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Mason Ham led LMA with 15 points.

BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL LAURENCE MANNING 56 ORANGEBURG PREP 23

MANNING — Laurence Manning Academy had three players score in double figures as it defeated Orangeburg Prep 56-23 on Friday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Randy Nelson led LMA with 13 points, while Jake Jordan and Brewer Brunson both had 12. Dalton Hatfield added nine. SUMTER 37 CAROLINA FOREST 34

Sumter High School improved to 13-1 on the season with a 37-34 victory over Carolina Forest on Wednesday at the SHS gymnasium. Ryan Misildine had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Gamecocks. Kareem Lawson added seven.

B TEAM BASKETBALL THOMAS SUMTER 35

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL ORANGEBURG PREP 61 LAURENCE MANNING 44

MANNING — Laurence Manning Academy lost to Orangeburg Prep 61-44 on Friday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium.

ORANGEBURG PREP 32 ORANGEBURG — Thomas Sumter closed out its season with a 7-3 record after beating Orangeburg Prep 35-32 on Wednesday at the OP gymnasium. Billy Colquitt had a doubledouble of 16 points and 10 steals to lead TSA. Mason Warren added six points.

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Top-ranked USC finally gets shot at validation BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (22) and the rest of the Gamecocks finally get to validate their No. 1 ranking for the last 11 weeks when they travel to No. 2 Connecticut on Monday.

COLUMBIA — South Carolina has been ranked the No. 1 team in the nation for the past 11 weeks. Finally, the undefeated Gamecocks have the chance to prove it. The Gamecocks (22-0) take on two-time defending national champion Connecticut on Monday in a No. 1-vs.-No. 2 showdown that figures to go a long way to either getting those Huskies holdouts on South Carolina’s bandwagon or ending the Gamecocks’ record-breaking start. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley understands her team doesn’t always look like the well-oiled machines put out there by Connecticut, Baylor and Notre Dame in recent seasons. She’s just as convinced her team’s style of gritty defense and pushthe-pace play can be just as successful. “It’s a huge opportunity for us to wave the flag of so many other programs that are like us,” Staley said Friday. “When you compare UConn to other programs, they’re sharp, they’re efficient, there’s no fat, they’re really tight in what they do. With us, we’re flawed.” Not so far. The Gamecocks look to extend their best ever winning streak and set a mark for consecutive wins in any

sport at the school. Still, each new ranking that comes out includes a healthy amount of No. 1 votes for the country’s second ranked team. A’ja Wilson, the 6-foot5 freshman who spurned Connecticut and others to join South Carolina, said the Gamecocks haven’t let those voters or anyone’s outside perceptions distract them from the task at hand. “We really don’t pay attention to it,” she said. “We work within ourselves and we’re trying to figure out what we need to do to make ourselves better in our game.” That’s been evident in each game. Wilson has been the headliner much of the season, averaging 13 points and seven rebounds a game. But the past two games, freshman point guard Bianca Cuevas led the team in scoring and disrupted Ole Miss and Georgia with her swarming defensive style. South Carolina’s 58-35 victory over No. 22 Georgia on Thursday night came with 6-4 Alaina Coates on the bench serving a one-game suspension for violating team rules. Coates, last year’s SEC freshman of the year, has had an SEC best 10 games with double figure points and rebounds. Gamecocks senior Aleighsa Welch, an allSEC team member last

season, believes she and her teammates have kept their poise throughout because they’re focused on each step of the journey instead of the ultimate goal. It’s less important, she said, to take down a Connecticut than to make sure the team’s playing at peak performance in March. “It’s not a game about proving ourselves,” Welch said. “It’s a game about us. It’s a game about making sure we come out with a game plan. When you come out feeling you have to make this a statement game, that’s when you can stumble a bit.” Staley and her players welcome the freedom that comes from no longer having to bottle up discussion about Connecticut, despite fielding questions about the contest the past several weeks in anticipation for the pending top-of-therankings battle. “I’m glad it’s the University of South Carolina playing the traditional power of UConn,” Staley said. “It’s a great measuring stick for us to see how far we’ve come.” Connecticut (21-1) has a contest today at Memphis before turning its full attention to the Gamecocks. But such big games are old hat for the Huskies. Since 2009, Connecticut’s been involved in nine such No. 1 vs. No. 2 games, winning eight.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Late coaching changes expose flaw in early signing period BY RALPH D. RUSSO The Associated Press As college football moves toward an early signing period for recruits, some of this year’s signees learned no matter when you sign that national letter of intent, situations can change the very next day. A handful of assistant coaches at high-profile programs such as Ohio State and Texas changed jobs less than 24 hours after Wednesday’s national signing day, leaving behind the players they recruited. In some cases, the teenagers who were won over did not take the news well. Mike Weber, a running back from Detroit who signed with Ohio State, tweeted “I’m hurt as hell” after it was announced Thursday that Buckeyes running backs coach Stan Drayton was leaving for the Chicago Bears. Du’Vonta Lampkin, a defensive lineman from Houston

