January 14, 2015 by The Sumter Item

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S.C. General Assembly starts 121st session BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press COLUMBIA — The state sword was placed in the Senate on Tuesday and the state mace is in its spot in the House, officially beginning the 121st session of the South Carolina General Assembly. The first day of the session is much like the first day of school — lots of talking and catching up, but not a lot of work being accomplished. Lawmakers will have until June to get things done, such as more funding for roads, improving education and overhauling state ethics laws. There were new faces leading each chamber. House Speaker Jay Lucas ran his first regular session after taking

over for Bobby Harrell, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations last year. Lt. Gov. Yancey McGill, who took over for Glenn McConnell after he left in June to be president of the College of Charleston, watched over the Senate. It was also the last day for McGill. New lieutenant governor Henry McMaster will wear the purple robe today after he is sworn in, along with Gov. Nikki Haley and other state officials. Here are the highlights of the brief session Tuesday.

HOUSE Lucas promised a more efficient, prompt House. The session was supposed to start at noon. He hit the gavel at 11:59 a.m.

Brawl rooted in lovers’ quarrel

There was much less chaos in the chamber Tuesday. Members thanked others for support, and Lucas was given a framed story about himself from the Republican Women’s Caucus. Otherwise, it was a quiet day. The House finished its business in about an hour and will come back briefly before Haley’s inaugural today.

SENATE The senators didn’t start promptly at noon, but they stayed a lot longer. The Senate immediately voted Hugh Leatherman back in as president pro tem and he took the floor to tell his colleagues his plans for running things. Leatherman ascended to the powerful post in June with the movement surround-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

S.C. Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman speaks to senators on the first day of the legislative session as Lt. Gov. Yancey McGill and other Senate staffers listen on Tuesday in Columbia. Leatherman told members he expects more decorum this session. ing McConnell’s resignation. The Florence Republican also is chairman of the Senate’s

budget-writing committee and

SEE LEGISLATURE, PAGE A6

Kimberly Henderson’s “Tiny Hearts” released

BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com More details emerged this week about a feud between two Sumter County families that fueled a violent street brawl on Jan. 4 outside Young’s store. The melee touched off a week full of arrests, as four people were charged last week in connection with the incident, and resulted in one man being airlifted from the scene with critical injuries. Investigators all last week attributed the frenzied fight to an ongoing dispute between the two conflicting families, primarily made up of Hendersons pitted against Gaineys. Sumter County Sheriff’s Office released an incident report late Monday which seemed to shed light on what started the feud. According to the report, the sordid saga likely originated about a woman. Several of the people who played pivotal roles in the recent incident were named in a Sept. 14, 2013 report; the incident played out at the home of Crystal and Donnie Gainey in the 400 block of Catie Street. Joseph Henderson Jr. and his younger brother, Joshua, were part of a trio of suspects that allegedly stormed into the Gaineys’ backyard during an apparent party. The Henderson brothers were joined by a man identified as Thomas Donlon, who was 20 years old at the time of the 2013 incident. The report indicates the three walked into the yard just before 1 a.m. on a Saturday morning, confronting a man and two juveniles who were in the yard. One of the victims told officers that Donlon and the Hendersons walked up to them with someone asking, “Which one of you is messing with my baby’s mama?” (“Baby’s mama” is a colloquial term describing a mother who is not married to the father of her child.) The Hendersons and Donlon then began attacking the three partygoers, causing cuts and bruises that led one of the juvenile victims to seek treatment at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. The report went on to state that Crystal and Donnie Gainey came out of their home after hearing the assault and tried to make Donlon

SEE FEUD, PAGE A6

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Kimberly Henderson, left, poses for a selfie with Stephanie Chandler during the release for her single “Tiny Hearts” at Colonial Family Practice on Tuesday. Henderson posted a video of her singing a lullaby to her child on her Facebook page and has gotten some 20 million views. Her single was released on Apple’s iTunes service on Tuesday.

Sumter mom goes ‘viral,’ releases single BY HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com Sumter native Kimberly Henderson never imagined how a normal act of motherhood would change her life. One night in November, Henderson, 26, awoke to her 16-month-old daughter, Vaida, crying in the night. She went to soothe her back to sleep the only way she says she’s ever known — singing. “It’s kind of our thing,” said Henderson of Vaida. “She wasn’t sleeping at all. We usually go in the kitchen, and I’ll walk around the house and sing songs. Nine times out of 10 she passes out.” It wasn’t your typical lullaby. “We don’t do the normal lullabies that normal moms do to their kids,” said Henderson. This particular night, Henderson went with Sam Smith’s cover version of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.” On a whim, she propped up her iPhone in her kitchen and hit record while holding Vaida in her arms. At first, Henderson said the video was for “personal memory,” but she later uploaded the video to her Facebook page. A Se-

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attle, Washington, radio station shared the video, and it gained 5 million views within a day. Now Henderson estimates that more than 20 million people have seen the video. It was instantly picked up by outlets such as “Good Morning America,” the “Daily Mail” in London, and “Sunrise” in Australia, all requesting to share her story. Producers and record companies contacted her, and weeks after the video went viral, she was flying to Los Angeles. There she recorded a single, “Tiny Hearts,” and the track was released on iTunes on Tuesday. Henderson wrote the song with two collaborators, and she says her four children are the inspiration for the song — Kayleigh, 9; Brianna, 8; Aiden, 5; and Vaida. Henderson is grateful for her success, and she said she’s learned that motherhood isn’t an obstacle to following her dreams. “It’s always been in the back of my head that I want this,” she said. “But it’s always been there too that I have four kids, and I have two jobs. I have a life. Stuff like that doesn’t happen to people like me. Little did I know, being a mom actually made that happen.”

DEATHS, B6 Lillie W. Tindal Annette R. Hancock Bablee Briggs Wessie W. Johnson Maude W. Bowman

Dorothy Mae Jenkins Nichole V. Dawkins Darlene Burke Miriam P. Scott

She doubts it ever would have happened if she hadn’t sang to her daughter in the middle of the night. Henderson said she hasn’t seen or heard from her own mother since she was 11. She hopes her newfound notoriety may spark a reunion, if anything, “for closure.” Her experiences growing up inspire her to always be there for her children despite her selfadmitted imperfections as a mother. She’s happy for the lessons she’s learned from this new experience and hopes she can pass them to her kids. “I’m not a perfect mom,” she said. “Any mom that has a dream of being a painter, an artist, a singer, a dancer, anything, you can still pursue that,” she said. “It doesn’t make you selfish. It shows your kids that you can pursue dreams if you have hardships in front of you.” The release party for “Tiny Hearts,” on Tuesday evening at Colonial Family Practice on Broad Street, where Henderson is a certified medical assistant, turned out family and friends looking to show their support.

WEATHER, A8 COLD AND WET Cloudy, misty and chilly today, 40 percent chance of precipitation; overcast tonight. HIGH 45, LOW 29

SEE HENDERSON, PAGE A6

INSIDE 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 75

Panorama C1 Lotteries A8 Classifieds B7 Opinion A7 Comics C6 Television C7

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

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More diplomas awarded to former students Board approves 10 appeals after legislation eliminated requirement to pass exam BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com The Sumter School board of trustees unanimously approved 10 high school diploma appeals during its meeting at Lemira Elementary School on Monday. Former students in the state have the opportunity to receive a high school diploma after Gov. Nikki Haley approved legislation in April 2014 eliminating the graduation prerequisite requiring students to pass the High School Assessment Program exam. Students of graduating classes from 1990 to 2014 who failed the exit exam but met all other graduation requirements can make an appeal to the

school board by Dec. 31, 2015, to receive a diploma. After the school board chair or designee reviews the academic records and determines that former students met all graduation requirements, with the exception of passing the exit exam, the requests are sent to the school board for approval. The board approved four diplomas for Crestwood High School, four diplomas for Sumter High School and two diplomas for Lakewood High School — one for a student from the class of 1993. The other approved appeals are for students from the classes of 2004, 2006-08, 2010-11 and 2014. In other news: • The board approved a contract allowing Sumter School District to lease 7.4 acres behind the district administration building, 1345 Wilson Hall Road, to Farmers Telephone Co-op. to build a 250-foot cellphone tower. Before the lease approval, the school district

worked with FTC to rezone the property from residential land to light industrial-warehouse in order to build the tower. Originally, the land was used as a maintenance headquarters and a site for bus parking and storage for the district; and • School board chairman Daryl McGhaney will be recognized at Crestwood High School on Tuesday during the school’s basketball game at 6 p.m. Superintendent J. Frank Baker gave the following update: • Today and Thursday are first-semester exam days for high school students and are half days for all students. Elementary students will be dismissed at 11 a.m., middle school students will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m., and high school students will be dismissed at noon. Students will be served breakfast, but lunch will not be served; • Schools will not be open on Friday for a teacher workday or Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King

Jr. holiday; • Furman Middle School’s production of “The Little Mermaid” will be held at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St., Jan. 22-24 at 7 p.m. Adult tickets are $10, tickets are $7 for students, and they’re $3 for children five and under; • Five teachers renewed their National Board Certification in December: Vanessa Canty, Wilder Elementary School; Michael Carraher, Lakewood High School; Tammy Carlisle, Lemira Elementary School; Suzanne Morris, Kingsbury Elementary School; and Cylissa Quarles, Sumter High School; • Bridget Belcher, fourth-grade teacher at R.E. Davis Elementary School, is the Miller Communications Star Teacher of the Month for January; and • Annette Parrott, Alice Drive Elementary School reading coach, has been selected to serve as a member of the State Department of Education Read to Succeed advisory group.

Winter spruce-up

LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Wayne Argabright, left, a member of the Sumter Chain Gang, prepares to rake the Campbell Pond trail at Poinsett State Park on Saturday as a member of the Midland Southern OffRoad Bicycle Association uses a gas-powered leaf blower to clear the trail. The two groups joined forces to clear the trails at Poinsett and Manchester State Forest in preparation for an upcoming mountain bike race.

Sunday fatal fire ruled accidental The fire that killed a 95-year-old Sumter woman was accidental, said Capt. Joey Duggan with Sumter Fire Department on Tuesday. Elease Wilson died of smoke inhalation and thermal burns Sunday, said Sumter County Coroner Harvin Bullock. The autopsy was conducted Monday.

Committee will meet to discuss fire station Lee County Building, Land and Property Committee will meet Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the Main Council Chambers, first floor of Lee County Courthouse, 123 S. Main St., Bishopville, to discuss Spring Hill Fire Station.

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

CLARIFICATION It was unclear who provided lunch for the Sumter United Ministries’ Emergency Shelter on Thursday in an article that was published in Friday’s edition. The meal was provided by the Friendship Class from Trinity United Methodist Church.

Family of man killed by police chief pledges to seek justice BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press ORANGEBURG — Relatives of a black man shot and killed by a white, small-town South Carolina police chief said Tuesday they will continue seeking justice for their loved one after a judge declared a mistrial in the former officer’s murder trial. Jurors deliberated for 12 hours before telling Circuit

Judge Edgar Dickson about 2 a.m. Tuesday that they were deadlocked and could not reach a verdict. Former Eutawville Police Chief Richard Combs was charged after shooting Bernard Bailey three times in May 2011. In a statement released by family attorney Carl Grant, relatives said they “are not dissuaded from our unswerving pursuit of justice for Bernard Bailey.”

They added, “We thank those who have sincerely displayed the courage and continued dedication needed to ensure that justice is for all in this case.” Prosecutor David Pascoe said he will evaluate his case but plans to try Combs again. “I’m going to take a little time, but we’re going forward,” Pascoe said. Pascoe said nine jurors voted to convict Combs. “We just had three jurors we

couldn’t convince,” he said. “We’re disappointed we didn’t get a result, but I think both sides feel that way,” said defense attorney Wally Fayssoux, who had argued that Combs shot Bailey in self defense. The shooting happened as Combs was trying to arrest Bailey on an obstruction of justice warrant that prosecutors contended was trumped up. The defense said the shooting had nothing to do

with race and argued Combs fired when caught in the door of Bailey’s moving truck. Throughout the trial, Fayssoux always called Combs “chief.” “The chief was in an impossible position. He made the only decision he could make,” he said. Pascoe called Combs “the defendant,” called his fired bullets “kill shots” and suggested he was a disgrace to other officers.

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Satellite sharing system dedicated at McEntire “Eagle Vision was able to help the Northeast deal with that devastating hurricane,” he said. The units are portable, and Wilkerson said it takes about eight hours to McENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL pack up an Eagle Vision system and GUARD BASE — Advocates of a new mobile satellite ground station dedicat- get it on a cargo plane for destinations anywhere in the world. ed at McEntire Joint National Guard “The Eagle Vision has been involved Base said the sharing of satellite imagin every major tropical storm that has ery between the military and the priaffected the U.S. since 2004,” said a vate sector will lead to improved rehandout provided at the dedication. sponse to natural disasters such as Graham said McEntire is an excelflooding, fires and hurricanes. lent location for one of the units beU.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cause South Carolivisited the base Sunna is a hurricaneday to dedicate the prone area. system and explain The senator why he thinks it is praised the cooperaimportant to nationtion between the prial security and navate sector and the tional preparedness. military which “Eagle Vision is a makes the system national system with possible. an international “You can take the component that altechnology that lows civilian satelEagle Vision brings lites to be used in SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. to bear and show it conjunction with the with anybody, and military to deal with natural disasters and any other contin- it’s a really great capability,” he said. “This is a multimillion-dollar system; gency,” Graham said. this is an unclassified satellite network Master Sgt. Troy Wilkerson of the system. That means we can share the South Carolina Air National Guard information with weather services, disaid the system will give first respondsaster preparedness services all over ers before-and-after satellite images the country and really all over the that they can use to quickly locate world.” damage and deploy resources. Graham said he hopes to prevent the Wilkerson said there are only five of project from experiencing expected the systems in use around the world. budget cuts mandated by sequestraIn addition to Eagle Vision 4 at McEntion. tire, other units are allocated in San “Funding this mission with the Diego, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; SCNG means when budget cuts come, Huntsville, Alabama; and Ramstein we are less likely to have our budgets Air Force Base in Germany. All are cut because we have capabilities very with National Guard units except for important to our national defense and Eagle Vision 6 at Ramstein, which is our national readiness,” Graham said. an active-duty Air Force unit. “Now is the time to rebuild our deGraham said the system has already fense structure as we face terrorism proved its value during Hurricane threats unlike any since 9/11,” he said. Sandy.

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

‘Now is the time to rebuild our defense structure as we face terrorism threats unlike any since 9/11.’

POLICE BLOTTER CHARGES David Wright, 41, of Rembert, was arrested near the 5000 block of Mayrant Road in Rembert at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Deputies charged him with his third driving under suspension offense. The suspect is deemed a habitual offender by the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. STOLEN PROPERTY A 50-inch TV valued at $800 was reported stolen from a Wedgefield home in the 1300 block of Hidden Oaks Drive at 3:10 p.m. Thursday. A 50-inch TV valued at $400, two 32-inch flat-

screen TVs valued at $400, a home computer system valued at $600, two laptop computers valued at $1,100, a PlayStation4 valued at $400, an Xbox 360 valued at $200, a cellphone valued at $100, a tablet valued at $125, five video games valued at $250, six pairs of Air Jordan gym shoes valued at $400, a stereo surround sound system valued at $500 and $120 in cash all were reported stolen from a home in the 400 block of Belk Street at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. A 30-inch flat-screen TV was reported stolen from a home in the 200 block of Sussex

PHOTOS BY JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sen. Lindsey Graham and other dignitaries in attendance at Sunday’s dedication ceremony for the Eagle Vision satellite imagery system watch as the system’s antenna rotates to receive signals from new coordinates.

Drive after 11 a.m. Saturday. A 2013 Dodge Avenger was reported stolen from the parking lot of a social club in the 4300 block of Queen Chapel Road about 4 a.m. Sunday. A leather wallet valued at $90, which contained $415 in cash, was reportedly stolen from a 2005 Pontiac parked in the 100 block of North Sumter Street between 6:20 and 6:35 p.m. Sunday. Two sets of rims and a transmission were reported stolen from a 1989 Ford F-150 parked in the first block of James Haskell Road after 2:30 p.m. Monday. An H&R 12-gauge shotgun was reportedly stolen from a

Master Sgt. Troy Wilkerson explains the Eagle Vision system to members of the media on Sunday. The system can give first responders satellite images they can use to find damage from natural disasters and other events and deploy resources to those areas.

home in the 3100 block of Richland Road between Saturday and Sunday. A wallet containing a driver’s license, Social Security cards and credit cards valued at least at $30, $5 in coins and $420 in cash was reportedly stolen from a Lynchburg rest stop in the 2600 block of Interstate 95 before noon Monday. An XDM .45-caliber automatic pistol valued at $500 and a Samsung tablet valued at $200 were reported stolen from a home in the 1200 block of Coffey Street about 10:50 p.m. Monday. DAMAGED PROPERTY A 1995 Chevrolet pickup

sustained an estimated $2,000 in damage during a two-vehicle crash at a gas station in the 2000 block of U.S. 15 South at 9:30 a.m. Monday. RECOVERED PROPERTY Deputies recovered a 2009 Suzuki Forenza, which had previously been reported stolen out of Spartanburg County, in the 800 block of Bethel Church Road on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. Deputies recovered a 2006 Yamaha R6, which had previously been reported stolen out of North Carolina, in a Wedgefield yard in the 200 block of ALG Road on Thursday before 9:45 a.m.

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SAFE celebrates 60th anniversary BY HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com SAFE Federal Credit Union celebrates the 60th anniversary of its federal charter signing today. SAFE, headquartered in Sumter and originally standing for Shaw Air Force Employees, now has 17 branches and serves approximately 108,000 people in South Carolina. Its branches include five in Sumter County, three in the Columbia area and one each in Camden, Lugoff, Bishopville, Manning, West Columbia, Lexington, Santee, Orangeburg and Florence. The financial cooperative was founded in 1955 on Shaw Air Force Base and is now the largest credit union serving the Midlands. It originally exclusively served employees of PHOTO PROVIDED Shaw and started its expanEd Bradley, deputy manager, is seen in 1980 at SAFE Federal Credit Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ATM on Shaw Air Force sion in the mid-1970s after Base. SAFE celebrates its 60th anniversary today. more than 500 members

joined during the first year. SAFE was started with $75 in deposits at Shawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s base civilian personnel office and now holds approximately $903 million in assets. According to SAFEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Director of Marketing Lynn Blizzard, today will mark the beginning of a yearlong celebration of the anniversary. Blizzard said SAFE is inviting its members today to â&#x20AC;&#x153;visit their local branch and share refreshments with us, pick up a gift, and register to win an iPad Air 2â&#x20AC;? to honor the anniversary. SAFE Federal Credit Union CEO Beverly Gagne said the cooperativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission remains the same since the day it was started. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At SAFE, we emphasize that the member comes first, and service to the member is the most important thing we do. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been that way for 60 years,â&#x20AC;? Gagne said.

