March 26, 2014

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County council votes to sell donated land

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 Sumter County Council approved the sale of several pieces of county property, hoping to make some money from the sale of land previously donated by a private citizen.

Six parcels of land in the

Leawood subdivision will be put up for sale on a government website after Tuesday’s council vote.

All six are vacant lots donated to the county in 2012 by the estate of John and Julia Hoar. But without any public need for housing lots in a residential neighborhood, council moved to dispose of the properties.

After three readings by council, the land will go up for auction on GovDeals.com, a website that allows local government agencies to sell surplus items, equipment or property.

“The Forfeiture Land Commission uses the site to sell properties, to give everybody a chance to compete on a level playing field,” county attor-

ney Johnathan Bryan said.

Three of the lots are in the 300 block of Mooneyham Road, with the other three spread out on Montana, Oklahoma and Wyoming drives.

“Because this is land owned by the county, we thought it would be best to go through three readings and have a public hearing,” Bryan said.

After a public hearing,

council members also approved a house-cleaning measure to clarify the county’s definition of a “public street,” making certain where the county should and should not commit resources to maintain a roadway.

“We’ve had some issue the last couple years on whether

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Families line up for food giveaway

Child, neighbor rescue family from house fire

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com (803) 774-1211

“I was laying down sleeping when I smelled the smoke,” Zavion said. “I ran into the kitchen, and I saw the fire. I tried to pour water on it to put it out, but it didn’t work. Then I got my brothers and sister up and ran outside yelling (that) there was a fire.”

The 9-year-old said his grandmother’s husband, who he referred to as “Pat,” left the home to check the mail down the street. A neighbor, who did not wish to be identified, said he was

A large group of area residents lined up their vehicles Tuesday at the Sumter County Fairgrounds, waiting to receive food and hygiene supplies provided by Feed the Children and distributed by the local Salvation Army.

Salvation Army Maj. Robbie Robbins said his group expected to give away about 54 pallets of supplies. The pallets were delivered in two Feed the Children semi-tractor trailers.

“We do this once a year,” Robbins said. “Last year we helped 400 families; this year we will help 800 families, so we have doubled from last year.

Next year, who knows?”

Each family received a 25pound box of food and a 10pound box of personal care items. The boxes are designed to help a family of four for up to one week.

Robbins said The Salvation Army partnered with Feed the Children for this year’s distribution.

“It’s Americans helping Americans,” he said.

Working in a slight drizzle, about 40 volunteers from the University of South Carolina Sumter Fire Ants baseball team and about 12 Salvation Army volunteers and employees helped load boxes into vehicles. The Salvation Army

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SEE FOOD GIVEAWAY, PAGE A8

TYLER SIMPSON / THE SUMTER ITEM

A firefighter hoses down the smoldering remains of Lovanda Pitt’s home on Tampa Gold Road in Wedgefield on Tuesday after a kitchen fire quickly engulfed the mobile home. Pitt was one payment away from owning the home.

Kitchen blaze rips through Wedgefield mobile home in minutes

BY ROB COTTINGHAM rcottingham@theitem.com (803) 774-1225 A Wedgefield mother is thankful her four children are alive after a fire consumed their home on Tuesday.

“My money, my car, my dog ... they’re all gone,” said Lovanda Pitt, mother of the four children. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I’m so thankful my babies are alive.”

Emergency workers responded to her residence at 550 Tampa Gold Road

late Tuesday afternoon in reference to a mobile home fire in progress. By the time Sumter Fire Department arrived, the home was essentially doomed, according to Battalion Chief Bud Ivey.

“When the first engine got here, it was already 50 percent involved,” Ivey said. “With the way the wind was blowing today, it took just a few minutes to be fully involved.”

According to Pitt’s eldest son, Zavion Bolden, the fire originated in the kitchen, where their grandmother’s husband was cooking a pot of grits.

‘Opportunity to catch the boogeyman’ Social media used more and more in criminal investigations

BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com (803) 774-1295 MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Working with social media companies is part of Senior Investigator Darlene Dellinger’s job as an officer with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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In February 2014, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Victims Unit received a tip from Sumter School District about alleged inappropriate conduct between a middle school teacher and a 13-year-

old student. The investigation led to the arrest of 31-year-old Elizabeth Marie Moss, a former Chestnut Oaks Middle School teacher, who was charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

The investigation originated when police obtained Facebook messages between Moss and the student that were deemed inappro-

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priate and is just one example of how social media has had an impact on the way law enforcement conducts its investigations today.

“It was definitely one of the major factors in the case,” said Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis. “It’s becoming one of the

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

LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Pinewood man added to most wanted list A 23-year-old Pinewood man is wanted by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office for reportedly distributing marijuana.

Kevin Leshawn Coard, of last known address 5785 Bethel Church Road, Pinewood, was added to the sheriff’s office’s most COARD wanted list Tuesday afternoon. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information on Coard’s whereabouts should immediately call the sheriff’s office at (803) 436-2000 or (803) 436-2718.

Board moves forward on Head Start grant application, amending expulsion policy

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 Sumter School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved first reading of a change to the expulsion of students policy Monday as well as the Early Head Start grant application for fiscal year 2014.

Board clerk the Rev. Daryl McGhaney was not present.

The amendment changing the expulsion hearing policy would allow appeals to the

board to be made in person.

Still, it keeps the scope of any appeal to the evidentiary hearing results.

“It’s up to the family,” said trustee Karen Michalik, who is on the policy subcommittee, which recommended the change. “They don’t have to be in person. It can be written, but either way, we will not entertain any new information.”

The Early Head Start grant included the school district providing the $144,811 shortfall created by

the requirement of the program moving from 40 to 46 weeks per Head Start regulations.

Trustee Larry Addison asked if this money included supplying computers, and Superintendent Frank Baker said it did not.

“That will come from another pot of money,” Baker said. “We’re always upgrading labs in several schools, and we get a better deal with volume. Those will be included in that order.”

The board also unani-

Puddin’ Swamp Festival returns for its 7th year

Charter school now enrolling k-12 students The South Carolina Virtual Charter School recently announced that it’s now enrolling students entering grades kindergarten through 12 for the 2014-15 school year.

According to a recent news release, students who enroll in SCVCS will receive an academic program that includes web-based lessons that expand on traditional education methods. SCVCS will send books, CDs, videos and other tools for lessons and instruction to the students’ homes.

SCVCS offers a variety of courses including accelerated classes, foreign languages, Advanced Placement, SAT preparation and credit recovery, as well as the core curriculum comprised of English/language arts, math, science, history, music and art. For more information on SCVCS and how to enroll, visit http://www.k12. com/scvcs.

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com (803) 774-1211

Academy’s enrollment date ends March 31 Parents still have time to enroll their child in the Pee Dee Math, Science and Technology Academy for the 2014-15 school year. Open enrollment is underway until March 31 for all new students. The school will offer grades kindergarten through 5th grades next year.

PDMSTA is authorized by the South Carolina Public Charter School District and the South Carolina Department of Education.

The school provides free education to all children in the Greater Pee Dee region.

For more information, contact the school office for an enrollment packet at (803) 428-4200.

Parents can also download the application from the school’s website at www.pdmsta.org.

CORRECTION If you see a statement in error, contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or pressrelease@theitem.com.

mously approved the following: • To move the next meeting, on April 14, to Crestwood High School to honor the basketball team making it to the playoffs; • Board meeting schedule for 2014-15 with the caveat of trying to schedule one at the Adult Ed location meeting in the future; and • Early Head Start Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance polices and procedures and prioritization guidelines.

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

A child plays on a slide during a past Puddin’ Swamp Festival. This year’s festival will be April 10-12 and will include the Taste of Puddin’ Swamp dinner, street dancing, live music, food and craft vendors and more.

Turbeville’s seventh-annual Puddin’ Swamp Festival is set for April 10-12.

The fun begins with the Taste of Puddin’ Swamp dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at Pine Grove United Methodist Church, 1090 Morgan St., Turbeville.

“We have lots of desserts made by local churches and a varied menu,” said Faye Atkinson of the Town of Turbeville.

“We have had such things as frog legs and alligator, a table where you can fix mashed potatoes any way you want to and a kid’s table with all kinds of candy.”

Atkinson said local restaurants will also provide more traditional courses. Entertainment will be provided by The Plaids.

Tickets are $20 and will be available at the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, Turbeville Town Hall and Turbeville Hardware.

Friday, April 11, features a street dance with live music by Riptide on the town square.

Food and crafts vendors will be available all day and carnival rides available from 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, April 12, features music on the main stage of the town square, as well as vendors and the cornhole tournament starting at 4 p.m.

For more information, call the Turbeville Town Hall at (843) 659-2781 or visit www.townofturbeville.com.

Sheheen, Haley filing to be on ballot for governor COLUMBIA (AP) — State Sen. Vincent Sheheen has filed for his spot on the ballot to challenge South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Sheheen, D-Camden, filed his paperwork Tuesday morning with the state Election Commission. Haley followed several hours later.

Their filings officially signal the

long-expected rematch between the 2010 general election opponents. Sheheen lost by 4.5 percentage points.

Both sides are already pointing fingers. While Haley’s advocates have run ads highlighting Sheheen’s support for expanding Medicaid, Sheheen rattles off issues that he says show her lack of leadership. At the top of his list is the

fall 2012 hacking of the Department of Revenue in which a cyber-thief stole unencrypted personal data belonging to 6.4 million people and businesses.

It’s time to “put the nightmare of the last four years behind us,” Sheheen said.

Haley said her opponent is just cherry-picking parts of her record.

HOW TO REACH US IS YOUR PAPER MISSING? ARE YOU GOING ON VACATION? 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, S.C. 29150 (803) 774-1200 Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Jack@theitem.com (803) 774-1238 Braden Bunch Senior News Editor bbunch@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 Waverly Williams Sales Manager wwilliams@theitem.com (803) 774-1237

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Native American artifact show will be held at Camp Woodie The Piedmont Archaeological Society of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina is sponsoring a Native American artifact show on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Carolina Waterfowl Association Wildlife Education Center near Rimini.

Collectors and experts will display thousands of South Carolina and Southeastern Native American artifacts. Admission is free, and lunch is available for $5 per person.

Collectors are encouraged to attend. Archaeological experts will be on hand to identify and age your artifacts.

Collectors and dealers who would like to exhibit can contact David Wielicki at (803) 4526001 or scwadw@ftc-i.net. Dealer tables are

POLICE BLOTTER CHARGES Percy Carter Scruggs, 58, of 194 Washington Ave., Belleville, N.J., was charged with unlawful possession of a pistol and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at 3:15 p.m. Friday. He was transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.

James Tyrell Jackson, 24, of 3244 Mount Sinai Church Road, Mayesville, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm at 11:59 p.m. Friday during a driver’s license checkpoint in the 4000 block of Florence Highway. Jackson was transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT At 1:07 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to an altercation in the 8000 block of Camden Highway, Rembert, where a 55-year-old male reportedly cut a 28-yearold male in the left arm with a small knife.

FRAUD Officers responded to the 400 block of Pritchard Lane at 4:25 p.m. Friday where a woman said she found $3,869 in unauthorized charges on her bank statement.

POINTING AND PRESENTING A FIREARM At 10:57 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to the 4000 block of Peach Orchard Road, Rembert, where several witnesses said a juvenile pointed a handgun at another juvenile and ran off while firing five shots

STATE BRIEF FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS

Police: Girlfriend hit with anger management book SPARTANBURG — Spartanburg County deputies have arrested a man who they said hit his girlfriend with a workbook from his anger management class during an argument, and she cut his arm with a boxcutter.

A sheriff’s office incident report said 22-year-old Sheelah Thompson and her 23-year-old boyfriend Tyler Ford were fighting about their relationship Monday night at their Spartanburg apartment when Ford rolled up the book and hit his girlfriend on the cheek.

Deputies said Ford had a deep cut on his arm. Thompson told an officer she cut her boyfriend because he tried to strangle her. Ford told a deputy his girlfriend cut him because she was angry after he hit her with the book.

available for $25 each, and display tables for collectors are $10 each.

The SCWA/Camp Woodie is located at 9833 Old River Road, Pinewood. To get to the center from Sumter, take West Liberty Street to Wedgefield Road, turn right and continue to Wedgefield, turn left on S.C. 261, turn right on Mill Creek Road, continue for about 9 miles, then take the right fork onto Old River Road.

Continue for 2.1 miles, passing the SCWA office building on the right and Elliott’s Mill Pond on the left. Turn left at the Camp Woodie sign onto gravel road and travel 0.2 miles.

Turn right at dead end and continue 0.2 miles to Camp Woodie’s Chase Lodge.

For more information, call (803) 452-6001.

into the air. Officers attempted to track the juvenile but were unsuccessful.

At 2 a.m. Monday, officers responded to the 5000 block of Dubose Siding Road where a man said that a 24-year-old Bishopville man pointed a gun at him. The Bishopville man fled the scene before officers arrived, and the victim was advised to seek a warrant.

STOLEN PROPERTY A black steel trailer, a zero turn Troy-Bilt lawn mower, a Troy-Bilt edger, an Echo weed trimmer and a Husqvarna backpack blower were reported stolen at 11 a.m. Friday from a residence in the 3000 block of Broad Street. The items were valued at $4,630.

A roll of fence wire and three large containers of aluminum cans were reported stolen at 5:21 p.m.

Friday from a residence in the first block of Glenwood Drive. The items are valued at $725.

Approximately $3,000 in cash was reported stolen at 1:34 a.m. Sunday from a residence in the 100 block of Pack Road.

A red Snapper lawn mower valued at $2,000 was reported stolen at 11:58 a.m.

Sunday from a residence in the 100 block of Westwood Drive.

Three boxes of ammunition, two digital recorders and a set of storage house keys were reported stolen

at 3:56 p.m. Sunday from a residence in the 10 block of Thistledown Court. The items are valued at $2,150.

An HP laptop valued at $500 was reportedly stolen between 3 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Monday from a residence in the 400 block of Rast Street.

Two Bostitch nail guns, a generator, a Stihl chainsaw, a metal fish fryer set, a propane gas tank and an assortment of hand tools were reported stolen at 11:10 a.m. Monday from a residence in the 1000 block of Bell Road, Mayesville.

The items value at $1,978.

UNLAWFUL WEAPON ON SCHOOL GROUNDS Crestwood High School officials reported to law enforcement at noon Sunday that a student brought a pair of black brass knuckles onto school grounds Friday. The student was petitioned to family court.

VANDALISM Several car wash machines were reported damaged at 11:04 a.m. Friday at a business in the 10 block of East Red Bay Road. The damage is estimated at $2,000.

A 30-year-old female reportedly damaged the passenger side of a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox LT with a shoe at 4 p.m. Friday in the 3000 block of Little Lane.

The damage is estimated at $1,221.

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PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Demonstrators, including Margot Riphagen of New Orleans, La., wearing a birth control pills costume above right, participate in a rally in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on Tuesday as the court heard arguments in the challenges of President Obama’s health care law requirement that businesses provide their female employees with health insurance that includes access to contraceptives. Tuesday’s 90-minute argument focused on whether profit-making businesses have religious rights.

High court seems divided over birth control rule

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed divided Tuesday over whether employers’ religious beliefs can free them from a part of the new health care law that requires that they provide coverage of birth control for employees at no extra charge.

The case involves familyowned companies that provide health insurance to their employees but object to covering certain methods of birth control that they say can work after conception, in violation of their religious beliefs.

The fast-paced 90-minute argument at the court touched on abortion and the health care law in general but focused mainly on the question of whether profit-making businesses have religious rights. The justices have never ruled that way before, but the companies in the Supreme Court case and their backers argue that a 1993 federal law on religious freedom extends to businesses as well as individuals.