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

As college football moves toward an early signing period for recruits, some of this year’s signees learned no matter when you sign that national letter of intent, situations can change the very next day. Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, left, recommended last month a three-day early signing period for football, starting on Dec. 16.

who signed with Texas, tweeted on Friday “Guess I was lied to my face” and “Really? 2 days after signing day” after it was announced Longhorns defensive line coach Chris Rumph

BAKER FROM PAGE B1 but it’s more about getting a job after you graduate, and I like that mentality that he had,” Baker said. “I feel that they’re going to push me to be the best. I just want to go and make plays for them.” Former Lakewood head coach Perry Parks said Baker is an example of how far hard work can take a player and a team. “They got smacked for two years, took a beating, took the abuse, and then we were harder on them on the wins than the losses because we told them they had to do this, this and this to build the program up,” Parks said.

YEADON FROM PAGE B1 made plays at critical moments. “I couldn’t be more proud of an individual,” Parks added. “A true story of a kid that had football taken away from him, came back and never missed any weights, never missed

was leaving for Florida. With early signing period in December coming as soon as this year, the scenario that led to those hard feelings could become more common.

“They listened and did everything we asked them to do. We wished we would’ve won more games this year (going 6-5 and making the 3A state playoffs), but you can’t argue with the end result.” Baker said Parks and defensive coordinator Frankie Ward pushed him to believe he could achieve greatness beyond what he thought were his limits. “They brought it out of me and made me give it my hardest even when I didn’t want to,” he explained. “They brought it out of me and got me to play at my hardest. Coach Parks is a strong coach that demands results, not negative results. He demands you to do the best you can do.”

practice and never had any excuse — he’s just that type of kid.” Yeadon’s teammate, Zach Baker, also signed with Methodist and expects to compete as a defensive tackle. The duo was part of a school record five football signees on Wednesday. The other players who signed on Wednesday were D’onte

The Collegiate Commissioners Association governs the national letter of intent, which binds a recruit to a school. After years of talk about an early signing period,

PUGH FROM PAGE B1 overreaching with his FBS dream. “Tommie definitely has the size and the ability to be a Division I player,” Nelson said. Not only did Pugh not get a lot of interest from 4-year schools, but the interest from 4-year schools was sparse. He was talking with Georgia Military College, but kept being delayed on an offer. Meanwhile, Highland saw some film of Pugh and consistently talked to him. When a GMC offer didn’t come as soon as he would have liked, Pugh decided to pull the trigger with

Washington with Guilford, Tyshawn Johnson with Hutchinson Community College and Khafari Buffalo with The Citadel. “Methodist was a great choice for me because they have an excellent work-study program” Yeadon said of his decision to sign with Methodist over Fayetteville State and Guilford College.

a committee led by Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher recommended last month a threeday early signing period for football, starting on Dec. 16. Late December through January is prime time for coaches to change jobs in college football. “It is a legitimate issue,” Steinbrecher said of the effect coaching changes have on recruits, “but I think both parties have to go into it with their eyes wide open.” The CCA, made up of the commissioners of 32 Division I conferences, will vote on the early signing date proposal in June. A majority of coaches are in favor of an early signing period. Steinbrecher said data studied by the committee shows more than 80 percent of football recruits commit before or during their senior seasons and more than 90 percent of those players sign with the schools to which they verbally committed.

Highland. “The (Highland) coach who was dealing with me, he kept checking up on me from that first time,” Pugh said. “They showed they were very interested in me. I think (Highland) gives me the opportunity to do well on my grades and to improve myself in football.” He said the Highland coaches have told him they are interested in him as a left tackle. He’s just happy he’s getting the chance to continue playing football. “It’s a great opportunity for me,” he said. “I thank the coaches, God, my family for this opportunity to play at the next level.”

