June 3, 2015 by The Sumter Item

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City council discusses roads, approves 1st reading of 2016 budget BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com The majority of Sumter City Council’s meeting on Tuesday was spent discussing ways to tackle deteriorating roads in the city, and this discussion ended with familiar conclusions — there is no money to fix all of the roads, and some of the problematic roadways are owned by the state. Mayor Joe McElveen stated the city is required to spend the vast majority of money earmarked for road repair on state-owned roads within city limits, leaving the city with little to work with for its own roads. He said the city is also required to go through several state agencies before repairing state-owned roads, which draws out the process. McElveen said no one likes the idea, but if the city is to tackle all of issues with local roads, it’s going to cost. Councilwoman Ione Dwyer suggested that instead of calling members of city council about deteriorating roads, citizens should call Gov. Nikki Haley because she has the power to veto revenue for

South Carolina’s roads. City Manager Deron McCormick said any problems with local roads should be reported to City Public Services at (803) 436-2558. Before discussing roads, council approved first reading of the balanced proposed budget for fiscal year 2016 with both revenues and expenditures totaling $60 million. McCormick said the budget was balanced without increasing the city’s millage rate. He said the millage has not been increased in about seven years and that the city’s millage actually decreased during two of those years. With regard to the budget, council approved first reading of an ordinance to amend the budget for fiscal year 2015 to authorize the transfer of $218,061 from city hospitality funds to the city’s general fund so city could complete some of its planned projects for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. City Accounting Manager Beth Reames said it was originally budgeted to transfer 35 percent of hospitality funds, but the amendment would allow 45 KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

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Lightning strikes behind the city maintenance shop on Monday afternoon.

Mayesville store heist Bond granted for 2 of 3 foiled by poor planning suspects in February BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

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Two would-be burglars made an attempt to break into a convenience store in Mayesville shortly after midnight Wednesday, but, there seemed to be a few missing links in their unlawful plans. With surveillance cameras rolling, the two men are seen backing a pickup truck close to the security doors at the front of the business. They walk up, check the doors and jump back in the truck. A brilliant plan emerges: Maybe they could attach that chain to the doors. No doubt confident in their criminal enterprise, the pair puts its plan into action. They back the truck up to the store; attach a chain to the doors before surging ahead in the truck. What could go wrong? Maybe they should have tried attaching the chain to the truck as well. The determined duo makes another attempt, this

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https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=aP3v860j0K4 &feature=youtu.be. time attaching the chain to their getaway vehicle before hitting the gas. They must have thought access to the aisles of junk food, soft drinks and icecold beer could only be moments away. The truck lurches forward, the chain stays firmly attached to the security doors. To the truck? Not so much. The chain falls limply to the ground. Apparently the duo of dunces needed some time to come up with a way to attach the chain to the pickup. They drive away only to slam the truck into reverse one more time. The conversation in the truck might have gone something like this: “Did you get the chain?” “No I didn’t get the chain;

did you get the chain?” The duo grab the chain and disappear in the dark of night. Minutes later, the Mayesville masterminds return to the scene of the crime, chain attached firmly to truck — nothing like being prepared ahead of time. They again attach a chain to the metal security doors and pull forward. Oh, the joy of success! This time the security doors fling in the air, knocking down a post supporting the porch to provide bonus mayhem. Acting like a well-oiled machine, one suspect quickly attaches the chain to the remaining doors and the driver pulls forward. Boink! The handles fly off with the doors still tightly shut — curses, foiled again. With all their back-up plans seemingly exhausted, the defeated duo disappears into the night, hopefully having decided to give up their life of crime.

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BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Two suspects in connection with the killing and armed robbery of a 24-yearold Manning man in late February were granted bond in Clarendon County on Monday. Bond was JUDY denied for the third suspect. Travis Starks and Shanta Reason, both of Clarendon County, have been charged with murder and armed robbery of Emanuel Torres, who was killed on the night of Feb. 27 on Fawn Ridge Lane in Manning, about 2.5 miles from his house on Arlene Road. Barbara Judy, also of Clarendon County, has been charged with accessory before the fact to murder. Starks was granted a $200,000 surety bond, and Judy was granted a $100,000

surety bond on Monday. Reason’s bond was denied. An autopsy conducted in March revealed REASON the victim died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to Maj. Kipp Coker of Clarendon County Sheriff ’s Office. Coker said an STARKS undisclosed amount of money was stolen from the victim. Starks and Reason, who are husband and wife, were arrested in Pennsylvania in early May after the sheriff ’s office asked for assistance from Pennsylvania law enforcement officials. They also face other outstanding warrants in that state. Torres’ body was found by a farmer on March 3, several days after he was reported missing.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

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Committee approves supplemental budget COLUMBIA (AP) — The House’s budget-writing committee advanced Monday plans to put $150 million of additional revenue toward fixing existing roads and $70 million toward meeting South Carolina’s promises to Volvo. Rep. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said the additional highway money will include $3.5 million for Sumter County that must be spent on state roads. “It was very important that it not go through the Department of Transportation without a major restructuring,” Smith said. The supplementary budget bill, approved unanimously, would leave the state borrowing $50 million to fund an interchange off Interstate 26 and a road to the future Volvo plant

in Berkeley County. That’s part of more than $200 million in state incentives Gov. Nikki Haley and Commerce officials promised in securing Volvo’s first North American plant. But Haley, who repeatedly slammed fellow Republicans this year for proposing to borrow money primarily for college construction, insists that the state borrow the full $123 million for Volvo. She expects the Joint Bond Review Committee — which is made up of legislators — to approve that amount when Commerce comes before it today, as the chambers’ leaders agreed. Volvo officials want the project funded that way to avoid the legislative process, she said. House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Hartsville, noted that when he agreed April 2 to the bor-

rowing, no one knew a huge windfall was coming. The commitment to the project remains, but paying upfront with the newfound money is clearly preferable, he said. “We heard loud and clear from Gov. Haley back when we did a bond bill that we should pay cash as we go,” said Ways and Means Chairman Brian White, R-Anderson. “We’re trying to keep this state financially sound and do the prudent thing.” Under state law, borrowing $50 million will max out the state’s capacity for economic development bonds — the type of borrowing that avoids the legislative process. Borrowing the full $123 million is only possible through creative accounting that requires the state to make interest-only

payments on the debt, which is expensive, said Rep. Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill, subcommittee chairman for economic development. Haley’s vocal opposition helped kill a Ways and Means proposal to borrow $500 million for projects statewide, as well as a smaller Senate proposal. That kind of borrowing would not have added to debt service — as it replaced old debt paid off — and did not touch caps. Haley said then borrowing should be limited to such things as economic development, but she told legislators she didn’t need their help in putting together an incentives package. “We are trying to do what’s in the best interest of the state and make sure promises that were made are not bro-

ken,” said Rep. Gilda CobbHunter, D-Orangeburg. “You have to be careful when you issue all kinds of declarative statements one way or another because sometimes you have to come back around to the very people you trashed.” On Friday, state economic advisers certified an additional $415 million total in revenues above previous expectations. By law, some of that must go to education and tax relief, leaving the Legislature with full discretion of $300 million. The Ways and Means’ supplemental budget bill would distribute half of that money to counties to repair state roads in their area that don’t qualify for federal match money. Sumter Item reporter Jim Hilley contributed to this article.

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Companies rolling out solar incentives in S.C. CHARLESTON — South Carolina electric utilities will offer incentives for customers who install solar power. Investor-owned electric companies are planning the incentives, which are required by an alternative energy bill approved by state lawmakers last year, The Post and Courier of Charleston reported. SCE&G plans to offer small incentives that would be paid for 10 years to those installing solar power after Jan. 1. Under its proposal, which was scheduled to go before the state Public Service Commission on Tuesday, customers who install residential solar panels could sell their excess power to the utility for slightly higher than the utility charges customers. “If you’re an early adopter, you’ll get the greatest incentive,” said Danny Kassis, the utility company’s vice president of customer relations and renewables. Duke Energy and Duke Progress Energy customers would receive a one-time incentive worth thousands of dollars for those installing solar.

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Clayton Grate, 8, rides his electric motorcycle as his grandfather, Ed Grate, watches him. Ed Grate was in Sumter to visit his family and took advantage of the warm weather to visit Dillon Park.

Bishopville city council election do-over still in doubt BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Voters in Bishopville will have to wait before they will know when, or if, another Bishopville City Council election will take place. Several candidates in the election held May 12, which was nullified by Bishopville Municipal Election Commission at a hearing May 15, have appealed the commission’s decision, throwing a date for a new election in doubt.

Chesterfield attorney Melvin “Trey” Cockrell III, who is representing Edward Byrd, Ken Currie, Mike Morrow and Willie Mae Muldrow, who are appealing the decision, said the case will be heard in Circuit Court. Currie, Morrow and Muldrow are members of the current council, while Byrd was a candidate in the election. “The judge will be sitting like as an appellate judge; he won’t retry the case, but he will be reviewing it,” Cockrell said. “It’s

not going to be an opportunity to retry their case.” Cockrell said his clients are asking that the election be reinstated. “We are of the opinion that the election commission’s ruling is not correct,” he said. “There are some unique things that are out there in this situation that definitely raised my eyebrows.”. The election commission voted to nullify the election after hearing a protest by Craig Nesbit and John Latim-

er, two losing candidates in the election. Nesbit was running as an incumbent, while Latimer was seeking a seat on council. Among other complaints, the two argued the election was not run by the election commission but by the county, and during the counting process, observers were locked out of at least one polling location. The pair also argued election workers were not properly trained. “I had hoped we would be

able to set an election date,” said Bishopville City Administrator Gregg McCutchen, “but that’s where we are at right now.” Cockrell said he expects a judge to set a hearing as soon as possible, but it could be 30 or more days before it is heard. He said the appeal effectively stays the election results, and everybody who is a current council member regardless of the results of the election will remain on council.

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Fitness, fellowship and faith

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

COLUMBIA — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie traveled to South Carolina for the first time in nearly five months on Tuesday, part of a two-day swing through the state that’s likely aimed as much at gathering information as it is about campaigning. The trip kicks off a busy month of travel for the potential 2016 Republican presidential contender, who says he is still considering his options and will announce a decision on whether to run for president by the end of the month. “I think you have to assume this (trip) is a, ‘How will I be received? Is it viable? Is there enough interest to make some kind of play here?’” said Chip Felkel, a longtime Republi-

CHRIS MOORE / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM

F3 Sumter, which meets five times a week at Bobby Richardson Park, joined the Hartsville and Florence groups Saturday to celebrate Florence’s 1-year anniversary. Sixty-four men showed up to take part in the hour-long workout and celebration. The mission of F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith) is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. The group is open to all men over the age of 18, free of charge. The peer-led workouts are held outdoors — rain or shine, heat or cold. To learn more visit bit.ly/ F3Sumter, F3Nation.com, f3sumter@gmail.com or call John Hyatt at (803) 938-5028.

SCE&G customers face rate hike for nuke plant COLUMBIA — South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. has asked for a nearly 3 percent rate increase that would start this fall for almost 700,000 customers, the seventh hike because of overruns in the construction cost of two new nuclear reactors. If approved by the state Public Service Commission, the typical residential customer’s electricity bill will rise by $4.01 in November, Eric Boomhower, spokesman for SCE&G and its parent company, Cayce-based SCANA Corp., said Monday. A 2.8 percent boost would increase monthly bills to $149.88 from the current $145.87 for homeowners who consume 1,000 kilowatt hours per month, he said. Commercial customers would see increases that range from 2.6 percent to 3 percent, depending on how much power they use, according to the request filed Friday with state regulators. Altogether, some 692,000 electricity customers would be affected, Boomhower said. Annual increases related to the reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville in Fairfield County are likely to continue, the spokesman said. The cost of the two reactors — still four to five years from completion by the latest calculations — already is $514 million more than initially forecast, according to the company’s figures. The latest projected cost is now $6.8 billion. Boomhower said SCANA estimates paying financing costs during construction — rather than waiting until a final price tag is determined — will save about $1 billion in interest expenses for it and its consumers. State law allows utilities to ask for yearly rate hikes to offset the financing costs of plant construction. “It’s the law ... that provides for the ability to make these annual adjustments to rates to recover the financing costs,’’ the spokesman said. The Public Service Commission has until Sept. 30 to decide if it will approve a rate

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CHARGES Curtis McMillan, 30, of 924 S. Harvin St., was arrested Saturday and charged with driving under suspension, second offense, and possession of crack cocaine after approximately five grams of crack cocaine were reportedly found inside his vehicle after he allegedly disregarded a stop sign at East Wesmark Boulevard and Rast Street and allegedly fled the scene during a traffic stop at about 2:20 a.m.

hike and its size. So far, SCE&G has requested and been granted six such increases for the new Summer reactors: 1.5 percent in 2009; 2.3 percent in 2010; 2.4 percent in 2011; 2.3 percent in 2012; 2.87 percent in 2013; and 2.82 percent in 2014. All have taken effect in either September or November. The law allows for utilities to make the requests in May. It takes several months for regulators and customer advocates to review, debate and settle on the size of increases, Boomhower said. The Summer-related hikes exclude increases of 4.23 percent in January 2014 and 4.88 percent in June 2010 to cover other electricity-generating costs and to comply with mandated environmental and safety initiatives, respectively, according to published reports. Overall, SCE&G electricity rates have increased 26.1 percent since 2009.

Marquis Porcher, 21, of 427 Robney Drive, was arrested Monday and charged with assault and battery, third degree, after he allegedly sucker punched a man above the left eye as the man tried to break up an altercation between Porcher and a woman at a residence in the 500 block of Wheeler Street at about 2:22 a.m.

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Kayla Cooper, 32, of 1230 S. Pike E., was arrested Sunday and charged with driving under the influence after she allegedly struck a speed limit sign on Lafayette Drive near Myrtle Street and a burned marijuana cigarette fell from her SUV as she exited the vehicle at about 2 a.m. Patrick McQuillar, 41, of 11 Loring Drive, was arrested Monday and charged with criminal domestic violence, first degree; violation of a restraining order; and giving false information to law enforcement after he allegedly claimed to be the brother of a woman who is actually the mother of his children when officers responded to a domestic dispute at a residential unit in the 300 block of Harmony Court at about 2:16 a.m.

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economic forum, Christie traveled to Columbia for a meet-and-greet at a bar, followed by a reception hosted by an old college friend who has been serving as Christie’s informal liaison in the state. Today, Christie will hold his first town hall event outside of New Hampshire, a breakfast-time gathering at Tommy’s Country Ham House in Greenville, before taking a walking tour of small businesses in the city’s downtown with a member of the city council. State Rep. Phyllis Henderson, a fan of Christie who has yet to commit to him or any other candidate, said she thought Christie’s style of campaigning — with lots of opportunity for personal interaction — would help set him apart in a crowded field. The state’s senior U.S. senator, Lindsey Graham, got into the race on Monday.

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can consultant in the state who isn’t yet committed to a 2016 candidate. So far, Christie and his team appear to have invested little in the state. They have no staffers on the ground or consultants on the payroll, said Samantha Smith, a spokeswoman for Christie’s political action committee. Christie’s last visit was in January, when he attended Gov. Nikki Haley’s inauguration. In the meantime, the other potential and declared 2016 candidates have made frequent visits and have growing organizations, said Matt Moore, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. “There’s certainly a lot of work to be done to build out the kind of organization that’s needed to be successful in the state’s primary,” he said. After a stop Tuesday morning in Florida to speak at an

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Christie to hold S.C. town hall BY JILL COLVIN The Associated Press

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NATION

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

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FBI behind mysterious More older Americans flights over U.S. cities being buried by debt BY JACK GILLUM, EILEEN SULLIVAN AND ERIC TUCKER The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The small plane seen flying near Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia, on May 26 is among a fleet of surveillance aircraft operated by the FBI, which are primarily used to target suspects under federal investigation. Such planes are capable of taking video of the ground, and some — in rare occasions — can sweep up certain identifying cellphone data. borhoods. The AP traced at least 50 aircraft back to the FBI, and identified more than 100 flights since late April orbiting both major cities and rural areas. One of the planes, photographed in flight last week by the AP in northern Virginia, bristled with unusual antennas under its fuselage and a camera on its left side. A federal budget document from 2010 mentioned at least 115 planes, including 90 Cessna aircraft, in the FBI’s surveillance fleet. The FBI also occasionally helps local police with aerial support, such as during the recent disturbance in Baltimore that followed the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who sustained injuries while in police custody. Those types of requests are reviewed by senior FBI officials. The surveillance flights comply with agency rules, an FBI spokesman said. Those rules, which are

heavily redacted in publicly available documents, limit the types of equipment the agency can use as well as the justifications and duration of the surveillance. Details about the flights come as the Justice Department seeks to navigate privacy concerns arising from aerial surveillance by unmanned aircrafts, or drones. President Obama has said he welcomes a debate on government surveillance and has called for more transparency about spying in the wake of disclosures about classified programs. “These are not your grandparents’ surveillance aircraft,” said Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, calling the flights significant “if the federal government is maintaining a fleet of aircraft whose purpose is to circle over American cities, especially with the technology we know can be attached to those aircraft.”

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WASHINGTON — The FBI is operating a small air force with scores of low-flying planes across the country carrying video and, at times, cellphone surveillance technology — all hidden behind fictitious companies that are fronts for the government, The Associated Press has learned. The planes’ surveillance equipment is generally used without a judge’s approval, and the FBI said the flights are used for specific, ongoing investigations. The FBI said it uses front companies to protect the safety of the pilots and aircraft. It also shields the identity of the aircraft so that suspects on the ground don’t know they’re being watched by the FBI. In a recent 30-day period, the agency flew above more than 30 cities in 11 states across the country, an AP review found. Aerial surveillance represents a changing frontier for law enforcement, providing what the government maintains is an important tool in criminal, terrorism or intelligence probes. But the program raises questions about whether there should be updated policies protecting civil liberties as new technologies pose intrusive opportunities for government spying. U.S. law enforcement officials confirmed for the first time the wide-scale use of the aircraft, which the AP traced to at least 13 fake companies, such as FVX Research, KQM Aviation, NBR Aviation and PXW Services. Even basic aspects of the program are withheld from the public in censored versions of official reports from the Justice Department’s inspector general. The FBI also has been careful not to reveal its surveillance flights in court documents. “The FBI’s aviation program is not secret,” spokesman Christopher Allen said in a statement. “Specific aircraft and their capabilities are protected for operational security purposes.” Allen added that the FBI’s planes “are not equipped, designed or used for bulk collection activities or mass surveillance.” But the planes can capture video of unrelated criminal activity on the ground that could be handed over for prosecutions. Some of the aircraft can also be equipped with technology that can identify thousands of people below through the cellphones they carry, even if they’re not making a call or in public. Officials said that practice, which mimics cell towers and gets phones to reveal basic subscriber information, is rare. Details confirmed by the FBI track closely with published reports since at least 2003 that a government surveillance program might be behind suspicious-looking planes slowly circling neigh-

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WASHINGTON — Al and Saundra Karp have found an unconventional way to raise money and help save their Miami-area home from foreclosure: They’re lining up gigs for their family jazz band. They enjoy performing. But it isn’t exactly how Al, an 86-year-old Korean War vet, or Saundra, 76, had expected to spend their retirement. Of all the financial threats facing Americans of retirement age — outliving savings, falling for scams, paying for long-term care — housing isn’t supposed to be one. But after a home-price collapse, the worst recession since the 1930s and some calamitous de-

cisions to turn homes into cash machines, millions of them are straining to make house payments. The consequences can be severe. Retirees who use retirement money to pay housing costs can face disaster if their health deteriorates or their savings run short. They’re more likely to need help from the government, charities or their children. Or they must keep working deep into retirement. “It’s a big problem coming off the housing bubble,” says Cary Sternberg, who advises seniors on housing issues in The Villages, a Florida retirement community. “A growing number of seniors are struggling with what to do about their home and their mortgage and their retirement.”