S.C. prosecutor to lawmakers: Take action on domestic violence BY MEG KINNARD The Associated Press COLUMBIA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; South Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top prosecutor on Tuesday implored lawmakers returning to Columbia to implement a range of penalties for the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criminal domestic violence offenses, saying itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for the state to reduce its dismal death statistics.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our laws reflect our values,â&#x20AC;? Attorney General Alan Wilson told reporters at the Statehouse, as both the House and Senate prepared to gavel in their annual sessions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot live in a society where you can beat your dog and get five years, and beat your wife and get 30 days.â&#x20AC;? Wilson, flanked by dozens of lawmakers and members of law enforce-

ment, spoke in support of a bill sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Larry Martin, R-Pickens, who chaired a joint House-Senate study panel on the issue. The measure, which was passed by a subcommittee later Tuesday, would put into place a tiered structure, giving prosecutors more options for domestic violence offenders.

Instead of the two options currently available to prosecutors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a misdemeanor carrying a possible 30-day sentence, or a felony punishable by up to 10 years â&#x20AC;&#x201D; prosecutors would have a range of possible crimes with which to charge suspects. Options would range from a misdemeanor with a possible 90-day sentence to a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

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Less guilt, more money Soda giants opting for smaller portions, bigger profits BY CANDICE CHOI The Associated Press

AP FILE PHOTO

Muslim residents walk past racial slurs painted on the walls of a mosque in the town of Saint-Etienne, central France.

Europe’s Muslims feeling backlash since attack BY ELAINE GANLEY The Associated Press PARIS — Firebombs and pig heads thrown into mosques. Veiled women subjected to crude insults in the street. The Internet awash with threats against Muslims. Europe’s Muslims are feeling the heat of a fierce backlash following last week’s terror attack against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. A climate of fear is taking hold in Europe, as ordinary people increasingly heed rightist rhetoric equating the millions of peaceful Muslims with the few plotting murder and mayhem. Abdallah Zekri, head of the National Observatory Against Islamophobia, said that in a 48hour period after the Jan. 7 massacre at Charlie Hebdo, 16 places of worship across France were attacked by firebombs, gunshots or pig heads — a major insult to Muslims who don’t eat pork. The three day terror spree in Paris claimed the lives of 17 victims, and traumatized a continent already brimming with anti-immigrant sentiment. Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi — the al-Qaida-linked suspects in the magazine attack — were killed in a shootout at a

printing plant north of Paris; their apparent accomplice Amedy Coulibaly was shot dead in a near-simultaneous raid at a Jewish market, where he had holed himself up with hostages, killing four. French authorities are warning the nation against linking French Muslims with terrorists. “The terrorists’ religion is not Islam, which they are betraying,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said last week. “It’s barbarity.” Concerns about a backlash against Muslims were discussed Monday during a counter-terrorism meeting at the Interior Ministry. “We said above all, pretty unanimously, that in France there are 5 or 6 million Muslims. These (terrorist) issues concern 1,000 individuals,” said Socialist lawmaker Patrick Mennucci. “We should be careful not to stigmatize anyone.” Paid Health News Advertisement

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NEW YORK — After watching Americans suck down Big Gulps for decades, Coke and Pepsi are realizing less could be more. As people cut back on soda, the two beverage giants are pushing smaller cans and bottles they say contain fewer calories and induce less guilt. The goal is to offset falling consumption with packages that cost more per ounce and are appealing for their novelty and portion control. That means 7.5-ounce “mini-cans” and 8-ounce and 8.5-ounce glass and aluminum bottles are taking up more space on supermarket shelves. The cans and bottles have been around for a few years, but Coke and Pepsi are making them more widely available and marketing them more aggressively. As part of its “Share-a-Coke” campaign that printed popular names on cans and bottles last year, for instance, Coke says it distributed a million mini-cans. The focus on pushing an array of smaller packages signals a shift from the past couple decades, when beverage makers measured success by the sheer volume of soda they sold. Yet soda consumption has declined persistently in recent years, with public health officials blaming it for

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The two beverage giants, Coke and Pepsi, are increasingly pushing smaller cans, such as the 7.5-ounce can on the right, and bottles they say contain fewer calories and induce less guilt. making people fat and calling for special taxes and even warning labels on cans. Soda hit its peak in 1998, when Americans on average drank the equivalent of 576 cans of it a year, according to data from the industry tracker Beverage Digest. That figure was down to about 450 cans a year in 2013. Instead of fighting what seems to be a losing battle, Coke and Pepsi are pushing smaller cans and bottles that give their products a sense of newness among the growing proliferation of beverage choices. The companies also say the tiny sizes cater to people’s desire for more modest servings. “Coca-Cola is so delicious, but it’s like sun tanning or cigarettes — they’re these wonderful things that we now know are horrible for us,” said Lauren Utvich, a 31-year-old food stylist in New York, who bought the

Coke mini-cans when she first spotted them. Utvich doesn’t normally drink soda, but she likes that the mini-cans turn Coke into a relatively guiltless treat. But that’s not the only reason she bought them. “Let’s be honest. I like them because they’re freaking adorable,” said Utvich, who didn’t pay attention to how much they cost. During a presentation in November, Coke’s North American president Sandy Douglas said the health and wellness trend has set up “a tremendous opportunity for the Coca-Cola brand with our smaller packages.” He noted a regular 12ounce can of Coke on average sell for 31 cents. By comparison, a 7.5-ounce mini-can sells for 40 cents. That translates to 2.6 centsper-ounce for a regular can, versus 5.3 cents-per ounce for the mini version.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

LEGISLATURE FROM PAGE A1 sits on various state financial oversight boards. Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, fought Leatherman’s election last summer, saying he was a backroom wheeler dealer who unfairly rewards friends and punishes enemies and had too much power even before he became president pro tem. Leatherman won the June vote 42-2. He responded to Massey in a roundabout way Tuesday. “Sharp debate is expected,” Leather-

FEUD FROM PAGE A1 and the Henderson brothers leave the scene. That’s when one member of the trio struck Crystal Gainey on the side of the face and hit Donnie Gainey with an unknown blunt object, causing a severe gash on his top lip. Joshua Henderson was not explicitly named in the 2013 incident report, but Sumter County court records tie him to the case as being charged with four counts of assault, including two counts of first-degree assault and battery. Donlon faces the same volley of charges stemming from that incident, while Henderson Jr. faces a count of third-degree assault and battery. All three of the suspects are slated to appear in Sumter County magistrate court for a status hearing on the case Friday, records showed. Sumter County Sheriff’s Office authorities reiterated the fact that the Hendersons and Gaineys were embroiled in an ongoing dispute but stopped short of saying the 2013 scuffle led directly to last week’s fracas. Sheriff’s office spokesman Braden Bunch said there was no way to confirm whether the assaults at Gainey’s back yard caused the fight at Young’s because deputies do not know every encounter that transpired between members of the two families between now and then. He said it does give a good indication as to where the tensions may have been rooted. “That initial report shows there

LOCAL | STATE man said. “But attacks on character are ill-suited for the aspirations of the South Carolina Senate.” Leatherman told his fellow senators he expected decorum. Conversations need to take place outside the chambers. He said he would crack down on disrespectful speeches. And he said senators need to be agreeable to compromise with the House and governor, but not at the risk of giving up the Senate’s reputation as the more deliberative body. “Seek compromise when possible, but also stand our ground,” Leatherman said.

were grievances more than a year ago now between these two families,” Bunch said. As has been previously reported, the feud touched off at a Food Lion in the 1700 block of U.S. 15 South just after 5 p.m. on Jan. 4. That’s where Crystal Gainey, according to reports, tried to pepper spray the Henderson brothers after her daughter and another man spotted their car in the parking lot. When the Hendersons fled the grocery store in their pickup truck, Gainey and company followed them to Young’s, where the brawl erupted. At one point during the chaos at the store, Henderson Sr. reportedly approached Gainey and said, “It’s been over a year and a half ago; let it go.” The woman responded by pepper spraying him, which helped touch off the ensuing brawl. During the incident, Gainey’s husband was allegedly hit and dragged by Henderson Jr. as he and his father tried to leave the scene when she allegedly fired a .22-caliber pistol at them. Henderson Jr. faces an attempted murder charge for hitting the 41-year-old Sumter man while allegedly driving the truck that hit him. The victim has been released from an Augusta, Georgia, burn center in good condition, according to sheriff’s office authorities. Crystal Gainey faces two counts of attempted murder stemming from the ordeal, and her father, Charles Ridgill, was also arrested last week. Henderson Jr. and his father, Joseph Henderson Sr., were arrested near the scene of the altercation.

THE SUMTER ITEM fore Haley’s first inauguration in 2011. But skies cleared and she was sworn in during a chilly ceremony with the temperature around 33 degrees.

The Senate spent the rest of its day assigning committees and seats and reading bills.

INAUGURATION

FAMILIAR FACES

Work continued Tuesday on the south side of the Statehouse for Haley’s second inauguration. The National Weather service forecast said it will be about 36 degrees when the ceremony begins at 11 a.m. with a small chance of drizzle. Freezing rain advisories were issued for areas to the north and east of Columbia. It snowed in Columbia the day be-

A group of motorcyclists against helmet laws made their annual first day trek to the Statehouse despite the miserable, rainy first day weather. A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments, or ABATE, comes out in force every year. The leather jackets, Harley-Davidson T-shirts and long hair always stand out among the suited lobbyists and lawmakers.

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Kimberly Henderson signs copies of her photograph for fans attending her single release party for her song “Tiny Hearts” at Colonial Family Practice on Tuesday. The song was released on iTunes on Tuesday.

HENDERSON FROM PAGE A1 She signed poster cards and took photos with attendees. Family friends Ron and Lois Craven, whose swimming pool Henderson’s children use in the summer, say they are proud of her. “Being a single mom, she’s struggled,” said Lois Craven. “Now she’s doing well, following her dreams. And it’s paying off.” “It’s a great hometown Sumter story,” said Thomas McElveen, an attorney at Bryan Law Firm whom

Henderson contacted after her video became popular and requests from producers started rolling in. “A lot of times, success comes down to talent, timing and seizing opportunities. She’s done all three of those things. I’m just glad I can be a part of it and help her take the next step toward her dream.” Henderson said she’s taking those next steps with the help and advice of many parties around the music industry. Without divulging too many secrets, she said there are plans in the works for more music in the future. Sumter will be waiting.

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

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO Rick Carpenter Managing Editor

20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894

COMMENTARY

A triumph of terrorism W

estern media are declaring the million-man march in Paris, where world leaders paraded down Boulevard Voltaire in solidarity with France, a victory over terrorism. Isn’t it pretty to think so. Unfortunately, the massacre at Charlie Hebdo, its military-style execution, the escape of the assassins, and their blazing end in a shootout Friday was a triumph of terrorism not seen since 9/11. Unlike the Boston Marathon bombing where the Tsarnaevs did not know or care whom they maimed or Pat killed, the atBuchanan tack on Charlie Hebdo by the Kouachi brothers was purposeful and targeted terrorism. And like a flash of lightning in the dark, it exposed the moral contradictions and confusion of the West. During the slaughter the Kouachis shouted “Allahu akbar,” said they had “avenged the Prophet,” and spoke of ties to al-Qaida. And the first response of President Francois Hollande? These terrorists “have nothing to do with the Muslim religion.” This is political correctness of a rare order. Perhaps terminal. Linking arms with Hollande in solidarity and unity Sunday was Bibi Netanyahu who declared, “I wish to tell to all French and European Jews — Israel is your home.” Colleagues urged French Jews to flee to Israel. Marching on the other side of Hollande was Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas who seeks to have Netanyahu’s Israel indicted in the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza. Solidarity! In chanting “Je Suis Charlie,” the marchers showed support for a magazine French Muslims rightly believe is racist and anti-Islamic. Yet, Marine Le Pen, leading in the polls for the French presidency, was blacklisted from marching for remarks about Muslim immigration that are benign compared to what Charlie Hebdo regularly publishes. All weekend long, journalists called it an imperative for us all to defend the lewd and lurid blasphemies of the satirical magazine. But as journalist Christopher Dickey points out, Muslims in the banlieues wonder why insulting the Prophet is a protected freedom in France, while denying the Holocaust can get you a prison term. Hypocrisy is indeed the tribute that vice pays to virtue. Moreover, all this chatter about freedom of speech and of the press misses the point. It was not the right to publish that provoked the slaughter, but the content of what was published. When Aaron Burr challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel, and killed him, he was not attacking the First

Amendment freedom of the press, but rather Hamilton, for defamation of Burr’s character, which had helped to destroy Burr’s career. What the commentators seem to be saying about the assault on Charlie Hebdo is that not only is what is spoken or published protected by the First Amendment, but those who print and publish vile things must never suffer violent consequences. People who believe this is attainable are living in a dream world, and may not be long for this one. Even as children you knew there were words you did not use about someone else’s girlfriend, mother, family, faith or race, if you did not want a thrashing. That same day millions marched in France, Saudi Arabia was administering 50 lashes to blogger Raif Badawi convicted of insulting Saudi clergy, the first of 1,000 lashes over 20 weeks in addition to his 10-year jail sentence. Had Badawi been guilty of apostasy, he would have been executed. Welcome to the new Middle East, same as the old Middle East. And Islam and the Prophet were not the only targets of Charlie Hebdo. Catholicism was also. In one cartoon, Charlie Hebdo depicts the First and Second Persons of the Blessed Trinity in incestuous activity. And we all supposed to march in solidarity with that? A liberal secular West might find this a democratic duty. Not all will. When people are using the First Amendment to assault the somewhat older Second Commandment, “Though shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain,” they should not be surprised when devout followers of Abrahamic faiths take a pass. These Islamic terrorists are sending us a message: In the post-Christian West, Christians may turn the other check at insults to their God and faith. We are not turn-the-other cheek people. Insult our faith, mock the Prophet, and we kill you. An awakening and rising Islamic world — a more militant faith than Christianity or secularism — is saying to the West: We want you out of our part of the world, and we are coming to your part of the world, and you cannot stop us. And Francois Hollande’s response? Show solidarity with Islam by ostracizing Marine Le Pen. This is the true heir of Edouard Daladier of Munich fame. The Kouachi brothers sent yet another message. If you are a young Muslim willing to fight and die for Islam, do not waste your life as some suicide bomber in the wilds of Syria or Iraq. Do as we did; shock and awe your enemies right inside the belly of the beast. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of the new book “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.” © 2015 creators.com

COMMENTARY

Obama made correct decision

ASHINGTON — If we can be serious for a moment: The president made an error in judgment by not sending someone with a higher profile than our ambassador to join world leaders Sunday at a solidarity rally in Paris. The White House has admitted the error. This more or less sums up the news of the past two days, but you wouldn’t guess it from the coverage and commentary. Based on the nearly 24-hour rehashing of the administration’s failure to assume a more important role at the rally, you’d think the U.S. had dropped out of NATO. I’m not usually mistaken for an Obama advocate, but I’m finding it difficult to embrace the direness of his uncharacteristic disobedience to stagecraft. The lead headline in the New York Daily News on Monday instructed the president: “You let the Kathleen world down.” Parker Really? The United States has been leading the world in the fight against terror for well over a decade, and the president let down the world by not appearing at a rally? Don’t get me wrong. The rally was important. Beautiful and profound, it was a consummate expression of the modern world’s commitment to end the madness of terrorism. I loved every moment of it and, as both a reporter and a member of the human race, which are not always mutually exclusive, I longed to be there. I also would have enjoyed seeing our president among the other 44 leaders who attended. But who really doubts America’s commitment to fighting terrorism or supporting the French in this moment of crisis? Certainly not the French. Not the terrorists. And certainly not our military men and women who have sacrificed blood and limb in the fight. Thus, it seems we might reserve our high dudgeon for the murderous actors rather than the administration’s decision to send only U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley. Poor Hartley. She has been so minimized by President Obama’s critics that chopped liver sneers with contempt. Realistically, it is entirely possible that Obama’s advisers considered the terrorist threat in France sufficient to keep him away — not out of fear or lack of courage, as some commenters have suggested, but out of an abundance of caution. As important as all leaders are in the conduct of man’s moment on the planet, none is as important to the enemies of freedom as the president of the United States. Obama the man may not be able to alter the position of stars or rewind the tides, but Obama the president can move crowds — or inspire havoc. All it takes is just one of the thousands of jihadists believed to be

‘What France and other nations need from us is support, sympathy and, most of all, intelligence. Symbolic gestures have their place in diplomacy and war, but sometimes the wiser act is playing it safe.’ living in France to pull a stunt with the U.S. president in attendance and the world teeters. Moreover, anyone who has traveled with a president knows that preparations are elaborate and time-intensive. Dozens upon dozens of people work weeks or months in advance to plan and arrange such an expedition, coordinating security in the host country, mapping routes and timing details to the minute. One reporter in Monday’s White House news briefing pointed out that Obama was able to get to Nelson Mandela’s memorial service on short notice. Why not Paris? Press secretary Josh Earnest responded that the Mandela memorial plans had been in the works for years. Spoiler alert: Reporters write important people’s obituaries long before those people die, as well. More to the point, South Africa hadn’t just suffered a terrorist attack. In fact, it was such a relaxed occasion that one would have been comfortable taking selfies in the middle of the ceremony. In the grand scheme of things, Obama’s calculation may be unpopular but was probably the right one. No disrespect to France’s ability to handle security around an enormous crowd while still reeling from a terrorist attack, but Obama’s presence unquestionably would have added several more layers of concern, logistical headaches and, not inconceivably, imposed greater risk for the throng. Attorney General Eric Holder, who was in Paris at the time, would not have been so problematic. In hindsight, he should have filled the void. But beyond the historic optics, there was no rational reason to expect the president to be there. In fact, one could reasonably argue that his going would have been a dereliction of duty given the potential risks. What France and other nations need from us is support, sympathy and, most of all, intelligence. Symbolic gestures have their place in diplomacy and war, but sometimes the wiser act is playing it safe. Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group

EDITORIAL PAGE POLICIES EDITORIALS represent the views of the owners of this newspaper. COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY are the personal opinion of the writer whose byline appears. Columns from readers should be typed, double-spaced and no more than 850 words. Send them to The Sumter Item, Opinion Pages, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, or email to hubert@ theitem.com or graham@theitem.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are written by readers of the newspaper. They should be no more than 350 words and sent via e-mail to letters@theitem. com, dropped off at The Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St. or mailed to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, S.C. 29151, along with the full name of the writer, plus an address and telephone number for verification purposes only. Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_editor.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