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Lifetime’s ‘Megachurch Murder’ is an unholy mess BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH TV or not TV, that is the question. Can Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” provide sufficient inspiration for the 2015 melodrama “Megachurch Murder” (8 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime)? Malcolm-Jamal Warner appears briefly but pivotally in “Murder” as powerful preacher Hamilton Spears, the inspirational leader of a black congregation who is killed in a bicycle accident scant minutes into the production. Soon, his happy choirgirl daughter, Hannah (Shanica Knowles), is reduced to drinking and driving and even disrupting Hamilton’s memorial service with a boozy tirade. Is there a method to her madness? Despite her hazy state, Hannah soon suspects that her father was actually murdered because he stood in the way of his partner’s (Michael Beach) plan to expand the modest church into a gargantuan and profitable assembly hall. Worse, she learns that her new boyfriend (Romeo Miller) and even her mother (Tamala Jones) may be part of this arrangement. In place of Hamlet’s soliloquies, we get to hear Hannah as she retreats to her room and warbles while accompanying herself on a guitar. Is she onto a scheme, rank and gross in nature? Or is she just a crazy, mixed-up teen? The real mystery of this “Murder” is whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageously over-the-top camp or to sleep, perhaps to dream of better movies. Its fault is not in its stars, but in its script. I know this seems harsh, but for your sake, dear viewers, it would be cruel to be kind to this unweeded garden. It’s an unholy mess. • The lines between fiction and fact, drama and documentary continue to blur. The sixpart documentary “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (8 p.m. Sunday, HBO, TV-14) offers a remarkably intimate look at the heir to a New York real estate fortune and a suspect in at least three murders over a three-decade span. In a case of life imitating, or even instigating, art, Durst agreed to extensive filmed in-

RICK FRIESEN / LIFETIME

Shanica Knowles, left, and Romeo Miller star in the movie “Megachurch Murder” premiering at 8 p.m. today on Lifetime. terviews with the director Andrew Jarecki after seeing his 2010 film “All Good Things,” based on Durst’s own story. “Jinx” combines this footage with a wealth of artful reenactments, news footage and interviews with colorful characters who have followed the cases for decades, including the friends and relatives of Durst’s missing wife, Durst’s estranged brother, Fox News personality and former Westchester County D.A. Jeanine Pirro and Texas lawyer Dick DeGuerin, a man who would not look out of place in a Hollywood adaptation of a John Grisham novel. Editor and co-producer Zac Stuart-Pontier has managed to weave such visually disparate material into a mesmerizing whole. “Jinx” unfolds with the intensity of Errol Morris’ “The Thin Blue Line.” The jaw-dropping revelations of peculiar characters may evoke memories of Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man,” or perhaps “Capturing the Friedmans,” the 2003 film also directed by Jarecki and shot by Marc Smerling, the cinematographer for this effort. But those were films viewed in a single sitting. “Jinx” unfolds over six weeks. Will viewers want to spend so much time with this mystery? HBO certainly hopes so. And

the premium network’s imprimatur certainly helps “Jinx” rise above the clutter of lurid true-crime TV docudramas on the ID network and elsewhere. An audience for “Jinx” may emerge, not from other networks, or even art house cinemas. “Jinx” may provide the perfect follow-up show for fans who had been addicted to the much buzzed-about public radio podcast “Serial.” • Who knew Saul Goodman was really “Slippin’ Jimmy”? The “Breaking Bad” prequel “Better Call Saul” (10 p.m. Sunday, AMC, TV-14) lives up to the anticipation and hype. It follows Saul (Bob Odenkirk) six years before his encounter with Walter White and chronicles his descent from hustler lawyer to criminal co-conspirator. And it does so with all the absurd humor and weird, slow-building spaghetti Western touches that earned “Breaking Bad” its faithful following. The less said about Saul (or is it Jimmy?) the better, except to shout that it offers one more great role for Odenkirk. In fact, the show’s opening scenes of Saul working at a chain pastry store in a bland Omaha shopping mall are shot in glorious black and white. Is that a way for producers Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould to remind us of Odenkirk’s memo-

rable turn in the Oscar-nominated 2013 film “Nebraska”? And let’s not forget his role in FX’s “Fargo.” As Saul/ Jimmy, he’s desperate, slimy, manipulative, deceptive and audacious. And we wouldn’t want him any other way.

SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS • A young wizard unravels a mystery in the 2001 adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (8 p.m., ABC, TVPG). • A tragedy on the ward proves sadly inspirational in the two-hour series finale of “Red Band Society” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14). • A child fixates on drinking from the “wrong” water fountain in 1963 Alabama in the 2015 drama “White Water” (8 p.m., TV One). • Flint’s return to Nassau gets complicated on “Black Sails” (9 p.m., Starz, TV-MA). • Want to know the “science” behind the silliest Internet clips? Find out on “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” (10 p.m., Science, TV-PG). • Amy Adams hosts “Saturday Night Live” (11:30 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14), with musical guests One Direction.

SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS • Scheduled on “60 Minutes”

(7 p.m., CBS): how the Pentagon anticipates cyber attacks; the secrecy of Swiss banks and a profile of “Selma” director Ava DuVernay. • LL Cool J hosts the 57th annual Grammy Awards (8 p.m., CBS). • Competition begins on “American Ninja Warrior” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG). • Jennifer Lawrence stars in the 2012 adaptation of “The Hunger Games” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG). • Bates assures Anna on “Downton Abbey” on “Masterpiece Classic” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings). • Hannah’s note enrages her classmates on “Girls” (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA). • Alex and Tina return to Houston on “Togetherness” (9:30 p.m., HBO, TV-MA). • Bigotry hampers an investigation on “Grantchester” on “Masterpiece Mystery!” (10 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings). • Sean and Beverly contemplate a third collaborator on “Episodes” (10:30 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).

CULT CHOICE The all-but-perfect 1940 comedy “The Philadelphia Story” (8 p.m. Saturday, TCM) went on to inspire the 1956 musical remake “High Society” as well as the name for the 1980s satirical monthly Spy magazine.

SATURDAY SERIES A joint task force on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * Two hours of “Dateline NBC” (8 p.m.) * Another petty officer expires on “NCIS: New Orleans” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) * “48 Hours” (10 p.m., CBS) * Patrick Swayze hosts a vintage “Saturday Night Live” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

SUNDAY SERIES Lisa composes an anthem on “The Simpsons” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) * Nick Kroll gueststars on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * Peter assumes a younger avatar on “Family Guy” (9 p.m., Fox, TV14) * Cupid’s curse on “Bob’s Burgers” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TVPG). Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate


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COMICS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Troubled friend needs a hand, not a handout DEAR ABBY — I am 18, and like most of my friends, I have gone away to college. We have a friend whose life Dear Abby went off track during ABIGAIL our senior VAN BUREN year because of drinking, drugs and other misbehavior. She’s now without a place to live or any support system. She calls us from time to time, and we aren’t sure what to believe or how to help her since we are all in a different place in our lives, and far away. We won’t give her money because we are worried about what she might do with it, but

THE SUMTER ITEM

we really do want to help her and be there for her. What is the best approach? Worried friend in Florida DEAR WORRIED — I agree that you should not give her money. The best approach would be for you to advise your friend to get into a shelter with social services for homeless women. If she does, she may be able to get into a substance abuse program, receive government benefits and straighten out her life. I’m not saying her road will be an easy one, but it can be done. DEAR ABBY — Is there a polite way to ask a colleague to stop bringing her kids to work? Our offices are next to each other, and the dividing wall doesn’t reach the ceiling. I have to

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

hear them yelling at each other (they are 2 and 4), crying, whining and their mother’s attempts at discipline, etc. This isn’t occasional — it happens often. Should I ask her politely to stop bringing them to work? Or should I ask management to shift my office away from hers? Distracted in Detroit DEAR DISTRACTED — Rather than risk a confrontation with your co-worker, this is something you should discuss either with your supervisor or your employer. While I empathize with the woman’s difficulty in finding someone to supervise her youngsters, if their presence in the workplace is disruptive, your needs should be accommodated.