Black and Jewish WWI heroes finally receive Medal of Honor WASHINGTON — President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor Tuesday to two World War I Army soldiers who may have been denied the top military honor in the past because of discrimination. “It’s never too late to say thank you,” Obama said. Obama posthumously recognized Sgt. William Shemin, a Jewish soldier, and Pvt. Henry Johnson, an AfricanAmerican serviceman, for their heroism rescuing comrades on the battlefields of France nearly a century ago. “They both risked their own lives to save the lives of others,” the president said. Shemin’s two daughters, Elsie and Ina, received the

award on behalf of their father. New York National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson accepted the medal on Johnson’s behalf. Shemin repeatedly dodged gunfire to pull wounded comrades to safety during three days of bloody battle. And Pvt. Henry Johnson rescued a wounded comrade from his all-black regiment while single-handedly fighting off a surprise German attack. The award comes after tireless efforts by advocates for the two men led Congress to pass an exemption from Medal of Honor rules specifying that heroic actions have to have taken place within five years to be considered.

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THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

Copper thefts from the rails rise with price of metal NEW YORK (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Longtime New York City subway cops have seen copper thefts before, but last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heist on a stretch of open-air tracks was particularly brazen: 500 feet of inchthick cable stripped from the rails in the middle of the night. The theft that shut down parts of the subwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest lines and snarled the commute for 100,000 people is only the latest example of a troubling trend on the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s railways linked to the soaring price of copper. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a money-making crime,â&#x20AC;? said Chief Joseph Fox, commander of the New York Police Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Transit Bureau. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy-driven.â&#x20AC;? Copper, which now hovers at $3 a pound on the scrap market compared to about 80 cents a decade ago, is essential to the running of commuter railways, carrying electrical power from substations to the live third rail. But the lure of easy cash at scrapyards has proved tempting to thieves willing to venture onto the tracks, risking electrocution and the safety of unsuspecting passengers. In California, thieves removed copper from San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BART rail system in Oakland, San Francisco and San Mateo counties on a single weekend in 2011. In Washington state in 2013, a man clipped 70,000 pounds of copper wire from the light rail tracks south of Seattle. That same year, some telecommunications linemen at New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Long Island Rail Road made off with

AP FILE PHOTO

Workers repair a section of cable that was severed by vandals who stole 500 feet of copper cable from train tracks along the A train subway line south of Howard Beach in the Queens borough of New York. The crime forced the Metropolitan Transit Authority to suspend train service entirely in the area and replace it with shuttle buses. $250,000 worth of copper in 56 thefts. Insurance claims for metal thefts across the country have skyrocketed from about 13,000 from 2006 to 2008 to about 25,000 from 2009 to 2011, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks such thefts, though not specifically for rails. Nearly 96 percent of the more recent claims were for copper. Along New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 840 miles of subway tracks, there have been a dozen such rail thefts in the past year. In the May 26 heist in the Howard

Beach section of Queens, the rubbershrouded cable had an estimated combined weight of 1,500 pounds that could fetch about $4,500. New York transit police would not speculate on whether the caper could have been an inside job, but it appeared to have been pulled off over at least a couple of nights by people who had enough knowledge of the system to avoid getting caught or â&#x20AC;&#x153;fried.â&#x20AC;? They targeted a stretch of track not covered by security cameras, next to a parking lot. Investigators found a hole

in the fence they believe the thieves may have used to enter the tracks, then to flee. The culprits also apparently tampered with a nearby electrical box. Sgt. Kevin Cooper, a veteran investigator on the case, said trains didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stall immediately because redundancy in the power system allows them to keep moving for possibly another day after copper is removed. There are other risks. If electrical current canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complete a circuit, it will seek another route, sometimes damaging the signal system. And if a trainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brakes go into sudden emergency mode, riders can suffer injuries. While police seek suspects, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that runs the subways is installing more high-intensity lighting and surveillance technology in vulnerable locations. Fox, the transit police chief, also has created a special unit to investigate these types of thefts, with undercover officers conducting sting operations at salvage yards. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Police used to come maybe once a month, but now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three or four times a month, looking for stolen copper,â&#x20AC;? said Tom Buechel, owner of Rockaway Recycling, a scrap metal outlet in Rockaway, New Jersey. New York U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is proposing legislation that would require scrap sellers to prove they own their scrap and buyers to cover any purchase above $100 by check or another traceable means.

US-led coalition doubles down on ISIS group strategy PARIS (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State is doubling down on its strategy to fight the extremists, despite the radical groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent conquests on both sides of the border between Iraq and Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pressed his case Tuesday for more support from the 25 countries in the coalition at a one-day Paris conference on fighting the militant group, organized within weeks of the fall of the Iraqi city of Ramadi and the Syrian city of Palmyra. The coalition has mustered a mix of airstrikes, intelligence sharing and assistance for Iraqi ground operations against the extremists. AlAbadi said more was needed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his country reeling after troops pulled out of Ramadi without a fight and abandoned U.S.-supplied tanks and weapons. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will redouble our ef-

forts,â&#x20AC;? said Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who was leading the delegation after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke his leg in a cycling accident in eastern France over the weekend. IS, Blinken said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;stands for nothing and depends on people who will fall for anything.â&#x20AC;? He said the U.S. would make it easier for Iraq to obtain new weapons, after al-Abadi said the sanctions-hit countries of Iran and Russia were potentially important arms suppliers. Blinken also said the U.S. would send anti-tank rockets to Iraqi forces to use against the armored suicide truck bombs that have devastated and terrified Iraqi forces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Armament and ammunition, we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen much. Almost none. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re relying on ourselves, but fighting is very hard this way,â&#x20AC;? al-Abadi said Tuesday before the conference.

Iran and Russia are not part of the U.S.-led coalition and they did not attend Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference, nor was there a representative from Syria. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Iraqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end until Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government changes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stabilization of Iraq cannot be achieved if there is not a political transition in Syria,â&#x20AC;? he said. Just as important is political reconciliation within Iraq, notably between the Shiitedominated government and disaffected Sunnis, who may not sympathize with IS but who have little love for the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the coalition is â&#x20AC;&#x153;under no illusion that a victory by military means will be easy and also we know that winning peace will be difficult.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we talked today not just about the necessary

Gene Dickerson, Jr.

military means, but also about whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed to bring stability to the areas that have

been freed from ISIS troops,â&#x20AC;? he said, using another acronym for IS.

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LOCAL | NATION

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

CITY FROM PAGE A1 percent of the money to be transferred. She said the city is able to transfer as much as 50 percent of funds from hospitality to the general funds. The monthly fee for city commercial garbage pick up could increase by $5 now that the council has approved first reading of an amendment to increase the rates.

City Public Services Director Al Harris said the rate increase would allow the sanitation department to break even, which is not happening. He said the price has not increased since about 2000, but even with the increase, the rate is still very reasonable. The $5 rate increase would be labeled as a fuel surcharge if the amendment receives final reading. In other news, council:

• approved a $166,000 bid from Lee Construction of Sumter to replace outdated waterlines at the intersection of Calhoun and Main streets and on East Liberty Street. Harris said the infrastructure projects will happen just in time as the city prepares to complete streetscape projects on those same roadways; • voted to defer first reading of two separate amendments to the development ordinances for Beach Forest

THE SUMTER ITEM Planned Development and Hunter’s Crossing Planned Development so that council could receive more detailed information about the proposed changes. The developer of both subdivisions, Black River Land Surveying LLC, has proposed adding townhouse developments to both sites which many of the residents oppose. During the meeting, a few residents said they were also concerned with the entrance to the neighborhood, stating that

the road is too narrow. McElveen suggested that the residents voice these and other issues with the developer. The amendments will go before council during its next scheduled meeting on June 16; and • approved first reading to transfer the Sumter City and County owned Rembert Water System to High Hills Rural Water Co. McCormick said this is the final step in the transfer process that started a few years ago.

A May to remember: U.S. auto sales breeze past forecasts DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto sales were stronger than expected in May, boosted by Memorial Day promotions and strong demand for new SUVs. Sales rose 2 percent over last May to more than 1.64 million cars and trucks, their fastest pace since July 2005, according to Autodata Corp. Analysts had expected sales to fall slightly because of lower sales to rental car companies and other auto fleets. Subaru led automakers with a 12 percent sales gain. General Motors’ sales rose 3 percent, Fiat Chrysler was up 4 percent and Honda rose 1 percent. All four automakers benefited as buyers continued a steady shift from cars into small and medium-sized SUVs. Honda sold more than 6,300 HR-V small SUVs in the first two weeks it was on sale. Sales of the GMC Acadia SUV jumped 67 percent, while sales of the Jeep Cherokee were up 23 percent. Sales of Subaru’s XV Crosstrek small SUV jumped 36 percent. Long-struggling Volkswagen surprised with an 8 percent sales gain thanks to its new Golf. Ford’s sales fell 1 percent. Nissan and Toyota said

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A technician adjusts the molding on a new Corolla at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi, in February. sales were flat, while Hyundai’s sales fell 10 percent. May is typically one of the biggest sales months of the year, as buyers flush with tax returns look forward to summer road trips. Last May, sales

jumped 11 percent to just over 1.61 million, their highest monthly total in nine years. After five years of blistering growth after the recession, it’s getting increasingly difficult for the industry to

match those kinds of numbers. U.S. sales are expected to hit 17 million this year, near their historic peak of a decade ago, and automakers will have to work harder to post big gains. But the industry isn’t alarmed. Because of factory closures during the recession, output is closer to matching consumer demand, so car companies don’t have to resort to as much expensive discounting as they did in the past. Demand is also healthy thanks to easing credit standards, improving employment numbers, lower gas prices and enticing new vehicles. Car buying site TrueCar.com said sales to individual buyers jumped 7 percent over Memorial Day weekend, thanks in part to promotions like zero-percent financing on the new Hyundai Sonata sedan. Ford’s U.S. sales chief Mark LaNeve said having five weekends in May also boosted sales. In a sign of confidence, Ford is shortening its annual two-week summer break to one week at five of its North American assembly plants, and FCA canceled its usual shutdown at four assembly plants in the U.S. and Mexico.

HEIST FROM PAGE A1 Investigators describe one suspect as a male, possibly between the ages of 30 and 40 years old, standing between 5-foot-8 inches and 6-foot-1 inch tall. He was last seen wearing a dark blue hat, long sleeve gray shirt or sweater and black pants. The other suspect is described as a male between 5-foot-7 inches and 5-foot-11 inches tall, last seen wearing a dark blue hoodie and blue jeans. Both might have egg on their faces. The truck is described as a late model, dark-colored, extended-cab pickup truck, possibly a Dodge, with bed rails. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call either the Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office at (803) 436-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (803) 436-2718. The surveillance camera footage of this incident can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP3v860j0 K4&feature=youtu.be.

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 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

Intellectual dishonesty

resident Obama’s stance, expressed in his 2014 State of the Union address, is that the debate is settled, and climate change is a fact. Obama is by no means unique in that view. Former Vice President Al Gore declared that “the science is settled.” This “settled science” vision Walter about cliWilliams mate is held by many, including those in academia. To call any science settled is sheer idiocy. Had mankind acted as though any science could possibly be settled, we’d be living in caves as opposed to having the standard of living we enjoy today. That higher standard of living stems from challenges to what might have been seen as “scientific fact.” According to mathematician Samuel Arbesman’s book, “The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date,” many ideas taken as facts today will be shown to be wrong as early as five years from now. Arbesman argues that a study published in a physics journal will lose half its value in 10 years. Many academics know that to call any science settled is nonsense. But their leftist political sentiments and lack of academic integrity prevent them from criticizing public officials and the media for misleading a gullible public about global warming. The concept of white privilege, along with diversity and multiculturalism, is part of today’s campus craze. Millions of dollars are spent on conferences and other forums teaching students about the horrors of white privilege. A Vanderbilt University sociology professor said white privilege is to blame for the Baltimore riots and looting. I wonder how one goes about determining whether a person is privileged. White privilege can’t be based on median income. Why? It turns out that AsianAmerican households had the highest median income ($68,636) in 2012. Median income for white households was $57,000. Maybe our academic elite should condemn Asian privilege instead of white privilege. But there’s another problem. My income puts me in America’s top 5 percent. If those who condemn white privilege could not see my dark brown skin color, they would also condemn me for white privilege. The bottom line to this campus nonsense is that “privilege” has become the new word for “personal achievement.” President Obama has often said the wealthiest Americans must make sacrifices to better the lives of poor people. At Georgetown Universi-

‘Many academics know that to call any science settled is nonsense. But their leftist political sentiments and lack of academic integrity prevent them from criticizing public officials and the media for misleading a ’gullable public about global warming.’ ty’s May 12 poverty summit, Obama said, “If we can’t ask from society’s lottery winners to just make that modest investment, then really this conversation is for show.” Let’s look at this “lottery winner” nonsense. A lottery is defined by Oxford Dictionaries as “a process or thing whose success or outcome is governed by chance.” The question before us is whether wealth is something that is obtained by chance. Did Bill Gates acquire his wealth by luck or chance? Or did he produce something that benefited his fellow man causing people to voluntarily reach in their pockets to pay? Gayle Cook and her late husband, William Cook, founded a medical device company using a spare bedroom in their apartment as a factory. Their company specializes in stents and antibiotic catheters. Now Gayle Cook has a net worth in the billions of dollars. Was she a winner in the lottery of life, or did she have to do something like serve her fellow man? Are those who work hard, take risks, make life better for others and become wealthy in the process the people who should be held up to ridicule and scorn? And should we make mascots out of social parasites? Obama talked about asking “from society’s lottery winners to just make that modest investment.” Congress doesn’t ask people for money. Through intimidation, threats and coercion, it takes people’s earnings. If people don’t comply, the agents of Congress will imprison them. Most instructive for us is that Obama’s remarks were made at a university. Not a single professor has said anything about his suggestion that people accumulate great wealth by winning life’s lottery. That is just more evidence about the level of corruption among today’s academics. Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2015, Creators.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR $200M BIG INCENTIVE, COULD FIX ROADS I’ve wondered how Gov. Haley is able to attract large companies such as Volvo to locate to South Carolina when our state has the worst roads and infrastructure in the country — to say nothing of the threat of a toxic waste dump within feet of a vital water resource. The thousands of people who will be employed by these folks certainly have a risky environment in which to live and work. However, an Associated Press article in The Sumter Item today (May 29) has answered my question. The state had offered an incentive agreement for more than $200 million. But we can’t fix the roads. EDITH W. TAYLOR Sumter

THANKS FOR SUPPORT OF CRIME STOPPERS Sumter is a community that is consistently recognized as one of the best in the state. This distinction is because our community strives to provide leadership that is focused on the quality of life for our citizens. Providing for the safety and security of our citizens is a prime concern of our community’s leadership. For more than 30 years, the Sumter Crime Stoppers program has endeavored to provide support for law enforcement in Sumter by providing a way for citizens to report tips about crimes in their neighborhoods. Since its inception, tips to Sumter Crime Stoppers have led to the recovery of almost $5 million in stolen cash and property and can boast a 100 percent conviction rate on arrests made from Crime Stopper tips. Likewise, the Sumter Police Department works hard to support Crime Stoppers. During National Police Week (May 11-16),

the Sumter Police Department held a golf tournament, a pistol match and the Hot Pursuit 5K, which drew more than 160 racers. These events produced more than $6,000 total for the benefit of our Crime Stoppers program. Crime Stoppers is a completely volunteer driven program with an annual budget of about $20,000, most of which is used to reward tippers whose information leads to arrests and convictions. We have the greatest appreciation for our local law enforcement personnel, not only for their support of Crime Stoppers, but for the energy and sacrifice they make every day to ensure a better place to live for our citizens, families and businesses. With our deepest gratitude, DENNIS CRAVEN Chairman, Sumter Crime Stoppers

GLAD TO SEE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS I have witnessed many changes in the city of Sumter and Sumter County during my lifetime. I remember when the building where the Sumter Genealogical Society on West Liberty Street is located was once the public library in Sumter for a certain segment of the citizens of Sumter County, and Lincoln High School’s library served the same function for the other segment of the population. I can remember when the Coca Cola plant was on the corner of Bartlette and West Liberty streets, and it delighted me after leaving Lincoln in the afternoon to walk up there to look at the bottles being processed as they traveled on some type of mechanical conveyer belt to another destination in the plant. I remember when the Greyhound bus terminal

was located in the old Claremont Hotel on South Main Street. Even though I could not travel at the time, when I was in the area I got a sense of pleasure at listening to the station announcer call out destinations for the buses going north as they departed Sumter for Richmond, Washington, Baltimore and New York. The Sumter County Flea Market used to be located on South Guignard Drive. Who can remember that? All of the above venues have long since changed locations or disappeared from the city/county landscape, and new venues have replaced or improved them to the good of all of the citizens of Sumter and Sumter County. Some changes are inevitable and are good for the progress of any city, town or municipality. It was good to see Sumter try to revitalize downtown during the years from installing a board walk to trying to bring some anchor businesses to the area. Even a proposed hotel and an upgrade in entertainment in the downtown area have taken place there as well. There remains, however, still too many vacant buildings in downtown Sumter. I applaud the city planners for their efforts in trying to redirect people traffic and purchasing habits to the downtown area, but this is a daunting task since old habits are hard to change. But the effort is well worth the work that someone is putting into it. K.D. SINGLETON Sumter Editor’s note: Because this letter exceeded the 350word length as stated in our Editorial Page Policies which appears regularly on this page, it can be read in its entirety under Opinion on The Sumter Item’s website, www.theitem.com.

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, JUNE 3, 2015

SUPPORT GROUPS AA, AL-ANON, ALATEEN: AA — Monday-Friday, noon and 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852. AA Women’s Meeting — Wednesday, 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852. AA Spanish Speaking — Sunday, 4:30 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852. AA “How it Works” Group — Monday and Friday, 8 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call (803) 494-5180. 441 AA Support Group — Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 p.m., Hair Force, 2090-D S.C. 441. AA Summerton Group — Wednesday, 8 p.m., town hall. Manning Al-Anon Family Group — Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Behavioral Health Building, 14 Church St., Manning. Call Angie Johnson at (803) 4358085. C/A “Drop the Rock” Group — Thursday, 9:30 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call Elizabeth Owens at (803) 607-4543.

MONDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Vitiligo Support Group — second Monday of each month, 5:45-6:45 p.m., North HOPE Center, 904 N. Main St. Call Tiffany at (803) 3166763. Find us on Facebook at Sumter Vitiligo Support.

TUESDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Connective Tissue Support Group — 1st Tuesday of Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov., 7 p.m., 180 Tiller Circle. Call (803) 773-0869. Mothers of Angels (for mothers who have lost a child) — Every Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wise Drive Baptist Church. Call Betty at (803) 469-2616 or Carol at (803) 469-9426. Parkinson’s Support Group — Second Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital cafeteria, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746. Multiple Sclerosis Support Group — Third Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital community meeting room, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746. Amputee Support Group — Fourth Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital cafeteria, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746. EFMP Parent Exchange Group — Last Tuesday each

month, 11 a.m.-noon, Airman and Family Readiness Center. Support to service members who have a dependent with a disability or illness. Call Dorcus Haney at (803) 895-1252/1253 or Sue Zimmerman at (803) 8472377.

WEDNESDAY MEETINGS: Sickle Cell Support Group — last Wednesday each month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., South Sumter Resource Center, 337 Manning Ave. Call Bertha Willis at (803) 774-6181.