AROUND TOWN The Pinedale Neighborhood As- ning the reunion to celebrate the modern Civil sociation will meet at 4 p.m. Rights Movement. For inforon Thursday, Jan. 15, at the mation, call Ferdinand South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Burns at (803) 968-4464. Lafayette Drive. Call Ferdinand Burns at (803) 968Pinedale Neighborhood Association toSchool meet PresThe Lincoln High 4464. ervation Alumni Association will meet at 4 p.m. on SunClarendon School District Two is ready to begin assigning stu- day, Jan. 18, at the Lincoln High School cafeteria, Coundent devices as part of its cil Street. Call James L. one to one technology Green at (803) 968-4173. learning initiative through the Carolina Consortium of The 15th Annual Dr. Martin LuEnterprise Learning. In ther King Jr. Dream Walk will order for students to rebe held on Monday, Jan. 19. ceive a Mac Book Air laptop This three mile walk will or iPaid Mini, parents are start and end at USC Sumrequired to attend one of ter Nettles Building, 200 the following meetings: 6 Miller Road. Registration p.m. today, Manning Elewill begin at 8:30 a.m. with mentary School (MES); and walk beginning at 9:30 a.m. 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, There will be a celebratory Manning Junior High School program at 11 a.m. Call (MJHS) and Manning High Mary Sutton at (803) 938School (MHS). The district’s 3760 for details. Acceptable Use Policy, how The Sumter Branch NAACP’s devices will be used and annual MLK Program will be how to care for the devices held at 3 p.m. on Monday, will be discussed. A $50 user fee is required for each Jan. 19, at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 805 S. student device issued at MPS, MES, MJHS and MHS. A Harvin St. The Sumter County Education $25 user fee is required for Association-Retired will meet each student device issued at noon on Wednesday, Jan. at MECC. 28, at the North HOPE CenThe General George L. Mabry ter, 904 N. Main St. Call Jr. Chapter 817, Military Order Brenda Bethune at (803) of the Purple Heart, will meet 469-6588. at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. Free income tax filing services 15, at the Elks Lodge, 1100 and FAFSA applications will be W. Liberty St. All Purple Heart recipients are invited. provided Feb. 1 through April 15 as follows: 9:30 Call (803) 506-3120. a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, The Sumter Combat Veterans SC Works — Santee LynchGroup will meet at 10 a.m. es, 31 E. Calhoun St., (803) on Friday, Jan. 16, at the 774-1300; 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lafayette Drive. All area vet- Fridays, 3-8 p.m. Saturdays, appointments only on Sunerans are invited to attend. days, Goodwill — Job Link The Lincoln High School PresCenter, 1028 Broad St., (803) ervation Alumni Association 774-5006; and 9:30 a.m.-7 will sponsor a dinner fundraisp.m. Thursdays and 9:30 er 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Lee Jan. 16, at the Lincoln High County Adult Education, 123 School cafeteria, Council E. College St., Bishopville, Street. Cost is $7 per dinner (803) 484-4040. For details and consists of barbecue and appointments, call Ms. turkey wings, macaroni Samuels at (803) 240-8355. with cheese or seasoned rice, butterbeans, roll and a The Sumter Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind drink. Dine in or take out. will hold its monthly meetCall James L. Green at (803) ing with the “King or 968-4173. Queen” contest at 7 p.m. on The American Legion Auxiliary Tuesday, Feb. 10, at ShilohNo. 202 Ballard-Palmer-Bates Randolph Manor. Willie Unit will hold a mandatory Wester, president of the meeting 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Summerville Chapter of the Saturday, Jan. 17, at 310 Pal- National Federation of the metto St. Call Barbara J. Blind, will speak. If you Davis at (803) 469-7133. know a blind or visually impaired person, contact The Lincoln High School Class of 1963 will meet at 2 p.m. on Debra Canty, chapter president, at DebraCanC2@fronSaturday, Jan. 17, at Ameritier.com or via telephone at can Legion Post 202, 310 (803) 775-5792. For updated Palmetto St. Lincoln HS information, call the recordClasses 1960 through 1969 ed message line at (206) are asked to send a repre376-5992. sentative to help in plan-

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Cloudy, chilly and misty

Overcast

Cloudy, a little rain; warmer

Plenty of sunshine

Nice with plenty of sun

Mild with sun and clouds

45°

29°

51° / 32°

56° / 29°

59° / 41°

63° / 34°

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 10%

N 7-14 mph

NNE 3-6 mph

N 3-6 mph

N 4-8 mph

SE 4-8 mph

WSW 8-16 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 42/30 Spartanburg 44/32

Greenville 45/31

Columbia 48/28

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

Sumter 45/29

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 48/28

ON THE COAST

Charleston 49/34

Today: A passing shower; areas of fog in southern parts. High 46 to 52. Thursday: Periods of rain. High 51 to 55.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 50/33/sh 15/9/c 42/33/c 14/5/pc 45/39/c 74/50/s 53/43/c 31/24/pc 70/52/c 32/24/c 68/47/pc 60/45/s 33/29/sn

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 358.30 73.77 72.91 97.43

24-hr chg +0.08 -0.04 +0.14 +0.96

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

0.03" 3.53" 1.70" 3.53" 2.30" 1.70"

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

50° 41° 54° 32° 78° in 2013 12° in 1981

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 48/32/r 27/16/pc 51/31/s 22/17/pc 53/36/pc 76/52/s 52/39/r 34/26/pc 68/49/sh 37/25/pc 71/47/s 61/47/pc 41/29/pc

Myrtle Beach 46/34

Manning 45/31

Today: Morning ice, then spotty drizzle. Winds light and variable. Thursday: Chance of a little rain. Winds southwest 3-6 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 44/29

Bishopville 44/29

Flood 7 a.m. stage yest. 12 8.15 19 8.40 14 8.64 14 4.83 80 78.74 24 14.70

24-hr chg +0.14 +3.66 +0.41 +0.67 +0.06 +8.14

Sunrise 7:27 a.m. Moonrise 1:26 a.m.

Sunset 5:35 p.m. Moonset 12:42 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Jan. 20

Jan. 26

Feb. 3

Feb. 11

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 3:11 a.m. 3:15 p.m. 4:10 a.m. 4:14 p.m.

Today Thu.

Ht. 2.6 2.5 2.7 2.5

Low 10:06 a.m. 10:12 p.m. 11:08 a.m. 11:11 p.m.

Ht. 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.1

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 41/32/i 49/30/sh 49/28/sh 52/36/c 52/38/r 49/34/c 42/29/i 51/34/r 48/28/sh 43/28/sh 47/38/r 42/30/sh 41/27/i

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 47/27/c 50/30/r 53/30/r 55/38/r 47/36/r 54/36/r 48/28/r 51/33/r 52/31/r 50/31/r 51/32/c 50/32/r 50/31/r

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 44/29/sh 65/43/c 42/30/i 38/32/i 48/34/sh 34/28/i 45/31/i 40/31/i 51/39/c 59/41/c 53/37/sh 51/33/sh 47/30/sh

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 51/32/r 60/40/sh 48/29/r 48/32/r 53/36/r 46/29/r 50/31/r 48/29/r 53/41/r 58/39/sh 51/31/r 52/31/r 47/29/r

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 41/30/i 49/36/c 46/34/sh 47/31/sh 51/36/c 36/27/i 41/29/i 40/28/i 54/36/c 44/32/i 50/37/c 45/32/r 35/29/i

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 49/27/c 54/38/r 51/37/r 52/33/r 53/39/r 47/29/c 48/27/r 49/28/r 56/37/r 51/32/r 53/38/r 51/33/r 46/29/r

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

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

PUBLIC AGENDA CLARENDON SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 Thursday, 7:30 p.m., district office, Turbeville

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

ARIES (March 21-April 19): An interesting EUGENIA LAST encounter with someone of influence will open up all sorts of interesting new options. Listen, contribute and promote what you have to offer. Romance is on the rise, and flirting will be well received.

The last word in astrology

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep close tabs on your possessions, cash and your reputation. Not everyone will be sincere about the way they feel or think. Put more into being your best mentally, physically and emotionally, and you will come out on top.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put your time and energy into creative endeavors. Staying out of the way TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do whatever it takes to get along with and working on your own will your peers. Offer help, incentives or bring the best results. Being a minimalist will curb your just listen to whatever complaints are being made. Sharing and caring temptation to overspend on things you don’t need. Keep emotions will make a difference to the way under wraps. people respond to you. Excess is the enemy. Keep life simple. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Offering help can make a positive difference to someone, but don’t take over or let anyone use you to get ahead. The competition is great, but if you use charm and diplomacy, you will surpass anyone who challenges you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do something different and unique that will open your eyes to the options that are available to you. Spend time making personal changes that are conducive to selfimprovement as well as enhancing relationships that are important to you. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You will thrive if you change your location or take a day trip. Interacting with unique individuals who can offer you a different option or opinion will help you make an important decision that will influence your personal life. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your interest in people who do things differently will lead to questioning the means and methods by which you live. Share your thoughts, but don’t be too quick to take on someone else’s beliefs. What’s new isn’t necessarily better.

Do your own thing and don’t let what others do or say get in your way. Be first to make a move when it comes to what you want and whom you want to be with. Make a positive change at home. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): An opportunity you least expect will develop. It’s in your best interest to take a unique approach to what you do for a living. Explore ways to use your talents diversely and you will find a new source of income.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

17-22-25-33-36 PowerUp: 4

2-9-19-28-29 Powerball: 19; Powerplay: 5

PICK 3 TUESDAY 2-6-4 and 1-7-2

MEGAMILLIONS numbers were unavailable at press time

PICK 4 TUESDAY 9-1-4-3 and 1-1-0-6

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC David Bernshouse shares a photo he took during a visit to Swan Lake-Iris Gardens.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let emotional matters spin out of control. Think before you respond, and use love, compassion and tolerance when dealing with matters that have the potential to harm an important relationship or your status or position. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Deal with financial, legal and health issues in a positive, unique and caring manner, and you will avoid future problems or setbacks. Do what’s best for you with regard to offering assistance, and you’ll avoid being taken advantage of by others.

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

SECTION

Ducks QB says year wasn’t a total loss B4

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

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

PREP BASKETBALL

WH teams earn first region victory BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS justin@theitem.com

KEITH GEDAMKE /THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter’s Cy Cooper (21) keeps the ball from South Florence’s Jada Dix during the Lady Gamecocks’ 53-34 victory in their Region VI-4A opener at the SHS gymnasium on Tuesday. The Sumter boys also won, 58-43. The story didn’t make this edition due to computer problems. Go to www.theitem.com for the story.

PRO FOOTBALL

Future big spenders Panthers emerging from salary cap problems BY STEVE REED The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — General manager Dave Gettleman said the Carolina Panthers are finally emerging from two years of being strapped under the NFL salary cap, and could be bigger players in free agency this offseason. “Last year we were shopping at the

Dollar Store,” Gettleman said Tuesday. “This year we might be able to move up in class a little.” Just how that affects quarterback Cam Newton’s long-term future with the team remains unclear. Gettleman reiterated at a postseason news conference that he believes Newton is Carolina’s “franchise quarterback,” but declined to discuss if he

plans to sign the two two-time Pro Bowler to a long-term contract extension. Newton has one year remaining on his contract and is set to make $14.6 million next season. “I love who he is for us and what he’s done for us,” Panthers coach Ron

SEE PANTHERS, PAGE B3

It’s often been said that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. For the Wilson Hall varsity girls basketball team, it was a little bit of both on Tuesday. The Lady Barons dominated the boards in the first and fourth quarters against Orangeburg Prep, paving the way for a 47-34 victory at Nash Student Center in the SCISA Region VI-3A opener for both teams. Meanwhile the RECTOR Wilson Hall boys connected on 11 3-point shots as the Barons routed OP 87-61 to capture their first win of the year as well. TALLEY “We definitely hit the offensive and defensive boards a lot better in those two quarters,” Wilson Hall head coach Glen Rector said. “We didn’t rebound as well in the second and third and they were able to come back on us, which we knew they could. They’re a very good team and wellcoached and we knew it was going to be a battle.” WH out-rebounded OP 21-9 in the decisive frames, outscoring the Lady Indians 32-18 in the process. It was a distinct contrast from the middles quarters in which the Lady Barons managed just 15 combined points and were actually outscored 16-15. “I felt like we were very sloppy with the basketball, especially in transition there for a while,” Rector said. “When we were settled down and making good passes, we were scoring in transition. When we

SEE WH, PAGE B3

TIGERS BASKETBALL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Cavaliers stay perfect, rout Clemson 65-42

Buckeyes could be favorite next year

BY HANK KURZ JR The Associated Press CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 points, and No. 2 Virginia took command with a 29-6 run to start the second half of a 65-42 victory against Clemson on Tuesday night. Justin Anderson added 15 points for the Cavaliers (160, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their 20th consecutive game at John Paul Jones Arena. The win, with former Virginia great and three-time national player of the year Ralph Sampson in attendance, gave Virginia it first 4-0 start in conference play since the 1994-95 season. Jaron Blossomgame scored nine points to lead the Tigers (9-7, 1-3). Clemson closed to 25-19 at halftime, but didn’t score for the first five minutes thereafter as Virginia expanded its lead to 34-19. With the score at 40-25, a three-point play by Darion Atkins and a 3-pointer by Brogdon stared a 16-0 burst to finish the run, making it 54-25, and coach Tony Bennett began substituting liberally.

BY RUSTY MILLER The Associated Press DALLAS — Here’s the scary part for the rest of major-college football: Some of Ohio State’s best players didn’t play in Monday night’s championship game, and many of those who did are coming back. “We’ll be very good,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said in the understatement of the season. Asked about repeating, he smiled and said, “Tough questions, man. We just won a championship!” Sure, but it’s hard to hide the fact that the Buckeyes are loaded. Half of their starters in the championship game were freshmen or sophomores. The quarterback who led the Buckeyes to a 3-0 postseason mark, including the 42-20 victory over Oregon, said on Tuesday that he’s not ready for the NFL and will be coming back. “To me, right now, it’s far out,” Cardale Jones said. As far as staying in the fold, the same goes for the two injured stars who used to be in front of him: the graduated Braxton Miller (shoulder surgery) and spectacular sophomore-tobe J.T. Barrett (broken ankle). A four-word caveat should be added for all three play-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott (15) runs for a 9-yard touchdown during the Buckeyes’ 42-20 victory against Oregon in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday in Arlington, Texas. The Buckeyes should be considered the favorite next season with some very young and talented players like Elliott and quarterback Cardale Jones expected back. ers’ commitment statements: “at least for now.” So those headlines about a three-way quarterback competition don’t look like they’re going away immediately. And that could be a distraction, possibly a disruption. We’ll see. Another major consideration is finding replace-

ments for some not inconsequential personnel: Meyer’s choice for team MVP, receiver Evan Spencer; tight end Jeff Heuerman on offense; linemen Michael Bennett and Steve Miller; linebacker Curtis Grant and shut-down corner Doran Grant. But in each situation, it

appears there are quality players waiting in the wings. Three of the top recruits — wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, reputedly the fastest player on the roster, linebacker Kyler Berger and cornerback Marshon Lattimore — were injured

SEE BUCKEYES, PAGE B4

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Tennessee hangs on for 74-69 upset victory KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Josh Richardson scored 20 points and Tennessee withstood a furious Arkansas comeback to hang on for a 74-69 victory over the 19thranked Razorbacks on Tuesday night. After trailing by 13 points with under four minutes left, Arkansas (133, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) cut the margin to three and had a chance to tie the game when Anton Beard was fouled by Kevin Punter while attempting a 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining. But Beard missed all three of his ensuing free throws. Armani Moore clinched the victory by sinking two free throws with 3.7 seconds remaining. Tennessee (10-5, 2-1) snapped Arkansas’ sevengame winning streak despite shooting just 14 of 26 from the line, including 12 of 22 in the second half. Robert Hubbs scored a career-high 16 points and Moore added 14 for Tennessee. Bobby Portis scored 17, Michael Qualls had 15 and Beard added 12 for Arkansas. (6) LOUISVILLE 78 VIRGINIA TECH 63

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Chris Jones had a careerhigh 11 assists and Terry Rozier scored 16 points as No. 6 Louisville easily brushed off Virginia Tech 78-63 on Tuesday night. Louisville (15-2, 3-1 ACC) tied a season-high with 10 3-pointers and had one of its best shooting performances of the season hitting 48 percent from the field (31 of 65). Rozier hit 4 of 6 from behind the arc. Wayne Blackshear added 15 points and Montrezl Harrell and Mangok Mathiang each had 11 points and eight rebounds as the Cardinals bounced back from Saturday’s 72-71 loss at North Carolina. Adam Smith had 19 points, hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers, and Justin Bibbs scored 15 for the Hokies (8-8, 0-3), who lost their fourth straight game after winning the previous four.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tenenssee’s Josh Richardson (1) drives into Arkansas’ Jabril Durham (4) in the Volunteers’ 74-69 upset victory on Tuesday in Knoxville, Tenn. (9) KANSAS 67 (24) OKLAHOMA STATE 57 LAWRENCE, Kan. — Frank Mason III had 16 points and nine rebounds, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 14 points and ninth-ranked Kansas beat No. 24 Oklahoma State 67-57 on Tuesday night to remain perfect in the Big 12. The Jayhawks (14-2) moved to 3-0 in league play for the ninth straight year largely thanks to its ability to get to the foul line. Kansas was 32 of 46 on free throws while attempting just 43 field goals in a game made choppy by the abundance of whistles. Oklahoma State (12-4, 2-2) was still within 61-55 with 1:48 remaining, but Mason made two of his nine free throws and Devonte’ Graham added two more moments later to put the game away. Le’Bryan Nash scored all but two of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Cowboys. (16) WEST VIRGINIA 86 (18) OKLAHOMA 65

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jevon Carter scored 18 points and No. 16 West Virginia got its strongest performance of the season from its bench to beat No.