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

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

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

ACROSS 1 Three-volume biography of Winston Churchill 12 Summer, at times 15 Reversible chemical process 16 Material flaw 17 Collectible late-’50s auto 18 Mattel game since 1992 19 Inventing initials 20 Almost null? 21 Dodges 23 Four-time All-Star Oriole outfielder Jones 25 Former prime minister who grew up in Milwaukee 27 Raise 28 Certain red giant 30 One often looking down 32 File, for one 33 54-Across holder 35 Lucrative venture 37 They don’t sound as welcoming as they are 41 Bolivian president Evo 42 Net

44 Blues musician Mahal 45 NASCAR Hall of Fame locale: Abbr. 46 Go (through) 48 Goes for 52 Capturer’s triumphant words 54 33-Across filler 56 Cheer 57 Tannery output 59 Smoke, perhaps 61 Fr. title 62 “... and the __ below / As hush as death”: “Hamlet” 63 Asset disposal option 66 Original “Burn Notice” airer 67 Bank counter convenience 68 Rx notation 69 Runoff facilitators DOWN 1 Haberdashery item 2 Beginners with boards 3 Put on a throne 4 Author Harper 5 Wheelbarrow feature 6 Open-weave fabric 7 Old Scottish

officials 8 Capital on the Grand River 9 Like Dvor‡k’s Symphony No. 8 10 Fancy molding 11 Audacity 12 Well target 13 Organ with scales 14 Followers 22 Would-be designer, perhaps 24 Had an impact 26 Basic rental 29 Who’s sorry now 31 Smudge 34 Alphabetical orders? 36 Literary count, familiarly 37 Loiters 38 “For certain” 39 Regulatory

legal association 40 Breeze (through) 43 Hard-to-define influence 47 Platitude 49 Shilling spender 50 2003 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient 51 Marinates 53 Honey beverages 55 Sci-fi figure 58 Haggis ingredient 60 Start of an intermission? 64 USCG rank 65 Federal benefits org.


CLASSIFIEDS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2015

THE ITEM

B7

803-774-1234

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

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

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

Lawn Service Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs! Free est. 494-9169/468-4008

Legal Service Attorney Timothy L. Griffith 803-607-9087, 360 W. Wesmark. Criminal, Family, Accident, Injury

Roofing All Types of Roofing & Repairs All work guaranteed. 30 yrs exp. SC lic. Virgil Bickley 803-316-4734.

Septic Tank Cleaning

Help Wanted Full-Time

Unfurnished Apartments

Unfurnished Homes

1640 Yaupon St Sat Feb 7 7am-? marble tables, small kit. appl. golf clubs/ bag , car ramps, etc.

The #1 Furniture Retail Company in the U.S. is seeking highly motivated individuals with outgoing personalities to join our Sales Team. Candidates must have a working knowledge of computers. They will be required to build sales volume by providing superior customer service and knowledge of product and finance options. This full time position is based on a flexible work schedule that includes evenings, Saturdays and some holidays. Offering unlimited income potential based on commission and bonuses. Guaranteed salary during training process. Send resume to 2850 Broad St., Sumter, SC 29150.

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

2BR 1BA home in quiet cul-de-sac w/ C/H/A. $440/mo+ dep. 481-9195 or 418-9444

LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $2 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend. 905-4242

Huge 4 Family indoor-outdoor Yard Sale. 470 Chippewa Circle (Deer Field Sub.) Fri & Sat 8-2 228 E Main St., Summerton, Sat 7-12 Antiques, furn., linens, high chairs, holiday decor, hshld items Auction Estate Of the late Eugene C. Brown Jr. 729 Ingram Street Sumter, SC Feb.21 , 2015 10AM Conducted by Tommy Atkinson SCAL 3879 assisted by Bill's Furniture & Antiques. Go to auctionzip.com for photo's and details. 2 Family, 3005 Caitlynn Dr. (Meadow Croft Sub.) Sat. 7-12 Hshld items, kids clothes, yard tools, etc. Moving Sale Indoor & Out. 500 Concord Church Rd. Sat. 7-2 Furniture, household goods, clothes, decorations. Multi Family 685 Lakewood Dr. Sat 7-12. Clothes, hshld goods & more

Above ground pool, 28,000 gallon, round, huge deck included. New pump & all accessories. You move. $2,000. Call 803-316-0685

Tree Service Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747. Mention this ad & get 10% off. A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721

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

PETS & ANIMALS Dogs AKC-CKC F Cairn Terrier Wizzard of oz toto breed . 8 Yrs old , house trained, healthy ,UTD on S/D Home w /Fncd yard. $250 803-428-3803