The Obama administration and its supporters say a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the businesses also could undermine laws governing immunizations, Social Security taxes and minimum wages.

The outcome could turn on the views of Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the decisive vote. Kennedy voiced concerns both about the rights of female employees and the

business owners. Kennedy asked what rights would women have if their employers ordered them to wear burkas, a full-length robe commonly worn by conservative Islamic women.

Later in the 90-minute argument, he seemed troubled about how the logic of the government’s argument would apply to abortions. “A profit corporation could be forced in principle to pay for abortions,” Kennedy said.

“Your reasoning would permit it.”

Under the new health care law, health plans must offer a range of preventive services at no extra charge, including all forms of birth control for women that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The three women on the court, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, repeatedly questioned Paul Clement, representing the businesses, whether blood transfusions and vaccinations would be subject to the same religious objections if the court ruled

for his clients.

“Everything would be piecemeal, and nothing would be uniform,” Kagan said.

Clement acknowledged that courts would have to decide on a case-by-case basis, but he said only the kind of familyowned companies he represents would make such claims, not large, multinational corporations. “That’s something that’s not going to happen in the real world,” Clement said.

Chief Justice John Roberts at one point suggested that the court could limit its ruling to apply to just such companies.

One key issue before the justices is whether profitmaking corporations may assert religious beliefs under the 1993 religious freedom law or the First Amendment provision guaranteeing Americans the right to believe and worship as they choose. The court could skirt that issue by finding that the individuals who own the businesses have the right to object.

The justices still would have to decide whether the

birth control requirement really impinges on religious freedom, and if so, whether the government makes a persuasive case that the policy is important and is put in place in the least objectionable way possible.

Kennedy also showed some interest in the argument that the companies could decide not to offer any health insurance to their workers and instead pay a tax of $2,000 per employee. That route might allow the court to sidestep the thorniest questions in the case.

Clement objected that businesses would find themselves at a competitive disadvantage in a situation where other em-

ployers were offering insurance.

But when Kennedy asked Clement to assume that the company would come out the same financially, Clement acknowledged that the government might have a strong case.

Some of the nearly 50 businesses that have sued over covering contraceptives object to paying for all forms of birth control. But the companies involved in the high court case are willing to cover most methods of contraception, as long as they can exclude drugs or devices that the government says may work after an egg has been fertilized.

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SOCIAL MEDIA FROM PAGE A1 most-used resources in our law-enforcement division.”

Dennis said social media is used today to help investigate hundreds of cases. The variety of crimes solved using social media range from stolen property to homicide. A YouTube video, for example, was obtained by local investigators during a January 2013 intimidation case against then-29-year-old Rodregiz Anthony Cole, who was accused of threatening two judges in a rap video he posted.

With homicide cases, there have been instances in which suspects have the tendency to talk about cases through online messages, according to Dennis. This often led to the suspect admitting involvement, thinking it is safe to post incriminating information in an online instant message. Many times, suspects upload pictures of stolen items on social media and attempt to sell them, giving law enforcement enough probable cause to seize them.

Social media has also been a reliable method for releasing information to the public. Sumter Police Department has used sites such as Facebook to ask the public for information needed to help with criminal investigations, such as searching for a burglary suspect or information about a suspicious person seen during a shooting.

“We can disseminate information quickly to the public that they need to know about a case or a matter of public safety, but our investigators can also utilize the technology to track information, receive tips and verify or debunk information that we receive,” said Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark.

PRIVACY LAWS Obtaining messages, videos and pictures from a social media site is not simple, as privacy laws force law enforcement to obtain search warrants in order to confiscate the material. The nature of the crime determines how much information can be gathered under a single subpoena.

“It’s kind of two-fold,” said Senior Investigator Darlene Dellinger with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

“Sometimes, you just need subscriber stuff. Other times, you’re going to need more in a case where you know the crime’s been committed, and you know something’s there. With anything

that is private, we will make sure to follow the law to obtain it.”

With the Moss case, however, law enforcement could simply receive permission from the student’s parents to gain access to the inbox messages on Facebook.

“People think that those are private communications and that they can’t be seen, so they feel more free to discuss inside of an inbox message as opposed to a post,” said Dellinger, who is also an officer with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. “Just when you think it’s private, it generally isn’t.”

Dennis said that once a warrant has been issued for an individual’s account or online messages, that individual’s personal computer is confiscated by law enforcement in order to conduct the investigation.

“A HAVEN FOR PEDOPHILES AND SEXUAL PREDATORS” As an officer with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Dellinger conducts her investigations using undercover chatrooms and file-sharing networks.

While monitoring inappropriate contact on social media is not her main focus, she does receive social media alerts involving inappropriate content uploaded within Sumter County.

“I look at it as an opportunity to catch the boogeyman, that bad guy who’s out there hurting our sweet innocent little babies — and possibly cost them their innocence that they will never get back,” Dellinger said. “What you do worry about is the graphic nature of what you see. What keeps me going is my faith.”

Dellinger said the youngest victim she has had the displeasure of reporting was a 3-year-old child who was videotaped being sexually assaulted by the perpetrator, who would post a video of the sexual assault through online applications for the gratification of others.

The job comes with its share of difficulties, such as prosecuting individuals who post erotic images onto a social-networking site because no sexual activity has been committed just by posting a nude photo online. Dellinger said the task force is working to push legislation to make nude photography part of prosecuting child

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Darlene Dellinger, a Sumter County Sheriff’s Office senior investigator and an officer with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, uses undercover chatrooms and file-sharing networks during investigations. Any device used to access obscene material during an investigation is confiscated for Dellinger, such as the computer tower seen above. pornography cases.

“A normal defense in this case would be that it is ‘art,’” Dellinger said. “I don’t see any artistic value in looking at a 3-year-old that’s exposed and laid out with her private body parts showing for the world to see.”

While social media plays a big part in uncovering Internet crimes, it’s difficult to monitor everyone’s Internet activity. However, there has been some talk among some of the bigger social-media companies about doing more to prevent obscene material from being posted, according to Dellinger.

“Social media is here to stay,” she said. “(The companies) realize that it has become a haven for pedophiles and sexual predators. It’s part of our culture now, and we have to find a way to make it less accessible for those types of people.”

KEEPING UP WITH “FADS” With more and more social media apps being developed, law enforcement strives to

keep up with what’s becoming the most popular method for people to communicate through the Internet. Roark said law enforcement across the country needs to evolve with technology if it hopes to keep up with the newest sources of social media.

“More and more, we’re seeing that agencies throughout the country are using social media as an investigative tool,” Roark said. “For now, agencies are looking at what works for them, learning from problems they encounter and sharing that information with others. We’re doing the same here.”

After only hearing about it, Dellinger has received complaints within the past several weeks involving several teenagers receiving pornographic material through their accounts on an instantmessaging site called Kik, one of the newer social media apps. That app includes a feature that displays pictures and videos for only 30 seconds, which can make it difficult for law enforcement to obtain obscene vid-

eos posted on the site.

Talking with teenagers has been a reliable method in finding out what sites are popular, Dellinger said, which is how she first learned about Kik. “Nine times out of 10, the kids know about it before any adult does, and it goes viral with them long before the adults even catch wind of it,” she said. “There is just so much stuff out there.”

According to Dellinger, resources provided by the national Crimes Against Children Task Force help law enforcement communicate with each other in learning about new social-media companies, what their legal processes are, their efforts in obtaining search warrants, etc.

One of these resources is a website called NetSmartz, where teens and adults can view video messages and information that address Internet safety. Any individual who wishes to express a concern with a social media site can send an email through the website.

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COUNTY FROM PAGE A1 something is or isn’t a public street,” Planning Director George McGregor told council. “This clarifies it is only if it’s been accepted by official action.”

Council also approved second read-

ing of a motion to issue a $2.5 million bond to meet the county’s capital needs. The bond will pay for heavy equipment, items for law enforcement and emergency responders and building repairs.

Although council is just now approving the bond, it was provided for in the 2013-14 county budget approved last year.

THE SUMTER ITEM

“We waited to approve it until after we received our financial audit,” Bryan said. “It’s always better to issue a bond when you have a current audit.”

The county was presented with the results of its annual audit from the firm of Webster Rogers at its last meeting March 11.

Also approved Tuesday was second

reading of an ordinance creating “The Link” economic development alliance between Sumter and Lee counties. The Link will give both counties a platform to cooperate on attracting business investment to the region. The new alliance is a coordinated effort between the Sumter Development Board and the Lee County Economic Development Alliance.

Office seeks to question man in shooting death

BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com (803) 774-1295

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Members of the Cruz family look through charred photographs belonging to Lovanda Pitt as firefighters put out a blaze that destroyed Pitt’s home in Wedgefield on Tuesday night.

SAVED FROM PAGE A1 outside when “Pat” left the property driving an ATV to the mailboxes situated at the end of the street. Moments later, he heard Zavion yelling from the porch.

“He was yelling, ‘There’s a fire! There’s a fire!’” the neighbor said. “Pat had just left the yard. I ran over and got the kids out.”

The neighbor said he picked up where Zavion left off, attempting to fight the blaze himself, but the fire spread too quickly. He then took the children to a neighboring home for safety, closing the blinds so they couldn’t watch as their home burned. Zilyk, 7; Zatajh, 4; and Zadian, 3, were still in their pajamas.

Pitt said she was in the emergency room at Tuomey Regional Medical Center being treated for chest pain when she received the phone call about her home. She immediately left to get to her children.

“I’ve still got the IV in my arm,” she said, presenting her arm.

The owner of the home, Ashley Cruz, wasn’t as concerned about the home as she was the grief left behind for Pitt. Cruz said Pitt had one payment remaining before the home was paid for.

“She just lost everything,” Cruz said. “She’s a single mother with four kids. This is terrible. It hurts. There were things in there that can’t be replaced.”

In terms of what was lost, Cruz felt the sting in a separate but similar fashion. Numerous family photo albums were lost in the fire, including those that contained pictures of her recently deceased 7-year-old daughter, Nevaeh.

“Baby pictures, old family albums ... they’re all gone,” Cruz said, tears welling up in

her eyes. “She can’t replace them. We can’t replace them.

Those are memories gone forever.”

Numerous friends, neighbors and family members arrived to comfort Pitt and show her support as the evening dragged along. With smoke still rising from the smoldering ruins of her home, Pitt managed to smile.

“I have my family and my friends,” she said. “It hurts so much to lose everything, but I have them, and that’s all I need.”

Pitt said she had a place for her and her children to stay

but opted to appeal to The American Red Cross for assistance after a firefighter at the scene recommended she do so.

As she and her closest friends soaked in the scene at hand, another source of joy came hopping out of the nearby field. It was Putt-Putt, the family dog who Pitt feared she had lost to the fire. She quickly scooped the dog off the ground and wrapped her arms around him.

“One more reason to be thankful,” she said, as the dog licked the dried-up tears from her face.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Kershaw County deputies in locating a 22-year-old male wanted for questioning in relation to the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old Camden man Saturday morning.

The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Robert Wendell Simon, who may have SIMON information on what happened before the shooting death of Antwan Mario Dixon. Simon is only wanted for questioning and is not considered a suspect in the shooting. Maj. Allen Dailey with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Simon could be in Sumter County because he has ties to the community. “(Kershaw Sheriff’s Office) has a lead that he lived within our county,”

Daily said.

Simon is thought to be driving a 2000 four-door Honda Civic DX bearing SC tag JAG 444 with one of the passenger doors broken.

According to reports from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Dixon was shot in the head by a single bullet while driving a 1999 Ford Taurus on Black River Road near Camden early Saturday morning. A Kershaw County deputy responded to find the car on fire with Dixon slumped over the driver’s seat.

Dixon was airlifted to Palmetto Health Richland but died from his wound later that evening.

Investigators also found numerous bullet holes in the vehicle and multiple shell casings in the roadway.

Anyone with knowledge about Simon’s whereabouts should contact the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 425-1512 and ask for Investigator Taylor or call Crimestoppers at 1-888-274-6372.

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

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

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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 Braden Bunch Senior News Editor

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

COMMENTARY

Crazy arguments, asinine behavior

S

ome statements and arguments are so asinine that you’d have to be an academic or a leftist to take them seriously.

Take the accusation that Republicans and conservatives are conducting a war on women. Does that mean they’re waging war on their daughters, wives, mothers and other female members of their families? If so, do they abide by the Geneva Conventions’ bans on torture, or do they engage in enhanced interrogation and intimidation methods, such as waterboarding, with female family members? You might say that leftists don’t mean actual war. Then why do they say it?

What would you think of a white conservative mayor’s trying to defund charter schools where blacks are succeeding? While most of New York’s black students could not pass a citywide math proficiency exam, there was a charter school where 82 percent of its students passed. New York’s left-wing mayor, Bill de Blasio, is trying to shut it down, and so far, I’ve heard not one peep from the Big Apple’s civil rights hustlers, including Al Sharpton and Charles Rangel. According to columnist Thomas Sowell, the attack on successful charter Walter schools is happening in Williams other cities, too (http://tinyurl.com/nxulxc).

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently stated that we must revisit the laws that ban convicted felons from voting. Why? According to a recent study by two professors, Marc Meredith of the University of Pennsylvania and Michael Morse of Stanford, published in The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (http://tinyurl.com/ pgolu8x), three-fourths of America’s convicted murderers, rapists and thieves are Democrats. Many states restrict felons from voting; however, there’s a movement afoot to eliminate any restriction on their voting. If successful, we might see Democratic candidates campaigning in prisons, seeking the support of some of America’s worst people.

Decades ago, I warned my fellow Americans that the tobacco zealots’ agenda was not about the supposed health hazards of secondhand smoke. It was really about control. The fact that tobacco smoke is unpleasant gained them the support of most Americans. By the way, to reach its secondhand smoke conclusions, the Environmental Protection Agency employed statistical techniques that were grossly dishonest. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to ask a Food and Drug Administration official whether his agency would accept pharmaceutical companies using similar statistical techniques in their drug approval procedures. He just looked at me.

Seeing as Americans are timid and compliant, why not dictate other aspects of our lives — such as the size of soda we may buy, as former Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried in New York? Former U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman John Webster said: “Right now, this anti-obesity campaign is in its infancy. ... We want to turn people around and give them assistance in eating nutritious foods.” The city of Calabasas, Calif., adopted an ordinance that bans smoking in virtually all outdoor areas. The stated justification is not the desire to fight against secondhand smoke but the desire to protect children from bad influences — seeing adults smoking.

Most Americans don’t know that years ago, if someone tried to stop a person from smoking on a beach or sidewalk or buying a 16-ounce cup of soda or tried to throw away his kid’s homemade lunch, it might have led to a severe beating. On a very famous radio talk show, I suggested to an anti-obesity busybody who was calling for laws to restrict restaurants’ serving sizes that he not be a coward and rely on government. He should just come up, I told him, and take the food he thought I shouldn’t have from my plate.

The late H.L. Mencken’s description of health care professionals in his day is just as appropriate today: “A certain section of medical opinion, in late years, has succumbed to the messianic delusion. Its spokesmen are not content to deal with the patients who come to them for advice; they conceive it to be their duty to force their advice upon everyone, including especially those who don’t want it. That duty is purely imaginary. It is born of vanity, not of public spirit. The impulse behind it is not altruism, but a mere yearning to run things.”

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2014 creators.com

COMMENTARY

Ukraine proves geography matters W

Then his attention turned to “protecting” the German-speaking population in Poland. On Sept.

1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland on the pretext of responding to a Polish provocation. Ten days before, he had told senior military officers, “I shall give a propagandistic cause for starting the war, whether it be plausible or not. The victor shall not be asked, later on, whether we told the truth or not.” On the night of Aug. 31, a German prisoner was dressed in a Polish uniform, killed and disGeorge played as a casuWill alty of a Polish attack on a German radio station.