18 Oklahoma 86-65 Tuesday. Devin Williams added 14 points and 11 rebounds while Nathan Adrian scored a season-high 11 for the Mountaineers (15-2, 3-1 Big 12). Buddy Hield scored 21 and Isaiah Cousins added 14 for Oklahoma (11-5, 2-2), which has lost back-toback games for the first time this season. NBA HAWKS 105 76ERS 87 PHILADELPHIA — Al Horford had his first career triple-double, scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks to their ninth straight win, 105-87 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. WIZARDS 101 SPURS 93

WASHINGTON — John Wall broke yet another personal 0-for-forever streak, this one against an entire team, scoring 25 points with eight assists Tuesday night in a 101-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs that gave him his first taste of success against the reigning NBA champs. From wire reports

SPORTS ITEMS

Garrett set to return to Cowboys IRVING, Texas — Dallas coach Jason Garrett fielded questions about his shaky job security for two years before breaking through with the first trip to the playoffs for the Cowboys since 2009. Now he’s all but guaranteed to have the second-longest coaching tenure for the storied franchise behind Tom Landry, the only coach the Cowboys knew for their first 29 years. Garrett has a new five-year contract, and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is also coming back on a three-year deal, a person with knowledge of both agreements told The GARRETT Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to announce the deals. Garrett will make about $6 million annually — roughly $30 million in total value — after just completing his first contract, at four years and $20 million. GARNETT SUSPENDED 1 GAME, HOWARD FINED $15,000 BY NBA

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kevin Garnett was suspended one game without pay Tuesday by the NBA for head-butting Dwight Howard, who received only a fine when the league ruled he didn’t retaliate with a punch. Howard was fined $15,000, the league announced in saying he pushed Garnett in the neck. NBA President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn determined that Garnett initiated the altercation in the Rockets’ 113-99 victory over Brooklyn on Monday. LSU NAMES ALABAMA ASSISTANT STEELE NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU coach Les

Miles has hired Alabama linebackers coach Kevin Steele as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. Steel, whose hiring was announced Tuesday evening, has received national honors for recruiting. He has spent the past two seasons under Nick Saban, working this season as the Crimson Tide’s linebackers coach and as special assistant to the head coach. NCAA LOSES BID TO TOSS LAW OVER $60 MILLION PENN STATE FINE

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A federal judge has declined to throw out a Pennsylvania law requiring a $60 million fine Penn State has been paying over the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal be spent to address child abuse within the state. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane ruled Tuesday against the NCAA’s effort to have the 2013 Endowment Act declared in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Her decision was based largely on the fact the constitutionality of the law was upheld in another case. NASCAR DRIVER ACCUSED OF ABUSE SAYS EX IS TRAINED ASSASSIN

DOVER, Del. — The NASCAR driver known as “The Outlaw” testified Tuesday he believes his ex-girlfriend is a trained assassin dispatched on covert missions around the world who once returned home in a blood-splattered gown. Kurt Busch, appearing in court again over Patricia Driscoll’s request for a nocontact order, continued the push of his legal team to discredit his ex as a scorned woman out to destroy his career, portraying her as a character fit for a screenplay. From wire reports

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

TUESDAY’S GAMES

TV, RADIO TODAY

Noon -- NFL Football: Conference Championships Press Conferences (NFL NETWORK). 1 p.m. -- College Football: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Practice from Carson, Calif. (ESPNU). 3 p.m. -- International Soccer: FA Cup Third-Round Match -- Southampton vs. Iswitch (FOX SPORTS 2). 4 p.m. -- College Football: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Practice from Carson, Calif. (ESPNU). 5:30 p.m. -- International Soccer: Under-20 Tournament Championship Match -- Aruba vs. United States (FOX SPORTS 2). 6:05 p.m. -- Talk Show: Sports Talk (WPUB-FM 102.7, WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Southern Methodist at Temple (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: North Carolina at North Carolina State (ESPN2). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Houston at East Carolina (ESPNU). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: St. John’s at Providence (FOX SPORTS 1). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Notre Dame at Georgia Tech (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 7 p.m. -- College Basketball: Louisiana State at Mississippi (SEC NETWORK). 7 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: San Antonio at Charlotte (SPORTSOUTH). 8 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Washington at Chicago (ESPN). 8 p.m. -- College Basketball: Texas Tech at Kansas State (ESPNEWS). 8 p.m. -- NHL Hockey: Philadelphia at Washington (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Creighton at Marquette (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: UCLA at Southern California (ESPN2). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Iowa State at Baylor (ESPNU). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Xavier at Villanova (FOX SPORTS 1). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Florida State at Pittsburgh (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 9 p.m. -- College Basketball: Georgia at Vanderbilt (SEC NETWORK). 10:30 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at Portland (ESPN). 11 p.m. -- College Basketball: San Diego State at Wyoming (ESPN2). 11 p.m. -- College Basketball: Stanford at California (ESPNU). 12:30 a.m. -- Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship First Round from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (GOLF).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

B Team Basketball Robert E. Lee at Thomas Sumter, 5 p.m. Laurence Manning at Orangeburg Prep, 5 p.m. Varsity Bowling Laurence Manning, Robert E. Lee at Wilson Hall (at Gamecock Lanes), 5 p.m.

THURSDAY

Varsity Basketball Patrick Henry at St. Francis Xavier (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball The King’s Academy at Wilson Hall (No JV Girls), 4 p.m. Laurence Manning at Trinity-Byrnes, 4 p.m. Junior Varsity Basketball Conway at Sumter, 6 p.m. Lakewood at Crestwood, 6 p.m. Marlboro County at Manning, 6 p.m. B Team Basketball Laurence Manning at Hammond, 4:30 p.m. Robert E. Lee at Thomas Hart, 4 p.m. Middle School Basketball Furman at Alice Drive, 5 p.m. Bates at Mayewood, 5 p.m. Ebenezer at Chestnut Oaks, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY

Varsity Basketball Sumter at Conway, 6 p.m. Crestwood at Lakewood, 6 p.m. Manning at Marlboro County, 6 p.m. C.E. Murray at East Clarendon, 6 p.m. St. Francis Xavier at Andrew Jackson Academy (Boys Only), 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball Lake Marion at Lee Central (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Hannah-Pamplico at Scott’s Branch (No JV Girls), 5 p.m. Wilson Hall at Calhoun, 4 p.m. Orangeburg Prep at Thomas Sumter, 4 p.m. Northwood at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m. The King’s Academy at Robert E. Lee, 4 p.m. Clarendon Hall at Dorchester, 4 p.m. South Pointe Christian at Sumter Christian, 4 p.m. B Team Basketball Cardinal Newman at Wilson Hall, 4:30 p.m. Varsity Wrestling Sumter in Coach Trapp Duals (at Battery Creek High in Beaufort), TBA

SATURDAY

B Team Basketball Wilson Hall at Calhoun, 10 a.m. Orangeburg Prep at Thomas Sumter, 3 p.m. Varsity Wrestling Sumter in Coach Trapp Duals (at Battery Creek High in Beaufort), TBA

W 25 16 13 7 5

L 12 22 23 29 35

Pct .676 .421 .361 .194 .125

GB – 91/2 111/2 171/2 211/2

W 29 25 16 15 14

L 8 12 21 24 27

Pct .784 .676 .432 .385 .341

GB – 4 13 15 17

W 26 20 19 15 14

L 13 19 19 24 24

Pct .667 .513 .500 .385 .368

GB – 6 61/2 11 111/2

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION Houston Memphis 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

W 27 26 26 23 18

L 11 11 12 15 19

Pct .711 .703 .684 .605 .486

GB – 1/2 1 4 81/2

W 30 18 17 13 5

L 8 19 20 25 31

Pct .789 .486 .459 .342 .139

GB – 111/2 121/2 17 24

W 29 25 22 16 12

L 5 13 18 21 26

Pct .853 .658 .550 .432 .316

GB – 6 10 141/2 19

MONDAY’S GAMES

NFL PLAYOFFS By The Associated Press WILD-CARD PLAYOFFS

Jan. 3 Carolina 27, Arizona 16 Baltimore 30, Pittsburgh 17 Jan. 4 Indianapolis 26, Cincinnati 10 Dallas 24, Detroit 20

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

Jan. 10 New England 35, Baltimore 31 Seattle 31, Carolina 17 Jan. 11 Green Bay 26, Dallas 21 Indianapolis 24, Denver 13

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday, Jan. 18 Green Bay at Seattle, 3:05 p.m. (FOX) Indianapolis at New England, 6:40 p.m. (CBS)

PRO BOWL

Sunday, Jan. 25 At Glendale, Ariz. Team Irvin vs. Team Carter, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

SUPER BOWL

Sunday, Feb. 1 At Glendale, Ariz. AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)

NHL STANDINGS By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W Tampa Bay 44 27 Montreal 41 26 Detroit 42 22 Boston 43 22 Florida 40 20 Toronto 43 22 Ottawa 41 17 Buffalo 43 14 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W N.Y. Islanders 42 28 Pittsburgh 41 25 Washington 42 23 N.Y. Rangers 39 24 Philadelphia 43 17 Columbus 40 18 New Jersey 44 15 Carolina 42 13

L OTPts GF GA 13 4 58 143 118 12 3 55 111 95 11 9 53 117 106 15 6 50 113 111 11 9 49 100 105 18 3 47 137 132 16 8 42 110 113 26 3 31 81 147 L OTPts GF GA 13 1 57 131 116 10 6 56 122 98 11 8 54 125 106 11 4 52 124 95 19 7 41 119 129 19 3 39 104 131 21 8 38 96 124 24 5 31 88 112

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

GP W 41 28 43 28 42 26 43 21 43 18 41 18 41 18

L OTPts GF GA 9 4 60 125 93 13 2 58 134 95 13 3 55 136 105 14 8 50 113 109 17 8 44 113 124 16 7 43 126 135 18 5 41 111 121

GP W L OTPts GF GA Anaheim 43 27 10 6 60 121 118 Los Angeles 43 20 13 10 50 121 112 Vancouver 40 23 14 3 49 113 104 San Jose 43 22 16 5 49 116 118 Calgary 43 22 18 3 47 123 114 Arizona 41 16 21 4 36 97 136 Edmonton 43 10 24 9 29 97 145 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

MONDAY’S GAMES

Philadelphia 7, Tampa Bay 3 Washington 2, Colorado 1 Los Angeles 2, Toronto 0

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Tampa Bay at Boston, 7 p.m. Detroit at Buffalo, 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Colorado at Carolina, 7 p.m. Edmonton at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Vancouver at Nashville, 8 p.m. Florida at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Ottawa at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. San Jose at Arizona, 9 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Montreal at Columbus, 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 8 p.m. Toronto at Anaheim, 10 p.m. New Jersey at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

N.Y. Rangers at Boston, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Vancouver at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Montreal at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Edmonton at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Colorado at Florida, 7:30 p.m. Detroit at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Winnipeg at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Calgary at Arizona, 9 p.m. Toronto at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

BASEBALL

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Milwaukee Cleveland Indiana Detroit

THURSDAY’S GAMES

New York vs. Milwaukee at London, England, 3 p.m. Oklahoma City at Houston, 8 p.m. Cleveland at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

The Associated Press

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Atlanta Washington Miami Charlotte Orlando CENTRAL DIVISION

TODAY’S GAMES

Houston at Orlando, 7 p.m. San Antonio at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. New Orleans at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Memphis at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Washington at Chicago, 8 p.m. Atlanta at Boston, 8 p.m. Dallas at Denver, 9 p.m. Miami at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

TRANSACTIONS

NBA STANDINGS By The Associated Press Toronto Brooklyn Boston Philadelphia New York SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. San Antonio at Washington, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Indiana, 7 p.m. Cleveland at Phoenix, 9 p.m. Golden State at Utah, 9 p.m. Dallas at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Miami at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

Detroit 114, Toronto 111 Houston 113, Brooklyn 99 Boston 108, New Orleans 100 Orlando 121, Chicago 114

COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE — Suspended LHP Enrique Garcia 50 games following a second positive test for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. American League BOSTON RED SOX — Promoted Raquel Ferreira to vice president of baseball administration, Amiel Sawdaye to vice president of amateur and international scouting, Mark Wasinger to special assistant for player personnel, Mike Murov to assistant director of major league operations, Brian Abraham to assistant director of player development, Mike Rikard to director of amateur scouting, Steve Sanders to assistant director of amateur scouting and Dave Klipstein to special assignment scout. Named Paul Fryer global crosschecker, Joe McDonald baseball operations analyst, Adrian Lorenzo major league staff assistant, Dr. Richard Ginsburg director of the behavioral health program, Jason Bartley physical therapist and clincical educator, Nancy Clark team nutritionist, Todd Gold amateur scout for North and South Carolina, Stephen Hargett amateur scout for northern Florida, Josh Labandeira amateur scout for northern California, Justin Horowitz assistant amateur and international scout, Gus Quattlebaum assistant director of professional and international scouting, Brian Bannister professional scout and analyst, Francisco Polanco area scout for the Dominican Republic, Lenin Rodriguez area scout in Venezuela and Bob Tewksbury, Laz Gutierrez and Justin Su’a mental skills coaches. KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Agreed to terms with manager Ned Yost on a one-year contract extension through the 2016 season. TEXAS RANGERS — Agreed to terms with OF Carlos Peguero, LHP Chad James, C Kevin Torres, RHPs Kyle Lotzkar and Francisco Mendoza and INFs Edwin Garcia, Guilder Rodriguez and J.T. Wise on minor league contracts.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

GIRLS AREA ROUNDUP

Lady Knights earn 64-38 victory Cawasha Ceasar scored 20 points to lead Crestwood High School’s varsity girls basketball team to a 64-38 victory over Marlboro County on Tuesday at The Swamp. The Lady Knights, ranked fourth in the latest South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association poll, improved to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in Region VI-3A. Shaquanda Miller-McCray had a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds for Crestwood, while Tyana Saunders had 11 points. LAKEWOOD 73 HARTSVILLE 49

Lakewood High School remained undefeated in Region VI-3A with a 73-49 victory over Hartsville on Tuesday at The Swamp. Sonora Dengokl led the Lady Gators, 11-3 and 2-0 and ranked eighth in 3A, with 23 points. Kamryn Lemon added 22 points and eight rebounds, while Taja Randolph had 12 points. THOMAS SUMTER 52 LAURENCE MANNING 40

MANNING – Thomas Sumter Academy opened its SCISA Region II-3A schedule with a 52-40 victory over Laurence Manning Academy on Tuesday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Taylor Knudson and Latrice

Lyons both had 17 points to lead the Lady Generals. Logan Morris added seven steals. Brooke Bennett paced LMA with 21 points. Maggie Eppley added eight.

THOMAS SUMTER Knudson 17, Lyons 17, Jenkins 4, Nevels 4, Morris 4, Gaulke 2, Hawkins 4. LAURENCE MANNING Bennett 21, Eppley 8, Downer 4, Beatson 3, Lea 4.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL WILSON HALL 41 ORANGEBURG PREP 19

Wilson Hall improved to 8-0 with a 41-19 victory over Orangeburg Prep on Tuesday at Nash Student Center. Diamond Crawford led the Lady Barons with 12 points, while Zan Beasley had nine. MARLBORO COUNTY 33 CRESTWOOD 29

BENNETTSVILLE – Crestwood High School fell to 2-2 with a 33-29 loss to Marlboro County on Monday at the Marlboro gymnasium. Alexandria Dukes led the Lady Knights with eight points and Keonna McElveen added seven.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL LEE CENTRAL 31 HANNAH-PAMPLICO 8

BISHOPVILLE – Lee Central Middle School improved to 7-0 with a 31-8 victory over Hannah-Pamplico on Monday at the LC gymnasium. Robionne Myers led Lee Central with eight points and Tashanna Harris had six. FURMAN 41 CHESTNUT OAKS 30

Furman Middle School defeated Chestnut Oaks 41-30 on Monday at the Furman gymnasium. Kiari Cain led the Lady Indians with 11 points. Zaria Stephens, Lashayla Harvin and Myla Wilson each had seven.

B TEAM BASKETBALL THOMAS SUMTER 26 LAURENCE MANNING 24 MANNING – Laurence Manning Academy fell to 2-2 with a 26-24 loss to Thomas Sumter Academy on Monday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Trinity Harrington had eight points to lead LMA, while Katherine Burns had seven. On Friday in Columbia, LMA lost to Hammond 19-14. Harrington led the way with four points. On Thursday in Manning, LMA beat Heathwood Hall 1615. Burns led the Lady Swampcats with six points.

BOYS AREA ROUNDUP

Marlboro County tops Crestwood 59-52 Crestwood High School’s varsity boys basketball team fell to 1-1 in Region VI-3A with a 59-52 loss to Marlboro County on Tuesday at The Castle. Devin Nelson led the Knights, 12-4 overall, with 13 points. Ja Morant added nine.

Tuesday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Brewer Brunson led LMA with 15 points and Grayson Gamble had 14.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER 63

FLORENCE – Sumter High School improved to 6-1 with a 65-44 victory over South Florence on Monday at the SF gymnasium. Jaylenn Corbett led the Gamecocks with 15 points. Darius Williams added 13 and Ahmad Peoples had 10.

CLARENDON HALL 36

St. Francis Xavier High School improved to 2-3 in SCISA Region III-1A with a 63-36 victory over Clarendon Hall on Monday at Birnie Hope Center. Jay McFadden led the 7-8 Padres with a double-double of 28 points and 19 rebounds. Dalton Foreman had 17 points and Justin Lyons had 12. Matthew Corbett led the Saints, who fell to 2-6 and 1-2, with 20 points. On Friday in Turbeville, SFX lost to East Clarendon High 63-41. McFadden had a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Foreman had 15 points and Lyons 11. Jabari Rose led the 6-8 Wolverines with 22 points. Micheal Burgess had 12 points and Tomel Burgess added 10.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL WILSON HALL 28 ORANGEBURG PREP 7 Wilson Hall improved to 3-6 with a 28-7 victory over Orangeburg Prep on Tuesday at Nash Student Center. Noah Harvin and Charlton Commander both had five points to lead the Barons. LAURENCE MANNING 50 THOMAS SUMTER 33

MANNING – Laurence Manning Academy defeated Thomas Sumter Academy 50-33 on

PANTHERS FROM PAGE B1 Rivera said. “I do envision him continuing to grow for us. I think he can be a really special, special, special player.” Newton endured a rough fourth season — on and off the field. He had ankle surgery last March, fractured his ribs in the preseason and fractured two small bones in his lower back following a car accident on Dec. 9. The Panthers rallied to win the NFC South at 7-8-1 and a playoff game against Arizona, but Newton finished with career lows in yards passing (3,127) and touchdowns (18). He had 12 interceptions and a careerlow five touchdowns rushing. It didn’t help that he played behind a young offensive line that struggled early in the season and with an entirely new group of wide receivers following an offseason of change. “Just like our team, we need him to be more consis-

SUMTER 65 SOUTH FLORENCE 44

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

WH FROM PAGE B1 weren’t settled, we started to turn the ball over.” The Lady Barons controlled the tempo early on behind Hayley Smoak and Lauren Goodson. Smoak connected on a pair of 3-pointers and Goodson was the beneficiary of crisp inside passing as she collected six points under the basket and eight overall in the first quarter. Holly Scott added another 3 as WH built a 19-8 lead at one point in the opening period. However, OP kept pace behind Victoria Williams, who had eight of the Lady Indians’ 11 points in the first quarter as they climbed back to within 19-11. Williams easily led her squad and all scorers with 18 points. “She’s a tremendous player and has had a very good career there,” Rector said. “She gives a lot of teams trouble, and the only times we stopped her tonight was when we put her on the free throw line.” The Lady Indians started to turn the tide slightly in the second quarter, opening on a 3-0 run as OP kept Wilson Hall off the scoreboard for the first four minutes. A 3-pointer from Hannah Jordan and a pair of buckets from Mary Margaret Munn helped the Lady Barons regain a double-digit lead at the break, 28-18. Orangeburg pulled within 34-27 by the end of the third, but another 3-pointer from Jordan to start the fourth ignited a 7-0 run for Wilson Hall, which cruised the rest of the way for the victory. “We hadn’t scored consistently in a while, and that big 3 from Hannah gave us a cushion and allowed us to run our delay offense much more effectively,” Rector said. Goodson was the only Lady Baron in double figures with 10 points and she

also had 10 rebounds. Nicolette Fisher and Scott followed with eight apiece. Munn had seven while Smoak and Jordan added six points each. Scott also had eight rebounds. “That’s kind of been the story for us all year,” Rector said. “We don’t have one superstar player, just a bunch of girls who work hard and play very well together.” WH improved to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in the region while OP fell to 3-8 and 0-1. On the boys side, the Barons’ sharp outside shooting led to their highest point total of the season. The Barons had five players reach double figures and everyone on the roster scored. “Offensively we’ve struggled at times, but I thought we shot the ball well tonight, passed well and most importantly we finished well,” WH head coach Eddie Talley said. John Ballard led Wilson Hall with 15 points followed by Brent Carraway with 14, Jake Croft and Grier Scwartz with 11 each and John Wells Baker had 10. Carraway led the team with four 3-pointers as the Barons used hot outside shooting to grab a 26-10 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. “We’ve been pretty good shooting from the perimeter this year, but tonight we hit a lot more shots,” Talley said. “I think the big key is that they were open shots and good looks, though. We’ve had some trouble finishing around the basket, but did a much better job of that tonight.” With balanced scoring, the Barons’ lead ballooned to 30 points by the third quarter and OP’s final charge in the fourth went for naught as Wilson Hall improved to 3-8 overall and 1-0 in the region while the Indians dropped to 0-1 in region play. Wilson Hall hosts The King’s Academy on Thursday in its next game.