THURSDAY MEETINGS: TOPS S.C. No. 236 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) — Thursdays, 9 a.m., Spectrum Senior Center,1989 Durant Lane. Call Diane at (803) 775-3926 or Nancy at (803) 469-4789. Asthma Support Group — Every 1st Thursday, 6 p.m., Clarendon County School District 3 Parenting Center, 2358 Walker Gamble Road, New Zion. Call Mary Howard at (843) 659-2102. Alzheimer’s Support Group through S.C. Alzheimer’s Association — Every 1st Thursday, 6-8 p.m., McElveen Manor, 2065 McCrays Mill Road. Call Cheryl Fluharty at (803) 905-7720 or the Alzheimer’s Association at (800) 636-3346. Journey of Hope (for families members of the mentally ill), Journey to Recovery (for the mentally ill) and Survivors of Suicide Support Group — Each group meets every 1st Thursday, 7 p.m., St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive. Call Fred Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

FRIDAY MEETINGS: Celebrate Recovery — Every Friday, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. program, Salt & Light Church, Miller Road (across from Food Lion). For help with struggles of alcohol, drugs, family problems, smoking, etc. Wateree AIDS Task Force Support Group — Every third Friday, 11:30 a.m. Contact Kevin Johnson at (803) 7780303.

SATURDAY MEETINGS: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/ Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Support Group — 1:30 p.m. every third Saturday, 3785 Blackberry Lane, Lot 7. Call Donna Parker at (803) 481-7521.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Mostly cloudy, t-storms possible

Rather cloudy, a t-storm; humid

Some sun with a t-storm; humid

A p.m. t-storm in the area

A shower and thunderstorm

Mostly cloudy, a t-storm; humid

79°

63°

81° / 63°

83° / 64°

85° / 66°

86° / 67°

Chance of rain: 35%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 45%

Chance of rain: 65%

Chance of rain: 55%

SSE 4-8 mph

SE 3-6 mph

E 4-8 mph

NNE 3-6 mph

NE 4-8 mph

ENE 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 74/61 Spartanburg 76/61

Greenville 77/62

Columbia 81/65

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

Today: A shower and thunderstorm. Winds east-northeast 4-8 mph. Thursday: A shower and thunderstorm around. Winds northeast 4-8 mph.

Aiken 82/63

ON THE COAST

Charleston 79/66

Today: A couple of showers and thunderstorms possible. High 78 to 82. Thursday: A couple of showers and a thunderstorm. High 79 to 84.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 80/65/t 76/59/s 89/66/s 77/58/s 90/66/s 75/60/pc 88/72/t 68/55/c 87/71/t 66/56/r 101/71/s 65/55/pc 65/60/r

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 357.68 75.05 74.92 97.90

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

trace trace 0.32" 18.38" 15.57" 17.94"

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 81/67/c 80/58/pc 90/66/s 80/61/pc 90/66/s 72/59/r 89/73/pc 61/56/c 90/73/t 66/59/c 100/78/s 67/54/pc 70/64/t

Flood 7 a.m. stage yest. 12 2.48 19 3.68 14 2.28 14 3.15 80 75.85 24 6.89

Sunset Moonset

8:29 p.m. 7:12 a.m.

Last

New

First

Full

June 9

June 16

June 24

July 1

TIDES

24-hr chg -0.09 +0.35 +0.07 +0.55 -0.03 +1.26

AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 10:10 a.m. 10:44 p.m. 10:55 a.m. 11:27 p.m.

Today Thu.

Ht. 2.8 3.5 2.8 3.4

Low 5:01 a.m. 4:54 p.m. 5:46 a.m. 5:40 p.m.

Ht. -0.1 -0.2 -0.2 -0.2

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 73/59/t 80/62/t 82/62/t 82/67/t 81/67/t 79/66/t 76/60/t 80/65/t 81/65/t 77/62/t 78/66/t 76/63/t 75/62/t

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 75/57/t 81/63/t 84/63/t 84/66/t 80/67/c 82/65/t 79/61/t 82/65/t 81/64/t 82/63/t 79/66/c 80/63/t 77/63/t

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 76/63/t 86/66/t 75/61/t 75/64/t 80/66/t 69/58/t 77/62/t 72/58/t 80/69/t 84/66/t 86/65/t 85/63/t 80/63/t

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 82/64/t 90/66/pc 79/61/t 77/63/t 82/65/t 72/60/t 79/62/t 77/59/t 82/68/t 86/67/t 85/65/pc 86/63/t 81/64/c

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 72/58/t 80/66/t 79/67/t 81/64/t 82/68/t 73/60/t 76/60/t 76/61/t 82/65/t 76/61/t 80/66/t 78/65/t 69/58/t

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 76/59/t 82/66/t 81/68/t 82/64/t 83/68/t 74/61/t 79/60/t 80/63/t 83/65/t 77/63/t 82/65/t 80/65/c 73/61/t

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!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The more you can fit into your day, the greater the benefits. Enjoy every moment by approaching whatever you’re asked to do with positive energy and an open mind. You will learn from those with experience and an entrepreneurial spirit.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep moving. Put your heart and soul into creative projects and personal TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t be enhancement. Focus on your home reluctant to try new things. A and making it an easy place for you partnership will bring you good to explore and develop innovative fortune. Express your intentions, but ideas. Romance is encouraged and don’t embellish or you’ll have to backtrack. Keep your responsibilities will enhance your life. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): simple, precise and doable. Consider what the people you deal GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll with want. Setting up incentives will have plenty of options, but not all of them will be noteworthy. Do your make it easier for you to get what you want. Negotiate with everyone’s homework and get the facts. A best interests at heart. Positive tempting offer will be riddled with false hope. Consider a new strategy domestic changes will improve your emotional attitude. to improve your money management. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take what’s yours. If you give in to demands being made, you’ll never reach your goals. A physical change will boost your morale and encourage you to try new things. Take time to deal with a partnership that needs an adjustment.

Sunrise 6:11 a.m. Moonrise 9:28 p.m.

REGIONAL CITIES

803-795-4257

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

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take care of EUGENIA LAST paperwork that is holding you back before someone discovers that you’ve left something incomplete. Make arrangements to do something exhilarating. A day trip or learning something new will gear you up for new adventures.

24-hr chg +0.04 +0.02 -0.01 +0.11

RIVER STAGES

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

88° 69° 85° 62° 99° in 1951 47° in 1983

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

Myrtle Beach 79/67

Manning 81/66

PUBLIC AGENDA

The last word in astrology

Sumter 79/63

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 76/63

Bishopville 79/64

let sudden and unexpected changes going on around you cause uncertainty. Stick to what’s always worked for you in the past and keep moving forward. A chance to improve an important relationship should take top priority.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be the one to step out on a limb and initiate change. Your ideas are good and your positive attitude will win support and favors from influential sources. Your determination won’t go unnoticed, and a leadership position will open up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of business at home and at work. You can make a difference that will result in a higher income and advanced position. Speak up and share your ideas. Your candor will be appreciated and a partnership will develop.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Focus on what’s in front of you, not on what’s behind. Don’t let what others do influence you. Size up your situation and act accordingly. An emotional matter will escalate if you let your temper get the best of you. Protect your reputation.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take a step back and keep a watchful eye. Not everyone is on your side and someone will take pleasure in making you look bad. Avoid arguments and focus on selfimprovement and doing the best you can. Strive for perfection.

www.boykinacs.com License #M4217

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

12-17-18-25-33 PowerUp: 2

8-9-25-56-57 Powerball: 22 Powerplay: 2

Numbers not available at press time.

PICK 3 TUESDAY 2-4-2 and 9-6-2

PICK 4 TUESDAY 7-6-3-6 and 4-3-0-1

SUMTER ANIMAL CONTROL PET OF THE WEEK Angelina, a 4-month-old blonde lab / retriever mix, is available for adoption at the Sumter Animal Control. She loves to cuddle and would love to have a family of her own. If you can provide a good home for Angelina, contact Sumter Animal Control at (803) 436-2066 and refer to cage 28.

SECTION

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

LEGION BASEBALL

Late bounce back

Post 68 earns 1st win of year BY EDDIE LITAKER Special to The Sumter Item

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter P-15’s head baseball coach Steve Campbell (25) talks with starting pitcher Drew Talley (19) as teammate Javon Martin (2) listens on during the P-15’s 20-10, 7-inning victory over Goose Creek on Tuesday at Riley Park.

P-15’s score 18 straight runs to defeat Goose Creek 20-10 BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS The Associated Press The Sumter P-15’s used an 8-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to erase an 8-run deficit, and a couple of huge Goose Creek errors with two outs in the bottom of the sixth allowed five runs to score as the P-15’s rallied for a 20-10 victory over Post 166 in seven innings on Tuesday at Riley

Park. Sumter was trailing 10-2 before scoring 18 straight runs. It was the second game of a 3-game set against League III newcomer Post 166. Sumter won the first contest 15-1 on Monday. The P-15’s were able to stay perfect in league play and overall, finishing the game with a 5-0 mark.

HOGE FUNDRAISER TODAY FROM STAFF REPORTS The Dalzell-Shaw Post 175 American Legion baseball team will host a fundraising game to help cover the medical costs of former Jets player Michal Hoge today beginning at 7 p.m. at Thomas Sumter Academy’s General Field.

The game will pit the current Dalzell squad against former Jets players. The cost is $5 per person and all the proceeds will go toward Hoge’s medical bills. Hoge was severely injured while diving into a pool recently.

SEE SUMTER, PAGE B3

MANNING – Manning-Santee Posts 68 sent 10 men to the plate in a 6-run third inning against Hartsville and starting pitcher William Ard went the distance to make the runs stand up for Post 68’s first victory of the American Legion baseball season on Tuesday at Monarch Field. Ard and Hartsville’s Andrew Coker swapped zeroes on the scoreboard through the first two innings. Post 53 put two on the base paths in the first, in the form of Austin Morris being hit by an Ard pitch CUTTER and Harrison Hawkins reaching on an infield error, before Ard rallied to retire Alex Miller on a fly ball to center and Matt Lynch on a swinging third strike. Ard walked Chris Weekley to open what would be an unorthodox 1-2-3 second. Matt King dropped a successful sacrifice bunt, but Weekley would get caught leaning off second for a double play. Nic Martin then grounded to second baseman Dustin Way for the inning’s final out. Ard singled up the middle in the Manning-Santee first, but was stranded as Tommy King grounded out to third. Coker set Post 68 down in order in the second. Both teams broke onto the board in the third, with Hartsville striking for two runs on four consecutive singles and a hit by pitch before Manning-

SEE MANNING, PAGE B3

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Former SHS standouts taking next step in the minor leagues Montgomery moves up to High Single-A, Caldwell reaches Double-A BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com Jordan Montgomery and Bruce Caldwell have taken another step up the minor league baseball ladder on the way to hopefully reaching the Major Leagues. Montgomery, a left-handed pitcher in the New York Yankees organization, has been promoted from CALDWELL the Low Single-A Charleston RiverDogs to the High SingleA Tampa Yankees on Monday. Caldwell, an infielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organiza-

tion, was promoted to DoubleA Springfield from High Single-A Palm Beach. Montgomery and Caldwell are former Sumter High School and Sumter American Legion P-15’s standouts, leading the Gamecocks to the 4A state title in 2011 and the P-15’s to the 2010 state title. The 22-year-old Montgomery, a fourth-round selection of the Yankees in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, was off to a strong start for the RiverDogs of the South Atlantic League. In nine appearances with Charleston, all starts, Montgomery went 4-3 with a 2.68 earned run average in 43 2/3 innings pitched. He had a team high 55 strikeouts

against just 12 walks and 36 hits allowed. The former University of South Carolina standout gave up just 15 runs, 13 of them earned. Montgomery was named the SAL Pitcher of the Week for games played May 18-May 24. For the week, Montgomery went 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in two games started with one earned run allowed on four hits. He did not walk anyone and struck out 15 across 11 1/3 innings. He had a tremendous game against the Greenville Drive on May 23, pitching a career high seven scoreless innings in which he allowed just two

SEE STANDOUTS, PAGE B3

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS

Former Sumter High School and University of South Carolina standoutJordan Montgomery was promoted from the Low Single-A Charleston RiverDogs to the High Single-A Tampa Yankees on Monday.

CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Tigers enter 2015 season with revamped, untested defensive line BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press COLUMBIA — Clemson led the country in defense last year, largely because of an experienced front line with a four-man group that started a combined 114 games the past four seasons. Now, they have all moved on, leaving the Tigers coaches to send in the

next wave of players looking to maintain the team’s status as the top-ranked defense in the nation. Defensive ends Vic Beasley and Corey Crawford, and defensive tackles DODD Grady Jarrett and DeShawn Williams combined to play in 200 games during their Clemson careers and were the starting

point as the Tigers yielded just 260 yards a game last season. It is a daunting challenge that upcoming starting defensive end thinks his group is ready to meet. “I feel like we’ll be pretty good,” said Dodd, a backup last year listed as a starter on Clemson’s summer depth chart. “We lost some great players, but we had some pretty great players behind those great players. I feel like

we’re going to fill in and do well.” Joining Dodd at defensive end is another junior, Shaq Lawson. The interior of the line features senior D.J. Reader and junior Carlos Watkins. All but Dodd played in excess of 130 snaps last season, critical experience heading into the fall. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney

SEE TIGERS, PAGE B3

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

FRENCH OPEN

CENTRAL DIVISION

TV, RADIO TODAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stan Wawrinka, left, shakes hands with Roger Federer after beating Federer 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in a French Open quarterfinal match on Tuesday at Roland Garros in Paris.

Federer loses to pal Wawrinka in Paris BY HOWARD FENDRICH The Associated Press PARIS — Stumbling on his way to the net, Roger Federer dropped his racket and fell to his knees on the red clay. Hardly the sort of grace and precision the world has come to expect from the 17-time Grand Slam champion. There were other unusual sights in Federer’s 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (4) loss in the French Open quarterfinals Tuesday against his pal and Swiss Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka. “I made 30-something errors today. He, maybe, made one,” said Federer, exaggerating a bit. Rarely injured and appearing in a 62nd consecutive major, Federer received treatment on his right hand from a trainer. For years and years a dominant and confident force in tennis, Federer slumped in his changeover chair, head bowed, after falling behind two sets to none. And, according to the ATP, this was the first time since a fourth-round loss at the 2002 U.S. Open — back before he’d won a major trophy — that Federer failed to break an opponent’s serve once in a Grand Slam match. “I know that when I play good tennis, when I play my best tennis, I can play so heavy from both sides that it’s really tough for the opponent to play,” said the eighthseeded Wawrinka, who will play 14th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the semifinals Friday. “That’s why Roger was struggling today. It’s because I was playing so well.” So long superior to the younger Wawrinka, Federer was defeated for only the third time in their 19 head-to-head matches, and for the first time in five meetings at Grand Slam tournaments. “I tried many things,” Federer said. “Obviously I was not going to leave the French Open without having tried everything out there.” During the eight French Opens from 2005 to 2012, Federer reached at least the semifinals seven times, including winning the 2009 championship to complete a career Grand Slam. But this is the third year in a row he exits Roland Garros in the quarterfinals or earlier. Give Wawrinka credit. Powering the ball from the baseline in Court Suzanne Lenglen on a windy day, he produced groundstrokes that cut through gusts topping 30 mph (50 kph). “I’m a little bit surprised to win that

match in three sets and the way I did,” Wawrinka said, “but it’s a great feeling.” Over at Court Philippe Chatrier, Tsonga’s 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 victory over No. 5 Kei Nishikori was interrupted for about 40 minutes when one person was injured after a 9-foot-long (3-meter-long) piece of metal paneling was blown off a giant TV screen and fell onto packed rows of spectators below. French Open organizers originally said three people were hurt, but tournament director Gilbert Ysern later said two were fine after being checked at an infirmary. One went to the hospital for an injured wrist. When he finally defeated Nishikori, who was trying to become the first Japanese man to reach the French semifinals in 82 years, Tsonga knelt on the court, then rose and used the sole of his right shoe to write “Roland, je t’aime” — “I love you, Roland” — in the clay. Tsonga then got down on his back, with arms and legs spread apart, as 15,000 or so of his closest friends stood and roared their approval for their man’s second trip to the semifinals in Paris. “You’re going to be praised when you reach semis at Roland Garros, as if you had already won the tournament,” Tsonga said. “Whereas, in fact, well, to me it’s not over yet.” He’s a burly guy who can rip the ball as hard as just about anyone on tour, and he and Wawrinka have split six career meetings. As well as Wawrinka played Tuesday, he probably would have been just fine without the point conceded by Federer after a disputed call in the tiebreaker. “I played my best match in a Grand Slam tournament,” said Wawrinka, quite a statement considering he won the 2014 Australian Open, “and my best match on clay.” The other men’s quarterfinals are Wednesday: No. 1 Novak Djokovic against nine-time champion Rafael Nadal, and No. 3 Andy Murray against No. 7 David Ferrer. One women’s semifinal was set Tuesday: No. 7 Ana Ivanovic against No. 13 Lucie Safarova. Safarova, who eliminated defending champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, beat Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (3), 6-3 to reach the second major semifinal of her career. Ivanovic reached her first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the 2008 French Open by defeating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2.

8 a.m. – Professional Tennis: French Open Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinal Matches from Paris (ESPN2). 3 p.m. – College Golf: NCAA Men’s Championship Team Match-Play Final from Bradenton, Fla. (GOLF). 3:30 p.m. – Major League Baseball: New York Yankees at Seattle or Atlanta at Arizona (MLB NETWORK). 3:30 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Atlanta at Arizona (SPORTSOUTH, WPUB-FM 102.7). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WPUB-FM 102.7, WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Stanley Cup Finals Game One – Chicago at Tampa Bay (WIS 10). 8 p.m. – College Softball: Women’s College World Series Game Three from Oklahoma City – Michigan vs. Florida (If Necessary) (ESPN). 8 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Los Angeles Dodges at Colorado (ESPN2). 8:55 p.m. – International Soccer: Peru vs. Mexico from Lima, Peru (ESPNEWS, UNIVISION). Midnight – International Soccer: U-20 World Cup Group Match – Honduras vs. Fiji (FOX SPORTS 2). 3 a.m. – International Soccer: U-20 World Cup Group Match from New Plymouth, New Zealand – Hungary vs. Brazil (FOX SPORTS 1). 3 a.m. – International Soccer: U-20 World Cup Group Match from Christchurch, New Zealand – Germany vs. Uzbekistan (FOX SPORTS 2). 5 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PA Tour Nordea Masters First Round from Malmo, Sweden (GOLF).