Putin, whose lamented Soviet Union was then Hitler’s ally, knows Hitler’s tactics. If Putin had a sense of humor he would justify as “R2P” his policy of bringing home to the safety of mother Russia many of the Russians residing in contiguous countries. R2P — “responsibility to protect” — was the moral principle the Obama administration invoked to justify involvement in the seven-month assault on Moammar Gaddafi, who posed no threat to us but supposedly did to Libyans.

On Sept. 26, 1938, Hitler said “10 million Germans” lived “in two large contiguous regions” outside the Reich, and that “if I were simply to renounce 10 million ... I would then have no moral right to be fuehrer of the German people.”

Putin, whose Russia had about 142 million people before he added the 2 million in Crimea, must envelop many more if he is to match the 200 million the last czar, Nicholas II, ruled 100 years ago.

Can NATO help restrain Putin?

After NATO was created in 1949, its first secretary general, Lord Ismay, said its purpose was to protect Europe by keeping “the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down.” The task of keeping Russia out of its neighbors is being complicated by something that would have improved the last century — German passivity. Angela Merkel may think that bringing Barack Obama to a confrontation with Putin is like bringing a knife — a butter knife — to a gun fight.

In a recent New Yorker interview, Obama praised himself for being “comfortable with complexity” and unraveled the Middle East’s complications: “It would be profoundly in the interest of citizens throughout the region if Sunnis and Shias weren’t intent on killing each other.” This is the president as poseur — detached, laconic, arch, almost droll: If only — apologies to Kipling — the lesser breeds without the law would behave.

Obama evidently harbors the surreal hope that Putin will continue to help regarding Syria and Iran. Continue? Putin’s client in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad, is winning his civil war. And regarding attempts to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Putin’s helpfulness, if not fictitious, has been ineffective.

Obama, always a slayer of straw men, has eschewed something no one has contemplated, “a military excursion in Ukraine.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines “excursion” as “a usually short journey made for pleasure.”

People going to courthouse misuse library’s parking lot

Obama supporters must have heads buried in the ground

Since the new courthouse has opened, I notice that there are cars parked in the library parking lot. I asked the librarians if all these cars belong to the people in the library. The answer, as you can guess, was “no.” Since there is a parking lot for the courthouse, why are these vehicles parked in the library parking lot?

The library has a sign that reads “Parking for Library only”.

I guess people cannot read signs.

SALLY ROTH Sumter

Why do people try to insist there is nothing wrong with the Obama administration? After reading Mr. Frazier’s letter from March 21 and Mr. Garrett’s letter from March 23, I have determined that everyone who supports Obama must go outside every day and bury their heads in the ground. Six years into this current administration and people are still trying to blame Bush. When are you people going to wake up? More and more every day, all you seem to hear from Democrats, after

being enlightened on what’s really going on in the White House, is “well ... uh ... what about what Bush did?” You people sound like grade-school children. “My daddy can beat up your daddy. ...”

Also, Mr. Garrett, please read the letter from Mr. Garrick located right before yours. There’s your reason for Mr. Bradley referring to Mr. Obama as the worst president ever. It’s the very reason Mr. Garrett refuses to discuss anything with Mr. Bradley, the fact is that Mr. Bradley is right.

DENNIS E. VICKERS Wedgefield

ASHINGTON — Igor Stravinsky, the Russian composer, said of Poland, perilously positioned between Russia and Germany: “If you pitch your tent in the middle of Fifth Avenue, it is quite likely you will be run over by a bus.” Poland has been run over hard and often; indeed, between 1795 and 1918 it disappeared from the map of Europe.

Geography need not be destiny, but it matters, as Ukraine is being reminded. During its hazardous path to the present, all or bits of it have been parts of Poland, the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Ottoman empire, the Russian empire, the Soviet Union and now another Russian empire. Czarist Russia, which Lenin called “the prison of the peoples,” is reemerging and has in Vladimir Putin an ambitious warden.

In last week’s Kremlin address, he said, “Do not believe those who want you to fear Russia, shouting that other regions will follow Crimea. We do not want to divide Ukraine; we do not need that.”

The word “need” is not reassuring. It suggests that Russia’s needs are self-legitimizing and recalls the definition of a barbarian as someone who thinks his appetites are their own justification.

Speaking of which: Six months after Germany’s absorption of Austria, which was quickly ratified by a plebiscite, Adolf Hitler, on Sept. 26, 1938, spoke about the Sudeten region of Czechoslovakia, home of many ethnic and linguistic Germans. Speaking three days before the Munich Conference began, he said: “This is the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe.” On March 15, 1939, six months after Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland agreed to at Munich, Hitler swallowed the rest of Czechoslovakia.

George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2014, Washington Post Writers Group

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letter to letters@theitem.com, drop it off at The Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St., or mail it to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151, along with the writer’s full name, address and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_editor.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

USC BASEBALL

LOCAL TIES

Pankake extends hitting streak; USC tops Cougars

Ring of success

BY CHARLES BENNETT Greenville News Contributing Writer

McMillon working way up managerial ladder in Red Sox minor league system

contributions from, dare I say, blue-collar minorleague ballplayers, that was really cool. That kind of gives them direction.”

As the son of former Major League catcher Rich Gedman, third baseman Matt Gedman had direction when he joined Salem. But he acknowledged McMillon’s ability to generate productivity from all.

“Billy’s awesome,” said Gedman, who hit .279 with 31 runs batted in in 65

COLUMBIA— South Carolina’s Joey Pankake was trying to explain what has gone into his 11-game hitting streak when he paused in mid sentence.

“Sorry,” he said. “My brain is frozen.”

It was that kind of night at Carolina Stadium.

Playing under blustery, windy conditions with temperatures in the low 40’s, South Carolina rode the hitting of Pankake and solid pitching to a 4-2 victory over College of Charleston Tuesday night.

“We’ve got some big heaters in the dugout to huddle around,” said Pankake, who was 3-for-4 with four RBI. “And fortuPANKAKE nately our pitchers were doing a great job of getting us back in the dugout.”

Taylor Wideman got the start against the Cougars, and the Gamecocks put HOLBROOK him in a comfort zone by scoring two runs in each of the first two innings for a 4-0 lead.

Pankake drove in three of the four runs with an RBI single and a double in the second that scored two runs.

Wideman exited after three innings after allowing no runs on one hit, walking one and striking out two.

He faced 11 batters and threw 51 pitches.

“I didn’t feel good out there at all,” Wideman said. “My stuff wasn’t that good. I was just trying to get outs.”

Josh Reagan came on to pitch four innings and earned the victory.

Vic Fiori pitched two thirds of an inning and Cody Mincy

SEE MCMILLON, PAGE B6

SEE USC, PAGE B5

BY BARBARA BOXLEITNER Special to The Sumter Item EDITORS NOTE: This story is the first article in a series The Sumter Item will begin featuring McMillon’s journey with the Boston Red Sox organization.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Billy McMillon finished the 2013 baseball season with two championship rings.

The Bishopville High School graduate earned his first by managing the Boston Red Sox’s high Single-A affiliate, Salem, Va., to the Carolina League championship in his second year at the helm. He collected the second when Boston won the World Series.

McMillon will manage Double-A affiliate Portland, Maine, this season. He has been at the Red Sox complex since spring training mini-camp.

“That was the first time I was ever the last guy standing,” said McMillon, 42.

“Little League, high school, college (Clemson), pretty much my last game of every season was a loss or win that’s kind of insignificant.

It was pretty exciting to be able to finish.”

“The one (ring) that’s going to mean the most to me is the one I got in Salem,” he said. “Boston is kind of removed. Even though I had some of those players in the past, I did very little, I think, last year to help them.”

Salem earned the championship by winning 12 consecutive games to close the

PHOTOS BY BARBARA BOXLEITNER /SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM

Boston Double-A manager Billy McMillon hits grounders to infielders during the Red Sox’s minicamp this spring. The former Bishopville High School and Clemson standout earned his first championship ring with the Red Sox’s Single-A affiliate in Salem, Va., last season, winning the Carolina League championship. He was also given a World Series ring after Boston won the World Series. season. McMillon said the team’s two best starting pitchers were promoted as Salem approached its late run, and two low Single-A Greenville pitchers replaced them.

“Streaks like that in baseball are kind of rare,” he said, “but the guys did a really good job of pulling together and playing good baseball to win.”

It wasn’t just at the end that McMillon had to apply his touch, though. He estimated that seven to 10 players were promoted long

term during the season.

“It was weird because some of our top prospects got promoted,” he said. “We were able to get on a really good run there at the end with not the organization’s best.”

“We still had a core of solid players,” he said. “If you look at the top prospects going into the season, we didn’t have a lot of those guys on our team at the end.

Now, some of those guys kind of asserted themselves because they had a solid year. The fact that we got

CLEMSON MEN’S BASKETBALL

Clemson headed to NIT semifinals

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press CLEMSON — Damarcus Harrison wasn’t worried when Clemson trailed Belmont with less than four minutes left in the NIT quarterfinal Tuesday night.

After all, Harrison said “we’d been there lots of times before.”

And the Tigers pulled off their latest late-game rally, outscoring the BruBROWNELL ins 12-2 down the stretch for a 73-68 win — its 12th straight home NIT victory. Harrison had 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer and a 10foot jumper that gave the Tigers (23-12) the lead for good.

Things looked bad for the Tigers

Lakewood’s Jir’Bre Brown, left, takes a shot against Manning during Tuesday’s game. Brown scored five goals to lead Lakewood to a 12-1 victory over the Monarchs at J. Frank Baker Stadium.

BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

after Craig Bradshaw hit two straight 3s for a 66-61 lead with 3:52 to go.

“We didn’t give up,” See more on Harrison said. “We’ve South been able to grind it Carolina’s out all year.” second round Indeed, 11 of Clemwww.theitem.com son’s 14 victories since Atlantic Coast Conference play began have come by eight points or less. Just two days earlier, Illinois had wiped out Clemson’s large lead and was up 49-48 when Rod Hall’s driving bucket with 9.3 seconds left pulled it out for the Tigers.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell thought his club’s experiences at the USC LEADS OREGON STATE 56-40 WITH 5:40 LEFT

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEE CLEMSON, PAGE B4 Belmont’s Craig Bradshaw, left, and Clemson’s Ibrahim Djambo chase after a loose ball during the Tigers’ 73-68 NIT quarterfinal win on Tuesday at Littlejohn Coliseum.

PREP SOCCER

Gators’ soccer routs Monarchs 12-1, off to historic 7-0 start to season

BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS jdriggers@theitem.com Lakewood High School boys soccer head coach Mike Carraher finally feels like his squad is ready to make a run at the Region VI-3A title.

Manning head coach Ricky Inbody sees potential in his team, but knows there’s still a long way to go.

Both viewpoints were evident on Tuesday as the Gators earned a 12-1 victory at J. Frank Baker Stadium.

The win upped Lakewood’s overall mark to 7-0 and its region record to 2-0 with a showdown against Hartsville coming up on Friday.

“It’s the best start we’ve had to a season since I’ve been here,” Carraher said. “We’ve started to come together and play as a team. The team concept is what we’ve been trying to push.

“They’ve started to realize that they’re much better playing as a whole than individually.”

Carraher knew this year’s team was likely going to take a step up from last season if for no other reason than experience.

“It was a young group last year and we went through some growing pains,” he said. “And even though we

SEE GATORS, PAGE B2

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

BOYS AREA ROUNDUP

GIRLS AREA ROUNDUP

Swampcats rout Eagles 15-0

Arnold leads Lady Knights to first win

FLORENCE – Robbie Page, Mark Pipkin and Davis Martin combined to drive in 10 runs as the Laurence Manning Academy varsity baseball team routed Florence Christian School 15-0 on Tuesday at the FCS field.

Cagney Brunson was the winning pitcher and the beneficiary of some impressive offense. Page had three hits and drove in four while Pipkin and Martin each had two hits and drove in three.

Taylor Finley, Todd Larimer and Caleb Pipkin each had two hits as well for the Swampcats.

GENERALS WIN PAIR

Thomas Sumter Academy earned a 7-2 road victory against Cardinal Newman on Tuesday at the CN field.

Michal Hoge got the win on the mound after striking out four in three innings.

James Rabon was 2-for-3 with a double and triple while Kevin Lewis was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Josh Galloway collected two hits as well for the Generals, who improved to 4-7 overall and host Dorchester Academy on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

TSA also earned an 8-5 victory over Carolina Academy on Monday at General Field.

Andrew Wrenn allowed three hits and three runs in five innings of work to get the victory for TSA. Edison Aldridge pitched the seventh to get the save.

Rabon was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in to lead the offense, while Ron York had a double and two RBI. HARTSVILLE 11 CRESTWOOD 0

Chris Tention had the lone hit for Crestwood during an 11-0 loss to Hartsville on Tuesday at the Knights field that dropped them to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in Region VI-3A. Christian Buford took the loss on the mound, allowing five earned runs and striking out three.

Crestwood travels to Swansea today for a 6:30 p.m. game.

VARSITY GOLF LUGOFF-ELGIN 154 SUMTER 165 CAMDEN – Sumter suffered its first

GATORS FROM PAGE B1 lost a few leaders, we had a good group coming back and so we’ve got a little bit of continuity.”

The Gators have also gotten solid contributions from those returning players. Forest Benenhaley is the captain and has been a key piece of the defense, Carraher said. Returning players Gianni Jackson, Sanchez Morales and Jir’bre Brown have provided a solid core on offense.

Brown had five goals and an assist against Manning while Morales chimed in with two goals and Jackson dished out an assist. Jonathan Turcios was the other main weapon with three goals and two assists.

“I think the most exciting thing to see is how much these guys have improved since last year,” Carraher said. “They were all basically new to

head-to-head loss on Tuesday with a 154-165 defeat at the hands of LugoffElgin at Camden Country Club.

Charlie Dallery and Daniel Spencer each led the Gamecocks with a 39.

John Keffer followed with a 43 and both Austin Baker and Dixon Flowers carded 44s. Drake Morte shot a 51.

SHS’ next tournament will be in April.

WILSON HALL 147 CARDINAL NEWMAN 159

Christian Salzer shot a low 31 to help led the Wilson Hall golf team to 147-159 victory overall Cardinal Newman on Tuesday at Sunset Country Club.

Walker Jones was next with a 37 for the Barons followed by Grier Schwartz with a 39 and Easton Ward with a 40.

JUNIOR VARSITY GOLF SUMTER PLACES SEVENTH

COLUMBIA – Sumter High finished seventh in the Blythewood JV tournament held Tuesday at Columbia County Club.

Brandon Griffin led the Gamecocks with a 91 followed by Andrew Griffin with a 93, Dave Rygalski with a 95 and Michael Spurling with a 103.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL LAURENCE MANNING 18 FLORENCE CHRISTIAN 0 FLORENCE – Dawson Hatfield went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs as Laurence Manning Academy routed Florence Christian School 18-0 on Tuesday at the FCS field.

Morgan Morris scored four runs for LMA and Braden Osteen picked up the win on the mound.

The Swampcats will next face Wilson Hall on Friday.

B TEAM BASEBALL

coming as a double. Mitchell and Benjamin Matthews each drove in a run.

VARSITY SOCCER SUMTER 4 LANCASTER 3 LANCASTER – Sumter High School outscored Lancaster 3-1 on penalty kicks to win their match 4-3 on Monday at the Lancaster field.

The game was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation and two 5-minute overtimes. Sam Prater, Richie Cotton and Dylan Drown all made their PKs for the Gamecocks and Garrett Connor stopped two penalty kicks in goal.

Scoring in regulation for SHS were Jared Dukes, Prater and Jaymel Daniels. Prater and Ty Ruffin each had an assist.