B TEAM BASKETBALL LAURENCE MANNING 36 THOMAS SUMTER 24 MANNING – Laurence Manning Academy improved to 3-1 with a 36-24 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy on Monday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium. Chase Lee led LMA with 14 points, while Wyatt Rowland added nine. Billy Colquitt and Nick Rabon both had eight points to lead TSA. On Friday in Columbia, LMA beat Hammond 40-24. Lee and Seth Stamps led the Swampcats with 11 points apiece.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL LEE CENTRAL 61 HANNAH-PAMPLICO 28 BISHOPVILLE – Lee Central Middle School improved to 6-1 with a 61-28 victory over Hannah-Pamplico on Monday at the LC gymnasium. Rashien Lyde led Lee Central with 15 points. Deablo Halley had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

tent and the players around him to be more consistent,” Gettleman said. Poor mechanics continue to plague Newton, but Gettleman said it is a building process. “Everybody wants a player to be great yesterday,” Gettleman said. “It just doesn’t work that way with everybody. It takes time.” Gettleman inherited a team in 2013 that was $16 million over the NFL salary cap. The Panthers currently stand about $14 million under the projected 2015 salary cap. He’s encouraged the team only has 11 unrestricted free agents this offseason, as opposed to 22 last year. “We’re in a better place,” Gettleman said. “We have younger talent under contract. So we’re in a better place.” The team’s biggest unrestricted free agent is Greg Hardy, who was limited to one game last season following a domestic violence conviction. Hardy is appealing the ruling and a jury trial is

set to begin Feb. 9 in Charlotte. Gettleman said the Panthers will take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to Hardy’s future with the team. “Until his situation changes, there is nothing to talk about,” Gettleman said. Rivera has repeatedly put his support behind Hardy and didn’t waver from that on Tuesday, saying “you guys know how I feel about him.” Rivera said the Panthers’ biggest needs are the same as last season — wide receiver, offensive line and the secondary. Left tackle is a glaring area of need. Byron Bell struggled there this season after spending three seasons at right tackle. Like Hardy, he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent. Gettleman said while Bell showed flashes this season, he lacked consistency and “I think we’ve shown that if a player shows up that we think will make us better, we’re going to go get him.”

KEITH GEDAMKE/ THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter’s Andrew Tiller (5) attempts to drive past South Florence’s Karon Evans during the Gamecocks’ 58-43 victory on Tuesday at the SHS gymnasium.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

Mariota: Final loss does not define season BY ANNE M. PETERSON The Associated Press

DALLAS — Oregon’s season was so much more than the final game to quarterback Marcus Mariota. Just because his team ultimately came up short against Ohio State in the national championship, it doesn’t diminish what the Ducks accomplished together as a team, he said. When history judges the 2014 Oregon Ducks, however, it will likely be remembered as the year of Marcus Mariota. The junior quarterback was the face of the 13-2 team that defeated Florida State in the Rose Bowl in college football’s first playoffs, but then fell 42-20 to the Buckeyes. Ohio State ended the season ranked No. 1, Oregon was No. 2. “Being the champions from the Pac-12, being Rose Bowl champions, that says a lot about what we were able to do this year,” Mariota said. “Proud of the guys. We fought through a lot of stuff and just ended up short, but it shouldn’t take away from what we were able to do this year.” Mariota won every major award he qualified for, starting with the Heisman Trophy, as well as AP Player of the Year and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. He set a conference record for most touchdowns in a single season with 58; 42 via pass, 15 on the run and a touchdown catch. He set the conference mark for career touchdowns with 134. He threw at least one touchdown pass in all 41 college games he started in his career, the second-longest

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) is tackled by Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple (13) during the Buckeyes’ 42-20 victory in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday in Arlington, Texas. Mariota said the loss does not put a damper on his season. streak in NCAA history behind Marshall’s Rakeem Cato (46). And he’s one of just four quarterbacks in FBS history to pass for more than 10,000 yards and run for more than 2,000 in his career. By Thursday, he’ll have to decide if he’s going to forgo his senior year and declare his eligibility for the NFL draft. He left the door slightly open for a return to Eugene following the loss to the Buckeyes. “There’s starting grad

(5) OHIO ST. 42, (3) OREGON 20 Ohio St. Oregon

14 7

7 3

7 10

14—42 0 — 2

First Quarter Ore_Lowe 7 pass from Mariota (Schneider kick), 12:21. OSU_Elliott 33 run (Nuernberger kick), 4:36. OSU_Vannett 1 pass from C.Jones (Nuernberger kick), 1:08. Second Quarter OSU_C.Jones 1 run (Nuernberger kick), 4:49. Ore_FG Schneider 26, :48. Third Quarter Ore_Marshall 70 pass from Mariota (Schneider kick), 11:23. Ore_FG Schneider 23, 6:39. OSU_Elliott 9 run (Nuernberger kick), :00. Fourth Quarter OSU_Elliott 2 run (Nuernberger kick), 9:44. OSU_Elliott 1 run (Nuernberger kick), :28.

BUCKEYES FROM PAGE B1 and redshirted. If healthy, they’ll jump right back into the battle for spots on the two-deep. One other notable absence is one of the architects of Ohio State’s offense, coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tom Herman. He took the Houston job last month, and will be replaced by Nebraska coordinator Tim Beck. Herman was invaluable, but it’s Meyer’s system. The Buckeyes added a defensive coordinator, Chris Ash, a year ago and that turned out fine, with the defense revamped by Ash continually coming up big down the stretch. That’s about it, however, for changes, losses and possible problem areas. Championship-game MVP Ezekiel Elliott, leading receiver Michael Thomas and everybody else on both lines, at linebacker and in the secondary, is returning. “I wonder what they’ll question now,” Thomas said in the celebratory locker room. “It’s a blessing to be in this situation, this position. I felt we deserve it 100 percent. And we’ll be back next year.” Of course, Meyer is one of the sport’s pre-eminent recruiters. Less than 12 hours after hoisting the CFP trophy, he was talking about chasing potential Buckeyes on Thursday. Now he will make visits as the coach of the national champions. “Oh, the door’s open,” the three-time national championship coach said of the reception

A_85,689.

OSU Ore First downs 28 20 Rushes-yards 61-296 33-132 Passing 242 333 Comp-Att-Int 16-23-1 24-38-1 Return Yards 40 0 Punts-Avg. 3-42.0 6-40.0 Fumbles-Lost 3-3 1-0 Penalties-Yards 5-30 10-76 Time of Possession 37:29 22:31

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_Ohio St., Elliott 36-246, C. Jones 21-38, Samuel 1-6, C.Smith 1-3, Marshall 2-3. Oregon, Tyner 12-62, Mariota 10-39, Freeman 10-22, Marshall 1-9. PASSING_Ohio St., C.Jones 16-23-1242. Oregon, Mariota 24-37-1-333, Lockie 0-1-0-0. RECEIVING_Ohio St., Marshall 5-52, M.Thomas 4-53, C.Smith 2-76, Vannett 2-9, D.Smith 1-45, Samuel 1-8, Elliott 1-(minus 1). Oregon, Marshall 8-169, Baylis 5-25, Stanford 4-61, Lowe 3-55, Nelson 2-21, Tyner 2-2.

AP TOP 25 POLL The Associated Press The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: Record Pts Pv 1. Ohio St. (59) 14-1 1,475 5 2. Oregon 13-2 1,402 3 3. TCU 12-1 1,349 6 4. Alabama 12-2 1,297 1 5. Florida St. 13-1 1,212 2 5. Michigan St. 11-2 1,212 7 7. Baylor 11-2 1,098 4 8. Georgia Tech 11-3 1,071 10 9. Georgia 10-3 925 13 10. UCLA 10-3 908 14 11. Mississippi St. 10-3 767 8 12. Arizona St. 10-3 756 15 13. Wisconsin 11-3 724 17 14. Missouri 11-3 710 16 15. Clemson 10-3 683 18 16. Boise St. 12-2 653 21 17. Mississippi 9-4 543 9 18. Kansas St. 9-4 509 11 19. Arizona 10-4 499 12 20. Southern Cal 9-4 315 24 21. Utah 9-4 302 23 22. Auburn 8-5 216 19 23. Marshall 13-1 161 NR 24. Louisville 9-4 116 20 25. Memphis 10-3 94 NR Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 28, Stanford 27, Nebraska 22, Air Force 21, Duke 18, LSU 12, Utah St. 11, Arkansas 10, Minnesota 9, Oklahoma 7, Texas A&M 7, N. Illinois 4, Colorado St. 2.

from recruits in the wake of a title. “You move to the front of the line.” So the deck seems stacked. Certainly, there’s no doubt that the talent level is high. Ohio State loses some of the team’s best leaders, but every team deals with that. And Meyer and his staff will be on the lookout for complacency. Safety Tyvis Powell, the defensive player of the game on Monday night, doesn’t duck from the high expectations. “After getting a taste for it, we know the things we have to do to get here,” he said. “All we basically have to continue that culture and keep that same intensity and carry it over to the next season and we should be able to come here again.”

school, coming back for another year to improve, there’s a lot of other things that could bring me back,” he said. But many expect that this was the humble team leader’s last season as a Duck. “I love this guy, and will forever,” coach Mark Helfrich said. “Absolutely couldn’t be luckier to coach him and be around him every day.” Then the question becomes: Who will replace him?” He backup this season and heir apparent for the job — at

least for now — is Jeff Lockie, a 6-foot-2 redshirt sophomore. He attempted 27 passes this season, completing 21 for 207 yards and a touchdown. Others waiting in the wings include current redshirt Morgan Mahalak, Georgia Tech transfer Ty Griffin, recruit Travis Waller. Rumors were swirling about possible transfers. But elsewhere on the offense, Oregon will return two players who emerged as freshmen.

Royce Freeman rushed for 1,392 yards and 18 touchdowns, earning Pac-12 offensive freshman of the year honors. He is the first true freshman at Oregon to rush for more than 1,000 yards. He also tossed the touchdown pass that Mariota snagged. Charles Nelson was not only a key contributor on special teams but he also emerged as one of the team’s top receivers — picking up the slack when the group was beset by injury. Nelson caught two touchdowns in each of Oregon’s last two regular-season games, and had 104 yards receiving in the Pac-12 championship victory over Arizona. Other standouts included converted junior running back Byron Marshall, who became the first Oregon player to rush for at least 1,000 yards in one season (1,038 in 2013) and have 1,000 yards receiving in another (1,003, this season). The conference title win avenged Oregon’s regular-season loss to the Wildcats — which many players credited with shaking them out of complacency for the run toward college football’s first playoffs. Overall, Oregon ranked third in the nation in total offense with an average of 547 yards per game. The Ducks’ passing offense under Mariota was ranked 10th nationally with an average of 312.5 yards a game. Mariota’s passer efficiency rating (181.7) topped the nation. The Ducks have never won a national championship, but they’ve played in the title game twice. They capped the 2010 season with a loss to Auburn for the title.

Meyer joins exclusive club with third national championship BY PAUL NEWBERRY The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas — If he wasn’t a member of the club before, he definitely is now. Take a bow, Urban Meyer. You’re one of the greatest coaches in college football history. Meyer joined a very elite group — right up there with guys named Bryant and Leahy and Saban — by leading Ohio State to the national championship with a 42-20 victory over Oregon on Monday night. It was Meyer’s third national title. The first two came with Florida, this one with the Buckeyes — a program in disarray when he took over in 2012 after taking a one-year sabbatical from coaching. He said he needed the time away to take care of his health and reconnect with his family. But if anyone thought it would be a softer, kinder — and more beatable — Meyer who returned to the sideline, they were sadly mistaken. This was the 41st game he’s coached since taking over in Columbus. He’s won 38 of them, an astonishing turnaround for a team that went 6-7 during the 2011 season, reeling from the forced ouster of longtime coach Jim Tressel and an NCAA investigation into tattoos and other illegal benefits. “The chase is complete,” Meyer said. Ahh, the chase. That’s been the theme of the program since Meyer watched Alabama demolish Notre Dame in the BCS championship game at the end of the 2012 season. The Buckeyes went 12-0 that year but were banned from postseason play. Nevertheless, the coach knew his unbeaten squad didn’t match up to the Crimson Tide, so he sent every member of the program a text that very night with a simple message: “The Chase is on.” Quicker than even Meyers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Ezekiel Elliott celebrate after the Buckeye’s 42-20 college football playoff championship victory over Oregon on Monday in Arlington, Texas. It was Meyers’ third title as a head coach. envisioned, the Buckeyes became the team everyone else is chasing. And with many of his top players returning, including running back Ezekiel Elliott, they’ll certainly start next season as the favorite to win another. “The word repeat, we’ll have that conversation, but certainly not today. It’s about enjoying it,” a weary looking Meyer said Tuesday morning, the championship trophy by his side. “Elite warriors, when they accomplish their mission, they celebrate. The next thing they do is learn from it, and then the final thing is they look forward to the next mission, next assignment. Right now, we’re in the celebration phase.” Meyer seemed a little more willing to appreciate this title than the first two, but it’s not his style to relax for long. “He just demands excellence out of everybody, every aspect of your life,” said Elliott, the MVP of the title game after rushing for 246 yards and four touchdowns. “When he demands that every day from you, you don’t have any choice but to change.” Clearly, Meyer is still the

same fierce competitor he always was — mercilessly poking players and coaches alike, all in a desire to get the best out of them. Before a Sugar Bowl victory over top-seeded Alabama, he talked about the need to make life uncomfortable for those around him, saying that’s often how you get the best out of people. He’ll get no complaints from the Buckeyes, whose victory signaled a northward shift in the game’s power structure after years of dominance by the Southeastern Conference (with Meyer playing a key role in that, as well). Meyer became only the eighth coach to win as many as three Associated Press and BCS national championships, a club led by Bear Bryant with five. Frank Leahy and Nick Saban have four apiece, followed by Meyer, Bernie Bierman, John McKay, Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer, all with a trio. Saban and Meyer are the only coaches to win championships at different schools. By the time Meyer is done — remember, he’s still only 50 — he might go down as the greatest of them all, at least in the modern era.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

USC has sights on DE Covington T

he University of South Carolina football program’s plan to add more pass rushers to the 2015 recruiting class includes bringing in former Shrine Bowl defensive end Devante Covington (6-feet3-inches, 230 pounds) of Georgia Military Junior College. Covington hasn’t been talked about much in relation to the Gamecocks’ ‘15 class, but his coach confirmed last week that the Gamecocks still want him and his commitment remains firm. “All my conversations have been they want him and he’s on track to graduate in May and that’s where he wants to be,” said GMJC head coach Bert Williams. “I don’t know anything different. They were always engaged with him. There wasn’t any question they were always interested in bringing him back in. He did require a little more work than some. Back in December I talked with (USC defensive line coach) Joe Robinson. He just wanted to make sure his grades are on track and all that kind of stuff. “He’s on track for May. He was never going to be a midyear guy. He’s done what he needs to do to stay on track. His GPA (grade-point average) is good and he’s got his courses in order; he’s just got to do the job.” Covington first signed with USC in ‘13 out of Richmond County High School in Rockingham, N.C. He played for the North Carolina Shrine Bowl team along with teammate and current Clemson offensive lineman Tyrone Crowder. Covington also had offers from Clemson, Tennessee, East Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech while in high school. This season Covington had 39 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks. “He’s an impact guy, a big play guy coming off the edge,” Williams said. “Very quick getoff. Deceptive power because he looks like a long, lean guy, but he has an explosive punch when he engages and catches a lot of guys off guard. He just has a knack for making big plays and has a great motor to go along with that speed and burst. They are getting a guy that can make some big plays for them on defense.” His commitment gives the Gamecocks 27 for the ‘15 class, including five DEs. Athlete Denzel Johnson of A.C. Flora High in Columbia is now drawing the interest of NCSU. The Wolfpack has not offered, but he has set a visit to Raleigh for Jan. 30. Johnson talked with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney on New Year’s Day and was told the Tigers still haven’t decided if they like him for wide receiver or defensive back. He said he’s heard nothing new from USC. Johnson has taken an official visit to Towson and is scheduled to visit Clemson on Friday and Georgia Southern on Jan. 23. USC

DB Toure Boyd (6-1, 193) of Chaffey JC in California never thought he’d get the chance to return to the Southeast to play college football. That opportunity is now just a phone call away from USC. Boyd was contacted by USC secondary coach Grady Brown last week and his transcript is being vetted by USC admissions. If all checks out -- and Boyd said it should -he’s expecting an offer from the Gamecocks, and that could lead to a quick commitment. “I’d have to consult with my family, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a go,” Boyd said. “To me, I

feel like, why not? Even if there is stuff for me to look at and stuff for me to weigh out, I feel like this is an opportunity that came out of nowhere for a reason. I feel like there’s a reason that it came, so I feel like there aren’t many questions to ask. If there’s a good opportunity in front of me, I should take it.” Boyd grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and would have attended Hoover High had he not moved to Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at the age of 14. He still has family in Birmingham, including his father. He was set to sign with Boise State out of high school, but the NCAA flagged his transcript for too many online courses forcing him to JC. He played his first season at the College of the Desert and this past season at Chaffey. He will have three years to play two. “I’ve always loved the SEC (Southeastern Conference),” Boyd said. “I’ve always thought it was the superior conference. I can’t pass up something like that, a chance to get to the league.” Boyd has offers from Utah, Arizona, Washington State, Southern Mississippi, Georgia State and Texas State. He has taken an official visit Southern Miss and is scheduled to visit Georgia State on Friday. That visit could change to USC once the offer comes or it could be scheduled for later in the month. Boyd played cornerback this past season, but said Brown likes him as a safety. He had 80 tackles with two interceptions, 10 passes broken up, two forced fumbles and two recovered fumbles. He also scored a touchdown. The Gamecocks also have made contact with DB Treston Decoud (6-3, 205) of Northwest Mississippi JC. He’s a Louisiana native who has offers from East Carolina, Toledo, Utah State, Fresno State, LouisianaLafayette and Western Kentucky. He decommitted from Utah State in December. DB Jeremiah Dinson of Hialeah, Fla., is still considering a visit to USC, but the date has not been set. Dinson remains committed to Kentucky. He will visit Florida on Friday and Auburn on Jan. 23. He’s choosing between USC and Louisville for the final visit on Jan. 30. DB Maurice Smitherman of Adamsville, Ala., will visit Texas Tech on Friday and USC on Jan. 30. He has been committed to Mississippi State and visited there last month. Smitherman said he’s feeling more solid with his commitment to the Bulldogs, but does want to take those other two official visits. USC continues to keep up the interest in DB Rashard Causey of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., despite his long standing commitment to Florida Atlantic. Causey said USC assistant Brown was on hand for his state championship game in December. “He’s just waiting on me to make that call,” Causey said. “They’ve been recruiting me since I was a sophomore so I’ve build a good relationship with Coach Brown and some of the South Carolina coaches and some of the players. My best friend, (USC linebacker) Skai (Moore), goes there so I get all the scoop about what’s going on and what it’s like there.” Causey said he’s aware the Gamecocks lost two of their DB commitments and now it’s up to him to push the issue with the Gamecocks. “Nothing has changed for me for South Carolina,” he said. “I’ve always loved them from the beginning because they were one of the first big schools to recruit me. That’s on my call to make the visit because they want me. That’s my call to

make on when I want to visit the school.” Causey said he hopes to set an official visit with Phil Kornblut USC after talking with RECRUITING his parents. CORNER He said he’s also considering Tennessee and Georgia. USC commitment DB Damon Arnette of Fort Lauderdale was offered by Michigan last week and set an official visit with the Wolverines for Friday. He visits USC on Jan. 23 and Ohio State on Jan. 30. DE Arden Key of Atlanta decommitted from USC for a second time last week, but he had a message for USC fans via Twitter. “South Carolina still #1 on my board. Nobody knows my situation,” Key typed. “Preciate all the fans that showed me some respect the other yall funny most of y’all haven’t been through the process us top prospect going.” He now plans to take his scheduled official visits to Louisiana State, Miami, USC and Auburn. USC has jumped into the race for Wake Forest transfer OL Cory Helms (6-4, 305). He was a freshman All-American center in ‘13 and played guard this season. He will have two years to play at his next stop. Helms is a native of Alpharetta, Ga., and he drew interest from USC in high school, but no offer. He was offered by the Gamecocks on Sunday and will take an official visit on Jan. 30. He’s going to visit Texas A&M this weekend and he has Penn State set for Jan. 23. OL Patrick Allen of Reisterstown, Md., is interested in taking an unofficial visit to USC, but has not decided on a date. He’s looking primarily at USC, Tennessee, UA, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. He’s a former UGA commitment. Allen has taken his five official visits to UA, Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee and Arkansas. There is no favorite. DE Quandeski Whitlow of Opelika, Ala., has seen Florida come hard after him in recent weeks, but his head coach said Whitlow’s commitment to USC remains solid. “He’s telling me he’s firmly committed to South Carolina,” head coach Brian Blackmon said. “This is a kid that’s never been out of Opelika, so he may take visits to other places. I don’t know if he’ll end up doing that or not, but what I’m hearing from him is he’s still firmly committed to South Carolina.” Blackmon said he talked with Gamecock recruiter Kirk Botkin and assured him further of Whitlow’s commitment to the Gamecocks based on what Whitlow told him. “You know social media makes everybody nervous,” Blackmon said. “They all want attention and what it does is make the people he really likes nervous.” Whitlow is scheduled to visit Louisville this weekend, USC on Jan. 23 and UF on Jan. 30. This season, Whitlow finished with 50 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks and 27 QB hurries. “He’s a tall, long, rangy kid,” Blackmon said. “He has incredible speed and quickness off the ball. He’s a great pass rusher.” USC OL commitment Christian Pellage of Brooksville, Fla., has picked up a UF offer and will take his official visit to Gainesville this weekend. He will visit USC on Jan. 23. CLEMSON

