June 12, 2016

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End of an era in Mayesville Town clerk retires after 40 years of service BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 5 SECTIONS, 34 PAGES | VOL. 121, NO. 201

2016 READERS’ CHOICE

THE SUMTER ITEM 1

SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2016

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ike many small, rural towns in South Carolina, the hustle and bustle that once marked the community of Mayesville has long since faded. The rails where steam engines once stopped to load and unload passengers and the cotton produced by local farms were ripped out decades ago. The train station was torn down three years later when lack of maintenance made the once picturesque station a hazard. The heart of the community has never stopped beating, however, and, to this day, Mayesville residents retain a great deal of pride in their hometown. One man who has dedicated nearly four decades to keeping the community together is Bill Rhodes, who recently retired as

the town’s clerk. “He’s been town clerk as long as I can remember; he has done a tremendous job,” said Town Councilor Nancy Williams, who has been on the Council for nine terms. “Everything that we’ve done he’s been involved in,” she said. “In a nutshell, he’s just been a tremendous asset to this community and he still is.” Rhodes’ roots in the community go deep. He and his wife, Rose Norton Rhodes, live in a 140-yearold home built by one of his ancestors they lovingly restored more than a decade ago. His great, great grandfather owned the first store in town, right next to the depot, he said, but the store and the depot were burned down during Potter’s raid in the Civil War. Bill Rhodes said he attended school the Oswego School in

JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Bill Rhodes and his wife Rose pause for a moment on the back porch of their historic home in Mayesville. “downtown” Oswego. “It was there for years and years,” he said. “It had an old pot-bellied

SEE RHODES, PAGE A11

Kickboxing on the rise our readers have voted.... AND THE RESULTS ARE IN! POLITICS

Re-election? South Carolina congressmen face opposition in June 14 primaries A9

GOP pressures Trump to avoid controversy A4 DEATHS, A11 Rev. Lee E. Dingle Raymond M. Holliday Ethel Catten Charles S. Nasworthy Jr.

WEATHER, A12 HOT HOT HOT Mostly sunny today and quite hot; tonight, clear and warm with slight chance of rain. HIGH 96, LOW 73

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BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Saturday’s kickboxing event at the Sumter National Guard Armory is part of a resurgence of the sport in the Southeast, according to International Kickboxing Federation Southeast Director of Operations Johnny Davis. Because of the popularity of the mixed martial arts scene, kickboxing had nearly died out, he said. After spending more than DAVIS two decades in California, the two-time world kickboxing champion came back to the Southeast and starting working to revive the sport. “When I first came back, MMA was all they did; kickboxing wasn’t even a thought,” he said. “Now, the MMA promotes are doing kickboxing on their shows too, and some of the guys who used to do only MMA are only doing kickboxing.” A similar change has taken place among boxing promoters, he said. “What does that tell you; we’ve made some ground,” ROBINSON Davis said. A big part of that resurgence has been because of the efforts of local promoters such as Jerome Robinson, who owns Team Robinson MMA in Sumter.

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Nick Young’s kick is blocked by Aaron Bagett during Team Robinson MMA’s kickboxing match Saturday night at the National Guard Armory. Robinson said he has been teaching martial arts and self-defense for more than 15 years, but the promotion side is new to him. He promoted his first kickboxing show in March, also at the National Guard Armory. “I had a lot to learn,” he said. “The training side is a lot easier than the promoting side, I can tell you that.”

Robinson said Davis has been a great teacher. “I’ve learned so much; Davis has helped me a lot,” he said. “I think I am a perfectionist, but he takes it to a whole new level.” Choosing the International Kickboxing Federaion as a sanctioning body was also an important choice, Robinson said.

“I saw how detailed the IKF is when it comes to putting on fights, from the weight classes to the doctors, the have it covered,” he said. “I knew it was the right thing to get sanctioned through them.” The first federation event in March showed there is a fan base for

SEE KICKBOXING, PAGE A3

A look ahead at Tuesday’s state, local primaries BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Registered voters belonging to the two major political parties will have their opportunity to choose their party’s nominees for state and county offices during the South Carolina Primary Election on Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Successful candidates in the primary will be selected to represent their party in the Nov. 8 General Election.

Voters may cast an absentee ballot by mail or in-person at their local Voter Registration Office any time until 5 p.m. Monday. While many races do not contain candidates from both political parties, Sumter County Voter Registration Director Patricia Jefferson said petition candidates may still enter the contests. She also said the filing period is from July 15 to Aug. 30 for candidates running for Sumter City Council, Mayor

or the Sumter School Board. Only one race is contested on the Republican Ballot in Sumter and Lee counties. GOP voters in Congressional District 5 will choose a candidate for the office of U.S. House of Representatives between Mick Mulvaney, the incumbent, and Ray Craig, of Rockville. Democratic voters in South Carolina state House District 50 in Kershaw, Sumter and Lee counties will choose from six candidates vying to replace Rep. Grady Brown, who

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 64 Paid for campaign to elect Robert Ridgeway, House of Representatives District 64. 117 North Brooks Street, Manning, SC

MULVANEY

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is retiring. Listed on the Democratic ballot in that race are Brian Alston, Crystal K. Cunningham, Tom Drayton, Keith Johnson, Demoine Kinney and Will Wheeler. In Sumter and Clarendon

• Physician/ Only Physician in Legislature • Firefighter • Resides in Manning, SC. • Clarendon Memorial Hospital, 1992- Until • United States Army Reserve, 3270th Army Hospital • 4 years Experience House of Rep. • Service Medical Municipal and Military House Committee • Service on Criminal Domestic Violence Committee • Service on Sickle Cell Study Committee • Service on Legislative Oversight Committee

counties, registered Democrats in S.C. House District 64 will choose between three candidates: Alexander Conyers, Mitch Ellerby and incumbent Robert Ridgeway III. No other General Assembly races in the tri-county area are contested in the Primary Election. Several races are contested on the Democratic Primary ballot in Sumter County. Incumbent Jamie Campbell is facing a challenge from

SEE PRIMARY, PAGE A3

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