LAURENCE MANNING 6 CALHOUN ACADEMY 1

ST. MATTHEWS – Will Wannamaker scored five goals to lead Laurence Manning Academy to a 6-1 victory over Calhoun Academy on Friday at the Calhoun field.

Olin Robinson scored the other goal for LMA, while Cooper Jolley had an assist.

Andrew Compton had eight saves in goal.

JUNIOR VARSITY SOCCER SUMTER 3 CAMDEN 0 Sumter High School improved to 5-1 on the season with a 3-0 victory over Camden on Monday at the SHS field.

Blake Brown scored two goals for the Gamecocks, while Travis Disher had the other. Disher also had an assist, as did Chris Reyes.

Ryan Missildine recorded the shutout in goal.

WILSON HALL 2

WILSON HALL 6

PALMETTO ATHLETIC 1

WILLIAMSBURG ACADEMY 0 Jacob Holladay tossed a complete game, allowing no runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks as Wilson Hall shut out Williamsburg Academy 6-0 on Monday at the Barons field.

Bryce Spittle and Wylie Coker each had two hits and drove in two runs for the Barons, with one of Spittle’s hits

Davis Kellogg and Andrew McCaffrey scored on penalty kicks as Wilson Hall earned a 2-1 victory over Palmetto Athletic on Tuesday.

Mills Herlong had a goal with an assist from McCaffrey in regulation. Patrick Bell made four saves for the Barons, who improved to 4-2.

WH will host Hartsville on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

the game last season and now they’re seeing the field and making plays and really opening things up for us.”

Starting up the junior varsity program again last season was one of the main catalysts for this year, Carraher went on to say. Newer players like Christian McDonald and Blake Carraher were able to benefit from more game experience.

McDonald had one goal and three assists while the younger Carraher had a goal and an assist to back up goalkeeper Mike Paterna’s eight saves.

For Inbody, Tuesday was just the second official contest for the newly formed Monarchs program. MHS is 0-2 on the season and in the region after electing to play just a region schedule this season.

“We wanted to see where we were at,” Inbody said. “The support from the school and the community has

been great, so we’re just trying to build something as the season progresses.”

The Monarchs have taken small steps, Inbody said. After a 13-0 scrimmage loss to Laurence Manning Academy earlier in the year, the Monarchs have not been shut out since.

“We starting to learn,” he said. “Inexperience is probably the biggest obstacle. They have to learn not only how to play in a lot of cases but learn how to play together.

“But I see improvement and I think we’ll be a much better team by the end of the year.”

Jamarcus Alexander had the lone goal for the Monarchs with Marcus King grabbing the assist. Jalen Epps is another player Inbody is expecting to help the team through its growing pains along with goalkeepers Delvontae Jackson and Colie Lee.

SPORTS ITEMS

Bills owner Ralph Wilson dies at 95 BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ralph Wilson, the Buffalo Bills owner who helped found the American Football League in 1960 and played a key role in the merger with the NFL, died Tuesday. He was 95.

Wilson died at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., said Mary Mazur, spokeswoman for the Wayne County medical examiner’s office. He had been receiving home hospice care.

Wilson was the founder and sole owner of the Bills after establishing the team with the upstart AFL. He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999.

WILSON USCS SWEEPS ANDERSON UNIVERSITY JV The University of South Carolina Sumter baseball team swept its doubleheader with the Anderson University junior varsity team on Tuesday at Riley Park, winning 12-5 and 16-0.

The Fire Ants improved to 21-5 on the season.

John Mark Hughes had two hits and three runs batted in in the first contest. Connor Collins had two hits and two RBI, while Reese Pearson III had two hits and drew two walks.

In the second game, USCS scored 10 runs in the first inning and cruised to the easy win.

Anthony Paulsen had three hits to lead Sumter. Taylor Kellner and Hughes both had two hits with Kellner driving in three runs. Brett Auckland and Trevor Bradley both had two RBI. CLEMSON 16 GEORGIA 4

ATHENS, GA. – Every Clemson starter had at least one hit

DARLINGTON – The Crestwood varsity soccer team picked up its first Region VI-3A and overall wins of the season on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory at Darlington.

Meghan Arnold had two goals for the Lady Knights while Angelica Manzo added one goal and Ashley Griffin dished out an assist.

Crestwood goalkeeper Kayla Rdeninski made eight saves as CHS improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the region.

The Lady Knights will host Sumter on Thursday.

VARSITY SOFTBALL WILSON HALL 7 ORANGEBURG PREP 4 ORANGEBURG – Holly Scott struck out seven on the mound and Drake Ives drove in three runs as Wilson Hall defeated Orangeburg Prep 7-4 at the Lady Indians field.

Hannah Jordan & Bailey Connor each had two hits while Betsy Cunningham scored three runs and had a triple. Catherine Kelley had a double.

The Lady Barons improve to 10-3 overall and 1-0 in SCISA Region II-3A. EAST CLARENDON 4 SUMTER 2

TURBEVILLE – Jordan Evans went 2-for-3 with home run and drove in four RBI to lead East Clarendon past Sumter 4-2 on Monday on the ECHS softball field.

Leslie Altman picked up the win on the mound, going seven innings and allowing one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts.

Chae Hutchinson took the loss for SHS, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits with two strikeouts and a walk in three innings. Hannah Bettencourt also pitched three innings, allowing no runs on two hits with five strikeouts for the Lady Gamecocks.

Rachel Vise led SHS with two hits in three at-bats with a RBI. MARANATHA CHRISTIAN 22 SUMTER CHRISTIAN 2

FLORENCE – Sumter Christian School fell to 0-5 on the season with a 22-2 loss to Maranatha Christian on Monday at the Maranatha field.

Stephanie Coombs had SCS’ lone hit and drove in a run.

On Friday in Hartsville, SCS was swept in a doubleheader by Emmanuel Christian, losing 16-1 and 22-7.

In the first game, Coombs had a hit and Hannah Glass scored the run. In the nightcap, Coomb and Katelynn Mahoney both had a hit, a run and an RBI. JUNIOR VARSITY SOFTBALL LAKEWOOD 8 MARLBORO COUNTY 5 BENNETSVILLE – Chelsie Logan and Destany Banar each went 3-for-3 with three runs scores to lead Lakewood to an 8-5 victory over Marlboro County on Tuesday at the MCHS field.

Haley Courtney was the winning pitcher for the Lady Gators.

and scored at least one run by the fifth inning in No. 20 Clemson’s 16-4 victory over Georgia on Tuesday at Foley Field.

The Tigers won their fifth game in a row at Foley Field, improving to 15-10 on the season. Clemson, which totaled 17 hits in the game, scored three runs in the first inning and never relinquished its lead. The Tigers put the game out of reach with seven runs in the fifth inning, their highest-scoring frame of the season.

NFL OFFICE CAN HELP REFS WITH REPLAYS

ORLANDO, Fla. — The NFL officiating department will help referees rule on instant replay reviews starting next season.

League owners passed a rule Tuesday allowing referees to consult with director of officiating Dean Blandino and his staff to help determine whether a call should be upheld or overturned. NFL officials said the change should speed up the process.

NBA CAVALIERS 102 RAPTORS 100 CLEVELAND — Dion Waiters scored 24 points and Luol Deng added 19 as the Cleveland Cavaliers prevented Toronto from getting closer to a playoff spot with a 102-100 win over the Raptors on Tuesday night.

MAGIC 95 TRAIL BLAZERS 85

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tobias Harris had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic beat the Portland Trail Blazers 95-85 on Tuesday night to stop a nine-game losing streak.

From wire reports

Your community news source www.theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

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B3

4 teams achieve perfect seasons LEE CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Lee Central Middle School boys basketball team went undefeated on the season with a 14-0 record and won both the regular-season and tournament titles in the Upper Pee Dee Conference. Members of the team are, left to right: Deondraye Moses, Deablo Halley, Javonte McCloud, Shykeem Cooper, Dayrice Austin, Dequan Thomas, Torian Wilson-Bolden, Rasheed Wilson, TyAndre Cousar, Kyleef Reames, Tyrique Jones, Amadric Mixon, J.J. McCloud, Jalen Atkinson and DeMarcus Smith. Not pictured is Rasheim Lyde.

WILSON HALL JV GIRLS BASKETBALL

WILSON HALL B TEAM GIRLS BASKETBALL

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Wilson Hall junior varsity girls basketball team went 20-0 while winning both the SCISA Region II-3A regular-season and tournament championships. Members of the team are, first row, left to right: Cantey Jacocks, Hannah Grace Calvert, Cate McCreight, Catherine Clark, Katie Duffy, Mary Margaret Munn and Chandler Patrick. Second row: Head coach Ben McIver, Diamond Crawford, Sallie Spencer, Mary Daniel Stokes, Courtney Clark, Cori Moore, Zan Beasley and assistant coach Julia Muldrow.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Wilson Hall B girls basketball team went 12-0 this season, finishing undefeated for the fourth straight season. Members of the team are, first row, left to right: Liza Segars and Cameron Duffy. Second row: Madison Elmore, Emily Reynolds, Waverly McIver, Haley McCaffrey and DuBose Alderman. Third row: Perrin Marie Cromer, Amelia Weston, Addy Carraway, head coach Diane Buley, Betsy Noyes, Becka Noyes and Liza Lowder.

ALICE DRIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL The Alice Drive Middle School girls basketball went a perfect 16-0 in winning both the regular-season and tournament championships for the Sumter Middle School Conference.

Members of the team are, first row, left to right: Anne Graham, Jada Thompson, Katelyn Dixon, Latrice Lyons, Amaya Franklin, Shakyla Funchess, Zydajah McDonald, DeeAshja Williams and KeAundra Benjamin. Second row: Assistant coach John Burgess, Lawanika Rhodes, Jah’Che Whitfield, Mia Joseph, Malaysia Scales, Ny’a Issac, Kwantaysia Lucas and head coach Catherine McFaddin.

PHOTO PROVIDED

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B4

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

CLEMSON FROM PAGE B1

WOMEN’S NCAA ROUNDUP

UConn wins 42nd straight in rout of Saint Joseph’s STORRS, Conn. — Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had the third triple-double in UConn history as the Huskies moved into their 21st straight NCAA regional semifinal with a 91-52 rout of Saint Joseph’s on Tuesday night.

Mosqueda-Lewis had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, to lead five players in double figures for the topranked Huskies (36-0), who won their 42nd straight game.

Breanna Stewart added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Bria Hartley also chipped in 20 points for the defending national champions, who are trying to win a record ninth NCAA tournament.

Erin Shields and Sarah Fairbanks each had 12 points to lead Saint Joseph’s which finished the year at 23-10. Natasha Cloud had 10 and six assists for the Hawks.

UConn will face 12th-seeded BYU in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday. The Cougars upset Nebraska in the second round, sparing the Huskies a date with the Cornhuskers on their home court.

Mosqueda-Lewis connected on eight of her 14 shots, and was 3 of 5 from 3-point range.

Stefanie Dolson added 17 points and six rebounds. She had UConn’s other triple-double this season, scoring 26 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists in a win over Oregon in November.

Dolson scored off the opening tip and UConn never trailed. A pair of 3-pointers from Jefferson and Mosqueda-Lewis made it 8-0 and forced coach Cindy Griffin to use her first timeout less than two minutes into the game.

Fairbanks ended the opening 10-0 UConn run with a layup to get the Hawks on the board.

The Huskies hit five of their first six shots from behind the arc. Moriah Jefferson gave the Huskies their first 20-point lead at 36-16 with an old-fashioned 3-point play on a drive to the basket.

The Huskies led 5-26 at halftime, and Mosqueda-Lewis (13), Dolson (11) and Stewart (11) were already in double figures.

Hartley jointed them less than two minutes into the

ing two foul shots with 8 seconds to go.

STANFORD REGIONAL (4) UNC 62

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Saint Joseph’s Ashley Robinson (13) fouls Connecticut’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (23) during the Huskies’ 91-52 victory in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament on Tuesday in Storrs, Conn. second half, hitting a 3-pointer that was part of a 10-0 UConn run. Jefferson finished with 11.

The Huskies shot 56 percent from the floor, and held Saint Joe’s to 35 percent.

It was the ninth time this season that UConn has put five players into double figures.

It was the 12th time Stewart has reached double figures in points and rebounds.

She also recorded her 100th block of the season.

UConn, which is in its 26th straight NCAA tournament improved to 22-2 in secondround games. Its last secondround loss came 22 years ago, a 75-47 setback against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. The Huskies won the next 20 by an average of 28 points per game.

LOUISVILLE REGIONAL (4) MARYLAND 69 (5) TEXAS 64 COLLEGE PARK, Md. —

Alyssa Thomas scored all 16 of her points in the second half, and Maryland squeezed past cold-shooting Texas 69-64 Tuesday night to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA women’s tournament for the third consecutive year.

The fourth-seeded Terrapins (26-6) next face Tennessee, the No. 1 seed in the Louisville Regional. Maryland is 23-8 in the tournament under coach Brenda Frese and has reached the round of 16 in six of her 12 seasons at the helm.

Texas trailed by 11 points with 9:24 left, but an 8-0 run cut the deficit to 65-64 with 43 seconds left. After Maryland’s 16th turnover of the game, Chassidy Fussell missed a 3-point try and Maryland’s Laurin Mincy made two free throws for a three-point lead.

Nekia Jones then bounced a 3-point try off the rim for the Longhorns, and Thomas clinched the victory by sink-

(5) MICHIGAN STATE 53 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Freshman Diamond DeShields had 24 points and a season-high 12 rebounds to help North Carolina beat Michigan State 62-53 on Tuesday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Fellow rookie Allisha Gray added 10 points for the fourth-seeded Tar Heels (269), who led by nine at halftime then dominated the opening minutes of the second half to turn the game into a rout. North Carolina ran off 14 straight points to blow the game open, with DeShields scoring twice during that flurry to build a 57-31 lead with 11½ minutes left that allowed the Tar Heels to coast to the Stanford Regional’s round of 16.

The Tar Heels pressured the fifth-seeded Spartans (2310) and turned the game into the up-and-down pace they wanted. They finished with a 17-4 edge in fast-break points and 15 points off turnovers in a huge improvement from their first-round struggles against UT Martin.

(3) PENN STATE 83 (11) FLORIDA 61

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Maggie Lucas and Dara Taylor each scored 22 points to send Penn State into the Sweet 16 with a 83-61 win over Florida on Tuesday night.

The third-seeded Lady Lions (24-7) will play at No. 2 Stanford (30-3) on Sunday.

Lucas, the two-time Big Ten player of the year, surpassed the 2,500 career-point milestone and led the Lady Lions to the NCAA tournament regional semifinal for the second time in three seasons.

Ariel Edwards added 16 points for Penn State. The Lady Lions are in the Sweet 16 for the 13th time.

Kayla Lewis led the 11thseeeded Gators (20-13) with 20 points and nine rebounds.

Jaterra Bonds scored 14.

end — not all of them good — helped this time.

He said during a couple of late timeouts, his players didn’t look bothered or confused but focused on finishing the task. “’We’re fine,’” Brownell said was the sense he got.

“We’ve been in this situation a number of times.”

Bradshaw’s long-range buckets seemed like they’d be the difference.

But Belmont (26-10) was 0-of-4 shooting the rest of the way.

“At some point late, they upped their pressure,” Bruins coach Rick Byrd said.

Hall began the rally with a three-point play, and Harrison followed with five straight points to put Clemson ahead 69-68.

After a Belmont turnover, Hall hit a driving layup for a 71-68 lead and the Bruins could not respond.

Clemson fans rushed the court when the horn sounded, Brownell getting on the microphone to thank supporters who sold out the past two games at Littlejohn Coliseum. “Let’s go win the championship,” he told them.

Clemson reached Madison Square Garden in its last NIT appearance, falling to West Virginia in the tournament finals seven years ago. The Tigers will face SMU or California next Tuesday night.