It’s clear Clemson’s top choice for its remaining secondary scholarship for ‘15 is Mark Fields Jr. of Cornelius,

N.C., who will visit on Friday and currently lists Clemson as his favorite. However, the Tigers are keeping in touch with former Louisville commitment DB Kareem Orr of Chattanooga, Tenn., just in case. “I talked to (Clemson assistant) Coach (Dan) Brooks and Clemson is trying to get me up on a visit,” Orr said. “I feel good about Clemson. I might visit there.” Orr believes Ohio State is about to offer and that was one of his favorite programs growing up along with Texas and UF. Also, his good friend Vonn Bell is a starting DB for the Buckeyes. He’s also waiting to hear from Miami on a possible offer. Orr has visited Oklahoma and will visit Arizona State on Friday. Orr is focusing on Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Arizona State and Miami at this point. OTHERS

Shrine Bowl WR JJ ArcegaWhiteside of Dorman High in Roebuck is a Stanford commitment and is still waiting to hear from the school about being accepted. If he is accepted, he said he will no doubt go to Stanford. He is also hearing from USC, GT and WF. He talked with USC assistant coaches Steve Spurrier Jr. and Sean Elliott and was told if things don’t work out at Stanford, they would be interested in talking with him more seriously. He will make his official visit to Stanford on Jan. 16 and hopes to find out then if he’s going to be accepted. He has not scheduled any other official visits. Former Clemson signee ATH Jae’lon Oglesby of Daniel High in Central may be headed to Southern Methodist, according to sources. Oglesby played at Fork Union Prep in Virginia this past season. He planned to enroll at Clemson this month, but the Tigers withdrew their offer for reasons which have not been made public. WR Tavin Richardson of Byrnes High in Duncan is down to Central Florida, Louisville and UK. Nebraska, which he has visited officially, no longer is involved. There is no favorite and all three are pushing hard, according to Richardson. He has visited UCF officially and will visit Louisville on Friday and UK on Jan. 23. Shrine Bowl DL Eurndraus Bryant of Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston plans to take an official visit to UGA. He also plans to set a visit date with ECU. Georgia Southern has been showing him the most interest, but UGA has been coming on as of late. Blythewood High linebacker Hassan Belton will take an official visit to Missouri on Jan. 23. He was South Carolina’s defensive most valuable player in the Shrine Bowl. Running back Joe Blue of Dillon, a former USC signee who attended Georgia Prep this fall, is deciding between South Carolina State and Coastal Carolina. Chapin High OL Stephen Haralambis has committed to Charleston Southern and will take an official visit on Jan. 16. Air Force and Army are also recruiting him and pushing for visits. Myrtle Beach High LB/DE Marcus Chestnut committed to Newberry and WR Latrell Nieves of Colleton County High in Walterboro committed to Marshall. DE Rasool Clemons of South Aiken High announced a decommitment from Virginia on Sunday. He committed to the Cavaliers in August over Tennessee and LSU. JUNIORS

USC AND CLEMSON

DB James Valdez of Lake Marion High in Santee will be one of the top prospects in the state’s ‘16 class and he has set June 7 for his announcement date. Valdez has offers from USC, North Carolina, NCSU, Tennessee, WF and SCSU. “USC wants me to commit right now, wants me to commit early,” Valdez said. “They told me they had a bad season last year and I can come in and be a big factor on the defensive side of the ball. It can be a possibility. I don’t know where I’m going yet, but USC could be a possibility.” Valdez said he wants to visit schools he hasn’t gotten to yet before he makes his decision. Those include UF, UGA, NCSU, Alabama and Florida State. He was at four USC games last season. He’s also been in touch with Clemson, talking to his Tiger recruiters on his birthday in December as well as on Christmas. “I talked to (Clemson assistants) Coach (Marion) Hobby and Coach (Mike) Reed and they are going to offer,” he said. “I’m just waiting on it, but there’s no rush.” Valdez said he doesn’t have a favorite and will formulate a short favorite’s list in the spring. USC

RB CJ Freeman of Greensboro, N.C.., said USC and Virginia Tech are his top two schools right now. USC offered DB Joejuan Williams of Nashville, Tenn., and sophomore ATH Jamyest Williams of Lawrenceville, Ga., last week. BASKETBALL

Junior De’riante Jenkins, the 6-6 former Lake Marion football and basketball standout who is now living in Orlando, Fla., and focusing on hoops, attended Clemson’s last home game against UNC and right now it all looks good for Clemson with Jenkins. “There was no commitment, but I’m very close, very close,” Jenkins said. “On a scale of 10, I’d give it an eight. I’ve been going to Clemson since the seventh grade for summer camps and it’s always felt like home. It’s in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) and I will be playing against future pros every night. “(Clemson head) Coach (Brad) Brownell’s style of basketball is really cool. He sounds like a guy who is pretty hard on you and expect a lot out of you. He told me the program is needing help. They are building a new stadium and all that.” Jenkins also has offers from Houston, ECU, South Florida and VT. USC and NCSU have also shown interest of late. He was at USC for the UNC Asheville game, and he said the Gamecocks have been talking to his AAU coach. “I’m still waiting to see what they (USC and NCSU) are going to do,” Jenkins said. “I could have a decision in January, and if not it will be in the summer.” Jenkins averaged 15 points and five rebounds per game last season. BASEBALL

USC picked up a ‘16 commitment from left-handed pitcher Josh Gregory (6-0, 185) of Gaffney High on Sunday, according to John Whittle of TheBigSpur.com. Gregory attended a USC camp on Saturday and was offered Sunday. He also considered College of Charleston. Gregory is USC’s 14th commitment for ‘16 and the second LHP.

PRO GOLF

Reed starts the year on a high note at Kapalua BY DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press KAPALUA, Hawaii — No one in the winners-only field at Kapalua has been more successful on Monday than Patrick Reed. Instead of honing his game in the

minor leagues before earning a card, Reed tried to Monday qualify into PGA Tour events. He made it six times out of eight tries, an astounding rate of success. Only this day was different. Reed didn’t get into a PGA Tour event on Monday. He won a PGA Tour

event. “I felt like this win was more like the Mondays, because not only was it Monday, it was 18 holes,” Reed said after his playoff victory over Jimmy Walker in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. “It was pretty bunched, so you just had to go out and go low. And

luckily, we were able to do that.” He did his most important work at Kapalua over the final four holes in regulation, and it wasn’t exactly bunched up at the moment. In fact, Reed was thinking more about trying to finish second when he stood on the 15th tee four shots behind Walker.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

PRO FOOTBALL

It’s been a long, winding road to Super Bowl’s doorstep BY BARRY WILNER The Associated Press There are the 2007 Patriots, a juggernaut, and the 2014 notso-dominant version. There are the current Seahawks, not quite as fearsome as last year’s championship edition. Throw in a Packers team that doesn’t much resemble the Lombardi squads, and a group of Colts who have experienced more ups and downs this season than the rest of this Final Four. Yes, it’s been a long and winding road to the conference title games for New England, Seattle, Green Bay and Indianapolis. “It’s been quite gratifying because of the challenge of answering the Super Bowl accomplishment,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whose Seahawks were 3-3 and fighting off the championship hangover in October. They’ve won 10 of 11 since, and their defense became immovable once All-Pro inside linebacker Bobby Wagner returned from a right foot injury. “When I went into this year with the thought that this is a very unique chance at showing that you can handle all of that — it’s been difficult for people and the history of it shows you that it’s hard to

come back and get yourself back into this kind of position again. So this is exactly where we’d hoped we would be right now. So that’s something that we’ve accomplished; it’s rewarding to this point.” It should be. Until the Seahawks beat Carolina last Saturday, the last defending Super Bowl to win its next postseason game was New England — nine years ago. Just as much in the doldrums back in early autumn as the Seahawks: Tom Brady and the Patriots. They were 2-2, coming off an ugly loss at Kansas City in prime time. The three-time Super Bowl winner had little cohesion with a mediocre group of wideouts other than Julian Edelman. Star tight end Rob Gronkowski was slowly coming back from injuries that basically wiped out his previous season. Questions abounded concerning the running game, the offensive line, and a defense that had been torched in two of the first four games. In the next 12 weeks, the Patriots won 10 times. Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 23, they never scored fewer than 27 points and averaged more than 39 points in a seven-game winning streak. Think New England straightened things out? “It’s hard to be oblivious to

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

New England quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during a recent game. All four teams in this weekend’s conference championship games navigated a winding road in pursuit of a Super Bowl title. things,” Brady said of commentaries that the Patriots were no longer elite. “We all have TVs or the Internet, or the questions I get and the emails that I get from people that are concerned. Nobody died or anything. It’s just a loss and I think we’ve always done a great job putting losses behind us quickly.”

Coach Bill Belichick sees no magical formula for getting on the straight and narrow. “I think at this point really it’s just about everybody doing their job,” he said. “I don’t think it really matters how many games you’ve played or how long you’ve been here.”

Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

Bowman, died on Monday evening, Jan. 12, 2015, at her residence, 12392 Plowden Mill Road, Alcolu. She was born on April 2, 1913, in Alcolu, a daughter of the late David and Ida Gilyard Wells. The family will receive friends at the home of her granddaughter, Geneva Burgess, 12392 Plowden Mill Road, Alcolu. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

Green Bay’s issues in a 1-2 start — spotty offense, weak blocking, questions about the secondary — soon disappeared as the Packers won nine of 10. But one bugaboo that never truly was answered could be especially damaging on Sunday at imposing CenturyLink Field: Green Bay’s road performances. Consider that the Packers had only one truly memorable performance in going 4-4 away from Lambeau Field, a 38-17 rout of Chicago in Week 4. And pretty much everyone did that to the Bears at Soldier Field. The Packers’ journey truly has been winding on the road. Not that they’re backing down when they’ve traveled so far. “It’s a great opportunity, it’s kind of you against ... you and your guys, the people you bring with you, in a hostile environment,” All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “It’s kind of an all-in against their team and the elements, the crowd and the noise. So yeah, you feed off that.” Indianapolis has fed off being considered an outsider in the AFC, and especially among the remaining quarter. The other three have Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, for instance.

OBITUARIES LILLIE W. TINDAL SUMMERTON — Lillie Pearl Witherspoon Tindal, 97, widow of Ellison Tindal, died on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning. She was born on Sept. 6, 1917, in Summerton, a daughter of the late James and Carrie Georgia TINDAL Witherspoon. She was preceded in death by three sons, Joe Nathan, Edward and Johnnie Lee; one daughter, Jacqueline Tindal; six brothers; and three sisters. She received her formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County. She was a member of Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on the usher board for many years. She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star Queen of the South No. 304. Survivors are two daughters, Vashtie Mack of Bennettsville and Lillease (James) Dingle of Summerton; one son, Harold (Willene) Tindal of Summerton; one additional daughter-in-law, Ophelia Tindal of Paxville; four brothers, Elijah Witherspoon of Hollywood, Florida, and George (Mary) Witherspoon, Fred (Joann) Witherspoon and John (Florine) Witherspoon, all of Baltimore, Maryland; two sisters, Catherine (Joseph) Bullock of Baltimore and Frances Conyers of New Haven, Connecticut; 20 grandchildren; and numerous greatgrandchildren and greatgreat-grandchildren. The celebratory services for Mrs. Tindal will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church, Summerton, with the Rev. Dr. W.T. Johnson, pastor, officiating, and Pastor Willene Tindal assisting. Mrs. Tindal will lie in repose one hour prior to service time. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery. The family is receiving friends at her residence, 1149 Rolling Hill Drive, Summerton. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

ANNETTE R. HANCOCK Annette Ross Hancock, 80, wife of LeRoy Dewey Hancock Sr., died on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late James T. “J.T.” and Leila Lewis Ross. Mrs. Hancock was a mem- HANCOCK

ber of First Southern Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband of 63 years; three children, Elaine Hancock Rowell (Bill) of Blythewood, LeRoy “Roy” Dewey Hancock Jr. (Jere) of Sumter and Russell Ross Hancock of Lugoff; six grandchildren, Jennifer Dagenhart (Danny), Will Rowell (Grace), Rebecca Munger (Chris), Beth White (Jeremy), LeRoy D. Hancock III (Kelly) and Alyece Varner (Patrick); 10 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Nell Ross Williams of Sulfur, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Eric Lee Hancock. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at Providence Southern Methodist Church cemetery in Dalzell with the Rev. Ellison Evans officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the graveside and other times at the home. The family would like to express their gratitude to her faithful and dedicated caregivers, Rosa Jefferson and Wendy Commander. Memorials may be made to First Southern Methodist Church, 321 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150 or to the American Cancer Society, 950 48th Ave. N., Suite 101, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens

BABLEE BRIGGS Bablee Briggs, 60, died on Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning. Born on Oct. 21, 1954, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late General and Lee Ragin. The family will receive friends at the home of her sister, Linda Ragin, 1013 Armour Hill Drive, Pinewood. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Summerton Funeral Home LLC.

WESSIE W. JOHNSON Wessie Wright Johnson, widow of Deacon Raymond “Boot” Johnson, entered eternal rest on Tuesday morning, Jan. 13, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center. Born on Sept. 7, 1918, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late William Bill and Rosa Sharper Wright. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home of her niece, Carolyn B. Johnson, 1008 Nathaniel St. Funeral plans will be announced by Community Funeral Home of Sumter.

MAUDE W. BOWMAN ALCOLU — Maude Wells Bowman, 101, widow of L.T.

We’re moving to .... 2 N. MAIN STREET EARLY SPRING CORNER OF LIBERTY & MAIN

DOROTHY MAE JENKINS Dorothy Mae Jenkins, 93, departed this life on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Sumter East Health & Rehab Center. She was born on Aug. 30, 1921, in Sumter, a daughter of the late Moses and Jennie Parker Jenkins. The family will be receiving friends at 425 Derek Drive, Sumter, SC 29154. Funeral plans are incomplete and will be announced later by Job’s Mortuary Inc. of Sumter.

NICHOLE V. DAWKINS Nichole V. Dawkins, 45, departed this life on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, in Brea, California. She was born on April 18, 1969, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Virdeena Dawkins and the late Dr. Charles Dawkins.

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

DARLENE BURKE Darlene Alice Rowe Burke, age 67, beloved wife of 47 years to John Lewis Burke, died on Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, at her residence, surrounded by family and friends. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter.

MIRIAM P. SCOTT Miriam Patricia Scott, 61, wife of Londos Scott, died on Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia. Born on Jan. 14, 1953, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of Isaac Kennie Sanders and Carrie Sanders Hollimon. The family is receiving friends and relatives at the home of Fred and Bessie Sanders Gordon, 3435 Kel Sam Drive, Dalzell. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter.

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CLASSIFIEDS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

THE ITEM

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

CLASSIFIEDS Dogs Male chocolate, Boykin Spaniel, 10 months old, up to date on shots, $200. Call 803-468-1065.

MERCHANDISE Farm Products Horse Hay for sale. Tight sq. bails $5. Some for $4. Heavy rnd. bails $40. Some $35 Corn oats hog feed. Call Warren 843-319-1884 The family of Gloria A Stanback wishes to extend a sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone who has shown us such loving care during our time of loss and sorrow.

Lost & Found Found Female Cat area of Saratoga St. Call and identify Call 803-775-3205.

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

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

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

Septic Tank Cleaning

Firewood For Sale Tons of fire wood premium seasoned oak. You pick up $40 per pick up load, delivered 1/2 cord $70. Call Collins Tree Service 803-499-2136

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

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For Sale or Trade Firewood for Sale Will Deliver. Call 803 651-8672 6 x10 -6x12-6x16 Utility Trailers for sale 803-972-0900 Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves. Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311 Office desks, file cabinet, sm. refridg., chairs. Call 803-810-7633 for viewing. Clarendon Memorial Gardens, Inc. - 1 grave space. 45-D, lot #3 in Section F. $700. Call 803-478-7422.

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time

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

Tree Service 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 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.