COLLEGE BASEBALL The Associated Press

NCAA DIVISION I SUPER REGIONALS BASEBALL GLANCE

Best-of-3; x-if necessary Host school is Game 1 home team; visiting school is Game 2 home team; coin flip determines Game 3 home team At Davenport Field Charlottesville, Va. Friday, June 5: Maryland (42-22) at Virginia (37-22), 4 p.m. Saturday, June 6: Virginia vs. Maryland, 3 p.m. Sunday, June 7: Virginia vs. Maryland, 3 p.m. At Alfred A. McKethan Stadium Gainesville, Fla. Friday, June 5: Florida State (44-19) at Florida (47-16), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6: Florida vs. Florida State, 5 p.m. x-Sunday, June 7: Florida vs. Florida State, 6 or 7 p.m. At A-Rod Park at Mark Light Field Coral Gables, Fla. Friday, June 5: VCU (40-23) at Miami (47-15), Noon Saturday, June 6: VCU vs. Miami, Noon x-Sunday, June 7: VCU vs. Miami, Noon At Jim Patterson Stadium Louisville, Ky. Saturday, June 6: Cal State Fullerton (37-22) at Louisville (46-16), 11 a.m. Sunday, June 7: Louisville vs. Cal State Fullerton, Noon x-Monday, June 8: Louisville vs. Cal State Fullerton, TBA At Illinois Field Champaign, Ill. Saturday, June 6: Vanderbilt (45-19) at Illinois (50-8-1), 8 p.m. Sunday, June 7: Illinois vs. Vanderbilt, 9 p.m. x-Monday, June 8: Illinois vs. Vanderbilt, TBA At Alex Box Stadium Baton Rouge, La. Saturday, June 6: Louisiana-Lafayette (42-21) at LSU (51-10), 8 p.m. Sunday, June 7: LSU vs. LouisianaLafayette, 6 or 7 p.m. x-Monday, June 8: LSU vs. LouisianaLafayette, TBA At Baum Stadium Fayetteville, Ark. Friday, June 5: Missouri State (48-10) at Arkansas (38-22), 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6: Arkansas vs. Missouri State, 2 p.m. x-Sunday, June 7: Arkansas vs. Missouri State, 3 p.m. At Lupton Stadium Fort Worth, Texas Saturday, June 6: Texas A&M (49-12) at TCU (49-12), 3 p.m. Sunday, June 7: TCU vs. Texas A&M, 2:15 p.m. x-Monday, June 8: TCU vs. Texas A&M, TBA

MLB STANDINGS By The Associated Press AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION W New York 27 Tampa Bay 26 Baltimore 23 Toronto 23 Boston 22 CENTRAL DIVISION W Minnesota 30 Kansas City 29 Detroit 28 Cleveland 24 Chicago 23 WEST DIVISION W Houston 32 Los Angeles 28 Texas 26 Seattle 24 Oakland 20

L 25 26 27 30 29

Pct .519 .500 .460 .434 .431

GB – 1 3 41/2 41/2

L 19 19 24 26 26

Pct .612 .604 .538 .480 .469

GB – 1/2 31/2 61/2 7

L 20 24 25 27 33

Pct .615 .538 .510 .471 .377

GB – 4 51/2 71/2 121/2

MONDAY’S GAMES

Toronto at Washington, ppd., rain Minnesota at Boston, ppd., rain Houston 5, Baltimore 2 L.A. Angels 7, Tampa Bay 3 N.Y. Yankees 7, Seattle 2

TUESDAY’S GAMES

MLB ROUNDUP

De La Rosa leads Rockies over Dodgers DENVER — Jorge De La Rosa threw six solid innings with a healing cut on his middle finger, Michael McKenry homered and the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday. The game was a makeup of a rainout on May 9. De La Rosa (2-2) allowed three runs and struck out six for his 71st win with the Rockies, one shy of matching Aaron Cook’s team record. NATIONALS 2 BLUE JAYS 0

WASHINGTON — Jordan Zimmermann allowed six hits in eight innings, Bryce Harper singled home the

ahead-run off R.A. Dickey and the drove in the goahead run as the Washington Nationals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 Tuesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. MONDAY BRAVES 8 DIAMONDBACKS 1 PHOENIX — Freddie Freeman went 20 games without a home run until Sunday. Now he has two in two days. The Atlanta Braves first baseman had three hits, including a two-run home run, and teammates Andrelton Simmons added three hits in an 8-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday.

RAYS MINOR LEAGUER SUSPENDED 50 GAMES

NEW YORK — A minor league player in the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for an amphetamine. The commissioner’s office announced Tuesday that infielder/outfielder Coty Blanchard had been penalized. A’S REINSTATE O’FLAHERTY OFF DL, SEND DOWN CASTRO

DETROIT — The Oakland Athletics have reinstated reliever Eric O’Flaherty from the disabled list and optioned reliever Angel Castro to Triple-A Sacramento. From wire reports

Washington 2, Toronto 0, 1st game Toronto at Washington, 7:05 p.m., 2nd game Oakland at Detroit, 7:08 p.m. Minnesota at Boston, 7:10 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Texas, 8:05 p.m. Baltimore at Houston, 8:10 p.m. Cleveland at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m. Tampa Bay at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Minnesota (P.Hughes 4-4) at Boston (E.Rodriguez 1-0), 1:35 p.m., 1st game N.Y. Yankees (Tanaka 2-1) at Seattle (T.Walker 2-5), 3:40 p.m. Toronto (Buehrle 6-4) at Washington (Jordan 0-1), 7:05 p.m. Oakland (Gray 6-2) at Detroit (An. Sanchez 3-6), 7:08 p.m. Minnesota (May 3-3) at Boston (Porcello 4-4), 7:10 p.m., 2nd game Chicago White Sox (Sale 4-2) at Texas (N.Martinez 4-1), 8:05 p.m. Baltimore (Mi.Gonzalez 5-3) at Houston (McCullers 1-0), 8:10 p.m. Cleveland (Kluber 3-5) at Kansas City (J.Vargas 3-2), 8:10 p.m. Tampa Bay (Karns 3-2) at L.A. Angels (Santiago 4-3), 10:05 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Oakland at Detroit, 1:08 p.m. Baltimore at Houston, 2:10 p.m. Minnesota at Boston, 4:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Texas, 8:05 p.m. Cleveland at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m. Tampa Bay at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION Washington New York Atlanta Miami Philadelphia

W 29 29 26 20 19

L 22 23 25 32 33

Pct .569 .558 .510 .385 .365

GB – 1/2 3 91/2 101/2

St. Louis Chicago Pittsburgh Cincinnati Milwaukee WEST DIVISION Los Angeles San Francisco San Diego Arizona Colorado

W 33 27 27 22 18

L 18 22 24 27 34

Pct .647 .551 .529 .449 .346

GB – 5 6 10 151/2

W 30 30 25 23 22

L 20 23 28 27 27

Pct .600 .566 .472 .460 .449

GB – 11/2 61/2 7 71/2

MONDAY’S GAMES

Toronto at Washington, ppd., rain Chicago Cubs 5, Miami 1 Milwaukee 1, St. Louis 0 L.A. Dodgers 11, Colorado 4 Atlanta 8, Arizona 1 N.Y. Mets 7, San Diego 0 Pittsburgh 4, San Francisco 3

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Washington 2, Toronto 0, 1st game L.A. Dodgers at Colorado, 3:10 p.m., 1st game Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m. Toronto at Washington, 7:05 p.m., 2nd game Chicago Cubs at Miami, 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Colorado, 8:40 p.m., 2nd game Atlanta at Arizona, 9:40 p.m. N.Y. Mets at San Diego, 10:10 p.m. Pittsburgh at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Milwaukee (Nelson 2-5) at St. Louis (Lackey 3-3), 1:45 p.m. Atlanta (Foltynewicz 3-2) at Arizona (R.De La Rosa 4-2), 3:40 p.m. Pittsburgh (Liriano 2-4) at San Francisco (T.Hudson 3-4), 3:45 p.m. Cincinnati (Leake 2-4) at Philadelphia (Hamels 5-4), 7:05 p.m. Toronto (Buehrle 6-4) at Washington (Jordan 0-1), 7:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Lester 4-3) at Miami (Haren 5-2), 7:10 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Bolsinger 3-1) at Colorado (Bettis 2-0), 8:10 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Gee 0-2) at San Diego (Shields 6-0), 9:10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Chicago Cubs at Washington, 7:05 p.m. Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets at Arizona, 9:40 p.m. St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

NBA FINALS By The Associated Press FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary) Golden State vs. Cleveland Thursday, June 4: Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. Sunday, June 7: Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 9: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. Thursday, June 11: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. x-Sunday, June 14: Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. x-Tuesday, June 16: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. x-Friday, June 19: Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m.

NHL PLAYOFFS By The Associated Press

FINALS (Best-of-7; x-if necessary) Tampa Bay vs. Chicago Wednesday, June 3: Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6: Chicago at Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m. Monday, June 8: Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 10: Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. x-Saturday, June 13: Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. x-Monday, June 15: Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. x-Wednesday, June 17: Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m.

TENNIS By The Associated Press

Tuesday At Stade Roland Garros Paris Purse: $30.86 million (Grand Slam) Surface: Clay-Outdoor Singles Men Quarterfinals Stan Wawrinka (8), Switzerland, def. Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (4). Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (14), France, def. Kei Nishikori (5), Japan, 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3. Women Quarterfinals Ana Ivanovic (7), Serbia, def. Elina Svitolina (19), Ukraine, 6-3, 6-2. Lucie Safarova (13), Czech Republic, def. Garbine Muguruza (21), Spain, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Doubles Men Quarterfinals Bob and Mike Bryan (1), United States, def. Marcin Matkowski, Poland, and Nenad Zimonjic (7), Serbia, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4. Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Horia Tecau (5), Romania, def. Vasek Pospisil, Canada, and Jack Sock (2), United States, 6-3, 6-3. Women Quarterfinals Casey Dellacqua, Australia, and Yaroslava Shvedova (12), Kazakhstan, def. Michaella Krajicek, Netherlands, and Barbora Strycova (13), Czech Republic, 6-3, 7-5. Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (2), Russia, def. Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, Spain, 6-1, 7-6 (5). Mixed Quarterfinals Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Mike Bryan (2), United States, def. Anastasia Rodionova, Australia, and Aisamul-Haq Qureshi, Pakistan, 6-0, 7-6 (3). Lucie Hradecka, Czech Republic, and Marcin Matkowski, Poland, def. Timea Babos, Hungary, and Alexander Peya (7), Austria, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-8. Legends Doubles Round Robin Men Over 45 Cedric Pioline, France, and Mark Woodforde, Australia, def. Pat Cash, Australia, and Andres Gomez, Ecuador, 6-4, 6-4. Mansour Bahrami, France, and Paul Haarhuis, Netherlands, def. Mikael Pernfors and Mats Wilander, Sweden, 6-1, 6-4. Junior Singles Boys Second Round Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera (10), Chile, def. Oh Chan-yeong, South Korea, 6-2, 6-2. Corentin Denolly (4), France, def. Alex Rybakov, United States, 6-2, 6-0. Juan Pablo Ficovich, Argentina, def. Alexander Bublik, Russia, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Alex Molcan, Slovakia, def. Ulises Blanch, United States, 6-2, 6-2. Djurabeck Karimov, Uzbekistan, def. Hong Seong-chan (3), South Korea, 6-2, 6-3. Casper Ruud (15), Norway, def. Jaume Munar, Spain, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. Tommy Paul (13), United States, def. Felipe Cunha-Silva, Portugal, 6-1, 6-3. Michael Mmoh (6), United States, def. Mate Valkusz, Hungary, 6-3, 6-3. Chung Yunseong (8), South Korea, def. Sumit Nagal, India, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Ly Nam Hoang (11), Vietnam, def. Nathan Ponwith, United States, 6-1, 6-2. Manuel Pena Lopez, Argentina, def. Viktor Durasovic (5), Norway, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Theo Fournerie (12), France, def. Patrik Nema, Slovakia, 6-3, 6-1. Taylor Harry Fritz (2), United States, def. Tim Sandkaulen, Germany, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

SPORTS ITEMS

Blatter to resign as FIFA president FIFA President Sepp Blatter will resign from soccer’s governing body amid a widening corruption scandal and promised Tuesday to call for fresh elections to choose a successor. The 79-year-old Blatter was re-elected to a fifth term on Friday, two days after a corruption crisis erupted and seven soccer officials were arrested in Zurich ahead of the FIFA congress. Elections are expected to take place sometime between December and March. Three days earlier, Blatter was defiant and feisty in the same room when fending off questions about FIFA’s battered reputation and the chance U.S. federal agencies could seek his arrest. The U.S. Department of Justice indicted 14 men last Wednesday, including the seven arrested in dawn raids on a luxury Zurich hotel. The Justice Department said Tuesday it would have no comment on Blatter’s announcement. The Swiss attorney general said Blatter was not under investigation in Switzerland, but authorities said last week they have opened a criminal probe into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding votes. CLEMSON PITCHER SCHMIDT SAYS HE’S GOT LYMPHOMA

CLEMSON — Clemson right-handed pitcher Clate Schmidt said he has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Schmidt posted on Twitter Tuesday that doctors found he had nodular sclerosing lymphoma, a disease where lymph nodes in the neck can become enlarged. Clemson confirmed Schmidt’s condition. Schmidt said his prognosis is good because the disease was caught early and is treatable with chemotherapy. The pitcher appeared in 18 games this season and made six starts. He had a record of 2-3 with a 4.67 ERA in 52 innings of work. His last appearance on the mound came against North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament on May 22. CHICAGO BULLS INTRODUCE FRED HOIBERG AS NEW COACH

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls made it official Tuesday, hiring Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg to replace Tom Thibodeau. Hoiberg was long rumored as the replacement for Thibodeau, who was fired last

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter P-15’s first baseman Javon Martin, left, prepares to apply a tag as Goose Creek’s Mikey White slides in safely during Tuesday’s American Legion baseball League III contest at Riley Park.

SUMTER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FIFA President Sepp Blatter will resign from soccer’s governing body amid a widening corruption scandal and promised on Tuesday to call for fresh elections to choose a successor. week after five seasons. Hoiberg went 115-56 with the Cyclones, including four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and back-to-back Big 12 tournament titles. He had open-heart surgery in April. STAR RB ADRIAN PETERSON RETURNS TO MINNESOTA VIKINGS

MINNEAPOLIS — Adrian Peterson put on his Minnesota Vikings jersey for the first time in nine months on Tuesday. The star running back says he has learned a lot from the mistake he made when he struck his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. Peterson practiced with the Vikings on Tuesday, then told reporters he has met all the requirements that came from pleading to a misdemeanor that caused him to miss the final 15 games of last season. He says he apologized to the son he struck immediately after the incident and has a great relationship with him today. LEINART AMONG 1ST-TIMERS ON COLLEGE HALL OF FAME BALLOT

Southern California Heisman Trophy Winner Matt Leinart and former New Mexico star Brian Urlacher are among the players making their first appearance on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot. The National Football Foundation released on Tuesday the players and coaches being considered for selection to the Hall of Fame this year. From wire reports

FROM PAGE B1 Command issues produced a short night for P-15’s starter Drew Talley and a big opening inning for the Phoenix. Mikey White and Jonathon Bowman opened the game with back-to-back singles through the right side followed by a walk to Kyle Garrick. Zach Gonzalez then notched the third 2-strike hit of the inning for Goose Creek to plate the game’s first run. Sumter caught a small break though when Bowman realized halfway to home that he was not going to make it and headed back to third base. He found Garrick already standing there and P-15’s third baseman River Soles tagged both with Garrick, the trailing runner, being called out. But that was the only good fortune Sumter found that inning. Talley walked the next two batters to force in another run and end his night after facing just six batters. Ryan Touchberry came in and proceeded to walk a run in as well before Kyle Key lined a 2-run shot to left to make it 5-0. Bailey Brock added a sacrifice fly and White then tallied his second hit of the inning – an RBI single. By the end, the Phoenix had scored seven runs on five hits and had benefited from four free passes. The P-15’s quickly got two runs back in their half of the first, however. Jacob Watcher reached on a fielder’s choice and River Soles tripled him home. Kemper Patton’s RBI groundout made it 7-2. Post 166 got a run back in the second and chased another P-15’s pitcher in the process. Touchberry walked three and hit another batter in between getting

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter P-15’s pitcher Ryan Touchberry delivers a pitch during Tuesday’s contest at Riley Park. LEAGUE III STANDINGS League Overall W L Pct. GB W L Sumter 4 0 1.000 4 0 Camden 3 0 1.000 1/2 3 0 G. Creek 0 1 .000 2 1/2 0 1 Dalzell 0 3 .000 3 1/2 0 3 Manning 0 4 .000 4 0 4 Monday’s Games Sumter 15, Goose Creek 1, 7 innings Hartsville 13, Manning-Santee 1, 7 innings Tuesday’s Games Goose Creek at Sumter Hartsville at Manning-Santee Today’s Games Manning-Santee at Hartsville, 7 p.m. Dalzell-Shaw Michal Hoge Fundraiser, 7 p.m. Thursday’s Game Sumter at Goose Creek, 7 p.m. Friday’s Game Sumter at Florence, 7:30 p.m. Junior Legion Schedule Today’s Games Lake City at Sumter, 7 p.m. Manning-Santee at South Florence No. 2, 6:30 p.m. Manning at Camden, 7 p.m. Thursday’s Game Bishopville at Manning-Santee, 8 p.m. Friday’s Games Sumter at Manning-Santee, 7 p.m. Manning at South Florence No. 2, 6:30 p.m.

two outs as the Phoenix scored their eighth run on a passed ball. Touchberry exited after 1 1/3 innings and gave way to Taylor Finley, who got the last out to leave the bases loaded with no further damage done. Both Finley and Brock, the Post 166 starter, settled into somewhat of a groove

after the early flurries. Brock pitched around having two base runners on in the second and third innings to keep the P-15’s off the board through the fourth. Finley retired the first five batters he faced, then worked out of a basesloaded, 2-out jam in the fourth to keep the score 8-2. Finley wasn’t so lucky in the fifth. A leadoff error proved costly as Bryce Singletary lined a 2-out, 2-run double to straight center that sent two more Phoenix runners home to make it 10-2. Sumter got both runs back and more in its at-bat. Jacob Watcher reached on an error and Soles connected on his second run-scoring triple of the night. Kemper Patton followed with an RBI single to make it 10-4. Then the floodgates opened. The P-15’s rapped out six more hits in the inning. Dawson Price, Javon Martin and Phillip Watcher each had RBI singles, and after another Post 166 error, Soles brought Sumter all the way back with a 2-run single to knot the game at 10-10. The barrage chased Brock after 4 1/3 innings.

TIGERS FROM PAGE B1 agrees there shouldn’t be a drop off along the line, even without first-round NFL draft pick Beasley who set the school’s record with 33 sacks. “So first group is very, very solid,” he said. “But the biggest difference for us is we just don’t have the experienced depth. We have talented depth, but it’s very inexperienced and that’s going to be the key to our defense.” Clemson may have taken care of its most important defensive issue when it locked up coordinator Brent Venables with a four-year contract for $1.35 million a season that ties him to the Tigers through 2018. It was Venables who turned a struggling unit into a powerhouse with determined players up front. Beasley was a one-time running back/tight end who blossomed into Clemson’s best pass rusher. Jarrett, considered undersized at six-foot tall, became a relentless tackler who routinely pushed bigger offensive linemen back into the pocket. Reader, who was a power hitting first baseman on Clemson’s baseball team his freshman year, had 27 tackles including seven behind the line of scrimmage last season. Lawson made 44 stops in 2014, including 11 tackles for

loss. Venables said while players like Reader and Lawson have achieved in backup roles, the new starters must prove they can do it for longer stretches and at every critical moment this upcoming season. “It’s something we’ll have to wait and see,” he said. Clemson’s depth took a hit last month when rising sophomore defensive end Ebenezer Ogundeko was dismissed from the team after his arrest for financial transaction fraud. Swinney said the team has concentrated on building depth along the line in its past few recruiting classes. That includes defensive end Albert Huggins, one of the ESPN’s top 300 players a year ago who enrolled early at Clemson and is pushing for immediate playing time. If the front line holds up, Clemson has an experienced secondary behind led by returning starters Mackensie Alexander at cornerback and Jayron Kearse at safety. “’We’ve got to get a little lucky and hope that we can kind of keep those front-line guys healthy,” Swinney said. “But how quickly we can develop the young talent that we have and get them game ready to where they can help us out.”

MANNING FROM PAGE B1 Santee exploded. The inning started with the first seven Post 68 batters reaching and Ard and Tommy King providing the punch. Way singled to left to open the inning ahead of Hunter Robinson reaching on an error. Jared Hair beat out a bunt single to load the bases, with a walk to Michael Burgess plating Way. Ard then doubled home Robinson and Hair before King smacked a grand slam home run in the left field corner. Buddy Bleasedale followed with a single, but was stranded as Coker rallied to retire the next three batters. The pitchers settled down in the fourth to both retire the side. The fifth saw Nic Martin reach on an infield single for Hartsville before being stranded. Manning loaded the bases only to come up empty as well. Ard reached on an infield single for his third hit of the night, then

King and Bleasedale followed with base hits, but Coker once again rallied to put down the next three Post 68 batters. Lynch opened the Hartsville sixth with a single up the middle, but Ard would come away with a 1-2-3 inning as pinch hitter Maliki Mack would ground into a 6-4-3 double play, Post 68’s third twin killing of the night. Manning-Santee would not be denied in its half of the sixth as Robinson singled to left off Hartsville reliever Parker Vause, stole second, took third on a Hair fly to right and crossed home plate on a Burgess single to shallow center, pushing Post 68’s lead to 7-2. Post 53 answered with its first double play of the night as Ard grounded to third baseman Mack, setting up a 5-4-3 DP. King doubled to open the Manning-Santee seventh for his third hit of the night, but was left stranded at third as Vause set down the next three batters. The teams conclude the series tonight at 7 p.m. in Kelleytown.