Bradshaw had 21 points to lead Belmont.

Clemson’s K.J. McDaniels added 16 points and grew emotional as the fans chanted “One More Year” at the high-flying junior considered a late first-round selection in June’s NBA draft. Did McDaniels have an answer when asked if he’d played his final Clemson home game?

“I don’t know,” he said.

J.J. Mann had 20 points for the Bruins, whose 12 3-pointers were the most Clemson had allowed this season.

Clemson had its bumps in the NIT road to reach this point. The Tigers needed a late rally to get past Atlantic Sun Conference champ Georgia State 78-66 in the first round ament here last week and survived Illinois Belmont had been to three straight NCAA tournaments before this season and hoped to reach its first NIT semifinals. Byrd has built a power program with the Bruins, who’ve handled such loud environments before — Belmont won this season at North Carolina something Clemson has never done.

And Belmont, the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champs who lost in its league tournament, didn’t let Clemson’s defensive reputation change its game plan. The Bruins came into this one with 311 3-pointers, the country’s fifth best total, and kept shooting the long-range shots despite Clemson leading the nation in 3-point defense.

The Tigers have held opponents to 27.9 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Belmont tested that in the first half and finished slightly ahead of the curve in making 5 of 16 long-range shots (.317) before the break. None was bigger than Reece Chamberlain’s straight-on 3 with 3.3 seconds that cut into Clemson’s nine-point lead and sent the game to the half with the Tigers up 37-31.

Brownell said he’d rather have qualified for the NCAA tournament, but was proud of his players’ focus and effort in their NIT run. “Our team’s shown some resiliency,” he said.

Start the day right.

Read

From wire reports

The Item.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ACC tourney to New York in ’17, ’18

BY AARON BEARD The Associated Press The Atlantic Coast Conference is taking its men’s basketball tournament from Tobacco Road to the bright lights of New York.

A person familiar with the situation said Tuesday the league has completed a twoyear deal to bring the tournament to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center starting in 2017.

The Atlantic 10 was scheduled to play its tournament there through 2017, but will move in exchange for playing an ACC/A-10 doubleheader at Barclays during the 201516, 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. The A-10 tournament will then return to Barclays for three years starting in 2019.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league hasn’t publicly commented on the move.

ACC commissioner John Swofford and Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade are scheduled to hold a news conference at the venue Wednesday morning with Barclays Center chief executive officer Brett Yormark.

It wasn’t immediately clear where the Atlantic 10 will hold its tournament in 2017 and 2018, nor which teams would participate in the doubleheaders.

The ACC will hold next year’s tournament in Greensboro, N.C., home to the league headquarters, before going to Washington, D.C., in 2016.

The move to New York represents a shift from the ACC tournament’s Southern roots after years of conference realignment. Louisville’s arrival in July will mark the seventh former Big East school to join the 15-team league since 2004.

The state of North Carolina has hosted 50 of the 61 tournaments in league history, starting at North Carolina State’s Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh in 1954. The ACC has also rotated it through Atlanta, Landover, Md., Washington, D.C., and Tampa, Fla. The Greensboro Coliseum has hosted the tournament 25 times — including earlier

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Virginia players celebrate with the trophy after defeating Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The tournament will move to New York in 2017-18.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

SCOREBOARD TV, RADIO TODAY

1 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Washington vs. St. Louis from Jupiter, Fla. (ESPN).

1 p.m. -- Professional Tennis: Sony Open Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinal Matches from Key Biscayne, Fla. (ESPN2).

3:55 p.m. -- International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match -Sunderland vs. Liverpool (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

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

7 p.m. -- College Basketball: National Invitation Tournament Quarterfinal Game -- Louisiana Tech at Florida State (ESPN2).

7 p.m. -- High School Baseball: Camden at Lugoff-Elgin (WPUB-FM 102.7).

7 p.m. -- College Baseball: Coastal Carolina at South Carolina (WNKTFM 107.5).

8 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Miami at Indiana (ESPN).

8 p.m. -- NHL Hockey: Philadelphia at New York Rangers (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

8:30 p.m. -- Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Eurasia Cup First Round from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GOLF).

9 p.m. -- College Basketball: National Invitation Tournament Quarterfinal Game -- California at Southern Methodist (ESPN2).

10:30 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Memphis at Utah (ESPN).

1 a.m. -- Professional Tennis: Sony Open Men’s or Women’s Quarterfinal Match from Key Biscayne, Fla. (ESPN2).

MLB SPRING TRAINING

By The Associated Press AMERICAN LEAGUE

this month when longtime member Virginia won — while Charlotte has hosted it a dozen times.

Bucky Waters remembers the ACC tournament’s early days as a player at N.C. State under Everett Case in the 1950s, then as Duke’s head coach for four seasons in the 1970s. Now, he pointed out, the league’s footprint stretches from Boston to Miami along the East Coast.

“I came to N.C. State in 1954 when the ACC was formed, so I’ve got a great soft spot for back in the day in Greensboro and Charlotte and all of that,” Waters said.

“But this is a new world.”

Swofford has talked publicly about holding the tournament in New York at least since 2011 when the league announced it would add Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the Big East.

During the preseason ACC Operation Basketball media day, Swofford said league members have “great respect” for the tournament’s tradition in North Carolina but must balance that with pursuing new ways to promote the league when asked about holding the tournament in New York.

“With our footprint, and

USC FROM PAGE B1 pitched the last 1.1 innings to earn the save.

“Taylor and Josh sort of set the tone for us,” said South Carolina coach Chad Holbrook. “I don’t think Taylor had a great first inning, but he settled in for the next two.

Josh is just a good pitcher. He changes speeds, moves it in and out. He pitched very well.”

Carl Wise singled home a run in the third, and Morgan Phillips had an RBI single in the ninth for College of Charleston (16-8), but the Cougars couldn’t break through with a big inning against the Gamecock pitchers.

“I’m proud of our team,” said Holbrook.

“The conditions weren’t great out there, obviously. It wasn’t easy to play out there tonight,

the quality of institutions and programs that we have, it just gives us opportunities in front of us that we haven’t had in the past,” Swofford said in October. “And that includes potentially being in some markets with a tournament that we’ve never been in before.”

Miami and Virginia Tech were the first Big East schools to join the ACC in 2004, with Boston College following a year later. Pitt and Syracuse joined the ACC last summer along with Notre Dame, which joined in all sports except football.

Louisville will arrive after a one-year stay in the American Athletic Conference to replace Maryland, which is leaving for the Big Ten. Maryland will join fellow charter member South Carolina (1971) as the only two schools to withdraw from the ACC and leaves only five remaining charter members: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State and Wake Forest.

Virginia joined the league in December 1953, seven months after the league formed, while Georgia Tech replaced South Carolina in 1978 and Florida State joined in 1991.

but our guys hung in there pretty good.

“We were pretty quiet offensively, but we did enough, and our pitching was pretty darn good.”

The Gamecocks (20-3) play again tonight when they take on Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m. at Carolina Stadium.

Tonight’s meeting with Coastal Carolina marks the second time the two programs have played.

The Gamecocks beat the Chanticleers twice in the NCAA Super Regionals in 2010 at Myrtle Beach en route to the College World Series and the first of consecutive national championships.

South Carolina returns to SEC play this weekend when the Gamecocks play host to Tennessee in a three-game series with game one set for 7 p.m. Friday night.

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Tampa Bay Cleveland Seattle Baltimore Los Angeles New York Detroit Oakland Toronto Kansas City Chicago Minnesota Boston Houston Texas

W 15 17 16 12 15 15 12 12 12 11 8 8 9 9 8

L 6 7 10 8 10 10 12 12 13 13 12 13 15 15 15

Pct .714 .708 .615 .600 .600 .600 .500 .500 .480 .458 .400 .381 .375 .375 .348

32 41 47 56

.536 2 .414 101/2 .329 161/2 .211 25

L 21 34 37 38 52

Pct GB .696 – .514 121/2 .479 15 .449 17 .268 30

L 20 31 44 44 58

Pct GB .718 – .563 11 .380 24 .371 241/2 .183 38

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct x-San Antonio 54 16 .771 Houston 48 22 .686 Memphis 42 28 .600 Dallas 42 29 .592 New Orleans 30 40 .429 NORTHWEST DIVISION W L Pct Oklahoma City 52 18 .743 Portland 45 26 .634 Minnesota 34 35 .493 Denver 32 39 .451 Utah 23 48 .324 PACIFIC DIVISION W L Pct L.A. Clippers 50 21 .704 Golden State 44 27 .620 Phoenix 42 29 .592 Sacramento 25 45 .357 L.A. Lakers 23 46 .333 x-clinched playoff spot

GB – 6 12 121/2 24 GB – 71/2 171/2 201/2 291/2 GB – 6 8 241/2 26

MONDAY’S GAMES

Houston 100, Charlotte 89 Miami 93, Portland 91 Phoenix 102, Atlanta 95 Chicago 89, Indiana 77 Oklahoma City 117, Denver 96 Memphis 109, Minnesota 92 New Orleans 109, Brooklyn 104, OT San Antonio 113, Philadelphia 91 Detroit 114, Utah 94 L.A. Clippers 106, Milwaukee 98

TODAY’S GAMES

W L Pct Miami 17 10 .630 San Francisco 15 10 .600 Pittsburgh 13 9 .591 Arizona 11 9 .550 New York 14 12 .538 Washington 14 12 .538 Colorado 13 12 .520 Milwaukee 12 14 .462 St. Louis 10 12 .455 Cincinnati 12 15 .444 Chicago 12 16 .429 San Diego 9 12 .429 Atlanta 11 17 .393 Los Angeles 6 10 .375 Philadelphia 8 15 .348 NOTE: Split-squad games count in the standings; games against nonmajor league teams do not.

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Minnesota 4, Baltimore 1 Atlanta 12, Detroit 3 Boston 4, Tampa Bay 2 Washington 7, N.Y. Mets 3 Miami 6, St. Louis 5 Pittsburgh 22, Toronto 5 Colorado 4, Chicago White Sox 1 Texas 5, Cleveland 0 Oakland 8, Cincinnati 4 San Francisco 5, Milwaukee 4 L.A. Angels 8, Chicago Cubs (ss) 4

TODAY’S GAMES

Baltimore (ss) vs. Boston at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Miami vs. Atlanta at Kissimmee, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Detroit vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Washington vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Kansas City vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 3:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels vs. Oakland at Phoenix, 3:05 p.m.

Seattle vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 3:05 p.m.

Cincinnati vs. Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Ariz., 4:05 p.m.

Milwaukee vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 4:05 p.m.

Colorado vs. San Francisco at Scottsdale, Ariz., 4:05 p.m.

Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 4:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets vs. Houston at Kissimmee, Fla., 6:05 p.m.

Baltimore (ss) vs. Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, Fla., 7:05 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

NHL STANDINGS

By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L OTPts GF GA x-Boston 72 49 17 6 104230 153 Tampa Bay 72 39 24 9 87 214 193 Montreal 73 40 26 7 87 188 184 Detroit 71 33 24 14 80 189 200 Toronto 73 36 29 8 80 213 226 Ottawa 71 29 29 13 71 203 240 Florida 72 26 38 8 60 175 235 Buffalo 71 20 43 8 48 138 210 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W L OTPts GF GA Pittsburgh 71 46 20 5 97 222 177 N.Y. Rangers 73 40 29 4 84 194 178 Philadelphia 71 38 26 7 83 205 201 Washington 72 34 27 11 79 208 213 Columbus 71 36 29 6 78 200 194 New Jersey 72 31 28 13 75 175 187 Carolina 71 31 31 9 71 177 200 N.Y. Islanders 71 27 35 9 63 197 239

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

GP W L OTPts GF GA 71 48 16 7 103228 160 72 41 16 15 97 240 186 71 44 21 6 94 216 194 72 37 24 11 85 180 178 71 34 26 11 79 201 203 73 32 32 9 73 202 213 72 31 31 10 72 173 213

GP W L OTPts GF GA x-San Jose 73 46 18 9 101222 175 Anaheim 71 46 18 7 99 228 180 Los Angeles 72 41 25 6 88 177 151 Phoenix 72 34 26 12 80 199 205 Vancouver 73 33 30 10 76 176 196 Calgary 72 30 35 7 67 183 211 Edmonton 72 25 38 9 59 178 236 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. x-clinched playoff spot

MONDAY’S GAMES

Montreal 2, Boston 1, SO Ottawa 4, Tampa Bay 3, SO Calgary 2, San Jose 1, SO N.Y. Rangers 4, Phoenix 3, OT Los Angeles 3, Philadelphia 2 Dallas 2, Winnipeg 1

TUESDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Phoenix at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles at Washington, 7 p.m.

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

Buffalo at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Ottawa at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Detroit at Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

Dallas at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Colorado at Nashville, 8 p.m.

San Jose at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION W L Pct 39 30 .565

B5

Phoenix at Washington, 7 p.m.

Brooklyn at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Cleveland at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Miami at Indiana, 8 p.m.

Denver at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

New York at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

Memphis at Utah, 10:30 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Toronto

Brooklyn 37 New York 29 Boston 23 Philadelphia 15 SOUTHEAST DIVISION W x-Miami 48 Washington 36 Charlotte 34 Atlanta 31 Orlando 19 CENTRAL DIVISION W x-Indiana 51 Chicago 40 Cleveland 27 Detroit 26 Milwaukee 13

|

GB –

Vancouver at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, 8 p.m.

Anaheim at Calgary, 10 p.m.

B6

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OBITUARIES | SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

IRA M. GRIFFITH Sr. Ira Montgomery Griffith Sr., 80, husband of Mary Lou Rodgers Griffith, died Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at Williamsburg Regional Hospital in Kingstree.

Born in the Concord community of Sumter County, he was a son of the late William Boyd Griffith Sr. and GRIFFITH Nellie Johnson Griffith Windham. Mr. Griffith was a member of Providence Baptist Church.

He was a retired auto body mechanic and glass technician. He loved to fish, hunt and cook. He was a member of Riverside Hunting Club.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years; one son, Ira Montgomery “Monty” Griffith Jr. of Sumter; two daughters, Mary Griffith Gainey (William) and Martha Griffith Dunson (Daniel), both of Sumter; two grandchildren, Daniel Dunson Jr. and Margaret Griffith Walton; one great-granddaughter, Montgomery Walton; and one brother, Dave Griffith (Susie) of Cheraw.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert Griffith and William Griffith Jr.; and his sister, Mary Wilson.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. today in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mitch Towery officiating.

The family will receive friends following the service at the home.

Memorials may be made to Williamsburg Regional Hospital, 500 Nelson Blvd., Kingstree, SC 29556.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

JOYCE E. DOZIER ALCOLU — Joyce Evins Dozier, 52, wife of Barney Ray Dozier, died Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at her residence, 5782 Brogdon Road, Alcolu.

She was born July 27, 1961, in Norwalk, Conn., a daughter of Shirley Taylor Evins and the late Deacon Hazel “June” Evins Jr. The family is receiving friends at the residence.

These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

BISHOPVILLE — Ernest Boone entered eternal rest on March 23, 2014.

The family is receiving friends at the home of Mr.

GOLF

The 19th Annual St. Francis Xavier Golf Classic will be held on Friday, May 9, at Sunset Country Club.

The tournament format will be a 4-man Captain’s Choice and there will be a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The cost is $65 per person and the minimum team handicap is 60.

The cost includes dinner as well.

The cost for dinner for guests is $15.

For more information or to register, call St. Francis Xavier High School at (803) 773-0210, Steve Capinis at (803) 775-2676, Chan Floyd at (803) 774-8555 or Rick Lavergne at (803) 481-3048.

GOLFERS BIBLE STUDY

The Sumter chapter of the Christian Golfer’s Association holds a golfers Bible study each Tuesday at its offices at Crystal Lakes Golf Course.