Locally established Heating & Air condition Co. looking for Exp. Service Tech. Needs to have good driving record. Pay range from $33k-$46k a year plus health insurance, retirement, bonus and commission available. Apply in person at 1640 Suber Street. Utility Billing Clerk Small working office seeks full time billing clerk. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to entry of monthly billing data, processing of customer invoices, answering customer billing inquires, preparing daily bank deposits, answering telephones. Company provides paid employee benefits, holidays. Minimum 1 year experience, with a preference in utility billing experience. Selected candidate subject to background check and drug testing. Send resume and past salary history to Box 383 Utility Billing c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

STATEBURG COURTYARD

Help Wanted Full-Time

Established Loan Office in Sumter is seeking Asst Mgr. Ideal candidate should have at least 2 yrs experience in the lending industry. Must possess excellent customer service skills as well as have experience in collections. This is a full-time position which offers a competitive salary, 401K, health benefits, and many opportunities to grow. Email resume to resumesumter@gmail.com

Assistant Body Shop Manager Qualifications: customer service / interaction exp., computer knowledge, honest, dependable. Body shop training provided onsite. Salary + commission, vacation, 401k plan, health benefits, sick leave, paid holidays. Apply in person M-F 8-6 at Prothro Chevrolet, Buick, GMC 452 N. Brooks St. Manning, SC 803-433-2535

Ding Dong Avon Calling Avon by Vi, ISR. $15 to start. Let's talk 803-934-6292 or join online today! www.startavon.com Ref: Viola Open House Job Fair Sumter Subways. Multiple positions available - both day and night shifts. Come to Subway at 1961 McCrays Mill Rd on Monday, Jan. 19 between 9am-11am. Meter Reader/Utility Maintenance worker.Small utility company seeks full time meter reader/maintenance worker. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to monthly meter reading, disconnects for delinquent accounts, repair and maintenance of water distribution lines and services. Certification and licensing is a plus but not required. Training will be provided as needed. Company provides paid employee benefits, holidays. Experience in utility maintenance is preferred but not required, with proper aptitude. Selected candidate subject to background check and drug testing. Send resume and past salary history to Box 382 Meter Reader c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151 Full Time Sales position available. Some experience preferred but will train. No calls. Apply at Wally's Hardware 1291 broad St . COMMUNITY MANAGER needed for apartment community in the Sumter area. This is an exciting yet challenging FT position. If you possess supervisory experience, marketing, written and verbal communication plus computer skills, then we need you on our team. Previous property management experience preferred but not required. Must pass criminal check and drug screening. Our company offers competitive salary and benefits. Must live within 25 miles of Sumter. Please fax cover letter and resume to Attn. Ad#31 at 1-888-859-3978 or email jobsearch.2014@outlook.com with Attn. Ad #31 for subject. EOE.

Clarendon Chamber of Commerce seeks Executive Director. Email: chamber@clarendoncounty.com for job description. Resume required. Closing date: January 30 at 5:00 pm

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.

Help Wanted Part-Time Experienced Dry Clean Presser only. Apply in person at Little's Cleaners on Bultman Dr. Top pay for experience only. $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555 Full time Musician Area church is seeking a full time musician. Please call 803-481-4501 to obtain an application or email your contact information to salvation@ftc-i.net and an application will be mailed to you. A background check will be required.

RENTALS Furnished Apartments 1 Bedroom Apt, liv. rm, kit, bath, fully furnished. $475 per month, incl. garbage, water and sewer. Quiet Country Setting. No Smoking, drinking or drugs! 803-481-0015 Excellent for elderly person. Single Occupancy.

Unfurnished Apartments Swan Lake Apts. Apply now. Remodeled builds. in back, 2Bd 1Ba apts. in quiet, scenic neighborhood. No section 8. 803-775-4641.

CONTRACTOR WANTED! For Route In The

Paxville & Home Branch Area Great for person looking for extra income. If you have good dependable transportation and a phone in your home and a desire to earn a good income,

CALL HARRY PRINGLE at 774-1257 OR COME BY AND APPLY AT

Unfurnished Apartments

Mobile Home Rentals

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

STATEBURG COURTYARD

Unfurnished Homes Nice 3BR 2BA Brick Home, Lg Den w FP, Bonus Rm., Formal Dr., Lg. Fenced backyard, $950 mo+dep Call 803-840-0207

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

Commercial Rentals 1 Acre fenced in repo. car lot on E. Liberty St. $400 month. Bobby Sisson 773-4381.

REAL ESTATE

3BR 1.5BA 726 E. Charlotte St. CHA, frig., stove incl., detached carport, $600 mo. Call 803-774-3000 Brick House 3BR/1.5BA, lg fnd bkyard, garage, carport, appl, furnished, quiet neighborhood. No pets. Conv to Shaw $800 mo.+dep 803-847-7599

Manufactured Housing For Sale Nice 4Br 2Ba DW w/ lg. lot 803-983-0408

Harvin Manor Apartments 53 Church St., Summerton, SC 29148

803-485-2077 Applications Accepted At The Site Ofﬁce Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. 1 BEDROOM APARTMENTS HOUSING FOR PERSONS 62 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, HANDICAP/DISABLED, REGARDLESS OF AGE

FULL RENTAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS “IF YOU WISH TO FILE A CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION, COMPLETE THE USDA PROGRAM DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT FORM, FOUND ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.ASCR.USDA.GOV/COMPLAINT_FILING_CUST.HTML, OR AT ANY USDA OFFICE, OR CALL (866) 632-9992 TO REQUEST THE FORM. YOU MAY ALSO WRITE A LETTER CONTAINING ALL OF THE INFORMATION REQUESTED IN THE FORM. SEND YOUR COMPLETED COMPLAINT FORM OR LETTER TO US BY MAIL AT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ADJUDICATION, 1400 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, S.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250-9410, BY FAX (202) 690-7442 OR EMAIL AT PROGRAM.INTAKE@USDA.GOV.”

Accessible Units TTY Relay# 1-803-735-2905 Reasonable Accommodations

ROUTE OPEN IN Whites Mill, Dubose Siding & Cotton Acres GREAT FOR PERSON LOOKING FOR EXTRA INCOME If you have good, dependable transportation and a phone in your home, apply in person at:

Circulation Department

20 N. Magnolia Street Sumter, SC 29150 or call Lori at (803) 774-1216

20 N. Magnolia St. • Sumter, SC

Shaw Flea Market

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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.

At Shaw AFB • 494-5500

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

Meadowfield Apartments 1015 Meadowfield Dr., Summerton, SC 29148

803-485-8259

Applications Accepted At The Site Office Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. 1, 2, & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS

For More Info Call: 803-494-4015

• Central Heat/Air • Carpet/Stove/Refrigerator/Mini-Blinds • Federally Subsidized • Laundry Facility On Site • Washer/Dryer Connections • Playground “THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN REAL ESTATE RELATED TRANSACTIONS, OR IN THE TERMS OF CONDITIONAL OF SUCH A TRANSACTION, RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, DISABILITY, FAMILIAL STATUS, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. THE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THIS LAW IS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. IF A PERSON BELIEVES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN VIOLATION OF THIS LAW, THEY SHOULD CONTACT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WASHINGTON, DC 20410 OR CALL (800) 669-9777.”

Accessible Units TTY 1-803-485-8259 Reasonable Accommodations HUD Housing Assistance Payment Contract “Rental Assistance Available For Qualified Applicants”

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TUXEDOS AVAILABLE for rental or purchase

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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.

TRANSPORTATION

Autos For Sale Buy Here Pay Here, no interest, no credit check, no document fees, Floyds Used Cars, 1640 Toole St. 803-495-9585 or 803-464-2891

2004 Lincoln Towncar, White, 75500 miles, as good as new, garage kept. $7000 Call 803-481-7171

AUCTION 2000 Buick LeSabre Silver, Nicely Equipped Only 74000 miles! Bid ONLINE at www.jrdixonauctions.com J. Rafe Dixon, SCAL 4059 (803) 774-6967

LEGAL NOTICES Legal Notice Project Name: To Secure 6 to 11 ADA accessible, GSA approved 3 to 4 persons bus shelters to include seat and backrest with installation hardware. Project Number: SWRTA 14/15-07 Project Location: Sumter, SC Description of Project: 6 to 11 ADA accessible 3 to 4 persons bus shelters Delivered Location: Attn: Patricia Drakeford, 129 South Harvin Street, Sumter, SC 29150 Questions Deadline: January 20, 2015 by 4:00pm Submit Quote by: January 27, 2015 @ 2:00PM Agency/Owner: Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority For Copy of Solicitation, please contact the Agency Coordinator listed below. Name & Title of Agency Coordinator: Patricia Drakeford Address: 129 South Harvin Street, P.O. Box 2462, Sumter, SC 29151 Telephone: (803) 934-0396

Legal Notice

Public Hearing

Fax: (803) 938-9867 E-Mail: pdrakeford@swrta.com Hand Deliver/Fed Ex/UPS Quote to: Compliance Officer, SWRTA, 129 South Harvin Street, Sumter, SC 29150, Solicitation: SWRTA 14/15-07 Mail Quote to: Compliance Officer, SWRTA, P.O. Box 2462, Sumter, SC 29151, Solicitation: SWRTA 14/15-07

Destruction of Special Education Records (300.573) Sumter School District will be destroying special education records for students exiting during or prior to the 2009-2010 school year. Records being destroyed include all special education referral records, evaluation reports, testing protocols, notifications of meetings, Individual Education Plans (IEP), reviews of existing data summaries, and all other personally identifiable information therein. Under state and federal law, special education records must be maintained for a period of five years after special education services have ended. Former students over the age of 18, or parents of students over the age of 18, who have retained parental rights through the court's determination, may obtain special education records by contacting and making an appointment with Mrs. Lillarweise Seymore at (803) 774-5500 (ext. 210).

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South Carolina Department of Corrections

CAREER FAIR

Saturday, January 17, 2015 • 9:00am - 1:00pm

Saturday, January 24, 2015 • 9:00am - 1:00pm

Hiring All Qualified Applicants for the Position of

Correctional Officer II

Requirements: Must be a U.S. Citizen, at least 21 years of age, High School Diploma or GED, No Criminal Record, Must possess a Valid Current Driver’s License. If offered employment, you must pass a physical examination.

WORK SCHEDULE: 12 Hour Shift (No Rotation), 2 weekends off per month, work only 14 days per month.

Excellent State Benefits • Police Retirement • Training and Uniforms Provided

Turbeville Correctional Institution

1578 Clarence Coker Hwy. • Turbeville, SC 29162 For more information or directions, please call Lt. Peeples at 803-896-1655 or Frozana McCullum at 803-896-3128 Come dressed for an interview, take a tour and meet the institutional staff. You must bring your valid driver’s license. www.doc.sc.gov

The Perfect Housewarming Gift The Sumter Item is locally owned and run. We’re part of this community and we believe in Sumter.

Lee Correctional Institution

990 Wisacky Highway • Bishopville, SC 29010 For more information or directions, please call Lt. Dobbs at 803-896-1665 or Robin King at 803-896-2440 Come dressed for an interview, take a tour and meet the institutional staff. You must bring your valid driver’s license. www.doc.sc.gov

20 N. Magnolia St. | Sumter, SC 803.774.1200 www.theitem.com

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

2015 Spoleto — difficult choices Festival offers more than 100 performances

HARLESTON – Spoleto Festival USA has announced the program for its 2015 sea-

son, and once again it offers a diverse and outstanding roster of talent. The Charleston-based festival opens its 39th season at City Hall on Friday, May 22, and runs through Sunday, June 7, ending with the usual spectacular finale at Middleton Place. Tickets go on sale Jan. 20, and the two-week donor pre-sale continues through Jan. 19.

The festival includes the world premiere of the opera “Paradise Interrupted” by Huang Ruo, designed and directed by visual artist Jennifer Wen Ma, known for her work for the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics; the American premiere and first performances in more than 350 years of Francesco Cavalli’s baroque opera “Veremonda, l’amazzone di Aragona,” and the first U.S. performances of a new production of “Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare’s Globe. Featuring artists from nine countries and across the U.S. in more than 150 performances, the festival will also present new works by choreographers Shen Wei and Pontus Lidberg and composer Mark Applebaum. Music highlights include Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell in concert, an outdoor concert in the College of Charleston Cistern Yard by jazz singer Dianne Reeves, and the North American debut of Argentine pianist Carlos Aguirre. The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra will perform a concert of works by Sibelius, Barber, and Tan Dun and will also perform film scores on stage for screenings of Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights” and Bill Morrison’s “Decasia.” Seven-piece soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones will headline the Wells Fargo Festival Finale at Middleton Place on June 7. While all the Spoleto USA Festival performances can be considered “highlights,” here is information on several selections. • Contemporary music and art combine in the world premiere of Paradise Interrupted by visual artist, designer, and director Jennifer Wen Ma, who is known internationally for her visual installations and her work on the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and composer Huang Ruo (Dr. Sun Yat-sen). Marrying Chinese tradition dating back to the Ming dynasty with Western idioms, the libretto by Wen Ma and Ji Chao tells the story of a dreamer who ventures into a vast garden that will spring forth from the Memminger Auditorium’s empty stage.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Shen Wei Dance Arts will perform its celebrated work Map set to selections from Steve Reich’s The Desert Music, and a new work called Untitled #12 originally conceived for a museum performance at Art Basel Miami Beach. • Shakespeare’s Globe makes its Spoleto Festival USA debut with a new production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Artistic Director Dominic Dromgoole and Tim Hoare. Based in London’s rebuilt Globe Theatre that opened in 1997, the company is known for its authentic yet bold productions. Romeo and Juliet will run for 19 performances in the Dock Street Theatre and will be the first American performances of this production. • Italy’s famed Carlo Colla and Sons Marionette Company delighted Festival audiences with its 2010 production of Cinderella and returns with another classic tale, Sleeping Beauty, described by The New York Times as “. . . simply a gorgeous and glorious spectacle.” Featuring 165 meticulously handcrafted marionettes, hand-painted scenery and intricate costumes, the story is told in English and enhanced by excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s ballet score. • A thousand-year-old performance tradition from Vietnam comes to the Festival for the first time with the debut of the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre. Performances weave together fastpaced and fantastical traditional tales played out by puppets that dance, skip and glide over the water’s surface. The action is manipulated by puppeteers who are hidden from view and accompanied by live musicians performing on traditional instruments. • Australia’s Casus Circus will make its Spoleto Festival USA debut with its acclaimed show Knee Deep that has catapulted the company onto the international circus scene. The members of Casus bring a wealth of experience having performed with ensembles including Circa, Legs on the Wall, Briefs and Circus Oz. Knee Deep has been performed around the world, including at the Edinburgh Festival, and features ac-

Scottish Ballet has built a reputation for taking classic stories and creating groundbreaking works, hallmarks showcased in its internationally acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire to be performed in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre over opening weekend.

Australia’s Casus Circus will make its Spoleto Festival USA debut with its acclaimed show Knee Deep that has catapulted the company onto the international circus scene. robatics and aerial stunts while also being heralded for bringing a raw emotional edge and beauty to the stage. • Scottish Ballet has built a reputation for taking classic stories and creating groundbreaking works, hallmarks showcased in its internationally acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire to be performed in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre over opening weekend. Director Nancy Meckler and choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s production maintains the complexity of Tennessee Williams’ original form, using physical vocabulary to tell the story of Blanche DuBois, Stanley and Stella. The work is set to a score by Peter Salem incorporating the sounds of New Orleans jazz. • Two acclaimed dance ensembles, Trisha Brown Dance Company and Shen Wei Dance Arts, return to the Festival in 2015. Trisha Brown Dance Company will perform four works: “If you couldn’t see me, Rogues, PRESENT TENSE,” and the iconic “Set and Reset,” featuring sets and costumes by Robert Rauschenberg and music by Laurie Anderson in the Emmett Robinson Theatre at College of Charleston. Shen Wei Dance Arts will perform its celebrated work “Map” set to selections from Steve Reich’s “The Desert Music,” and a new work called “Untitled #12” originally conceived for a museum performance at Art Basel Miami Beach. The work will have its first theatrical performance at the Festival and feature Shen Wei’s recent series of large-scale abstract paintings as part of the set design in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre. • Director for Choral Activities Joe Miller will conduct five Westminster Choir performances of three programs. In the first program the ensemble explores its sonic capabilities through works celebrating inspiration and creation: Urmas Sisask’s Oremus is paired with Eric Whitacre’s Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine, followed by Monteverdi’s passion Si ch’io vorrei morire and the opening chorus of J.S. Bach’s Cantata 79. A second program to be performed

twice in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre pairs two works composed nearly 400 years apart: David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Little Match Girl Passion and Giacomo Carissimi’s Jephte. The Little Match Girl Passion will feature the US premiere of choreography by Pontus Lidberg for two dancers in which he reimagines the little match girl not as a starving child, but as an everywoman longing for human contact. Lang’s passion recasts Han Christian Andersen’s tale in the format of J.S. Bach’s monumental St. Matthew Passion. • Spoleto Orchestra conductor John Kennedy’s Music in Time series features five concerts that explore contemporary music. The first concert called The Lost Garden will showcase music by Huang Ruo, the composer of the opera Paradise Interrupted, performed by members of the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra. • Outside the classical genre, the Festival offers a Memorial Day evening concert by American country music legends Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell in the TD Arena at College of Charleston. • Under the direction of violinist Geoff Nuttall, The Charles E. and Andrea L. Volpe Director for Chamber Music, the Bank of America Chamber Music series features 33 concerts of 11 programs performed twice daily in the historic Dock Street Theatre. Full program details will be announced in March. • The 2015 program for the Wells Fargo Jazz series features popular returning artists along with Festival newcomers. Four-time Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist and Festival favorite Dianne Reeves returns to perform an outdoor concert in the College of Charleston Cistern Yard. Brazilian singer Mônica Salmaso returns, joined by two of Brazil’s most esteemed musicians, pianist Nelson Ayers and Teco Cardoso on saxophone and flute. American singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux will make her Festival debut with two concerts in the Cistern Yard with her distinctive renditions of classics and modern songs alongside her own signature songs. • The Festival continues its Conversations With discussion series—interviews with Festival artists conducted by Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent Martha Teichner. This season, the series will feature Wen Ma and Huang Ruo; Director Shen Wei; Artists from Shakespeare’s Globe; and Director Stefano Vizioli and Conductor Aaron Carpenè from the opera “Veremonda.” Admission is free at the Charleston Library Society, 164 King St. For contributors of $100 or more, Spoleto Festival USA is offering a donor pre-sale through Jan. 19, providing exclusive access to tickets and premium seating for the 2015 season. Information on the donor pre-sale can be found at spoletousa.org. On-site box office operations will again be located at the Charleston Visitor Center at 375 Meeting St. beginning Monday, March 16. Tickets are available starting Jan. 20 at spoletousa.org or by calling (843) 5793100. Sumter Item writer Ivy Moore contributed to this story.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

10 fresh takes on Super Bowl guacamole BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

hether or not you like avocados, you really have to admire the way their marketers have totally owned the Super Bowl.

For no particular reason other than force of will, avocados — and the guacamole they produce — are indelibly linked with this major American sporting event. A Super Bowl party without guacamole — and its trusty sidekick chicken wings — in many circles is considered downright unpatriotic. So to help you better embrace the official fruit of the Super Bowl, we came up with 10 creative ways to make a better guacamole. We suggest starting with our basic recipe — which is pretty darn good just as is — then adding in whichever combination of flavors best gets you in the mood for the big game.

BASIC GUACAMOLE Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 8 2 avocados

Juice of 1/2 lime 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 cup diced tomato 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup diced red onion Kosher salt and ground black pepper Hot sauce, to taste Slice the avocados in half lengthwise around the pits. Twist to separate the halves and remove the pits. Spoon the flesh into a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado until as chunky or smooth as you prefer. Stir in the lime juice, cumin, tomato, cilantro and red onion. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Serve immediately. Nutrition information per serving: 90 calories; 70 calories from fat (78 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 1 g protein; 80 mg sodium.