STANDOUTS FROM PAGE B1 hits and struck out eight while not walking a batter. More impressive though was the fact he threw just 69 pitches, 57 of them from strikes. Caldwell joined Springfield over the weekend and has two games under his belt so far. The left-handed

swinging Caldwell was 3-for9 with two runs batted in for Springfield heading into Tuesday’s game with Frisco. Caldwell, a 15th-round draft pick of St. Louis in 2012, was batting .248 in 165 at-bats with Palm Beach when he was promoted. He had 10 doubles, a triple and

a home run to go with 16 RBI and 23 runs scored. Caldwell, who was drafted out of Spartanburg Methodist College, had a solid season with Palm Beach in 2014, spending the entire year with the Florida State League team. He batted just .247, but had 19 doubles, seven triples and 12 homers to go with 51 RBI.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

NBA FINALS

Versatility, depth needed to defend LeBron BY ANTONIO GONZALEZ The Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif.— LeBron James believes there’s nobody in the world that can stop him. He’s too strong, too fast, too skilled. A bully with a basketball and beast above the rim. If the Golden Warriors want to win the title, they’ll need to get past James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals starting Thursday night. And not just once — but four times in seven games. “Some have been successful. Many have failed,” said Warriors forward Draymond Green, the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and among at least four players who will get their shot at James in the series. Defending the four-time MVP is a challenge the Warriors think they’re as well equipped as anybody to face. They had the top-rated defense during the regular season and held opponents to a league-low 42.8 percent shooting. They’re loaded with length and versatility on the perimeter, and they lean on 7-footer Andrew Bogut to back them up around the basket. Call it the Irresistible Force Paradox: an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. Someone, or something, will surely have to give in this matchup. “Our defense is the best in the league, but we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Bogut said. James had little trouble slicing through Golden State’s smothering pressure in the lone game he played against the Warriors this season. He scored a season-high 42 points in the Cavs’ 110-99 win in Cleveland on Feb. 26, shot 15 of 25 from the floor and made 8 of 11 free throws. Warriors coach Steve Kerr called it “one of those games where he was making everything.” He said the key to avoiding a repeat performance is clogging the paint and avoiding turnovers that lead to transition baskets. “Sometimes your best defense is your offense,” Kerr said. “You can’t get crazy with the ball. A live-ball turnover with LeBron is just a dunk at the other end.” James, who is in his fifth straight finals, has been bril-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cleveland’s LeBron James, left, will be the defensive focus of the Golden State Warriors when they meet the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals which begin on Thursday. James is looking for his first title with Cleveland while Golden State is after its first NBA title in 40 years. liant in the playoffs. He averaged 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 42.8 percent against Boston, Chicago and Atlanta and often looked flawless. The Warriors have been tight-lipped about how they’ll go about defending James. But, like anybody, they believe there are ways to disrupt his rhythm. “We’re all human, I would like to think,” said Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala, who spent more time defending James than any other player on the team in the previous matchup, according to the SportVU tracking system. The Warriors are no strangers to stopping stars in these playoffs. James will be the fourth straight All-NBA First-Team player they face after Houston’s James Harden, Memphis’ Marc Gasol and New Orleans’ Anthony Davis. The

NBA FINALS CAPSULE A capsule look at the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, which begin Thursday night (with playoff stats):

GOLDEN STATE (67-15, 12-3) VS. CLEVELAND (53-29, 12-2)

Starters: Warriors — C Andrew Bogut (5.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg), F Draymond Green (14.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg), F Harrison Barnes (11.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg), G Klay Thompson (19.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), G Stephen Curry (29.2 ppg, 6.4 apg). Cavaliers — C Timofey Mozgov (9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg), F Tristan Thompson (9.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg), F LeBron James (27.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 8.3 apg), G Iman Shumpert (10.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Kyrie Irving (18.7 ppg, 3.7 apg). Key reserves: Warriors — G Andre Iguodala (8.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg), F G Shaun Livingston (5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg), C Festus Ezeli (3.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg), G Leandro Barbosa (4.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg), F David Lee (2.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg). Cavaliers — G J.R. Smith (13.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), G Matthew Dellavedova (7.0 ppg, 2.6 apg), G James Jones (4.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg). Season series: Tied, 1-1. The Warriors

fifth member of that team is newly minted MVP Stephen Curry, whom James compared himself to last week when asked how to defend the Warriors point guard. “The same way you slow me down,” he said, pausing

beat a Cavaliers team in transition Jan. 9, a 112-94 victory in which Smith scored 27 points in his first start with Cleveland and Mozgov made his Cavs debut. James sat out that game, then scored a seasonhigh 42 points on 15-of-25 shooting and added 11 rebounds in a 110-99 home victory Feb. 26. Curry averaged 20.5 points and 8.0 assists. Story line: Curry was this season’s MVP, James won it four times, and one of them will lead a team to an unfamiliar spot on top of the NBA. The Warriors haven’t won a title since 1975 and the Cavaliers never have, with James trying to end his city’s championship drought in his fifth straight finals appearance, and first since returning from Miami last summer. Key matchup I: Curry vs. Irving. They started together in the backcourt for the gold medal-winning U.S. in last summer’s Basketball World Cup, then went on to have their best NBA seasons. But while Curry has followed that with a superb postseason, Irving has been battling foot and knee injuries that forced him to sit out two games in the

Eastern Conference finals. Dellavedova has stepped up in his absence, but the Cavs probably need their All-Star now. Key matchup II: Barnes, Green, Iguodala and anyone else vs. James. James nearly averaged a triple-double in the conference finals against an Atlanta team that was limited in its options against him. But the Warriors are loaded with depth and can use smaller players against him on the perimeter or the stronger Green, the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. If they can force James to beat them from the outside, he’ll probably have to shoot better than his current 17.6 percent from 3-point range in this postseason to do it. X-factor: Smith. When he gets hot, he can drop 3-pointers as fast as Curry — they share this year’s postseason high with eight in a game. But the volatile sixth man who was suspended two games earlier in the postseason for throwing an elbow will have to keep his emotions in check on the most pressure-packed stage there is. Prediction: Warriors in 6.

for effect. “You can’t.” The Warriors will likely do what they did against each team’s best player the previous three rounds: mix and match defenders and defensive looks. Green, Iguodala, Harrison

Barnes and Klay Thompson will take turns guarding James. And because the Warriors switch on pick-and-rolls at just about every position, it’s not nearly as important who starts on him as it is who finishes on him.

SUMTER SPEEDWAY

HORSE RACING

Duke dominates Stock 4 division at speedway

American Pharoah arrives in New York ready for attempt at Triple Crown win

BY CODY TRUETT Special to The Sumter Item Banjo Duke picked up a dominant victory in the Stock-4 division feature to highlight the racing action at Sumter Speedway on Saturday. Duke started the feature from the outside front row, but wasted little time grabbing the lead. As the race stayed green, Duke opened up a huge lead over the rest of the field. After lapping all but the second- and third-place cars, Duke took the checkered flag and the win. Jason Hodge came home second with Bubba Kolb third and Landon Jeffreys fourth. Taylor Geddings was fifth with Gray Thompson sixth, Casey Bryan seventh and Allen Ridgeway eighth. Luke Wilson added another win to his list in the Extreme-4 division, leading flag to flag. John Ledwell was second. Matt Lawson also led from start to finish on his way to another Crate Late model victory. Duke was second with Mark McLeod third and Chad Dunn fourth. Robbie Disher picked up an impressive win in the Super Street division. Disher led the early stages of the feature, but got tangled up in turns 1 and 2 and had to make his

way back to the front. Disher fought through the field to pick up the win with Shannon Munn second and Ken Appleton third. Joey Ayers was fourth with Steven Bartlette fifth, Greg Murphy sixth and Neil Avery seventh. Walter Anderson grabbed the win in the Stock V8 feature, holding off David Duke on his way to the checkered flag. Duke settled for second and Fletcher Leaf came home third in his first career start and picked up the Danny’s Trophy Shop Hard Charger Award. William Disher finally claimed the bounty that had been placed on Robbie Disher in the Street Stock division. William Disher battled with both Robbie Disher and Adam Hill throughout the event before taking the victory. Hill settled for second with Grant Hill third, Jody Truett fourth, Steven Bartlette fifth and Robbie Disher sixth. Sumter Speedway’s season continues on Saturday, and the Monster Mini Stock series will be racing along with all of the regular divisions. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7. Grandstand tickets are $10 for adults and pit passes are $20. Active duty military will be admitted to the grandstands free of charge with military identification.

BY BETH HARRIS The Associated Press NEW YORK — American Pharoah arrived in New York on Tuesday to begin final preparations for this weekend’s Belmont Stakes, in which the colt will try to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. After a flight from Louisville, Kentucky, and a van ride from an airport on Long Island, American Pharoah was quickly guided off the van in a steady rain and into Barn 1 at Belmont Park. A gaggle of photographers and news crews recorded every step taken by the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, who was easily identifiable from the other horses by his unusually short tail. Trainer Bob Baffert was on hand to supervise the unloading. Once inside, American Pharoah walked around the renovated barn several times before being led into his stall. “This is Pharoah weather. He likes wet,” Baffert said. “He’s never stayed in a barn like this. It’s like he’s at the Ritz.” After getting settled in, Baffert’s crew planned to give American Pharoah plenty of water and his din-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

American Pharoah (4) and jockey Victor Espinoza will attempt to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978 on Saturday. ner later. The trainer explained that when it rains, a horse often won’t drink enough water and can get colic. Owner Ahmed Zayat welcomed his star horse. “He’s coming in as best as we could have wanted,” he said. “He’s doing everything right.” Temperatures were in the low 50s, unseasonably cool for June. The forecast calls for a break from the rain on Wednesday before showers return on Thursday and Friday. American Pharoah won the Preakness by seven lengths in the slop after a deluge hit Pimlico as the horses were going to the starting gate. The forecast on Saturday

calls for partly sunny skies. “I don’t want a track that would hinder their abilities to perform best,” Zayat said. American Pharoah completed his final major workout on Monday at Churchill Downs, where he covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 under light rain. He will go for a light jog on Wednesday. The colt will try to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed with a victory in the 1 ½-mile Belmont on Saturday. American Pharoah had company on the flight from Churchill Downs. Keen Ice, one of his expected seven challengers, shared the same plane.

RECRUITING

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

Trio awaits Jones’ decision on commit T hree schools and their football fan bases will have to wait an extra three days to find out the decision from defensive lineman Naquan Jones of Evanston, Ill. And even then, the recruiting of Jones won’t be over because he plans to take official visits in the fall. Still, the University of South Carolina, Michigan State and Florida would love to be the program working from the position of holding the commitment rather than trying to turn him. Jones had planned to announce on Friday, but he’s now looking at Monday around noon at his school to make his decision known. That will be the last day of his junior academic year. Jones said at this point he can’t say that any of the three schools is out front. USC DL coach Deke Adams was at the school last week and he watched Jones work out. The two have also been in touch over the phone. “With the new defense they are pretty much in, he’s saying their giving the defensive line more freedom basically to let them play and not just open up a slot for the linebackers,” Jones said. “Let them play and do what they have to do to make plays. And he talked about how they are very interested in me.” Michigan State also has been by the school. UF just recently offered and has yet to get in to see him. Jones said the decision between the three will come down to what most of these decisions come down to — overall comfort. “Just the place where I can spend the next four to five years and feel comfortable and feel at home,” Jones said. “Basically, going into it feeling like this is the place for me, this is where I want to spend my life the next four of five years, going to school, playing football, being on my own away from home.” LB Kash Daniel (6-feet2-inches, 240 pounds) of Paintsville, Ky., has cut his list down to a final four of USC, Kentucky, Louisville and UF. Some of those offering schools not making the cut were Purdue, Charlotte, Marshall and Ohio. Daniel is looking at making a decision in June after visiting his four schools. He was to go to Louisville the first week in June, to UK on Monday, UF the third week of the month and then USC on his way back from Florida. USC was one of the first major programs to offer Daniel and the Gamecocks have continued to keep up the strong interest with him. “(USC assistant) Coach (Kirk) Botkin came up and he offered me,” Daniel said. “It was real overwhelming. Getting the opportunity to play for the University of South Carolina and (head coach) Steve Spurrier, that’s as unreal as it gets. Being a small-town kid in Kentucky, you don’t get these opportunities. “Coach Botkin told me on the phone he really likes my hip flexibility and my overall strength and size. It’s exactly what he’s looking for in a linebacker.” Daniel said he hears from Botkin every day via social media and is also in regular contact with the recruiters from his other three schools. “Everybody is pretty equal,” Daniel said. “I have a good relationship with everybody that’s recruiting me.” Of course, with two instate schools in his final four, it wouldn’t be surprising if Daniel had a preference for staying home. However, he said that’s not the case. “Everybody is pulling me to UK obviously because I’m from Kentucky,” Daniel said. “At the end of the day,

this is my decision and I’m going to spend the next four years where I feel at home, no matter if it’s in Kentucky or South Carolina or wherever it may be. I’m not a type of kid that will stay in state just because of where I’m from, so my options are very wide open.” One of Georgia’s top 2016 prospects is looking strongly out of state at this point. Defensive back Marlon Character (6-0, 173) of Atlanta has a top three of USC, Ohio State and Virginia Tech with no favorite. He has been considering Georgia as well, but right now it’s from those out-of-state programs where Character is feeling the most love. “I’m pretty much set on those three,” Character said. “There are others recruiting me like Miami, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Pitt(sburgh). I’m just trying to do what’s best for me as far as seeing myself on the next level after college, just trying to make the best decision for the future.” Co-defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward has been USC’s lead recruiter for Character, who has also met Spurrier, but hasn’t met new co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jon Hoke. Ward and his counterparts from VT and Ohio State apparently have made the strongest impression on Character. “The coaches recruiting me the hardest are from those three schools and I have the best relationship with those coaches,” Character said. “What I like about South Carolina is they are unafraid to play certain freshmen as long as you come in and execute. Coach Ward has been very excited about me coming down there and me getting on the field and playing and making an impact on the field.” Character said Ward has told him he could work at safety and cornerback early in his career before settling on a permanent home. Character visited USC last season for the UGA game. He only got a look at the stadium and the weight room, but he also got a good feel for gameday in Columbia. “I liked the feeling there from the game standpoint,” Character said. “It was a great feeling being there, a real good experience.” Character plans a return visit to USC this summer, probably this month. He also plans to visit other schools after not visiting anywhere in the spring. He would like to make his decision before the season and it won’t be based solely on football-related factors. “Mainly going to be my relationship with my position coach and can I see myself there for the next three to four years and producing and getting better as a player and a student,” Character said. “Making sure the school is perfect for me, not just going there because they have a good football team.” Character played in just four games last season due to a severe hip pointer. Defensive end Jordan Woods of Orlando, Fla., doesn’t have favorites among teams at this point, but he does have a favorite college head coach, and that news bodes favorably for USC. “I just believe Steve Spurrier is the best college coach in football,” Woods said. “To me, he can take a mediocre team and make you sweat. He changed the whole program around, made them SEC (Southeastern Conference) contenders. He’s a great coach and I really respect him.” USC was one of the early offers for Woods, and he said his relationship with the Gamecocks remains good. “I feel the same way about

them as when they first offered me,” he said. “I still think they are one of the better schools.” USC rePhil Kornblut cruiter RECRUITING Steve SpurriCORNER er Jr. was down to check on Woods this spring as were recruiters from several other offering schools. His offer list also includes UF, Florida State, UGA, Miami, Michigan, South Florida, Central Florida, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Carolina State, Duke and North Carolina. Woods hasn’t shortened his list and has no leaders, but he does prefer, to some degree, the SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference schools. Woods said his head coach would like him to make his decision before the season, but he’ll do that only if he’s 100 percent certain on a decision. LB Jonathan Jones of Orlando will join some teammates on a college tour starting later this week and USC will be one of their stops. They will also see UGA, GT, Duke, UNC, NCSU, Maryland and Michigan. USC offensive lineman target Branton Autry of Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas committed to Florida. Another USC OL target, Josh Ball of Fredericksburg, Va., visited Auburn and FSU late last week and is set to announce his decision on Sunday at a camp in Baltimore. Virginia, West Virginia, Penn State and VT are some of the others on his short list. CLEMSON AND USC

DL Nyles Pinckney of Whale Branch High School in Beaufort has some quality out-of-state offers like UGA, UF, UVa, Miami, Duke, UNC, GT and FSU. He’s not shutting out any of those right now, but as the recruiting calendar turns to summer, Pinckney’s primary focus is on Clemson and USC. Both continue to work him hard and he’s in regular contact. Pinckney spoke with Clemson DL coach Dan Brooks last Thursday. “We’ve just been talking and catching up and talking about my recruiting and how they need me and could use me on their defensive line,” Pinckney said. USC DL coach Adams has also been in touch and continues to try and sell Pinckney on the virtues of joining that program. “He was telling how they’ve got a new playing style on defense that fits me and I can do whatever I want,” Pinckney said. “He talked about how their academics fit me because I want to major in business. And he talked about how this past year was a rough year but they are looking upwards now.” Pinckney visited Clemson twice last season for games, but did not make it there this spring. He did get to USC for a junior day. He will get back to both places this summer for visits, but he doesn’t plan to participate in any camp workouts unless he is asked to do so. Pinckney also plans to see some out-of-state schools, but it’s the battle within the border he’s dealing with right now. “I’m leaning towards kind of in state because I feel like I’ll be close to my family,’ he said. “I’m really not all the way there, but I feel kind of close to staying in state.” Pinkney said the out-ofstate schools recruiting the hardest are UGA, GT and Alabama. Pinckney said he plans to attend the All-In Barbeque at Clemson in

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July, and he’s looking at getting back to USC sometime in June. He also wants to see UGA, GT and Alabama. Pinckney said there’s no leader right now, including between the Tigers and Gamecocks. “They are both kind of high on my list because they are in state,” Pinckney said. Wide receiver Larry Collins Jr. of Lower Richland High in Hopkins opened up a lot of eyes in camps last summer, and he’s looking to do the same this summer starting with USC’s Showcase Camp on June 13. USC has kept up its recruiting interest in Collins and he’s done likewise with it. “USC has been telling me a lot,” Collins said. “They want me to come and look at the facilities. They’ve been recruiting me pretty hard.” Despite an early offer from Clemson, Collins said he’s not hearing much from the Tigers at this point. Of the schools that have offered him, he feels USC, Wake Forest, UNC, Louisville and Georgia Southern are showing the strongest interest. Some of his other offers are Auburn, FSU, Tennessee, UVa and East Carolina. “All are recruiting me pretty hard,” Collins said. OL John Simpson of Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston is ready for the next phase of the recruiting process -- summer camps. Simpson, who reported his weight as 296 pounds on his 6-4 frame, which began in Alabama on Sunday. He’ll be in Tuscaloosa through today, then after that he’s thinking about going to Clemson’s camp that runs June 8-10. Simpson said he’s also down for USC’s Showcase Camp on June 13. Simpson said he also plans to camp at UF, Louisiana State, Tennessee and UGA. Simpson has made unofficial visits to several schools, none more than to Clemson where he last visited in April. Clemson and USC recruiters were by in May to watch Simpson in spring practice and he remains in regular contact with both via social media. Simpson gives Clemson a slight edge over the field at this point because of the familiarity index. “I’ve visited Clemson like four or five times and USC like twice,” he said. “Clemson is the only school I’ve seen in depth. As of right now they are (the leader) because that’s the only school I’ve seen in depth. I haven’t taken a visit to LSU and Tennessee. I don’t really want to put out a definite (favorites) list because it might change.” Simpson said he hasn’t added any new offers to his list. He has offers from Clemson, USC, UGA, WF, Maryland, Louisville, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Mississippi State, UF and Georgia Southern. LB Kenneth Ruff of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., released his top 10 list on Monday and two teams that made the list are USC and Clemson. North Carolina was a third. Ruff has nearly 30 offers. Some of the others are UK, Cincinnati and GT. Ruff has been favoring USC and that remains the case. USC recruiters Ward and Adams have been by his school this spring. Ruff plans to attend the USC camp on June 13. “The staff, they welcomed me and they like my game; they know my weaknesses and my strengths,” Ruff said. “I can see myself playing in that program. And my family, they love South Carolina.” Ruff did not rule out the possibility of a commitment while at the USC camp, but he said he might wait until he takes his official visits in the fall to make a final decision. Clemson DC Brent Venables

was also through this spring to check on Ruff and the Tigers have his strong interest as well. “I just found out they were leading on defense (last season) and numerous other categories,” Ruff said. “You know, I’m a defensive guy. I love defense. That really stuck out to me. They are up there, too.” Ruff is going on a college tour starting with FSU on Tuesday. That tour will include other stops to USC, Michigan State, Arkansas and others. Ruff said USC’s lead on the field is not by a wide margin. “It will all go by the visit,” he said. He plans to work in official visits during his season on bye weeks and he said USC will be one of those visits. Clemson DL target Antwuan Jackson of Ellenwood, Ga., who also has a USC offer, attended Auburn’s Big Cat Weekend over the weekend. Jackson has visited Auburn 10 times and is close on making a decision. Clemson and USC are not among his favorites. Clemson offered DB Christian Tutt of Thomson, Ga. USC, Tennessee and GT are some of the other offers for Tutt. CLEMSON