Slightly used Wood burning Heater, Heats 4-5 rooms. Call 803-968-0909 or 775-0602 Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 HD Utility Trailers all w/ 3,500 lb axles, extra tongue support - jack gate. 6x10 $1190; 6x12 $1290; 6x16 Tandem $1790; 803-972-0900 Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves. Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311

Split Oak Firewood $65/dumped, $75/stacked. Newman's Tree Service 316-0128. Sectional Sofa ,blue w/2 recliners. Good condition $200 Call 494-3549 or 972-1125 if interested . Hover Round Scooter brand new never used. If interested call 803-775-7468 or 803-553-6434 Firewood for Sale Will Deliver. Call 803 651-8672

EMPLOYMENT MERCHANDISE

We will be happy to change your ad if an error is made; however we are not responsible for errors after the first run day. We shall not be liable for any loss or expense that results from the printing or omission of an advertisement. We reserve the right to edit, refuse or cancel any ad at any time.

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales

For Sale or Trade

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

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES 11:30 a.m. the day before for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday edition. 9:30 a.m. Friday for Saturday’s edition 11:30 a.m. Friday for Sunday’s edition.

Help Wanted Full-Time

Senior Planner / Project Manager The City of Sumter is seeking qualified applicants. If interested see details at www.sumtersc.gov Site Property Manager - for Elderly Section 8 property located near downtown Sumter. Experience in Section 8 apartment management preferred. Must have a prop. mgrs. license. Fax resume' to: Attn: Personnel - 803-345-3804. E.O.E. Local Child and Family Service Agency seeking Full Time Staff with child care experience. Excellent salary and benefits. Please send cover letter and resume to P- 388 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677, Sumter SC 29151. Finance Trainees No experience needed. Applicants must have a sales personality and enjoy working with our customers. Auto required. Good starting salary and good benefits. We will train you on the job. Apply in person: Lenders Loans 304 Broad St. Sumter SC Wanted Body Tech. Must be trained in sheet metal, frame & uni-body repair. Exc. wage & benefits. Apply at McLaughlin Ford 950 N. Main St., Sumter

Help Wanted Part-Time $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555 Licensed cosmologists needed. Apply at Merle Norman Cosmetics at 540 Bultman Dr.

Trucking Opportunities Class A CDL Drivers with a tanker endorsement / TWIC card that can stay out at least a week dispatch are needed. There is also an opening for local/part-time work. Company based in Summerton, SC. Call 803-488-0100 for further information and to apply.

Work Wanted I'm Available to clean your home. Affordable, reliable 16-17 yrs exp ref's. Call Melissa 803-938-5204

RENTALS Unfurnished Apartments

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales

Atlas Transmission looking for a FT Secretary/Office Manager . Apply in person at 301 W liberty St.

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

Indoor Sale: 1944 Pinewood Rd. Fri. & Sat. 7am. Lots of Furn., 3 auto., Misc. items. Rain or shine.

Wanted small engine mechanic. Full time or Part time. Pay based on experience. 803-494-4113

2- 3BR1BA Apts for rent. Kitchen, den, LR $575 Mo.+ Dep. 458-8333 or 983-3401

Unfurnished Homes Conv. to Shaw AFB 3BR 2BA Stove/Fridge Fireplace, Carport $700 Mo. + $700 Dep. 773-6844 Nice Area 2BR 1.5BA C/H/A, Appliances. New carpet, paint. No Pets/Smoking $625mo. & dep. 803-983-8463. House for rent 2BR 1BA, All appl., washer/dryer, Dw and disp. C/H/A & Ceiling fans . Call 464-0614 Between Sumter & Bishopville 4BR 1BA C/H/A $575 Mo. + Dep 803-469-8328 or 983-9711 1 Bd 1 Ba House, 33 Hospital St. $295 mo. + dep. Call 803-453-5014 Tired of Renting? 2015 Could be the year you own your own home. Bad credit Ok, www.wewelcomeallbuyers.com Nice 3BR 2BA dble carport, w/ appliances 10 mins from Shaw military discount. $800/mo (Diggs) 803-968-4192.

3BR/1BA Recently renovated on W Hampton St C/H/A $850 Mo+Dep. 803-464-5872 2 & 3BR Apt & houses available in Sumter. No Sec. Dep. required. Call 773-8402 for more info.