10 ALTERNATIVES TO BASIC GUACAMOLE • Fast and dirty: In place of the tomato, cilantro and red onion, stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite jarred salsa, 1 tablespoon olive brine, and 2 tablespoons chopped green olives. • Mango-balsamic: In place of the tomato, stir in the diced flesh of 1 mango. Use scallions in place of the red onion and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar in place of the lime juice.

• Chipotle-corn: Stir in 1 minced chipotle and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo. Add 1/2 cup corn kernels. • Tzatziki: Use 1 cup finely diced seedless cucumber in place of the tomato and red onion. Use dill in place of the cilantro. Stir in 2 minced cloves garlic. • Roasted garlic and poblano: Roast a head of garlic wrapped in foil with a little olive oil until tender and

brown, about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Roast a poblano pepper under the broiler, turning frequently, until the skin chars. Carefully remove the charred skin from the pepper, then chop the flesh. Squeeze the garlic pulp from the skin and mash. Mix both into the guacamole, omitting the onion. • Minted cotija: Follow the basic method for guacamole, but use 2 avocados, the lime juice, 3 tablespoons chopped

fresh mint, and 2/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. • Maple-bacon: Follow the basic method for guacamole, but use 3 avocados, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 chopped scallions, and 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon. Season heavily with black pepper. • Ginger-hoisin: Add 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger and 2 tablespoons hoisin

sauce. • Citrus tabbouleh: Replace the tomato and onion with 3/4 cup purchased tabbouleh and the zests of 1 lemon, 1 lime and 1 orange. • Shrimp scampi: Use lemon juice in place of the lime juice and basil in place of the cilantro. Omit the cumin, tomato and onion. Stir in 1 cup chopped cooked shrimp, 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.

Session beers: More flavor, but less buzz BY MICHAEL FELBERBAUM Associated Press Writer

RICHMOND, Va. — When it comes to beer, Super Bowl Sunday is a marathon, not a sprint. So if you’re hoping to sip craft brews throughout the game, you might consider more “sessionable” beers to keep yourself from passing out before halftime. These naturally lower-alcohol brews also get extra points for their ability to pair well with traditional football party fare, the chips, dips, wings and pizza we tend to crave during the big game. Why does it matter? Many craft beers pack more alcohol than mass-produced offerings, sometimes edging up as high as 15 percent alcohol by volume. But that can lead to a one-and-done effect not wellsuited to longer events like the Super Bowl. So craft breweries increasingly are offering beers — such as session brews — that pack less alcohol, but don’t skimp on flavor. Session beers have been getting more attention lately, but they’ve been around for a while. Some contend they originated in England, where they were popular with workers who wanted something to sip during breaks that wouldn’t leave them too intoxicated to be on the job. Session beers come in many forms, but typically are defined as any style made lower in strength than classic guidelines and that doesn’t exceed about 5 percent alcohol by vol-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Founders All Day IPA and Peak Organic Winter Session Ale are some of the lower alcohol craft beers available. ume (craft beers average about 6 percent). Several traditional beer styles, such as a Kolsch, pilsner, lager and pale ale, as well as more unique beer styles with more sour character like Berliner weisse or gose, are typically “sessionable” because they are lower in alcohol. “Session really answers the call to people who want all that flavor and character and yet a little less of the alcohol,” says Matt Brynildson, brewmaster for Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California, which makes Easy Jack, a popular session IPA. “It’s an indication that craft is starting to appeal more to Joe

Six-pack and the folks that were drinking mainstream lagers.” And this is significant beyond the Super Bowl. Craft brewers had almost 8 percent market share (and 14 percent dollar share) of the $100 billion U.S. beer market in 2013, according to the Brewers Association, which represents most of the nation’s 3,200 breweries. Most of the noncraft market falls on the lighter end of the beer spectrum, an area craft brewers see as primed for growth. “Brewers are bringing the other end of the rainbow to the craft beer scene,” says Julia Herz, the craft beer pro-

gram director at the Brewers Association. “These beers are light, refreshing and still satisfying.” While the Brewers Association is still working to measure just how big session beers are as a category, its growing popularity is clear. Session beers first appeared as a category during the Great American Beer Festival in 2007 with 14 entries, though it originally was called “other low strength ale or lager.” In 2014, the category had 94 entries. Session beers can be more technically difficult to make because lighter beers have less complexity to cover up any unwanted flavors from the

brewing process, but Brynildson says session IPAs in particular are the perfect canvas to highlight the pine and citrus flavor and aroma of the hops using a light, lean, subtly sweet backbone. Some notable and recently launched session beers worth considering this Super Bowl include Founders Brewing Co.’s All Day IPA, Stone Brewing Co.’s Go To IPA, Oskar Blues Brewery’s Pinner Throwback IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Nooner Pilsner, and Lagunitas Brewing Co.’s DayTime, whose description reads in part, “it still lets you stay in the game to do what needs to be done.”

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

Gochujang is the sauce you want for wings BY AARTI SEQUEIRA The Associated Press I’ll admit, I have a thing for condiments. My refrigerator is full of them. Mustards, chutneys, ketchups, mayonnaises and so on. And I love them all. But lately, I’ve been reaching for one condiment more than any other. It’s what some people call Korea’s answer to ketchup. But gochujang (pronounced GO-choo-jong) is so much more wonderful, complex and versatile than a basic ketchup. I promise, this is a condiment you want to get to know. Just in the past year, gochujang has become a darling of the food scene. Chefs around the country love the way it dances across the taste buds, lighting them up with shades of heat, sweet, savory, smoke and a gentle funky tang. Made from red chilies, fermented soybeans, rice, salt and sugar, this thick red paste is a mainstay of Korean cuisine. In Korean cooking, gochujang is used as a base for stews and marinades, as well as a feisty condiment for onepot dishes such as bibimbap (a rice bowl usually topped with meats, vegetables, pickles and a fried egg). I first encountered gochujang when I lived with two Korean-American women after university. I remember watching Sara make herself a quick lunch of steamed sticky rice wrapped in small squares of seaweed and topped with a dollop of gochujang. It was deceptively simple, but one bite and the complexity of the briny seaweed crashing against the sweet heat of the gochujang had me reaching for her entire lunch. These days, gochujang is on my breakfasts of scrambled eggs and vegetables. Mixed with soy sauce and vinegar, it makes a quick marinade for meats. I even add a spoonful to pasta sauces, chili and salad dressings for a little meaty depth. But my favorite? These easy baked chicken wings. Add some chilled cucumber spears dressed lightly with sesame oil and salt, and you’ve got a Korean-inspired answer to the ultimate Super Bowl snack.

ed, then return them to the roasting rack. Increase the oven to broil and set the chicken on an oven shelve about 6 inches from the heat. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and chars in places. Transfer to a serving platter, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and accompany with cucumber spears. Nutrition information per serving: 480 calories; 230 calories from fat (48 percent of total calories); 26 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 205 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 35 g protein; 2,380 mg sodium.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Korean-Style Chicken Wings are made with gochujang, which in Korean cooking is used as a base for stews and marinades, as well as a feisty condiment.

KOREAN-STYLE CHICKEN WINGS Gochujang is becoming increasingly common. You should have little trouble finding it in the Asian or international aisle of most larger grocers. Start to finish: 1 hour (15 minutes active) Servings: 4 3 pounds chicken wings, split into drummettes and wings (tips discarded) 1 tablespoon baking powder Kosher salt and ground black pepper 6 tablespoons gochujang (for a milder heat, use 3 to 4 tablespoons) 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 6 cloves garlic, finely grated (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish Chilled cucumber spears dressed with sesame oil and salt, to serve Heat the oven to 475 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then set a metal rack over it. Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken wings. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder and a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer on the rack over the prepared pan. Roast for 40 minutes, or until golden, turning the pan after 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a second large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Set aside. Once the chicken wings have roasted, transfer them to the bowl with the sauce. Toss until well coat-

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Before you lose your cool, find out what makes you hot DEAR ABBY — I’m a good person, but when I get frustrated over something, I fly off the handle. I date, have Dear Abby several close friends and a ABIGAIL good job in a VAN BUREN field I enjoy. Stresses in life are normal. But sometimes I blow up over things. When it happens, I can see my co-workers and friends are taken aback by my behavior. I need to improve this. I’m worried my explosive temper will affect my relationships, my job and the people I see socially. I heard you have a booklet about this issue. Where can I

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get one, and do you have any advice for me? Hot and bothered in Atlanta DEAR HOT AND BOTHERED — Yes, I do. While anger is a normal emotion, the problem with a hair-trigger temper is that people who fly off the handle often shoot themselves in the foot. That’s why it’s important to develop tools to recognize, control and channel anger effectively without exploding. A first step in doing that is to analyze what may be setting you off. Does being overtired, hungry or not feeling up to par cause you to lash out? Feeling vulnerable has been known to make people feel angry and has negatively affected relationships. When a person’s beliefs or values are questioned, they can become angry and,

believe it or not, low self-esteem causes people to fly off the handle. People who suffer from feelings of inadequacy constantly try to prove themselves — which drives them to win every “battle” whether it’s a discussion about sports or any other subject that arises. Most adults learn from early childhood to manage anger. But it’s equally important to learn to EXPRESS anger in ways that are constructive. Order my booklet “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It,” by sending your name and mailing address, plus a check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to Dear Abby — Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price. I hope it will be helpful for you.

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.

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Monday Night Football regular until 1983 7 Gobbled, as a turkey 10 Site with a “Buy It Now” option 14 Mecca’s peninsula 15 In the bath 16 “__ Rock” 17 Hires a new crew for 18 Styled after 19 Shot up 20 Confounded British illumination? 23 Jamaican genre 24 Walkway material 25 Meter or liter 29 Med. plan option 31 “Twin Peaks” co-creator David 34 White House maiden name between Pierce and Welch 37 Dr. J hairstyle 39 Lone Ranger and Tonto, e.g. 40 Confounded British posies? 43 First __ 44 Horner’s find 45 Have a strong desire (for) 46 Things to fulfill 48 It’s on the

streets 50 Flanders river 51 Vinegar vessel 53 Dangerous snake 56 Confounded British residences? 62 Actor Bean of “Game of Thrones” 63 Aegean __ 64 Give one’s word 65 Stock options, e.g. 66 WWII intel agcy. 67 Look through partially open curtains, say 68 Round components 69 Vague degree 70 Flowed in circles DOWN 1 Prep for a marathon, with “up” 2 N.L. Cy Young Award winner three years after Dwight 3 Nordic language 4 “Voice of Israel” author 5 Rory McIlroy’s milieu 6 Big name in vision correction 7 Like an excited puppy’s tail 8 Takes to task

9 Web business 10 San Francisco-to-Teaneck interstate 11 Round servers 12 Iowa State city 13 Swerve from a course 21 “I’ll pass” 22 Clumsy sort 25 Citified 26 “Cross my heart” 27 “Bless my soul!” 28 Howe’er 30 Molten rock 32 Bend 33 Car wash employee, at times 35 Excites 36 Wire thickness unit 38 “Kidnapped” author’s monogram 41 Most eccen-

tric 42 Manner 47 Round components 49 Cloth remnant 52 HP competitor 54 Configure 55 Prepared for a shot 56 Texture 57 “I don’t mind eels / Except as meals / And the way they feels” poet 58 Previously driven, say 59 TomKat’s daughter 60 Lake at one end of the Niagara River 61 Final email step 62 Place for a pedi

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Reality doesn’t exist in wacky ‘Man Seeking Woman’ BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Fans of Woody Allen’s “early, funny” movies should not miss “Man Seeking Woman” (10:30 p.m., FXX, TV-MA). This absurd and surreal comedy owes a lot to films like Allen’s “Bananas” and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex,” comedies where the mundane desires and sexual fumbling of a nebbish are treated as breaking news or fraught with the tensions of a sciencefiction thriller. Jay Baruchel (“Knocked Up,” “Undeclared”) stars as the mild-mannered Josh Greenberg. He’s devastated by his recent breakup with Maggie (Maya Erskine). His brash and sexually cavalier buddy, Mike (Eric Andre), advises him to surf the net or use sex-hookup smartphone apps to find new conquests and move on. Instead, Josh allows his Type-A sister, Liz (Britt Lower), to set him up on a date with a “woman” who is literally a troll — a filthy, dumpster-diving monster who sleeps under bridges. But Josh is even made to feel guilty when he breaks it off with this creature. “Man” manages to pull off situations this over-the-top with a deft, light touch. In some sitcoms or cartoons where anything can happen, nothing seems to matter. But Josh’s essential sad-sack character keeps “Man” grounded in humanity. You really care when he musters up the gumption to ask a pretty stranger on the subway for her phone number. Apparently, the world does too, because this event is covered like headline news, one worthy of a personal, congratulatory call from President Obama himself. • “Man Seeking Woman” is only one Wednesday night cable comedy featuring goofballs stumbling through life. “Broad City” (10:30 p.m., Comedy Central, TV-14) returns for a new 10-episode season following Abbi and Ilana as they wring maximum angst out of their minimum-wage occupations. If you haven’t seen “Broad City,” imagine the gang on “Girls” without trust funds created by folks who actually want their audience to laugh. “Broad City” follows the similarly silly slacker comedy “Workaholics” (10 p.m., Comedy Central, TV-14). The manic

MICHAEL GIBSON / FXX

Jay Baruchel, left, stars as Josh and Eric Andre as Mike in the new FXX comedy “Man Seeking Woman” premiering at 10:30 p.m. today.

comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (10 p.m., FXX, TVMA) enters its 10th season tonight as well. • “Web of Lies” (10 p.m., ID, TV14) enters its second season, offering examinations and re-enactments of lying, cheating, nogood guys who hide behind cyber identities, from the “Craigslist Killer” to Facebook stalkers. • “NOVA” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) examines the 2012 discovery of the Higgs boson particle and just what that means to our understanding of the universe.

control mode on “Empire” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14). • Anchors aweigh on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG). • The twins discover disturbing news about Chester on “American Horror Story” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA).

CULT CHOICE A naive rookie (Mark Wahlberg) becomes an overnight sensation in “Boogie Nights” (10:30 p.m., IFC, TV-MA), director Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 meditation on the adult movie demimonde.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

SERIES NOTES

• Auditions take place in Kansas City, Missouri, on “American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox, TVPG). • A honeymoon thwarted on the season premiere of “Melissa and Joey” (8 p.m., ABC Family, TV-14). • Riley comes clean on the season premiere of “Baby Daddy” (8:30 p.m., ABC Family, TV-14). • Lucious goes into damage

Lisbon’s brother becomes a suspect on “The Mentalist” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Combustion on “The Mysteries of Laura” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * Serving time on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Nyssa returns on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * A Sadie Hawkins dance on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Victims on ice on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * An agent provocateur

on “Law & Order: SVU” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * Reverse Flash arrives on “The Flash” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * History lessons on “black-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * The mayor attracts unwanted attention on “Stalker” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Splitsville on “Chicago PD” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14) * A wealthy philanthropist dies mysteriously on “Forever” (10 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG).

LATE NIGHT Julianne Moore is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Patrick Stewart, Niecy Nash

and Simon Amstell appear on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Amanda Peet and Ryn Weaver appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad and Panda Bear on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Carrie Brownstein and Mali Music visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler co-host Nick Cannon and Linda Perry on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS). Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

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Fill mushrooms with cheesy, spicy goodness BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Flavor of buffalo wings, barbecue ribs unite BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

e know what you want for your Super Bowl party. You want big, bold

Anybody who has kids will appreciate this milestone. My daughter ate an entire mushroom for the first time the other day! I had roasted it on a baking sheet alongside other veggies, knowing she would likely skip the mushroom and dig around for the carrots and beets instead. Up until the other night, she had always shied away from these earthy little morsels. But apparently now, at the ripe age of 7, she is on the mushroom bandwagon, and I am thrilled. I love mushrooms because they are meaty and satisfying, yet an entire cup has just 15 tiny calories (and 2 grams of protein). Plus, they offer a dose of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. But the real benefit is that the deep flavor of mushrooms will make you com-

pletely forget you are eating something healthy. Looking for a veggie that won’t leave you feeling hungry? The mushroom is your guy. And the perfect time to forget your food is actually healthy is the tailgate party. Football season is snacking season. The only problem with game-time snacking — especially for the Super Bowl — is that we can easily get stuck in a Buffalo wing rut, which is not an excellent long-term major snacking strategy for the healthconscious. So this weekend I couldn’t help but be inspired by Margaux’s new-found love of mushrooms. I took all the flavors of a Buffalo wing and stuffed them into a mushroom cap, then baked it. The filling and bulky mushroom slowed down my snacking enough to keep me from overdoing it on the cheesy, spicy goodness. Just in case I happen to get caught up in the game...

flavors. You want rich, meaty goodness. All of which is to say, you

BUFFALO CHICKEN AND KALE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

want grub.

We got grub. We came up with these boneless barbecue bites as a delicious mashup of two classic Super Bowl party favorites — Buffalo chicken wings and barbecue baby back ribs. But while we wanted their brash, sucker punch of flavor, we didn’t want the sometimes overthe-top labor involved in making them. So we borrowed the flavors and wedded them to easy prep boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Toss the chicken with the sauce, then ignore it for a day while it marinates. And the rest isn’t much more complicated. Serve with plenty of beer and a side of guacamole and chips, and you’ve got a party.

EASY BONELESS BARBECUE BITES Start to finish: 30 minutes, plus marinating Servings: 10 For the bites: 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 cup panko breadcrumbs Kosher salt and ground black pepper For the dressing: 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder Hot sauce, to taste Kosher salt and ground black pepper Trim any visible fat from the chicken thighs, then cut each into 2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and stir in 1 cup of the barbecue sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. When ready to cook, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the

smoked paprika and breadcrumbs and cook until the breadcrumbs are toasted, stirring continuously, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, jalapenos, chives, garlic powder and onion powder. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. Heat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the barbecue sauce, allowing any extra sauce to drain away. Discard the excess marinade. Arrange the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Broil the chicken about 6 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Brush the remaining barbecue sauce over the tops of the chicken bites, then sprinkle all over with the toasted crumbs. Serve with the dressing for dipping. Nutrition information per serving: 430 calories; 150 calories from fat (35 percent of total calories); 16 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 200 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 18 g sugar; 38 g protein; 820 mg sodium.

Start to finish: 45 minutes Makes 15 mushrooms Two 10-ounce packages medium white button, baby bella or cremini mushrooms, stemmed Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter 1 shallot, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 bunch kale, stems removed, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3/4 cup chopped cooked chicken 8 ounces light cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles Olive oil cooking spray Heat the oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or kitchen parchment, then mist with olive oil cooking spray. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the mushroom caps clean, then season them with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the kale and saute until wilted. Add the lemon juice, cover and allow to steam for 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover, remove the pan from heat and stir in the chicken. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, hot sauce and blue cheese crumbles. Add the kale and chicken mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Spoon the cheese filling into the mushroom caps, then arrange the filled caps on the prepared baking sheet. Mist the tops lightly with olive oil cooking spray, then bake for 25 minutes, or until tops are golden and mushrooms are tender. Nutrition information per mushroom: 80 calories; 45 calories from fat (56 percent of total calories); 5 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 6 g protein; 250 mg sodium.