Defensive end Xavier Kelly of Wichita, Kan., visited Clemson on Sunday as part of a tour of southeastern schools. He was at Alabama on Friday and at FSU on Saturday. Clemson offered DB Spencer Perry of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He’s a UF commitment. WR Emmanuel Greene, a ‘17 prospect from IMG Academy, will visit Ohio State on June 24 and hopes to get to Clemson and Miami this summer, and ‘17 quarterback Bruce Judson of Cocoa, Fla., an Ohio State commitment, also plans to visit Clemson this summer. Clemson offered ‘17 prospects DE Zachary Carter of Tampa, Fla., OL Noah DeHond of Highstown, N.J., and OL Jonah Melton of Mebane, N.C. Clemson made an offer to ‘18 DB Mike Jones Jr. of Lebanon, Tenn. Clemson LB target Tre Lamar of Roswell, Ga., attended Auburn’s Big Cat Weekend over the weekend. Lamar plans to visit Clemson again soon. Clemson DL target Julian Rochester of Powder Springs, Ga., committed to UGA. OTHERS

OL Cortez Herrin (6-4, 334) of Saluda High committed to ECU. LB TJ Brunson of Richland Northeast High in Columbia visited Georgia Southern over the weekend. Blythewood High QB David Israel and DB Kris Pam were offered by South Caorlina State. DB Jamyest Williams, a ‘17 recruit from Lawrenceville, Ga., plans to visit Clemson and USC on Thursday. BASKETBALL

Keyshawn Woods, a 6-2 shooting guard who is transferring from Charlotte, is not pushing the issue this time around as he decides on a school for a second time. Woods made an unofficial visit to USC last month and that’s been his only visit so far. Woods said he hears from the Gamecocks “pretty much every day.” He is also looking at Butler, Creighton, St. Joseph’s, and WF for visits. He is scheduled to see Creighton on June 16. As for USC with him at this point, Woods said, “I really like South Carolina.” Woods plans to enroll at his new school for the second session of summer school. Clemson offered ‘16 shooting guard Lindy Waters III of Norman, Okla. Clemson target 6-6 De’Riante Jenkins of Orlando was offered by Indiana.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

AREA SCOREBOARD FOOTBALL POP WARNER REGISTRATION

Youth Athletics of Sumter is taking registration for its Pop Warner football and cheer programs. The programs are open to children ages 5-14. The registration fee is $100 for football and $120 for cheer and flexible plans are available. The last day to register is July 31. For more information, call (803) 464-8453, (803) 720-6242, (813) 7869265 or (954) 258-6817 or email youthathleticsofsumteryas@yahoo. com. OFFICIATING CLASSES

Training classes for prospective high school football officials is currently being held at the Sumter County Recreation Department at 155 Haynsworth Street. Classes are being held every Monday beginning at 6:30 p.m. To learn more about the South Carolina Football Officials Association visit its website at www.schsl. org/scofa.htm. For more information on the classes, call Granderson James at (803) 968-2391 or email him at grandersj@aol.com or call Richard Geddings at (803) 468-8858.

BASKETBALL SUMTER CHRISTIAN CLINICS

Sumter Christian School will host three more basketball clinics over two

THE SUMTER ITEM

months at the school’s gymnasium. The other clinics are for grades 3-6 on June 22-26, grades 6-9 on July 6-10 and grades 9-12 on July 27-31. The clinics, which will run from 10 a.m. to noon each day, will be ran by SCS coaches Bobby Baker and Tom Cope at a cost of $45 per student. For more information, contact the school at (803) 773-1902.

www.cokercobras.com/information/ camp/index, or register on the morning of June 15. For more information, call (843) 383-8105, or send an email to dschmotzer@coker.edu.

TEAM PERSEVERANCE

The Sumter chapter of the Christian Golfers’ Association is looking for volunteers for its Junior Golf Program. The camp runs for four weeks during June and July. For more information, call (803) 773-2171 or (803) 983-3457.

REGISTRATION

Team Perseverance Basketball is now registering boys and girls ages 8-18 for its offseason travel program. For more information, contact coach Junko Allen at (803) 795-5513, or by email at coachj_perseverance@ yahoo.com.

BASEBALL COKER COLLEGE CAMP

The Coker College Skills & Drills Summer Baseball Camp will be held June 15-19 at Tom J. New Field in Hartsville. The five sessions will be held from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The camp will be devoted to pitching, hitting, bunting and base running. The camp is open to players ages 6-17 and the cost is $75 for the week. Participants will need to provide their own bats and gloves. All other equipment will be furnished by the camp. Each camp participant will receive a camp t-shirt. The camp will be conducted by Coker head coach Dave Schmotzer. Campers can register online at

PRO FOOTBALL

Panthers sign Newton to 5-year deal worth $103.8M

GOLF VOLUNTEER TEACHERS NEEDED

BY STEVE REED The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Quarterback Cam Newton has agreed to franchise record $103.8 million, five-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers. Newton will earn $67.6 million over the first three years, the most money ever paid to an NFL player during the first three years of a contract, said a person familiar with negotiations. The person spoke to NEWTON The Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the financial terms of the extension have not been released. Newton’s contract is the largest ever paid by Panthers owner Jerry Richardson since the team started in 1995 and will keep the quarterback under contract through the 2020 season.

HURRICANE TOUR EVENT

The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour will play host to the Columbia Jr. Shootout on June 13-14 at Cobblestone Park Golf Club in Blyethwood. The 36-hole tournament is open to both boys and girls ages 11-18. The entry fee is $189 for tour members and $234 for non-members. Registration is open through today. For more information, visit the tour website at www.hjgt.org., call (904) 379-2697 or send an email to info@hjgt.org. 9-HOLE CAPTAIN’S CHOICE

The Links at Lakewood golf course is hosting a 9-hole Captain’s Choice event every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $25 per player and includes a steak dinner, a cart and prizes. To sign up, call the pro shop at (803) 481-5700 up to 5 p.m. the day of the event.

OBITUARIES PHELPS HERBERT BULTMAN COLUMBIA — Phelps Herbert Bultman, 86, died at his home on Sunday, May 31, 2015. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth “Betsy” Thorne Bultman; his daughters, Meredith Morgan Bultman of Atlanta and Elizabeth “Wickie” Hardwick Marrs and her husband, ChrisBULTMAN topher John Marrs, of Minneapolis; two grandchildren, Paige Elizabeth Marrs and Morgan Michele Marrs; his brother, Deuward G.F. Bultman Jr.; sister-in-law, Helen Murray Bultman of Sumter; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Dorothy Phelps and Deuward G.F. Bultman. He was a 1949 graduate of then Clemson College with a bachelor of science in architecture and earned a master of architecture degree from Yale University in 1951. He worked as an architect in Sumter before entering the military. He was in active duty with the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant. He spent most of his three years of service in Germany in the 12th Air Force Headquarters at Ramstein Air Force Base. On separation from the service, he moved to Columbia to work for the architecture firm of Upshur and Riley, which became Upshur, Riley and Bultman when he became a partner and later evolved into Riley, Bultman and Coulter and later Bultman, Coulter and Gasque. He designed for the firm responsible for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, the S.C. Education Association headquarters building, Jordan Hall biological sciences laboratory building and the College of Nursing at Clemson University, and a number of other buildings including many residences, all principally in the Midlands. In 1977, he went to work for Wilber Smith and Associates and subsequently became the director of architecture. He was involved in mainly transportation related projects on the eastern seaboard, the Sudan, Bolivia, and the island of Granada. The Keenan Building, designed by the firm, was under construction in 1985 when he joined the Keenan Co. mainly to support its development as well as its real estate activities monitoring the design and construction of a number of new building and remodeling projects. After his retirement, he and his wife lived in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire, for al-

most half of each year in the summer and fall. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects and was a past president of the South Carolina Chapter. He was an active member, a past president, and a Preservationist of the Year of the Historic Columbia Foundation. The City of Columbia Mabel Payne Award was presented to him in May 2014 for his leadership in promoting and preserving the city’s architectural heritage. He was a past board member of Cultural Council, the Columbia Museum of Art and Columbia Music Festival. He was an original and longtime member of the City of Columbia Historic and Cultural Buildings Commission (later the Landmarks Commission) and a past chairman. He was a member of the Ossipee Historic Society and the Sumter County Historical Society. A service to celebrate his life will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Visitation will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to the Historic Columbia Foundation, 1616 Blanding St., Columbia, SC 29201 or the Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals. com.

HELEN CARROLL Graveside services for Helen Eileen Johns Carroll, widow of Eugene Joseph Carroll Jr., who died July 23, 2014, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday in St. Lawrence Cemetery on Oakland Avenue with the Rev. Thomas Burke officiating. Mrs. Carroll was an Olympic Gold Medalist in the 1932 Olympics. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

LOUISE M. BILLIE Our hearts were saddened by the passing of our loved one, Louise McFadden Billie, 64, on Wednesday morning, May 27, 2015, at her residence. Born on Oct. 31, 1950, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Abolon and Catherine Evans McFadden. She was educated at Eastern High School in Sum-

ter County. In 1981, Louise heard the word of God and started a new life at the Church of Christ, where she attended until her health failed. Louise was a devoted wife and a loving mother to her four children. She was a very kind, loving person who loved her family dearly. Her presence and loving spirit will be missed by many family members, neighbors and friends. Her memories will be cherished by her husband, Isaac Billie; one son, Rodney Billie of Sumter; three daughters, Tracy Billie of the home, Sandra Dee Billie and Denise Billie, both of Sumter; one brother, Johnny Lee (Lou) McFadden of Kingstree; seven grandchildren; four greatgrandchildren; eight brothersin-law; four sisters-in-law; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friend. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Emma Jane McFadden White. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday at the John Wesley Williams Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter, with Pastor Esaw Billie officiating, eulogist, assisted by Minister Oneal Billie. The family is receiving family and friends at the home, 817 Miller Road, Sumter. The procession will leave at noon from the home. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www.williamsfuneralhomeinc. com. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter.

VIRGINIA D. WILLIAMS Virginia D. Richardson Williams, 77, was peacefully called home on Friday, May 29, 2015, after an extended period of illness. Born on April 16, 1938, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Sammy Lee and Lucille Cooper Richardson. She was educated in the public school system of Sumter County. She worked in the Sumter School District as a cafeteria worker for more than 30 years. She was also an employee of Becton-Dickerson for a period of time. She was a faithful member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as a member of the Missionary Board and the Motherhood Auxiliary. Later she moved her membership to Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, where she continued to do her good deeds as a faithful servant of the Lord. until she succumbed to her illness.

She leaves to cherish her memories: her husband of 56 years, Shedrack Williams Sr. of the home; eight children, Willie J. Williams and Wayne Williams, both of Sumter, Shedrack Williams Jr. of Atlanta, Stephanie Richardson, Lisa (Gregory) Richardson Williams, Edward (Brittany) Williams, Shaleitia Williams and Jonathan Williams, all of Sumter; one sister, Doris (George) Purdie of Stanford, Florida; two brothers, Herbert E. Richardson Sr. of Nashville, Tennessee, and Edward J. (Tina) Richardson of Marion; 22 grandchildren; 15 greatgrandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. She was preceded in death by a son, Herbert E. Richardson Jr.; five brothers, Sammy Lee, Earl, Willie, Robert (Mary) and Charles (Ola Bell) Richardson; and five sisters, Whilemina Gerald, Emma Myers, Elease Issac, Pauline Hart and Virginia Davis.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday at Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, 25 Community St., Sumter, with Pastor Barbara P. Lash, pastor, eulogist, assisted by the Rev. Thomas Blyther and the Rev. Larry C. Weston. The family is receiving family and friends at the home, 709 Branch St., Sumter. The remains will be placed in the church at 2:30 p.m. The procession will leave at 3 p.m. from the home. Floral bearers will be friends of the family. Pallbearers will be grandsons. Burial will be in Bradford Cemetery, U.S. 15 South, Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter.

2015 The Sumter Item is asking its readers to join in its efforts to help United Ministries of Sumter County. Please choose to donate to one of the following: CRISIS RELIEF, which assists people who have received eviction and utility disconnect notices, and helps provide food, furniture and appliances for domestic violence victims. HOMELESS SHELTER (Samaritan House), which gives a safe place to sleep for up to 20 men and eight women. HOME REPAIR AND WHEELCHAIR MINISTRY (SAM), which makes homes safe, dry, secure and accessible by repairing roofs, floors, etc. Name: Address: Phone:

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P/T Receptionist/Office Clerk needed for automotive dealership. M-F, every other Sat. Apply at McLaughlin Ford 950 N. Main St., Sumter

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Swan Lake Apts. Apply now. Remodeled buildings in back, 2BR 1BA apts. in quiet scenic neighborhood. No sect. 8. 803-775-4641. Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette. 775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Unfurnished Homes For rent - Newly Renovated. 4 br, 1 ba, C/H/A, no pets. $650 mo. Call 646-315-3274 or 803-563-7202

Invita on to Bid Sealed Bids for furnishing all material, labor, equipment, and services required for the work know as HUD Capital Funds Project SC 16P023501-14, Sumter, SC will be received un l 2:00 pm on July 15,2015 at the oﬃce of the Sumter Housing Authority. All bids received will be publicly opened and read aloud at that me and place. A mandatory pre-bid conference and walk through will be held at 10 AM June 24, 2015 at the oﬃce of the Housing Authority, 15 Caldwell Street, Sumter, SC 29150.

Lawn Service

Legal Service

For Sale or Trade

Side by side white GE refrigerator w/ ice & water dispenser in door. 31"W x 66" H x 30" D. Good running cond. $175. Call 803-460-3701

Professional Remodelers Home maintenance, ceramic tile, roofing, siding & windows doors, etc. Lic. & Ins. (Cell) 803-459-4773

Got Termites/ Moisture Problems! Call Grassbusters 803-983-4539 Licensed/ Insured

LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2

Unfurnished Apartments

Going on

Experienced or trainable persons for caregiving & medication dispensing. Apply at Northwoods Senior Living, 1267 N. Main St. Sumter, SC 29153. No phone calls. LISW, LPC, LMSW needed to provide clinic based mental health outpatient services in our Lugoff and Sumter medical offices. We offer 401k, excellent benefits, and medical insurance. Send resumes to: Dr. Crystal Maxwell at cmaxwell@sandhillsmedical.org or 409 E. Church St, Jefferson, SC, 29718 by June 12

vacation?

Without force and effect on the Bidding Documents and the proposed Contract Documents, the work required is briefly described in the bid packets: (1) Removal and Replacement of: 85 HVAC systems at Harmony Court and Friendship with alternate of removal and replacement of Water Heaters. The work required is fully described in Bidding Documents consis ng of this Project Manual which includes Contract forms. PROJECT MANUALS may be obtained from the office of the Housing Authority of the City of Sumter, 15 Caldwell Street, Sumter, SC 29150. Only general and residen al builders that are bondable need apply. Each bid in excess of $100,000 shall include a Bid Guaranty in an amount equal to five percent of the bid. Provided as one of the following: • A cer fied check or bank dra payable to The Housing Authority of the City of Sumter • U.S. Government Bonds or as a properly executed Bid Bond with surety acceptable to the PHA. A Surety Company execu ng the Bid Bond must be authorized to transact business in the Project State, and must appear on the most current U.S. Treasury Department’s Circular No. 570. • The successful bidder will be required to provide sa sfactory Performance and Payment Bonds prior to execu on of the Agreement. In addi on to the Bid Guaranty requirements (IF REQUIRED), each bidder shall include THE SIGNED ORIGINAL AND ONE CONFORMED COPY of the following with the Bid: 1. A fully completed HUD-5369-A Form 2. Bidders Qualifica on Form 3. Non-Collusive Affidavit Refer to provisions for equal employment opportuni es and payments of not less than minimum salaries and wages indicated in the Project Manual. Small businesses and minority firms are urged to submit proposals. Cer fica on as a Minority-business Enterprise (or a number of partners, share holders, employees who are members of minority classifica on or are women) should be included in the Bid proposal. Refer to Ar cles 38, 39, and 40 of The General Condi ons. The PHA reserves the right to reject any and all bids, and to waive irregulari es and formali es in the bidding. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of thirty (30) days subsequent to the opening of bids without the PHA’s consent. To obtain a project manual please contact Wayne Turner, 15 Caldwell St. Sumter, SC 29150 or call (803) 774-7315. One project manual is available at $20.00 each per bid packet. The Housing Authority of City of Sumter is an Equal Housing Opportunity. TDD #1-800-545-1833 Extension 100.

Don’t Miss A Thing! Let your carrier save your paper for you while you are on vacation!

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

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF SOUTH CAROLINA CLERK’S OFFICE NOTICE OF FILING DOCKET NO. 2015-163-E Application of Duke Energy Progress, Inc. to Establish a New Cost Recovery and Incentive Mechanism for Demand-Side Management and Energy Efficiency Programs Duke Energy Progress, Inc. (“Duke Energy Progress” or “Company”) filed an application with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (“the Commission”) for approval to establish a new cost recovery and incentive mechanism (“the Mechanism”) for demand-side management (“DSM”) and energy efficiency (“EE”) programs, to be effective January 1, 2016. The Application was filed pursuant to S. C. Code Ann. § 58-37-20 (Supp. 2014) and S. C. Code Ann. Regs. 103-819 and 103-823 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Commission. According to the Application, the Company’s current cost recovery mechanism, approved in Order No. 2009-373, provides for, inter alia, the recovery of reasonable and prudent costs related to its DSM and EE programs; recovery of program performance incentives; and Net Lost Revenues. The principle changes to the Company’s current mechanism include, but are not limited to, the following: the modification of the Company’s application of its EM&V process for its DSM and EE portfolio of programs, as set forth in Attachment A to the Application; the calculation of Incentives based on DEP’s program portfolio, instead of its specific individual programs; the application of a uniform incentive rate to DEP’s entire portfolio of programs instead of an incentive rate applicable to EE programs and another incentive rate applicable to DSM programs; and the establishment of a defined method and process for determining “Net Found Revenues,” as set forth in Attachment B to the Application. A copy of the company’s Application can be found on the Commission’s website at www.psc.sc.gov under Docket No. 2015-163-E. Additionally, a copy of the application is available from Charles A. Castle, Esquire, Duke Energy Corporation, 550 South Tryon Street/DEC45A, Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006 and Frank R. Ellerbe, III, Esquire, Robinson McFadden & Moore, P.C., 1901 Main Street, Suite 1200, Post Office Box 944, Columbia, South Carolina 29202. A public hearing, if scheduled, will be held in Columbia, South Carolina in the offices of the Commission located at 101 Executive Center Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, for the purpose of receiving testimony and other evidence from all interested parties regarding this Application. The time and date of this hearing will be furnished to all interested parties at a later date. Any person who wishes to participate in this matter as a party of record, should file a Petition to Intervene in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure on or before June 29, 2015. For the receipt of future Commission correspondence, please include an email address in the Petition to Intervene. Please refer to Docket No. 2015-163-E and mail a copy to all other parties in this docket. Any person who wishes to testify and present evidence at the hearing, if scheduled, should notify, in writing, the Commission; the Office of Regulatory Staff at 1401 Main Street, Suite 900, Columbia, South Carolina 29201; and the company at the above address, on or before June 29, 2015. Please refer to Docket No. 2015-163-E. For the most recent information regarding this docket, including changes in scheduled dates included in this Notice, please refer to www.psc.sc.gov and Docket No. 2015-163-E. Persons seeking information about the Commission’s procedures should contact the Commission at (803) 896-5100 or visit its website at www.psc.sc.gov.