The Item www.theitem.com 803-774-1200

Eddie Taylor died Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

The family will be receiving friends at 105 Boulevard Road.

The study begins at 8 a.m. and is followed by a round of golf.

A bass fishing tournament hosted by the Sumter chapter of Delta Waterfowl will be held on Saturday, May 3, at Pack’s Landing in Rimini.

The entry fee for the 2-man team tournament is $50 per boat and the fee to compete for the big fish is $10 per boat. Those who register by April 18 will receive a free barbecue chicken plate. Plates will be sold for $5 each on the day of the event.

Registration will be taken at Williams Sporting Goods on Broad Street, Dubose Bait & Tackle on U.S. Highway 15 South or online at Facebook/SumterChapterDeltaWaterfowl.

Registration will also be taken beginning at 4:30 a.m. on the day of the event with blast off set for safe light in the order of registration. Weigh-in

ter. Play hard was all he was worried about. We didn’t realize what we were doing. We were just going out there and having fun. He was making it fun. Just one thing led to another.”

“It wasn’t just one guy. It was everybody,” Chester said.

“That’s the first time I’ve been

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

DAVID L. JACKSON NORTH CHARLESTON — David L. Jackson, 46, died on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.

He was born Tuesday, June 20, 1967, in Miami, Fla., to the late George and Florine Edwards Jackson.

The family is receiving friends at the home of his son, David Jackson II, 205 Oglethorpe Circle, Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Services have been entrusted in the professional care of King-Fields Mortuary of Summerton.

GARY A. RAY Gary Alston “Bush” Ray, 59, died Monday, March 24, 2014, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Henry Alston Ray and Shirley Gross Bryant. He was a member of the Hillside Hunting Club and was an avid South Carolina Gamecock fan.

Survivors include a son, Ricky Ray (Marissa) of Sumter; three brothers, Buck Ray

will be at 3 p.m.

For more information, call (803) 464-9741 or (803) 720-4269.

SOFTBALL

BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT

MCMILLON FROM PAGE B1

s .EWS 7HAT S HAPPENING AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD s -ONEY 4HE LATEST ON THE ECONOMY S HIGHS LOWS AND WOES s 3PORTS 3EE WHO WON LAST NIGHTgS GAME s ,IFE !RT MUSIC DANCE

TELEVISION WEDDINGS

BIRTHS ANNIVERSARIES AND MORE

NEW BERN, N.C. — Charlie Tennant, 35, grandson of G. Olin Richbourg Sr. and the late Sara S. Richbourg, passed away Tuesday, March 18, 2014, in Greensboro, N.C. Survivors include his grandfather of Sumter; and two uncles, George O. Richbourg Jr. and Francis Richbourg.

Graveside memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the Bethel United Methodist Church cemetery with the Rev. Jeremy Howell officiating. In the case of inclement weather, services will be held in the church sanctuary.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

FISHING

SFX GOLF CLASSIC

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CHARLIE TENNANT

EDDIE TAYLOR ERNEST BOONE

AREA SCOREBOARD

games. “He’s a great players coach. He preaches work ethic and getting the job done for the team as opposed to individual stuff.”

Designated hitter David Chester played 29 games for Salem after his promotion. “It was just one day at a time,” he said. “Come out and get bet-

and Mrs. Walter Boone, 214 Elmore Road, Bishopville.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville.

THE SUMTER ITEM

SPRING REGISTRATION

Registration for the Sumter County Recreation Department’s spring girls softball leagues for players between the ages of 13-18 runs through Friday.

A player’s age will be based on her age as of Dec. 31, 2013. The cost is $45 per player. A birth certificate is required if one is not on file at the recreation department.

For more information call the recreation department at (803) 436-2248 or visit the website at www.sumtercountysc.org.

BOWLING GAMECOCK LANES WEEKLY SCORES Through March 23 Industrial Mixed: Douglas Oliver 242-608; Lee Taylor 243-577; Rowland Yates 268-696; Tom Thompson 257; Johnny Stover 605; Richard Roarick 667; Raynard Jackson 566; Willie Gra-

a part of it where everybody, one through nine, was doing something.”

Catcher Carson Blair played for McMillon in Greenville during 2011 and finished the season in Salem. He said the players didn’t feel pressure as they handled business. “He doesn’t ask anything different out of you than the whole year,” he said. “It’s nice for us to just play.”

(Ashley) of Lexington, and Gil Ray (Sarah) and Ricky Ray (Sonya), both of Sumter; three sisters, Tammy Stevens (Gary) and Becky Anderson (Greg), both of Sumter, and Kim Meyer (Steve) of Wedgefield; and a number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Glenn “Bubba” Ray; one sister, Janice Ray Cotton; and one niece, Jessica Ray. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Long Branch Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Miller and the Rev. Brian Benenhaley officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Brad Ray, Keith Ray, Brandon Ray, Bubba Walker, Michael Hendricks and Timothy Benenhaley.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home of his sister, 1895 Lewis Road.

Memorials may be made to the family c/o Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home, 515 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

ham 552.

Friday Night Mixed: Edwardo Allen 300-788; Norvell Jackson Sr. 232-585; Dandrel Dukes 256-683; Tyrone Bailey 266-757; Maceo Pack 235-662; Lewis Washington 257-683; James Canty 254687; Anthony Wilson 207; Sean Chapman 266685; Wardell Stevenson 232-588; Tracy Herrington 236; Becky Anderson 256-592; Sammie Washington 212-540; Mike Hodge 704; Terrence Williams 684; Tim Hudnall 651; Bobby Holladay 680; Romero Davis 584; Nancy Champion 522; Lynette Allen 569; Sarah Lawrence 511.

Kings & Queens: Matt Talford 190-534.

Sunday Night Mixed: Jimmy Harglerode 246-681; Tom Teigue 475; Jason Tisdel 625.

Hot Shots: Alice Oxendine 187.

Tri-Parish: Dave Claeys 237-655; Jeff Guest 416; Sandy Claeys 413.

Tuesday Night Mixed: Claude Corbett 254; Mike Wallace 268-757; Worth Geddings 246-656; SCP Parker 180-436; Brad Vohs 256-659; Wendell Rogers 680; Troy Blake 577; Ricky Dinkins 266; Bobby Holladay 257-675; Steve Shirley 247-664; Gregg Anderson 279-758; Felicia Blake 233-598; Loisann Horne 246-671; Jimmy Harglerode 589; Tucker Tumblin 522.

Close Encounters: Chris Berry 267-683; Mike Barnes 458; Tim Smith 482; Lee Fifield 393; Johnny Evans 479.

Extravaganza: Eva Jackson 230-577; Ronald Rath 540.

Possibilities: Cathy Powers 247-610; Rosa Davis 222.

Afternoon Delight: Les Delahunt 207-492.

Thursday Night Open: Xavier Lonon 223; Jim Caywood 256-729; Scott Keisling 237-608; Scott Mowry 243-625; Harold Allan 238-650; Don Infelise 709; Tim Hudnall 679; Chad McLeod 623; Chris Armstrong 605.

CLASSIFIEDS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

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CLASSIFIED DEADLINES 11:30 a.m. the day before for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday edition.

9:30 a.m. Friday for Saturday’s edition 11:30 a.m. Friday for Sunday’s edition.

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

Lawn Service

Oxendine & Son Lawn Care All your lawn care needs & pressure washing. Call Jonathan 803-565-2160 or Kerry 316-8726.

Summons & Notice

Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs!

Free est. 494-9169/468-4008

SUMM0NS (Jury Trial Requested)

JT's Lawn Care: All your lawn needs, Tree cutting & debris removal, Senior disc. 840-0322

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Civil Action #2014-CP-40-00291

Daniel's Lawn Care • Tree removal • Lawn Service • Mulch / Pine straw • Debris removal 803-968-4185

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF RICHLAND Cleveland Ford, Plaintiff, vs.

Jared Harold Schrack Katherine Giddens,

and

Tree Service

Tara

Defendants TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT, Tara Katherine Giddens: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action of which a copy is herewith served upon you and to serve a copy of your Answer to the said Complaint on the subscriber at his office, 1419 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, within thirty (30) days from the date of service hereof, exclusive of the date of such service; and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Summons and Complaint in the above entitled action was filed in the Richland County Clerk of Court's Office, Columbia, South Carolina on January 16, 2014.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that if you fail to answer the Summons and Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in said Complaint.

BARRY B. GEORGE PAIGE B. GEORGE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF 1419 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 (803) 254-7222

ANNOUNCEMENTS

In Memory Of William Colclough, Sr. 2/10/26 - 3/26/13 Daddy you left this world so suddenly and it broke our hearts to lose you. You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide, and though we cannot see you, you are always at our side.

Loving and missing you, your wife Gardenia, Children: Douglas, Patricia, David, Doris and Teresa.

BUSINESS SERVICES Business Services Land clearing on site mulching, tree and brush grinding, Free estimates. David 803-972-1090

Home Improvements H.L. Boone, Contractor additions, painting, roofing, gutters, sheetrock, blown ceilings, decks. 773-9904

Investments 3 Rental Properties for sale.

Take in $1,155/mthly. Asking $21,00 total. Owner financing.

Serious Inquires ONLY. Call 803-464-5757

Announcements

STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721 NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal , trimming & stump grinding. Lic & Ins.

Help Wanted Full-Time

Help Wanted Full-Time

Martin's Used Appliance Washers, Dryers, Refrig., Stoves.

Special front end load washer $399 Guarantee 464-5439/469-7311

Experienced carpenter needed with their own vehicle.

803-473-4246. Please lv. msg.

Springhill Suites Marriott will be taking applications in person for Front Desk Position at Candlewood Suites 2541 Broad Street.

Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364

Local Contract Drivers needed in Sumter. Jumpstart/fuel deliveries/tire changes. Vehicle required.

No experience necessary Call 267-270-5225

Salon Owner is seeking License Stylists, Braider or Barbers.

803-316-6989, 803-883-4639.

EMPLOYMENT

Plumber's Helper needed. Exp. req. & must have tools & transportation. Call 491-4616

Help Wanted Full-Time Law office seeks employee for Secretarial position requiring efficient typing, dictaphone, computer and office skills. Send resume to Box 338 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151 Exp. Auto Tech needed IMMEDIATELY. Must have tools, driver's license & work experience.

Apply in person 601 Broad St.

ROSE'S SUMTER MALL SUMTER, SC We have an immediate opening for Retail Assistant Store Manager. 1yr Retail Management experience req'd. F/T position with benefits. (Major medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401k, paid vacation).

Submit resume to Jerry Kotula District Manager, KotulaJerry@gmail.com

STC Now Hiring Diesel Mechanic Qualified candidates must have:

•Valid driver license •High School Diploma or GED •Three years or more of diesel mechanical experience •Must provide tools / picture at interview STC offers competitive salary and benefits EOE and Drug Free Workplace Contact - Pat Joyner 803-775-1002 x107 Exp Carpenter & Carpenter helper. Working on water. Must have valid driver's license. Drug test required. Call 803-473-4254

803-316-0128

Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

MERCHANDISE Garage, Yard & Estate Sales LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $1 & Up

I Found it in the

CLASSIFIEDS

FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend.

905-4242

For Sale or Trade

Cash For Junk Cars, used Cars, junk Batteries & unwanted gift cards. Call Gene 803-934-6734

Let the

shopping begin!

Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Bus Day Trip departs every 1st Sat, & 2nd Mon. Call for more info 803-316-4684.

For Sale or Trade

Lost & Found REWARD! Lost or stolen 6 mo. old male pitbull in the vicinity of American Grocery & Sharolyn Motel on Broad St. Call 803-565-5302 for any information.

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Help Wanted Part-Time

Unfurnished Homes

Psychotherapist-responsible for individual, group, family therapy, psychosocial assessments and case management. Masters in social work, psychology, or counseling required with current LISW, PC, or LPC. Fax resume to 803-774-2633 or email : lefford.fate@tuomey.com

House for Sale or Rent. $350 mo + dep. Land for sale. Call 803-452-6260

Chauffeurs needed for Limousine Co. Must have excellent people skills. Schedule includes days, nights & weekends. Exc wages. Fax resume & 10 year driving record to 803-494-5779 or Call 803-983-5247.

Part time truck driver with 5 yrs exp. to work local. Must have clean driving record & CDL. Great for retired person. Send Resume to SMH PO BOX 104 Sumter SC 29151 $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555

Trucking Opportunities Truck Driver Trainees Needed Now at H.O. Wolding Earn $800/wk Local CDL Training NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Be trained & based locally!

1-888-263-7364 CDL drivers needed 21 & older, two years exp. Call 843-659-8254 or 843-659-2268 Best Logistics Group is seeking local 1st & 2nd shift class A CDL drivers in the Bishopville, SC area.

You must have 2 years' experience with 53' dry van within the past 5 years to qualify. Drivers will average between 2000-2300 miles per week at .40 cpm. Medical, dental, vision, long/short term disability, life and 401K. Apply online at www.shipwithbest.com or call 800-849-1818 ext. 1400 or 1460

Work Wanted

REAL ESTATE Homes for Sale

For rent or sale by owner: Beautiful 3BR/1BA, hdwd floors, shady huge backyard, perfect condition. No Pets! $600/mo. Option to buy. Call 803-469-6638

Manufactured Housing Tax Time is Here... Low Credit Score? Been turned down for bad credit? Come try us, we do our own financing. We have 3-4-5 bedroom homes. Layaway program available. For more information, call 843-389-4215.

Mobile Home with Lots

3BR/2BA DW out of Manning on Goodwill Church Rd. $650/dep + $650/mo. Call 473-3301

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

For Sale 3600 Dallas: Dalzell, 3BR, 2BA. Workshop. 1/2 ac lot.

Financing Available. 775-4391, 464-5960

4BR/2BA (Paxville), LR, DR, Family Rm, eat in kitchen, C/H/A, all appl's. $775/Mo. 452-5544 or 704-615-5622.

Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water/sewer/garbage pk-up incl'd.

RV parking avail. Call 494-8350

3 Lots in City limits (Bishopville).

Asking $20,000 or possible trade.

Call 803-459-4773

Nice 3BR/2BA SW on 1 acre. 5 min. to Shaw, all appl's, $600/ mo+dep. 803-983-0371

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

For Sale 411 N. Magnolia, Hardwood floors, C/H/A. Garage, workshop & shed. Commercial lot on Lafayette also available.

Fin Available.

775-4391/ 464-5960

Office Rentals Office rentals: 712 Bultman Dr. Downstairs •(2) offices suite w/outside entrance. $300/mo.

Upstairs: •450 sq ft, (2) offices $325/mo. •250 sq ft (1) lg office $225/mo. •170 sq ft $165/mo •300 sq ft lg office $275 o •265 sq ft (2) office $250/mo.

469-9294 or 491-6905

Housekeeping, low rates, References, Mother sits with elderly.

Call 983-3438 or 406-2418

Building for rent could use for Church or Other. Near Manning on Silver Rd. 803-473-3301

Commercial Industrial Church Facility located at 16 Kendrick Street. Move in Ready.

10,195 sq ft on 2.35 acres with 1,040 sq ft picnic shelter. Chapel, Fellowship Hall, Sunday School Rooms, Office Complex and Full Working Kitchen. Contact Talmadge Tobias at Re/Max Summit 803-491-4573.

RECREATION For Sale 1387 Raccoon Rd. (Lee Cty) 3BR/1BA. C/H/A Lrg building inside yard. 1 ac lot. Fin avail. 775-4391 464-5960.

Campers / RV's/ Motorhomes 2006 Freedom Spirit tow camper, 25ft, sleeps 8w/pvt BR, gas/elect, Slideout living room & dining rm. Good condition, $6,000. Call 803-481-4389

RENTALS Unfurnished Apartments 2BR/1BA, Conv. to Sumter Mall. $530/mo + dep. 803-775-1281.