Mobile Home Rentals 2BR 1BA C/H/A Alcolu, Ideal for singles or a couple. $400+ Dep No calls aft 9pm. 803-468-1768

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water /sewer/garbage pk-up incl'd. RV parking avail. Call 803-494-8350 Rent to own 2BR/1BA all appl. incl. C/H/A, water & sewer incl. $385/mo. + $400 Dep.Call 803-464-5757 SW 3BR 2BA W/D incld. C/H/A Call 803- 410-0136 or 803-410-1153 2, 3 & 4 Br, all appliances, Section 8 accepted. 469-6978 or 499-1500

Going on

REAL ESTATE Manufactured Housing Turn your Tax Refund into your dream home! Low credit score? Been turned down for bad credit? Come try us, we do our own financing.We have 2-3-4 bedroom homes. For more information, call 843-389-4215 AND also visit our Face Book page (M & M Mobile Homes). For Sale Nice 4Br 2Ba DW with large lot 803-983-0408

Land & Lots for Sale 5 Acres For Sale by Owner with septic & water. 803-427-3888. Owner financing. MIN TO WALMART/SHAW 1 AC +/- Cleared, septic, water, elec. $12,900. 888-774-5720

Commercial Industrial Restaurant for lease. 50 seat dining room, complete commercial kitchen, Call 803-972-7188

vacation? Don’t Miss A Thing!

Let your carrier save your paper for you while you are on vacation!

Call 803-774-1258 Customer Service Dept. Hours Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm

20 N. Magnolia Street

803-774-1258

MAYO’S “FABULOUS FEBRUARY SALE”

WHERE $1.00 CAN BUY YOU A SUIT!

Choose ONE suit at our REGULAR PRICE Get SECOND suit of equal or less value for ONLY $1.00! Because it’s FABULOUS FEBRUARY

If your suits aren’t becoming to you, It’s a good time to be coming to Mayo’s!

Wesmark Plaza • 773-2262 • Mon-Sat 10-7 • www.MayosDiscountSuits.com


B8

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

REVERSIBLE COMFORTERS

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

775-8366 Ext. 37

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

TRANSPORTATION

NEW ARRIVALS

ASST. SHOWER CURTAINS

$10 each

In Memory

Autos For Sale 2003 Taurus, 200K, runs great, $2400 OBO. Cash only. 803-972-0900.

1996 GMC Sonoma Pckup 1 owner, very clean, new tires, blue/silver $2850 Call 803-983-6182

LEGAL NOTICES Debt Notice

Annette S. Williams 10/02/44 - 02/07/09 You can only have one mother patient kind and true: Not other friend in the entire world, will be the same to you. When other friends forsake you, to mother you will return, for all her loving kindness, she asks nothing in return. As we look upon her picture, sweet memories we recall, of a face so full of sunshine, and a smile for one and all. Sweet Jesus, take this message, to our dear mother up above; tell her how we miss her, and give her all our love. Your loving husband Thomas, children Lori (Dante), Tonya, Dionne (William), and grandchildren Dante' Jr. & Aja.

DEBT NOTICE I will not be responsible for any debts incurred by anyone other than myself. Linda J. Brettelle 20 Bowen Ct. Sumter, SC 29150

ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Ads

Shouting all the way to Heaven, Happy Birthday! Linda Diane Carter Pack We love and miss you, The Carter Family

Card of Thanks

Henry and Dolores McKinney Married 70 years February 7, 2015 They have lived in Sumter for 53 years. Hank, short for Henry, drove for Frito Lay company for 37 years here in Sumter. They have: 6 children, 16 grand children, 30 great grand children with one more on the way, 2 great great grand children. Their children will be having a celebration for them on Saturday February 7th to honor them for their Love and Commitment to each other at Lakewood Baptist Church, 3140 Nazarene Church Rd, from 2 - 4 pm.

In Memory

Alonzo Thompson In Loving Memory 05/07/91 - 02/07/13 We cried enough for a river, We cried enough for a sea, We would cry enough for an ocean if that would bring you back to us. We love you but God loves you too. Florence, Willie, Marilyn & Zayden

The Family of Elder David Davis wishes to thank all relatives, friends and neighbors for the communication, visitation, flowers, cards and other acts of sympathy shown during our time of bereavement. May God continue to add a blessing to you always.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2015

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


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