20 N. Magnolia Street

803-774-1258

5/29/15 Public Service Commission of South Carolina • Attention: Clerk’s Ofﬁce • Post Ofﬁce Drawer 11649 • Columbia, SC 29211

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 03, 2015

DRESS POP FROM BOTTOM TO TOP, MAYO’S SUIT CITY GIFT • Buy 1 at Reg. Price - Get 2nd Suit FREE • Dress Shoes, Shirts, & Ties - Buy 1 Get 2nd 50% Off CARDS A GREAT • 2 PC Linen Set in Stock If your suits aren’t becoming to you, It’s a good time to be coming to Mayo’s! Wesmark Plaza • 773-2262 • Mon-Sat 10-7 • www.MayosDiscountSuits.com Unfurnished Homes

Land & Lots for Sale

6 Hawthorne 3BR 1BA, hd flrs, $550mo + $1000/dep. 803-468-1612

34 Robinson St., 1/4 acre vacant lot. $2900. Owner financing. Call 404-895-3972.

Mobile Home Rentals

Hunting tracts for sale. Black River Clarendon County. Deer, turkey & ducks. 100 acres & up. 803-428-7988 or otis29150@yahoo.com

STATEBURG COURTYARD

RECREATION

2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015 Summer Special (Dalzell) MHP 2BR/1BA, washer, dryer, sewer & garbage P/U. No Pets. $355/mo + $355/dep. Mark 803-565-7947.

Boats / Motors

Bid Notices Sumter School District Bid Solicitation IFB#15-0019 Project Name: Sewer Repairs various locations A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at Sumter School District in the Maintenance Department, 1345 Wilson Hall Road, Sumter, SC 29150 on Tuesday, June 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Afterwards, a mandatory walk-thru can be scheduled with Clyde Chan. Bid packets and specifications will be distributed to attendees at the pre-bid conference. Sealed bids will be opened on Monday, June 22, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. For direct inquires and/or questions, please contact Clyde Chan, 8 0 3 - 9 6 8 - 4 1 0 6 o r Clyde.Chan@sumterschools.net.

Summons & Notice

2 BR MH. All appliances, Section 8 OK 803-469-6978 Lake Marion 3BR 2BA Ramp & Dock for Boat, $450 Mo + Electric 1 month dep + References required 803-460-7546

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS C/A NO. 2015-CP-43-00946

Resort Rentals

ORDER APPOINTING GUARDIAN AD LITEM

Ocean Lakes 2BR/2BA C/H/A Sleeps 8, near ocean. Call 803-773-2438

Commercial Rentals Warehouse space available. Some with office space 12,000 to 35,000 sq ft. Call 773-8022

REAL ESTATE Real Estate Wanted

84- 18' Ranger Bass Boat, 235 hp Evinrude, new depth finder & 70lb Tr. mtr $3000. call 803-983-0192 78' 16ft Duracraft 140 HP Johnson Motor, 40 mph good shape $2500 Call 840-7860

TRANSPORTATION

4-Wheel Drive 2006 Duramax diesel, Allison trans, white GMC Sierra 2500 HD Crew cab 4x4, 138K mi. Minor front bumper damage. Runs/drives good. $12,500 OBRO. 803-406-7086 or 406-7085.

We buy houses, mobile homes, land anywhere in SC. CASH FAST! No high payoffs. Call 803-468-6029.

Manufactured Housing TIRE OF RENTING? We help customers with past credit problems and low credit scores achieve their dreams of home ownership? We have 2,3, & 4 bedroom homes. Call 843-389-4215 AND also visit our Face Book Page (M&M Mobile Homes)

Autos For Sale 2004 Toyota Rav4 in excellent shape. One owner locally owned. Garaged & carefully maintained. Sea mist green. 186K mi. First $4900 takes it. 436-5896 For appt. to see.

Used Fixer Uppers, Low priced, But lots of work required for most. All offers considered. 803-469-3222

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER Household Finance Corp II, Plaintiff vs. Phyllis B. Buckner, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Mary Edora Davis Bartlette a/k/a Mary E. Bartlette; Joyce Copeland, Mary Stewart, Susan Parnell and any other Heirs-at-Law or Devisees of Mary Edora Davis Bartlette a/k/a Mary E. Bartlette, Deceased, their heirs, Personal Representatives, Administrators, Successors and Assigns, and all other persons entitled to claim through them; all unknown persons with any right, title or interest in the real estate described herein; also any persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, being a class designated as John Doe; and any unknown minors or persons under a disability being a class designated as Richard Roe and Ascension Point Recovery Services, LLC on behalf of Synchrony Bank, Defendants. It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, upon reading the Motion for the Appointment of Kelley Y. Woody, Esq. as Guardian ad Litem for all unknown persons and persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America (which are constituted as a class designated as "John Doe") and any unknown minors and persons who may be under a disability (which are constituted as a class designated as "Richard Roe"), it is

LEGAL NOTICES Summons & Notice ORDERED that, pursuant to Rule 17, SCRCP, Kelley Y. Woody, Esq. is appointed Guardian ad Litem on behalf of all unknown persons and persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America (constituted as a class and designated as "John Doe"), all unknown minors or persons under a disability (constituted as a class and designated as "Richard Roe"), all of which have or may claim to have some interest in the property that is the subject of this action, commonly known as 504 Dogwood Drive, Sumter, SC 29150, that Kelley Y. Woody, Esq. is empowered and directed to appear on behalf of and represent all unknown persons and persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, constituted as a class and designated as "John Doe", all unknown minors and persons under a disability, constituted as a class and designated as "Richard Roe", unless the Defendants, or someone acting on their behalf, shall, within thirty (30) days after service of a copy of this Order as directed below, procure the appointment of a Guardian or Guardians ad Litem for the Defendants constituted as a class designated as "John Doe" or "Richard Roe". IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Order shall be served upon the unknown Defendants by publication in the The Item, a newspaper of general circulation in the County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, together with the Summons in the above entitled action.

SUMMONS AND NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(S) ALL UNKNOWN PERSONS WITH ANY RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN THE REAL ESTATE DESCRIBED HEREIN; ALSO ANY PERSONS WHO MAY BE IN THE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BEING A CLASS DESIGNATED AS JOHN DOE; AND ANY UNKNOWN MINORS OR PERSONS UNDER A DISABILITY BEING A CLASS DESIGNATED AS RICHARD ROE;

Summons & Notice their offices, 2838 Divine Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29205, within thirty (30) days after service upon you, exclusive of the day of such service, and, if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the original Complaint in this action was filed in the office of the Clerk of Court for Sumter County on April 14, 2015.

NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF ACTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT an action has been commenced and is now pending or is about to be commenced in the Circuit Court upon the complaint of the above named Plaintiff against the above named Defendant for the purpose of foreclosing a certain mortgage of real estate heretofore given by Mary E. Bartlette to Household Finance Corp II bearing date of June 28, 2001 and recorded July 10, 2001 in Mortgage Book 809 at Pge 805 in the R e g i s t e r o f M e s n e Conveyances/Register of Deeds/Clerk of Court for Sumter County, in the original principal sum of Sixty Three Thousand Eight Hundred Fifteen and 00/100 Dollars ($63,815.00). Thereafter, by assignment recorded on November 13, 2001 in Book 822 at page 719, the mortgage was assigned to Decision One Mortgage Company, LLC; Thereafter by assignment recorded on November 13, 2001 in Book 822 at page 721, the mortgage was assigned to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Household Finance Corporation; A corrective assignment was recorded on March 9, 2015 in Book 1209 at Page 3182 correcting a scriveners error within the notary acknowledgment on the previous assignment recorded November 13, 2001 in Book 822 at Page 719.

IDEA AT MAYO’S

Summons & Notice A corrective assignment was recorded on March 9, 2015 in Book 1209 at 3184, correcting the assignee to add the omitted property address and loan amount, and correcting the correcting the legal description on the previous assignment recorded November 13, 2001 in Book 822 at Page 721. Thereafter by assignment recorded on March 9, 2015 in Book 1209 at page 3186, the mortgage was assigned to Household Finance Corporation II., and that the premises effected by said mortgage and by the foreclosure thereof are situated in the County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, and is described as follows: All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon; situate in the City and County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, and being shown as Lot No. 18 of the Third Addition to Wen-Le Subdivision, recorded in the Office of the RMC for Sumter Country in Plat Book Z-13 at Page 47, and most recently shown on Plat of Julian B. Allen, RLS, dated October 28, 1991 and recorded in the Office of the RMC for Sumter County in Plat Book 91 at Page 1411, according to which more recent plat said Lot No. 18 is bounded and measures as follows: on the North by Dogwood Drive, whereon it fronts 80.04 feet; on the East by Lot #15, on which it measures 150.4 feet; on the South by Lot No. 17, on which it measures 79.64 feet; and on the West by Lot No. 20, which it measures 150.55 feet; be all of said measurements a little more or less and according to said more recent plat.

TMS No. 249-02-04-048 Property Address: 504 Dogwood Drive, Sumter, SC 29150 Riley Pope & Laney, LLC Post Office Box 11412 Columbia, South Carolina 29211 Telephone (803) 799-9993 Attorneys for Plaintiff

GOODWIN AUTOMALL

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in the above action, a copy which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer upon the undersigned at

IMMEDIATE OPENING FOR FULL-TIME CASHIER/RECEPTIONIST

Mobile Home with Lots

AFTERNOON & EVENING HOURS

DW For Rent on 3 acres $700 Dep + $700 mo. Call 803-651-1519

Health Insurance Available • 401K Plan Paid Vacation and Holidays

Land & Lots for Sale Cleared acre Dalzell. Septic, water. $3500 DN. $250 MO. 0% APR 60 months 713-870-0216 1550 Stephen Tindal Dr. 1 acre vacant lot. $9,000. Owner financing. Call 404-895-3972.

Contact David Waldkirch at 803-469-2595 or apply in person at

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GOODWIN AUTOMALL

2700 Broad Street • Sumter, SC 29150

1 Bedroom Apartments for 62 YEARS AND OLDER •Refrigerator •Central Heat & Air •Community Room •Range •Handicap •Coin Operated •Blinds Accessible Laundry Room •Carpet •Emergency Call •Ceiling Fans System **Rent Based On 30% of Adjusted Income** **Utility Allowance Given**

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803-934-1449 TTY 800-735-8583

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

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

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

Don’t forget to let your dad know how much he is loved and appreciated on Father’s Day!

Dad, Thanks for all you do! Love, Samantha Double (20 words) - $15.00

To the best dad in the world! I love you! Love, Ethan Single (10 words) - $10.00

Deadline: Friday, June 15th Publish: Sunday, June 21st Submitted By_______________________ Phone _______________ Address _______________________________________________ City_____________________ State________ Zip_______________ Message______________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Please enclose a self addressed stamped envelope for your picture to be returned or picture will be thrown away.

Stop by our office Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm 20 N. Magnolia Street • Sumter,SC 29150 or call Mary at 803-774-1284

SECTION

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

Shows offer ‘Firm slap,’ nostalgia Gallery 135 presents work by young, emerging artists BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

atriot Hall/Gallery 135 continues its practice of exposing

art lovers to the work of emerging artists with solo exhibitions by two who create non-traditional portraits. “Monica Alfonso: mementos” and “Rosemary Dungan: The Sleep of Reason” open Friday with a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Curator Frank McCauley of the Sumter County Gallery of Art finds “promising young artists working in South Carolina and beyond who have not yet had a solo exhibition or that are early on in their professional art practice.” With the sponsorship of the Sumter County Cultural Commission, “The series reflects shifting trends in contemporary artistic practice and production and helps to facilitate the creation of new bodies of work in a variety of media including photography, printmaking, installation, sound, painting, drawing, sculpture, film and video.” Commission executive director Carmela Bryan agreed that the “series is an important forum for young artists, for whom it is difficult to find a venue to show their work. The

Commission and the curator work with promising artists though the process of proposing their art, curating the exhibit, and providing them with the opportunity to receive local media exposure and a critical review of the artwork shown. Gallery 135 is becoming known, especially among emerging college undergraduate and graduate art students, as a great opportunity for them to learn about the process and the rewards of having their work showcased.” The exhibitions also provide a valuable means of acquainting the community with the exciting work being done by young, up and coming artists, McCauley and Bryan agreed. Alfonso is based in Austin, Texas, where she received her bachelor of fine arts in studio art from the University of Texas in 2000; she got her master’s of fine art degree in painting from Syracuse University in 2006. Currently on the faculty of the School of Art and Design at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, she has exhibited nationally, and her work can be found in many private collections. In her artist statement, Alfonso writes: “These intimately scaled paintings and drawings are part of an ongoing series that is inspired by vintage photographs. They strive to communicate a sense of longing and nostalgia while exploring the transience of being and the fleeting nature of time.

Dungan’s work “blur(s) the line between comedy and tragedy, the grotesque and the beautiful ... develop(ing) a provocative and adventurously imaginative pictorial language.”

Rosemary Dungan’s “Kitty Cone” in her exhibition titled “The Sleep of Reason,” can be viewed beginning Friday at Patriot Hall/ Gallery 135 during the opening reception.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

They are an attempt to immortalize and make visible the moments that were once captured but are often long forgotten. The distortions that are inherent in the work are influenced by the aesthetic of the faded photograph. The images reflect upon the subjective nature of memory and the ability to create one’s own truth through the process of painting.” Now based in Charleston, where she received her bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art from the College of Charleston, Dungan’s work “blur(s) the line between comedy and tragedy, the grotesque and the beautiful ... develop(ing) a provocative and adventurously imaginative pic-

LEFT: Monica Alfonso’s “Untitled (Jackie)” is in her exhibition, “mementos,” opening Friday at Gallery 135. RIGHT: “Untitled (Memento #3)” is one of Alfonso’s “... intimately scaled paintings and drawings ... inspired by vintage photographs.”

torial language.” Although their work is very different, Dungan, like Alfonso, uses “a variety of untraditional and unanticipated visual means.” Dungan’s subjects arise from her own imagination, whereas Alfonso sources hers from snapshots from which “she systematically reduces the information ... to an elusive, often ashen blur.” Thus both artists create a sense of “unnaturalness.” In her artist statement, Dungan explains “My work is an examination and exploration of organic form. The oil paintings I create are figurative and introduce the viewer to a certain sense of mischief. I am constantly probing the realm of the grotesque to create my art. By removing the familiarity of a conventional form and replacing it with a deformed tangle of limbs, lumps, sweat, teeth, nipples and skin, I aim to evoke unease, fear and amusement. Many of my pieces reference contortionist positioning or a demonic presence. The upsetting nature of these paintings is either offset by a soft and refined sense of femininity or exacerbated by a perversely sexual arrangement. “By suggesting a mix of horror and humor that both frightens and beckons, I intend to have the paintings deliver a firm smack in the face, but to leave behind a warming tin-

Her oil painting ”Tufted Titmouse” illustrates Dungan’s sense of mischief and the grotesque in her latest oil paintings, many of which can be seen at Gallery 135. gle.” The Sumter County Cultural Commission presents “Monica Alfonso: mementos” and “Rosemary Dungan: The Sleep of Reason” in Patriot Hall/Gallery 135, 135 Haynsworth St., from Friday through July 3. Both artists will be present at Friday’s reception. The public is invited to attend the free event. Regular Gallery 135 hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and admission is always free. For more information call (803) 436-2260.

Pianist revives Broadway, Hollywood classics BY NICK THOMAS Tinseltown Talks Master pianist and storyteller Richard Glazier will be featured in a new television special which will air nationally this spring on PBS stations – see www.richardglazier.com for dates and cities. Recorded in 2014, “From Broadway to Hollywood with Richard Glazier” is Glazier’s third program for the network and features the artist’s piano talents as well as interviews with artists having connections to the Golden Age of music. “It will continue to air on PBS affiliates over the next three years, and I’ll be appearing during the pledge drives,” said Glazier, who lives in Sacramento, California. Unlike most conventional concert pianists, Glazier draws on his background and connections with legendary figures in American Popular Song, such as Ira Gershwin, to blend recitals with anecdotes of artists who influenced his career. “I’ve always told interesting stories about the composers, the performers, the shows, the movies — they all enhance the concert experience,” explained Glazier. “I also add audio/visual compo-

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pianist Richard Glazier will be featured in the PBS program “From Broadway to Hollywood with Richard Glazier” over the next three years. He will play songs by the great composers and talk about their careers during the program, which will also be shown during pledge drives. nents showing rare clips, photos and interviews that I’ve done.” Glazier’s journey to the concert stage as a performer and historian of popular Broadway and Hollywood music goes back more than 40 years ago, when then 9-yearold Richard started digging though his aunt’s collection of old 78 records. “I found an Oscar Levant recording of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and became obsessed

with the music,” recalled Glazier. “That led me to the library where I learned about the composer, George Gershwin, and his brother Ira.” Glazier was hooked after discovering the 1943 musical film “Girl Crazy,” which featured Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney singing Gershwin songs, and began piano lessons. George, the composer, had died in 1937, but when young Richard learned that lyricist

Ira was still living, he wrote to the aging songwriter asking for a photo. That led to a three-year correspondence between the music legend and his young fan. “I was a small child who loved Gershwin music, so I think Ira wanted to encourage my passion for their music and my goal of being a pianist,” said Glazier who, to his astonishment, was invited to Gershwin’s California home to meet his hero. Accompanied by his mother, Glazier remembers the butler leading them into the living room where Ira sat waiting. “He was very reclusive during his later years and hardly ever had company, but I would never have known, since he was very warm and animated.” During the two-hour visit, Ira showed Richard the Pulitzer Prize for Drama he had won in 1932 for writing “Of Thee I Sing.” He invited the boy to play a piano in the room – the same instrument on which the Gershwins composed some of their best known music including “Porgy and Bess.” When he departed, young Glazier didn’t leave emptyhanded. “He gave me a picture of George, along with one of his canceled checks, an auto-

graphed photo of himself and an autographed score of ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’” said Glazier, whose mother also took a photo of her son with Gershwin wearing a monogrammed gold sweater. This past March 26, after a recent Gershwin concert and lecture Glazier did with Mike Strunsky, who represents Ira Gershwin’s estate, Strunsky surprised the performer with a boxed gift on stage. “I opened it in front of the crowd and inside was the gold sweater Ira wore the day we met almost 40 years ago to the day!” said Glazier. “That incredible gesture of kindness will stay with me the rest of my life.” That’s a sentiment Glazier also experiences when recalling Ira Gershwin’s parting words four decades ago to a 9-year-old fan, who had just played at the famous lyricist’s keyboard. “He said, ‘some people say that George played that piano, and Oscar Levant played that piano. Someday they’ll say Richard Glazier played that piano.’ Talk about encouragement!” Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for more than 600 magazines and newspapers.