New!

You have a choice!

2BR/1BA, Conv. to Sumter Mall. $530/mo + dep. 803-775-1281.

Unfurnished Homes Nicely Updated 2BR home.

New carpet, appl's, water, dumspter, sec. lights inc'd.

Conv. Shaw. No H/A or PETS! $485/mo + $350/dep.

803-983-0043 For Rent -1425 Morris Way 3BR/2BA, 1,900 sq ft. fenced yard. sprinkler system, new roof, new carpet. washer/dryer incl. Very spacious. $1100 Mo. Call 803-310-8745

Vans / Trucks / Buses 1998 Ford Ranger XLT Super cab, 109K mi. Exc. cond. $5500 OBO. Call 803-447-5453

2014 FORD EDGE SE

MSRP $28,350 FACTORY SALE PRICE $26,447 FACTORY REBATE $4000

Your price

$22,447

ASK US ABOUT OUR MILITARY REBATE

Stokes Craven WAC. All rebates and incentives go to dealer.

See dealer for details. Plus tax tag.

Price includes trade in and $287 admin fee.

Looking to find...

A NEW BEST FRIEND? CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Call, email or fax us today!

FODVVLILHG#WKHLWHP FRP ‡ FAX

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2601 Paxville Hwy., Manning, SC

(803) 433-5400

StokesCraven.com

Ernest Baker Auto Sales & Equip. Located 3349 N. Main St 5.5 miles from 378 overpass at N. Main., on Hwy 15 N. next to Baker Mini Warehouse. Remember Cars are like Eggs, Cheaper in the Country!!! 803-469-9294

Autos For Sale

5 Coulter Dr. Wedgefield, Fleetwood 3br 2ba, den w/ fireplace, all appliances, completely remodeled. like new, on 0.45 ac lot in cozy neighborhood. Drastically reduced to $44,900. Please call (803) 468-6029.

Land & Lots for Sale

Autos For Sale

OPEN

Mobile Home Rentals

Commercial Rentals

Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette.

775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

TRANSPORTATION

2003 Mercury Grand Marquis $2500. 803-468-0060.

3 or 4BR house (Alcolu). $700/dep +$700/mo. 473-3307

I'm Available to clean your home.

Affordable, reliable 16 yrs exp ref's. Melissa 803-938-5204

HOLLY COURT APARTMENTS located in Manning, currently have spacious two bedroom apartments for rent. Fully carpeted with central air and heat, water and sewer included. Please call to inquire about our Move in Special.

Ph:( 803) 435-8786

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

2003 Toyota Sequoia SRS, Very good cond. 180K mi. Fully loaded. $8,500 will neg. 803-720-4308.

A Guaranteed Credit Approval AUTO LOANS We will arrange financing even if you have been turned down before.

Loans available for no credit, bad credit, 1st Time Buyers & Bankruptcy buyers. No co-signers needed. Call Mr. Ashley Brown at 803-926-3235

Auto Choice Sales & Rentals Buy Here, Pay Here. No Credit, No Problem. Cash Rentals. 494-8827

SECTION

C

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivym@theitem.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Two wood nymphs in Narnia are played by Ashari Harper and Candace McElveen.

Will evil triumph?

SLT takes us to frozen Narnia

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com (803) 774-1221

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE March 27-30 and April 3-6 7:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday 3 p.m. Sunday Sumter Little Theatre 14 Mood Avenue Tickets: $10/adults, $8/student, senior, military, $6/children 6 and under Call (803) 775-2150

C

.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” books are fantasy novels for children and young adults, beloved by adults as well. “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is the second in a series of seven books with biblical themes. They have sold more than 100 million copies.

That’s no surprise to Sumter Little Theatre Executive Director Eric Bultman, who is directing the stage version of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” It opens Thursday at the theater and will have eight performances.

“C.S. Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles are extremely popular,” Bultman said.

“Most of the actors have either read the play or seen the movies. We did ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ in 1997, and we did ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ (another in the series) in 1999.

“The popularity and the universal appeal of a story of good overcoming evil is what made us want to produce it again.”

Bultman talked about the allegorical aspects of the play.

“C.S. Lewis uses the characters and the stories to incorporate biblical themes that young readers can understand and enjoy,” he said. “Lewis presents Jesus Christ through the character of Aslan (a lion, played by Drake Shadwell). Evil is embodied in the character of the White Witch. He explores the qualities of faith and innocence through the character of Lucy,” played in the SLT production by Ashton Sherman.

The plot involves Lucy and her siblings, Peter (played by Chris Velho), Edmund ( Logan Martin) and Susan (Maddie Cantwell), who are sent to the countryside during the World War II Nazi blitz on London. One day Lucy climbs

From left, Chris Velho as Peter, Maddie Cantwell as Susan, Drake Shadwell as Aslan, Logan Martin as Edmund and Ashton Sherman as Lucy are the principals in Sumter Little Theatre’s production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” opening Thursday at 7:30 p.m. into a wardrobe and discovers Narnia, another world, inside.

Narnia is under the evil sway of the White Witch (Lauren Cain), who is a temptress.

“The theme of temptation is explored through the character of the younger brother, Edmund,” Bultman said. “He gives in to the temptation of gluttony. The Witch offers him candy, Turkish Delights, over which she has cast a spell.

“The Witch entices the young boy with the promise of making him the prince and eventually the king of Narnia if he brings his brother and sisters to her.”

Continuing the Biblical allegory, “Edmund becomes the betrayer, the Judas,” Bultman said. “He knows that his sisters, brother and the beavers will follow him to the Witch. Aslan rescues Edmund from the White Witch and forgives him. The Witch claims Edmund’s life. To save the boy, Aslan sacrifices his own life.”

That, however, is not the end of the story, as the siblings, known by Narnians as the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve, struggle to overcome the evil, according to the legend: When Adam’s flesh and Adam’s Bone Sits at Cair Paravel in throne The evil time will be over and done.

Bultman said his “actors have enjoyed the challenge of bringing the characters to life. The animals are personified in the books and in this adaptation by Joseph Robinette. The actors have had to develop animal characters that not only talk and walk on two feet, but also have emotional lives. They feel anger, sorrow and joy.”

Producing a play is a thoughtful process, Bultman said, that involves not just the talents of many actors, but that of many others not seen on stage.

“With every play, we give careful thought to the most effective way to

tell the story,” he said. “My main focus is on character, voice and movement. I am fortunate to have a group of artists working with me who will take my vision and come up with extremely creative sets, lights, sound and costumes.

“The combined talents of Marge Cowles and Sylvia Pickell in costume, Randy Abbott, Michael Duffy and Carmela Bryan with the set, Taylor Mitchum and Tristan Pack with lighting, and Michael Bacon with sound have made the process of bringing the play to the stage very special. We are challenged with creating two worlds: the land on the other side of the wardrobe and Narnia. We consider what the script calls for and create according to the requirements.”

While Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia with children in mind, Bultman said “’The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ is a play for the whole family. Young children, teenagers and adults will enjoy it.”

The cast also includes Sean McAlister, Stewart Holler, Lauren Graves, Shaniya Simmons, Emily Walker, Zach Cook, C.J. Waters, Joel Osborne, Camille Wapplehorst, Tristan Pack, Lauren Carneal, Chloe Wapplehorst, Megan Oakley, Owings Holler, Mackenzie Mundy, Jennifer Barnett, Kylie Timmons, Kirsten Cain, Ashari Harper, Candace McElveen, Steven Fine and Destynd Loring.

Top honors for Sumter students at S.C. Piano Festival

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com

Five Sumter piano students of Jane Luther Smith won top honors at the S.C. Piano Festival auditions and were selected to play in the State Honors Recital. They are: Skylar Harvin, Sky Harvin, Leann Pomichalek, Rachel Blanding and Sarah Jekel.

Seven young pianists received high ratings in the South Carolina Piano Festival Association’s auditions on March 14. The auditions were held at the University of South Carolina School of Music in Columbia.

Those winning the top rating of One Plus — Superior Plus — are Rachel Blanding, Skylar Harvin, Sky Harvin, Sarah Jekel and Leann Pomichalek. Because of their rating, the five won the right to play at Saturday’s State Honors Recital at the USC Recital Hall.

Ashleigh Meadows and Clayton Goff received One Ratings — Superior — at the March 14 auditions.

All seven pianists are students of Sumter’s Jane Luther Smith,

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Ashleigh Meadows and Clayton Goff received One (Superior) ratings at the S.C. Piano Festival Association auditions. who explained the audition process.

“... Each student performed three selections from memory, chosen from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary style periods of piano literature,” she said.

Judges for the event were Ginger Wyrick of the University of North Carolina Charlotte, Diane Higgins, Charlotte teacher, author and lecturer; and Dr. John Cheek, professor of music at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. Sarah Jekel also received the Superior rating and Gold Medal for her adjudicated performances in the S.C. Independent Schools Association Auditions held on March 13, also at the USC School of Music.

For more information about the S.C. Piano Festival, call Smith at (803) 775-2982.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sweet-and-Tangy Caramelized Chicken Thighs get their flavor from a sauce spiked with ginger, lime juice and fish sauce.

Balance of flavors is just right

BY J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor The trouble with sweet-andsour chicken is that the flavor is mostly sweet — too sweet, at that — and weirdly acidic.

It never seems to deliver on the satisfying balance of gently sweet and teasingly sour that I hope for.

But a recipe in a British food magazine recently inspired me to create a better version. The recipe in BBC GoodFood magazine was for

caramel chicken wings, though I wasn’t much interested in the wings themselves.

It was the caramel-based sauce that intrigued me.

Spiked with ginger, lime juice and fish sauce, it seemed just right for what I wanted.

The result is deliciously sweet, but equally tangy and savory. Be warned: This isn’t the gloopy red sweet-and-sour with pineapple and cherries you know from the takeout box. It is much better.

SWEET-AND-TANGY CARAMELIZED CHICKEN THIGHS (Recipe adapted from the November 2013 issue of BBC GoodFood magazine) Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup fish sauce 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger Juice of 1/2 lime 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips Scallions, thinly sliced, to garnish Fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook without stirring for about 10 minutes, or until the sugar has browned and thickened to caramel. Stir in the fish sauce, being careful of sputtering, then the soy sauce, ginger and lime juice. Return to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium, heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. When the chicken has cooked, use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the chicken (but none of the liquid in the pan) into the caramel sauce. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce, then transfer it to a serving platter. Top with scallions and cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 400 calories; 170 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 19 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 150 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 42 g protein; 1260 mg sodium.

Roasted chicken with herb sauce welcomes spring

BY SARA MOULTON Associated Press Writer

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN WITH FRESH HERB SAUCE

Our spring feasts — often centered around Passover and Easter — typically call for a center-of-the-plate star like brisket or lamb. Of course they’re delicious, but both can seriously ramp up the fat and calories in a meal that tends to put the groan into groaning board even before the main course is served.

So how about roasted chicken instead? Wait a minute, you say. If you eat the bird with its skin on, you might as well be eating lamb. And yet there’s no way to cook a chicken properly without the skin.

Looks like a problem, but here’s a solution: roast the chicken with the skin on, then remove the skin after the chicken is cooked. And, if you roast the chicken my no-fuss way, you’ll find yourself with ample time to devote to the rest of the meal.

I learned the best way to roast a chicken during my restaurant days. Every evening just before service began, the whole staff would sit down for “family meal.” If chicken was on the menu, we’d simply throw several 3 1/2-pounders into the oven — which was always cranked to 500 — and blast away.

Given that we were cooking only for ourselves, there was nothing fancy about how we prepped those birds. Everything we’d learned in cooking school about the need to truss, turn and baste a roasting chicken turned out to be unnecessary. All we did was sprinkle them with salt and pepper, rub them with a little oil, and roast them at high heat.

Forty minutes later they were done. We let them rest

Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes (20 minutes active) Servings: 8 Two 3 1/2-pound chickens, trimmed of excess fat Olive oil cooking spray Salt and ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano Heat the oven to 450 F. Spray the chickens all over with the cooking spray, then season them with salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, place the chickens, breast side up, side by side. Roast, uncovered, until a meat thermometer inserted into the leg-thigh joint registers 165 F, about 55 minutes.

While the chickens are roasting, in a small bowl whisk the lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste, whisking until the salt is dissolved.

Whisk in the olive oil, thyme, and oregano, then set aside.

When the chickens are done, transfer them to a large platter and cover them loosely with foil.

Let them rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour any drippings from the roasting pan into a fat separator. Add the chicken juices from the fat separator to the herb mixture and discard the fat.

After the chicken has rested, remove and discard the skin and cut up the chicken. Whisk the juices from the platter into the herb mixture. Divide the chicken between serving plates and spoon some of the herb mixture over each portion of chicken.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Simple Roast Chicken with Fresh Herb Sauce has no skin but plenty of flavor. for 15 minutes, then carved them and moistened the pieces with the juices that had pooled on the platter. It was almost too simple — and it certainly was not traditional — but the result was delicious.

There is, however, one serious caveat when it comes to cooking a chicken at a temperature this high: your oven must be clean. A dirty oven blazing away at 450 (which is what I call for here) will smoke up the whole house.

Also, be sure to place the bird

in a heavy roasting pan with sides so the chicken juices don’t splatter over the sides and burn on the bottom of the oven.

Finally, the resting time is key. After you pull the bird out of the oven, its juices need time to redistribute. If you don’t let it rest, but carve it right away, all the juices will come streaming out and you’ll end up with dry meat. Happily, some of those juices pool on the platter during the resting period anyway, and they add a ton

of flavor to the sauce.

And these chickens — minus their skin — cry out for a sauce. For that, I took my inspiration from the Italians and their bistecca alla Fiorentina, which is grilled steak finished with extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. I added some fresh herbs and those juices from the bottom of the platter and — Glory be! — The Husband just about forgot to complain about the lack of skin. It was a small but welcome miracle in a season of miracles.

Nutrition information per serving: 290 calories; 120 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 13 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 135 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 41 g protein; 390 mg sodium.

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

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Corn soup fit for cool spring nights

BY ALISON LADMAN Associated Press Writer The warm days and cool nights of spring can make for challenging dinners. During the days, we want to be outside enjoying the sun, but the evenings call for something warm and comforting. Trouble is, warm and comforting dinners require time at the stove.

Our solution? A quick and easy soup that is jammed with fresh vegetables and comes together in about 30 minutes. We combine seasonally perfect asparagus with the sweet taste of frozen corn and a heap of fresh thyme.

The result is light, yet fresh and filling. If you want to bulk it up a bit, shrimp or diced chicken would be a great addition.

SPRING CORN SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup chopped shallots 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 large sweet onion, diced 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced 3 celery stalks, diced 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch

FAMILY FEATURES

Salted Caramel Cinnamon Cupcakes are star of the party

BY FAMILY FEATURES “A gorgeous cake is still the centerpiece of any birthday party, but why not put a twist on a traditional party centerpiece and display a tower of cupcakes,” suggests Chris Nease, expert party stylist and editor of “Celebrations At Home” blog.

Look no further than Morton® Salt as the inspiration for that cupcake centerpiece. To celebrate the 100th birthday of its iconic Morton Salt Girl, the company has developed a quick and easy Salted Caramel Cinnamon Cupcake recipe.

SALTED CARAMEL CINNAMON CUPCAKES Servings: 24 1 package of yellow cake mix Eggs, vegetable oil and water, per mix instructions 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 can prepared cream cheese frosting (whipped frosting not recommended) 2 teaspoons caramel topping, plus additional for garnish 12 pieces individually wrapped caramels Morton® Coarse Sea Salt Heat oven and prepare cake mix as instructed on the box, adding cinnamon with other ingredients. Divide prepared batter evenly among 24 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3’s full. Bake cupcakes as instructed on the box. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely.