FOOD

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Grilled Red onions and Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce are ready to eat in only 15 minutes.

Grill up a finger-friendly vegetable dish BY J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor Much as I love my grill for the low-and-slow magic it works with a monster hunk of pork butt or a thick and beefy steak, I find it often shines brightest on more tender fare, such as peppers, corn and mushrooms. Soft produce such as these blister and brown so nicely under the intense heat of the grill. They absorb the flavors of the smoke and char, and transform from something raw and watery to a savory and robust treat. So to kick off grilling season, I created a simple and fast grilled vegetable dish that would play up

GRILLED RED ONIONS AND SHISHITO PEPPERS WITH PEANUT SAUCE the smoke and char. The result — grilled shishito peppers and red onion rings. The raw veggies start with a simple toss in sesame oil, then land on the grill until tender and lightly browned. From there they go to a platter and get a hefty sprinkle of coarse salt and a drizzle of a pleasantly acidic peanut sauce. The whole delicious process takes just about 15 minutes. These peppers and onions are ideal as a finger food to nibble on while the rest of the meal hits the grill. Pair them with a refreshing margarita.

Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 6 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic 1-inch chunk fresh ginger 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar Splash hot sauce 1 pound shishito peppers 2 large red onions, cut into 1/2-inch rounds 2 tablespoons sesame oil Kosher or other coarse salt Heat the grill to medium-high. In a blender, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and hot sauce. Puree until smooth. Taste and adjust soy sauce, vinegar and hot sauce to desired taste. The sauce should be

Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories; 140 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 15 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 420 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 7 g protein.

Keep the sweet with dates, lose the processed sugar

DIY ice cream that’s almost as easy as eating an entire pint

BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press After spending a semester of my sophomore year of college studying abroad, I headed to Tunisia for a week of solo reflection. I arrived in Tunis — way back in 1989 — toward the end of Ramadan, and the sweetest dates I’d ever tasted were everywhere. I fell in love with them. Since then, dates have become far more common in the U.S. That’s partly because peo-

BY J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor We all think we’re going to do it. Many of us even go out and buy the pricey special equipment for it. Because when summer’s heat hits, it’s hard not to fall for the cool, creamy romance of do-it-yourself ice cream. Except that most of us will actually make ice cream at home all of about once... Maybe. Because while making ice cream isn’t difficult, it tends to be fussy. And most of us don’t do fussy all that well. Particularly when it’s so much easier to just flip on Netflix, grab a spoon and down an entire pint of purchased ice cream on the couch. But what if there was an easier way to have homemade ice cream? Two recent ode-to-ice cream cookbooks suggest there is. For the most fun take on ice cream ever, you need to check out Bryan Petroff and Douglas Quint’s “Big Gay Ice Cream” (Clarkson Potter, 2015), a hilariously over-the-top book inspired by the duo’s soft serve ice cream trucks and shops of the same name. These are the men who dreamed up crazy delicious cones like the “Salty Pimp” (vanilla

thin enough to drizzle easily. If not, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend. Set aside. On a large serving platter, combine the peppers and onion slices. Drizzle with the oil, then toss gently until evenly coated. Try not to break apart the onion rings. Arrange the peppers and onions on the grill and cook, turning often, until evenly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the peppers and onions to the platter. This time, let the onion slices separate into individual rings. Sprinkle the onions and peppers with salt, then drizzle with a bit of the peanut sauce. Serve with the remaining peanut sauce on the side for dipping.

ple have discovered they make a great natural, unprocessed sweetener. The most common version of dates you’ll see at your local grocer is the California medjool date, a large, barely-wrinkled plump variety. Dates are delicious and indulgent to eat just on their own, but you also can blend them into smoothies (instead of bananas) for a sweet creaminess. When I indulge my sweet tooth, I like there to be a nutritional payoff along with the treat. Dates fit the bill perfectly.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND QUINOA BARS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

“No-Churn Ice Cream” by Leslie Bilderback proves making ice cream at home is worth it and not too difficult.

ice cream, dulce de leche, nuts and salt) and Mountain Dew sorbet. Tucked deep in the book — which is written and designed to resemble an ‘80s high school yearbook — is a must-make recipe: cheater soft serve ice cream. It’s really kind of brilliant. It goes something like this: Soften 3 cups of store bought vanilla ice cream. Then use a stand mixer to beat the ice cream with 1 cup of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Transfer to a bowl, then cover tightly with several layers of plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Freeze for at

least 12 hours. Homemade soft serve ice cream! And then there is Leslie Bilderback’s “No-churn Ice Cream” (St. Martin’s, 2015), which offers 100 less hilarious, but nonetheless delicious recipes for ice cream that require no special equipment and no hard work. She does a great job walking you through utterly easy recipes, everything from basic vanilla and chocolate to more robust creations, such as sweet potatomarshmallow swirl ice cream. None of this, of course, means you can’t still eat a pint on the couch.

Start to finish: 1 hour Servings: 12 1 cup raw almonds, chopped 1/2 cup whole flax seeds 1/2 cup raw quinoa, rinsed and drained 1 cup packed, pitted medjool dates 2 tablespoons almond butter 3 tablespoons warm water 1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (or chopped bittersweet chocolate chips) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Heat the oven to 375 F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with kitchen parchment, letting it hang over the sides. Combine the almonds, flax seeds and quinoa on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven, stirring every 3 minutes, until well toasted and fragrant, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely. Lower the oven to 200 F. Meanwhile, in a food processor combine the dates, almond butter and water. Process until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides several times during processing. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Once the almond-quinoa mixture is cooled, stir them into the date mixture, along with the chocolate and salt. Using wet fingers, press the mixture firmly into the parchment-lined baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are no longer sticky. Let cool completely, then use the parchment to lift out of the pan and cut into 12 bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Nutrition information per serving: 200 calories; 110 calories from fat (55 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 90 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 6 g protein.

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Don’t toss carrot tops!

Make carrots more interesting with Grilled Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Turn them into delicious pesto BY J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor If it grows together, it goes together. It’s a nice — if overly simplistic — way of saying that a wine often pairs well with foods produced in the same region its grapes were grown in. Which is why Chianti goes so nicely with Italian food. But this adage also holds true as a guideline for pairing one food with another. Ingredients that are easily produced in the same region often have an affinity for one another. This philosophy was my inspiration recently when I was deciding how to make carrots a little more interesting. I’d already decided to grill them over low heat until they were just tender and lightly browned. Of course there would be some olive oil, salt and pepper, but I wanted... something more. That “more” didn’t strike me until I went to the grocer and saw gorgeous bunches of multicolored carrots — all with the greens still attached. If it grows together it goes together... And my “more” was born in the form of a simple, yet assertive and delicious pesto made from the carrot greens. Why toss them when they can be this good?

GRILLED CARROTS WITH CARROT TOP PESTO Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1 1/2 pounds carrots with greens attached (about 2 bunches of carrots) Olive oil Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts 4 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar Heat the grill to medium-low. Trim the greens off the carrots. Discard 1 bunch (or save for another use). Submerge the second bunch of greens in a bowl of cool water. It’s fine to leave a few inches of green stalks at the tops of the carrots. Pile the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Rub the carrots so they are evenly coated with oil. Place the carrots on the grill, cover the grill and cook for 10 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until evenly browned and tender. Meanwhile, drain the greens and trim away any thick stems. Use a salad spinner to dry them well. In a food processor, combine the greens, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the pine nuts, garlic, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until very finely chopped, but not pureed. The pesto should be mostly smooth, with some small green chunks. When the carrots are done, transfer them back to the rimmed baking sheet. Spoon the pesto over them and serve warm or at room temperature. Nutrition information per serving: 190 calories; 130 calories from fat (68 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 480 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 3 g protein.

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Boyfriend with hidden child may have more secrets DEAR ABBY — I’m having a hard time getting over a secret my boyfriend, “Wayne,” kept from me. We have Dear Abby been off and on for 14 ABIGAIL years, but VAN BUREN back on for the past four. The problem is, he had a child with a woman in a different country. The child is now 9. Wayne didn’t mention it until four years ago, during our last breakup. It bothers me that he kept it from me. I have since met the woman and the child, but my trust in my boyfriend is

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strained. In the back of my mind I keep wondering what else he hasn’t told me. Abby, he was always against having kids with me. He said he didn’t want any. Now I wonder if it was because he already had one. Wayne is surprised I’m so challenged by this. He says he and the woman dated for only a few months, then broke up because he didn’t feel they were compatible. She told me their child was the product of a one-night stand. Now I don’t know who to believe. Please advise. Betrayed out west DEAR BETRAYED — There is a reason why you and Wayne have been “off and on” for 14 years, and I’m guessing it’s because he has a problem

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

with commitment. Now it appears he may also have a problem leveling with you. If you have to make a choice about whom to believe, I think you should believe the mother of his child because by telling you what she did, it’s clear she wasn’t trying to make herself look any better. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

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

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

ACROSS 1 Gothic literature middle name 6 Sound of relief 9 Tells 14 Olympus competitor 15 Lobster __ Diavolo 16 Talked a blue streak 17 Violent whirlpool 19 *Split apart 20 *Working, working, working 22 Bashful 23 Per person 24 Pinch 28 Part of Q.E.D. 29 Asian holiday 31 Transcript fig. 32 GŽorgie, to Georgette 35 *1967 NHL Calder Memorial Trophy recipient 37 Sound 39 Game show prize 40 Long tales 41 *Half-hitch kin 43 With 64-Across, tax shelter since 1998 44 “Power” accessory 45 Updike’s “Rabbit Redux,” e.g.: Abbr. 46 Longtime Saudi king 49 Tater 51 Ancient Is-

raeli fortress 53 Workout “washboards” 56 *”And it took long enough!” 59 *Backup option 62 Vibrator in the larynx 63 Public opening? 64 See 43-Across 65 Low-price prefix 66 Really cracks up 67 Volleyball barrier 68 Carved emblem DOWN 1 Soprano Gluck and composer MahlerWerfel 2 Chihuahua lead 3 Stretch out next to 4 Censorshipfighting org. 5 Bahamas port 6 Hiding under the covers 7 Tossed off the covers 8 Poor choice to play 48Down 9 Creamy cheese 10 Like Olympic pools 11 Picnic invader 12 Moment of stage grati-

tude 13 __-Cat: winter vehicle 18 Proofer’s find 21 U.K. network, with “the” 25 Disco phrase 26 Nursery rhyme surname 27 Strident 28 Cotton swab brand 30 “Conan” channel 32 Bridge positions 33 Cup-shaped bloom 34 “Cheers,” across the Channel 35 Ball striker 36 Play area 38 Endorsements 39 Chicken-inwine stew 42 Movie clownfish 46 One with money to

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Stanley Cup skates onto June’s thin ratings ice BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH A wise person says nothing when he or she has no knowledge of a particular subject. Think how much television we’d be missing if people followed that adage. Cable news channels would pretty much cease to exist. Having admitted my near total ignorance, I still have to ask why the 2015 Stanley Cup Final (8 p.m., NBC), the championship series of the NHL, is just getting started now. Hockey is a winter sport, right? Things weren’t always like this. As I’ve explained, my knowledge of hockey is somewhere between minuscule and nonexistent. But I grew up among hockey fans when I was a kid — New York Rangers fans, to be exact. And their cross to bear, way back then, was that the Rangers had not won a Stanley Cup since 1940. Like I said, this was some time back. They’ve since won a Stanley Cup, ending their drought back in 1994. But if I claimed to be just “growing up” in the mid-90s, that would make me a liar as well as ignorant. Again, certain cable news personalities come to mind. Somehow that legendary 1940 victory remains stuck in my admittedly limited trove of sports memory. And when did the Rangers play that series? In the first weeks of April 1940. Imagine that, a winter sport wrapping up in early spring! By 1972, the Stanley Cup Final concluded on May 11. By the 1994 series, when the Rangers ended their curse, they were skating well into June. Despite being played in unseasonable weather, the Stanley Cup Final has been a consistent, if unspectacular, television

draw. Last year’s series averaged 5 million viewers per game. Hockey fans are not as numerous as Super Bowl gawkers, but they are a passionate lot. Who else would watch men on skates while anticipating the Fourth of July? • “The Ghost Army” (10 p.m., PBS, r, TVPG, check local listings) recalls efforts by artists and set designers recruited by the Army during World War II. They created elaborate illusions, including paper fortifications and inflatable tanks, to fake out the German high command and force them to deploy thousands of troops against imaginary American forces.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Joe creates a boot camp for Ryder on “Melissa & Joey” (8 p.m., ABC Family, TV14). • Riley runs from her problems on “Baby Daddy” (8:30 p.m., ABC Family, TV-PG). • A lawn ornament launches a neighborhood war on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG). • A sick hacker develops an app for arsonists on “CSI: Cyber” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG).

SERIES NOTES A significant anniversary on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) * A rival archer arrives on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * Home-cooked meals on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) * Sickos in Salt Lake City on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * Crowley

PBS PRESSROOM

This photo provided by the National Archives, shows a Ghost Army soldier standing next to a rubber M4 Sherman tank, 93 pounds fully inflated. PBS airs “The Ghost Army” at 10 p.m. today. worries about Dean’s growing rage on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) * Birds and bees and confusion on “blackish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Melissa McCarthy is scheduled on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Spoon performs on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Jason Statham, Adri-

an Grenier and Elayne Boosler on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Alan Cumming, Alicia Vikander, Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne and Jon Theodore visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Allison Janney, Jerry Ferrara and Paul Dano appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS). Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

Super Bowl, ‘Walking Dead’ among most-tweeted shows BY FRAZIER MOORE AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Tweet this: Millions of viewers were firing off those 140-character texts while they watched TV in the season just past. And there were plenty of people reading them. Nielsen Social has tracked all that digital back-and-forth, and has released a report on television-related Twitter activity in the U.S. from Sept. 1, 2014 through May 24, 2015. Highlights: • “Empire” (Fox) was not only a ratings hit in its first season but also a Twitter sensation. A total of 2.4 million tweets were sent addressing the March 18 finale. This made

this two-part conclusion the most tweeted series episode since Nielsen Social began tracking TV-related Twitter activity nearly four years ago. • The “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special (NBC, Feb. 15) set the record among all series for the size of the Twitter TV audience — 9.1 million people — with 1.3 million tweets sent. • But that was dwarfed by “The 57th Annual Grammy Awards” (CBS, Feb. 8), the season’s top entertainment special, with 13.4 million tweets sent. They were seen by an audience of 13.3 million people. A close second: “The Oscars” (ABC, Feb. 22), with a Twitter TV audience of 13.0 million.

• Not surprisingly, “Super Bowl XLIX” (NBC, Feb. 1) was the biggest TV event of all on Twitter this season with 16.1 million people seeing tweets about the game, halftime show and ads. A total of 25.1 million tweets were sent. • “The Walking Dead” (AMC) roused a siege of tweeters to take the lead among series. A total of 1.3 million tweets were sent about the premiere episode on Oct. 12, 2014, reaching 7.4 million people throughout the night. The series had the largest audience on Twitter throughout the season with an average 4.3 million people seeing tweets about each new episode. • “Dead” was followed in the season-average rankings by

“The Bachelor” (ABC), “Game of Thrones” (HBO), “American Horror Story: Freak Show” (Fox), and “Empire.” But the eighth-ranked series was a bit of a surprise: the NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation,” which, concluding an acclaimed but none-too-

splashy seven-season run, was never a hit among the broader viewing audience. Even so, its Twitter TV audience averaged 2.2 million socially engaged viewers. That’s a reminder that, increasingly in the digital age, there’s more than one way to be a hit.

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MIX IT UP A LITTLE

s food goes, it’s hard to imagine anything more American — and that more perfectly captures summer —

than a great grilled hamburger. Trouble is, as much as we love a great burger, we’re not always all that great at making them. That’s because there is more to making burgers than serving time at the grill. But if you master a few easy tips and techniques, you can produce burgers that will blow you away. And the good news is that almost everything can be done in advance. Let’s start with the meat. If you want a rich, juicy burger, you have to use ground meat that has some natural fat. Ground chuck is the most common choice. The chuck is ground from the beef shoulder and has enough natural fat to give your burger a rich, moist flavor. You can use 100 percent chuck, or you can do what I do and use a combination of ground sirloin and ground chuck. Sirloin THE ASSOCIATED PRESS provides a lean A California dreaming burger texture and has tortilla chips on top to add chuck adds big that extra crunch. beefy flavor. When I am hankering for something extra meaty, I substitute ground brisket for the chuck. Whatever your blend, plan on 1/3 of a pound of meat per burger, so figure a total of 1 pound of meat per three burgers. If you buy quality, freshly ground meat, a lit-

Once you have mastered the burger basics, you can up the ante by creating all kinds of competition-worthy burgers simply by switching up the toppings. I’ve listed my four favorite topping combinations below. You may notice that they all have a crunchy element. This is the one topping that I never eliminate, as it is the secret that takes a burger from good to great. AMERICAN CLASSIC BURGER: American cheese, special sauce (equal parts ketchup and mayo with a dab of yellow mustard), lettuce and pickles SOUTHERN COMFORT BURGER: Barbecue sauce, pulled pork, coleslaw and potato chips FRENCH ONION SOUP BURGER: Caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese, French’s Fried Onions CALIFORNIA DREAMING BURGER: Monterey Jack cheese, sliced avocado or guacamole, sliced tomato, sliced red onion, tortilla chips tle salt and pepper is all you need to season a burger. But to enhance the beefiness, I also like to add a dash of dry mustard powder and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. Now let’s talk about mixing and forming the meat. It’s important that you not overwork the meat. The more your work the mix, the tougher and drier the burgers will be. I like to use a fork to mix the meats. The heat from your hands can heat up the beef, and you want it to stay chilled until it hits the grill. To form the patties, it’s best to loosely scoop up a 1/3-pound mound of the meat mixture, then gently pat it into a patty. When you are happy with the shape, make a depression in the center with your finger. This depression is the key to a perfect patty. It will prevent your burger from swelling up like a ball on the grill. As the burger cooks, the meat will expand to fill the hole. Now, the cooking. Burgers should be cooked directly over medium to medium-high heat. They should take 8 to 10 minutes total, 4 to 5 minutes per side. And please resist the urge to mash the burgers down with the spatula. This just causes all the yummy juices to leak out. Also, only turn the burger once halfway through the cooking time, after about 4 minutes. This reduces the chances it will stick to the grate and fall apart. If flare-ups are a problem during grilling, close the lid of the grill. This should extinguish the flames. If not, you may need to both close the grill and turn off the burners.

BEST BASIC BURGER You can make this burger with all ground chuck or a combination of chuck and sirloin. My “house burger” is a mixture of chuck and sirloin enhanced by Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard, which make the burgers taste meatier. You also can prep the burgers up to a day ahead and keep them refrigerated until ready to grill. Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 6 1 pound ground chuck 1 pound ground sirloin

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Think you know how to make the perfect burger? Think again BY ELIZABETH KARMEL The Associated Press

me o Ho

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Coleman’s Mustard powder Kosher salt and ground black pepper Olive oil

Buns Condiments and toppings

Heat the grill to medium. In a large bowl, combine the chuck, sirloin, Worcestershire, mustard powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use a fork to carefully and gently mix just until well combined. Do not overmix. Gently divide the meat into 6 mounds, then shape each into a patty. Use your thumb to create an indentation in the center of each patty. Lightly brush each patty all over with olive oil. Make sure your grill’s cooking grate is clean of all debris. Add the burgers and grill until the meat is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. If making cheeseburgers, top each burger with cheese after you turn it. Let the burgers rest about 5 minutes then serve on buns with condiments and toppings as desired. Nutrition information per serving: 410 calories; 190 calories from fat (46 percent of total calories); 21 g fat (7 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 100 mg cholesterol; 500 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 34 g protein.