Cut each unwrapped caramel in half lengthwise. Gently press a small amount of Morton® Coarse Sea Salt onto one side of one of the larger surfaces. Set aside.

Combine frosting and caramel topping in a bowl, and pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Drizzle additional caramel topping on top of each frosted cupcake and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Top each cupcake with one piece of salted caramel, salted side facing outward. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftover cupcakes.

pieces 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 16 ounces frozen baby corn Salt and ground black pepper In a large stockpot over medium, heat the oil. Add the shallots, garlic, onion, carrots and celery.

Cook until the onion is tender and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the asparagus, thyme and corn, then cook just until the asparagus is tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories; 30 calories from fat (23 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 6 g protein; 280 mg sodium.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Spring Corn Soup With Asparagus is ready in 30 minutes.

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Husband can’t erase wife’s journal writing DEAR ABBY — I have been married almost 20 years. Eight years ago my wife began an emotional Dear Abby affair with a co-worker. It ABIGAIL lasted a VAN BUREN year, until he left the company. Although they never had sex, they did have some physical contact that most people would consider inappropriate, and my wife considered ending our marriage because of the feelings she had for him. She now says the episode was a huge mistake and she loves me

THE SUMTER ITEM

more than ever.

The problem is, she wrote many entries about him in a journal. I know she kept writing about him several years after they lost contact, including saying that she loved him more than a year after he’d left.

I want my wife to remove the portions of the journal pertaining to this guy. She doesn’t want to. I’m still hurting from this and am considering counseling, but for now, what do you think?

Should she get rid of the journal?

Considering counseling DEAR CONSIDERING COUNSELING — Because you are still hurting seven years after the fact, stop “considering”

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

counseling and get it NOW. If your wife is a serious journal writer — and many people are — that she would want her writings to remain intact in spite of the fact they reflect her emotional affair is not unusual. If that’s the case, instead of insisting she edit or destroy her journal, my advice is to stop reading it.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Wedding 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 Cop’s route 5 Tripoli’s land 10 Meet activity 14 “Let __”: Beatles hit 15 Acrylic fiber 16 Sobriquet for Haydn 17 Loafer, e.g.

18 Mandate from the bench 20 Frequency unit 22 Cross-ventilation result 23 Not slacking 25 Jewelry retailer 29 Foot, in zoology 30 Objection 31 Make a dramatic exit?

33 Cos. with Xings 34 “And __ refuse?”

35 Discharge 36 Voice coach’s concern 40 Circle calculation 41 “Get it?”

42 Grads-to-be: Abbr.

43 Letter holder 45 Armada arena 46 Ugly Tolkien beast 49 “Tomorrow” musical 50 John le CarrŽ offering 52 “Memoirs of a __”: Arthur

Golden novel 55 High capital 56 Shared shares 60 Oolong and pekoe 61 Trusted underling 62 Structure with highwater marks 63 Yellow-andbrown toon dog 64 Cheery 65 Board for filers 66 Like some memories DOWN 1 Diocese head 2 Hydrocarbon gas 3 Calls off, as a mission 4 Force, metaphorically 5 Express’s opp.

6 2004 Will Smith sci-fi film 7 Ad on a DVD case 8 Olden times 9 First chip, often 10 Farming implements 11 Bundle of dough 12 Wild way to go 13 Course number 19 First name in metal 21 Zoo equine 24 In precisely this way

26 Celeb’s ride 27 Malevolence 28 Where the action happens 31 W. Coast airport 32 2004 biopic with the tagline “Let’s talk about sex” 33 Like wheels after servicing 34 Bar supply 36 Cereal material 37 Carriage driver’s tool 38 With 59Down, Lshaped tool 39 Sedative, casually 40 Org. whose past presidents include two Mayos

44 Veggie with a Ruby Queen variety 45 Bit of orthodontia 46 Cathedral city in northern Spain 47 Hold on to 48 Shut 50 Leave the dock, with “off” 51 Lacking, or what can precede either half of 18-, 36- and 56-Across 53 Catalina, e.g.

54 Come (from) 56 Crying __ 57 Driveway blotch 58 Ore. neighbor 59 See 38-Down

TELEVISION

THE SUMTER ITEM TW FT

7 PM

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9 PM 9:30 LOCAL CHANNELS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 11 PM

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WIS News 10 at Entertainment Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: (:01) Chicago P.D.: Conventions SVU WIS News 10 at (:35) The Tonight Show Starring 7:00pm Local Tonight (N) (HD) Squad investigates sex crimes. (HD) Comic Perversion Fans assault. (HD) helps track down a rapist. (HD) 11:00pm News Jimmy Fallon Comedic skits and cenews update. and weather. lebrity interviews. (HD) News 19 @ 7pm Inside Edition (N) Survivor: Cagayan (N) (HD) Criminal Minds: Route 66 Hotch suf- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: News 19 @ 11pm (:35) Late Show with David LetterEvening news up- (HD) fers complications from injury. (HD) Take the Money and Run High stakes The news of the man Peter Dinklage; Hari Kondabolu. date. poker. (HD) day.

(N) (HD) Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy! (N) The Middle: The Suburgatory: Modern Family: Mixology: Fab & Nashville: Your Wild Life’s Gonna Get ABC Columbia (:35) Jimmy Kimmel Live Julia (N) (HD) (HD) Walk (N) (HD) Catch and Release Las Vegas (N) Jessica & Dominic You Down Rayna plays a set on News at 11 (HD) Louis-Dreyfus; Michael Pena. (N) (HD) (N) (HD) (HD) (N) (HD) Luke’s tour. (N) (HD) NatureScene: Los Expedition Nature: What Plants Talk About Ac- NOVA: Cold Case JFK A scientific look Secrets of the Dead: The Lost Diary Tavis Smiley BBC World News Charlie Rose (N) Inocentes tive & intelligent behavior explored. at the assassination. (HD) of Dr. Livingstone New forensics.

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The Big Bang The Big Bang American Idol: Finalists Perform The hopeful vocalists try to follow their WACH FOX News at 10 Local news Two and a Half Two and a Half The Middle: The Theory Raj’s anxi- Theory Teaching strong performances from the previous week with songs that will win votes report and weather forecast.

Men Wedding Men (HD) Play Sue may get ety. (HD) football. (HD) from viewers at home. (N) (HD) planning. (HD) cut. (HD) Family Feud Family Feud Arrow: Birds of Prey Helena takes The 100: Earth Skills Finding Jasper; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Arsenio Hall hostages at the courthouse. (N) (HD) Abby needs escape pod. (N) (HD) Charisma Cult leader fathers a baby. Runaway Detectives search for cop’s Show (HD) (HD) daughter. (HD)

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USA’s entertaining ‘Psych’ comes to an end

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Oliver awaits the Huntress on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

• Two hours of performances on “American Idol” (8

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FYI The YWCA of the Upper Lowlands Inc. is planning a Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) reunion in conjunction with the annual banquet schedule for April 25.

If you were a TWIN from 1980 to 2010, contact Yolanda Debra Wilson at (803) 773-7158 or ydwilson@ywcasumter.org.

The University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center and Sumter County Active Lifestyles are sponsoring a free walking program. If you are interested in becoming more active, form a walking group of 4-8 members and join Sumter County On The Move! This program allows you to walk at your own convenience or with a group. Free workshops and physical activity information available. Call (803) 774-3860 or register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/scotm-test2.

Are you a breast cancer survivor? Maggie L. Richardson is seeking other survivors to form a music group and give back to the community. If you are interested in joining, contact her at mlrminstry2012@gmail.com or (803) 236-9086.

Belly dancing classes are held at 6 p.m. every Monday at the Parks and Recreation Department, 155 Haynsworth St. Only $20 per month.

The Rembert Area Community Coalition offers an after school program for students from kindergarten to sixth grade at the youth center in Rembert. Children receive assistance with homework, school projects, etc. A nutritious snack is served daily. There is a small monthly fee. Registrations are accepted noon-2 p.m. at 8455 Camden Highway, U.S. 521, Rembert, in front of the car wash. Call Dr. Juanita Britton at (803) 4322001.

The Second (Indianhead) Division Association is searching for anyone/everyone who served in the 2nd Infantry Division. Visit the website at www.2ida.org or contact Mike Davino at MDavino@ yahoo.com or (919) 4981910.

Zumba classes will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Parks and Recreation building on Haynsworth Street. Classes are $5 each and no registration is required. Contact Deanne Lewis at zumbadeanne@ gmail.com.

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH It takes a big man to act silly. Television, particularly cable, is awash with toughguy male stereotypes — the tattooed, the grizzled, the unshaven and armed to the teeth. They wrestle gators, prepare for doomsday, and log, fish and gold-prospect all over the dial. And for the most part, they bore me to tears.

“Psych” (9 p.m., USA, TVPG) comes to an end after eight seasons. Shawn and Gus (James Roday and Dule Hill) sent up a zillion TV cliches and genres, from psychic detectives to forensic dramas to Hollywood “bromances.” Tonight’s finale teases out the end of their terminally immature friendship.

Shawn has finally decided to move up to San Francisco to marry Juliet (Maggie Lawson), but can’t find the nerve to tell Gus. As usual, these two hyper-observant detectives can see everything, except the writing on the wall.

Look for special guest star Mira Sorvino as a ludicrously efficient forensics expert who makes Shawn’s work all but obsolete. Billy Zane arrives as a super-suave suspect who may be the last bad guy to endure their adolescent antics.

• “Hot in Cleveland” (10 p.m., TV Land, TV-PG) and “The Soul Man” (10:30 p.m., TV Land, TV-PG) enter new seasons with live episodes.

Betty White and Cedric “The Entertainer” make crossover appearances on both shows.

• “Secrets of the Dead” (10 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) returns with an examination of the final field record of noted African explorer Dr. David Livingstone.

• Charlie Sheen narrates “Brothers in War” (8 p.m., National Geographic, TV-14), based on Andrew Wiest’s book “The Boys of ‘67: Charlie Company’s War in Vietnam.”

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The Palmetto Singles Club holds a dance from 7 to 10 p.m. on the first and third Fridays of each month at the VFW on Gion Street.

Call Nancy McLeod, club president, at (803) 469-3433.

Sumter Area Toastmasters meets at 7 p.m. each Tuesday at the Sumter Mall community room, 1057 Broad St. The group helps in developing speaking and leadership skills. Contact Douglas Wilson at (803) 778-0197 or Rebecca Gonzalez at (803) 565-9271.

USA NETWORK

Shawn (James Roday), left, and Gus (Dule Hill) work their last case together on the series finale of “Psych” airing at 9 p.m. on USA. p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

• An unpleasant comedian may be too obvious a suspect on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV14).

• Having evaded execution, Abby is eager to go to Earth on “The 100” (9 p.m., CW, TV14). This is a better-than-average CW teen drama.

• A trip to Las Vegas on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

• Poker can be murder on “CSI” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

• New York Special Victims Unit officers arrive on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).

• Juliette focuses her frustrations on Scarlett on “Nashville” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

• Mia prepares for surgery on the season finale of “Duck Dynasty” (10 p.m., A&E, TVPG).

• Elizabeth visits Martha, disguised as Clark’s sister on “The Americans” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA).

SERIES NOTES Stealing supplies on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Getting a date to the prom on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Tessa sets her priorities on “Suburgatory” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Hotch has a near-death experience on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * A fight to the finish on “Mixology” (9:30

p.m., ABC, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Jude Law is scheduled on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Rosario Dawson and Hannibal Buress appear on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Theo James, Margaret Cho, Jen Kirkman and Ross Mathews appear on “Chelsea Lately” (11 p.m., E!, r) * Errol Morris appears on “The Colbert Report” (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central) * Peter Dinklage, Hari Kondabolu and Sage the Gemini appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Bill Cosby, Joby Ogwyn and Nathan West on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Pena appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC) * Timothy Olyphant, Cristin Milioti and Bleachers visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Craig Ferguson hosts Scarlett Johansson and Maz Jobrani on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

CULT CHOICE Wasting time can be eventful when it’s the last day of school in Austin, Texas, in 1976. Directed by Richard Linklater, the 1993 comedy “Dazed and Confused” (8 p.m.,

TMC, TV-14) introduced a raft of young talent, most notably Matthew McConaughey.

The Sumter Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in the Bultman Conference Room at USC Sumter. Administrative professionals, assistants and secretaries are encouraged to attend. Call Mary Sutton at (803) 9383760.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 Call Rhonda Barrick at: (803) 774-1264 | E-mail: rhondab@theitem.com

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

Blueberries, healthy and packed with flavor FAMILY FEATURES

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oasting a wealth of nutritional benefits and a sweet, delectable taste, blueberries are a top choice among fruit eaters.

Whether eaten raw or added to batters, smoothies and

milkshakes, these tasty little berries add color and flavor to dishes or snacks.

“Sweet and tart, blueberries are one of my favorite treats,” said Justin Timineri, Executive Chef and Culinary Ambassador, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE CHEF JUSTIN TIMINERI

These recipes show you some of the great ways to enjoy Florida blueberries. For more recipes, visit http://bit.ly/flblueberries.

Sign-up to receive a free copy of the “Kids in the Kitchen” cookbook at: http://bit.ly/flfffkids.

BLUEBERRY COBBLER Yield: 6 servings For filling: 1/2 cup butter 1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried 1 cup sugar

For topping: 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 1/2 cup of milk

To make filling, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place butter in 8 x 8-inch square glass baking dish and melt in oven or microwave. In mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and blueberries. Add sugar and mix well. Add blueberry mixture to baking dish with melted butter. Do not stir.

To make topping, combine all topping ingredients in small bowl. Pour mixture over blueberries and bake 45 minutes, or until brown.

Kids can: Help mix the filling.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON CORN MUFFINS Yield: 6 servings Paper muffin cup liners 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest Pinch of salt 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup whole milk 2 large egg yolks 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line six muffin cups with liners.

In large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Whisk in cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest and generous pinch of salt. In separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk and yolks. Add to flour mixture with half of blueberries, gently stirring until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among cups. Press remaining blueberries into tops of muffins. Sprinkle tops evenly with remaining sugar. Bake muffins on middle rack for about 15 minutes, or until tops are golden and tester comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups and cool on rack. Muffins keep in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.

Kids Can: Pour batter into pans and press blueberries into tops of muffins.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON CORN MUFFINS

HEALTH BENEFITS Blueberries have one of the highest levels of antioxidants among fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants fight off organisms, like cell damaging free radicals, making them great for your health.

Yield: 2 servings 2 cups fresh blueberries 1 cup low-fat milk 2 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt 8 ice cubes Rinse blueberries under cool water. Place blueberries in blender with half of milk. Make sure lid is tight. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add frozen yogurt, remaining milk and ice cubes; continue to blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

Pour any leftovers into ice cube tray and freeze for later use.

Kids Can: Help blend smoothies with adult supervision.

BLUEBERRY BARBECUE SAUCE Yield: 4 to 6 servings 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/4 cup minced Florida onion 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 cups fresh blueberries Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Heat oil in non-reactive saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, stirring until almost translucent, about 3 minutes. Add ketchup, vinegar, sugar and mustard. Bring ingredients to a simmer. Add blueberries. Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Purée sauce in blender or food processor until smooth. Pass through strainer if smoother consistency is desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Keep refrigerated and serve at room temperature.

Kids Can: Help strain sauce after pureed.

GRILLED BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS Yield: 4 servings 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Preheat grill to medium high heat. Trim chicken breasts of excess fat. Season both sides with salt and pepper and coat lightly with oil. Place on preheated grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. When done, remove from grill and let rest before serving. Serve with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce.

Chef’s Tip: Always add sauce last. The sugars in BBQ sauce can burn and become bitter if added to food while still on the grill.

Source: Fresh from Florida and Florida Specialty Crop Foundation