March 29, 2014

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Club Miami closes

No bond yet for murder charge

Owner forfeits liquor license, shuts down bar amid controversy

BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com (803) 774-1295 Club Miami is officially closed for good.

“I don’t want to be in a business establishment where I’m not welcome,” said now former club owner Jay Warren, who decided during a trial in Columbia to forfeit his alcohol license to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

This ended the department’s two-week campaign to close down Club Miami that began with the March 16 death of 33-year-old Tyrus Archie, who was shot in the parking lot of the business. The sheriff’s office took a direct approach of attempting to revoke the club’s alcohol license, as they claimed the club has become a meeting ground for drug dealers and convicted criminals.

However, Warren still defended the club.

“For all the hassle that it has caused me in the past, it’s not the club that’s causing the problems. It’s the patrons that come to the club,” Warren said. “Until something can be done about it, the problem will escalate into other locations.”

Attorney Reginald Lloyd said that Warren had been pondering over the decision to close down the club since the sheriff’s office served him a subpoena Thursday but came to the decision while the trial was adjourned for lunch.

Warren has been the owner of Club Miami for about 13 years, but it has only been like a side job to him, since his day

SEE CLUB MIAMI, PAGE A8

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Kenyada Howell mourns the loss of her brother, 26-year-old Shamarr Howell, on Friday as victim’s advocate Barbara Wilder comforts her at a bond hearing for Jeffrey Dana Andrews. Shamarr Howell was allegedly shot to death by Andrews on Tuesday over a bottle of brandy.

Alleged shooter in brandy killing held for circuit court

BY ROB COTTINGHAM rcottingham@theitem.com (803) 774-1225 “A life for a life.”

That was the request made Friday by Katrina Howell, the mother of 26-year-old Shamarr Howell, who was shot and killed Tuesday night during an alleged argument with Jeffrey Dana Andrews over a bottle of brandy.

Andrews remained silent Friday afternoon as he appeared before Magistrate Judge George Gibson in magistrate’s court for his bond hearing regarding two charges, one for the murder of Shamarr Howell and the other for possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

During the hearing, Investigator Wayne Dubose of Sumter County Sheriff’s Office divulged details of

‘I do forgive, but I pray that justice is done.

I pray that he doesn’t get the chance to get out and enjoy all the luxuries of life. My son won’t.’

KATRINA HOWELL Mother of Shamarr Howell the investigation, including the recovery of the handgun suspected of being used during the crime. He requested that bond be denied for Andrews’ murder charge.

Man gets $35K bond in attempted murder

BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 It might have been an argument, or perhaps a poor practical joke. Either way, a 30-year-old airman stationed at Shaw Air Force Base faces attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting a 43-year-old man in the side with a rifle.

According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Wesley Perry, of 40 Padme Drive, invited the victim over to his home, along with others, early Thursday morning for drinks. About 3 a.m., according to investigators, the victim said Perry picked up a rifle sitting leaning against a chair, pointed it at the victim and pulled the trigger.

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A police officer indicates to Jonathan Wesley Perry where he needs to sign on court documents on Friday during his bond hearing for an attempted murder charge.

The victim told investigators he left the residence shortly thereafter when he noticed he was bleeding above his left hip. After contacting law enforcement, the victim

told investigators he thought Perry shot him “trying to be funny.”

Investigators said the victim suffered a small wound in his left side, possibly from a pellet gun

or a small-caliber rifle.

However, Investigator Wesley Gardner with the sheriff’s office said the surgeon told him the bullet removed from the victim had lodged itself nearly a foot inside the victim.

While he was not initially located at his home, Perry was arrested later that day and taken to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.

During his bond hearing Friday afternoon, however, the victim painted a more serious tone, expressing to Magistrate Judge George Gibson that he feared further repercussions from the incident.

“If for some reason he’s able to make bail or make bond, if he gets out and

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Charles W. King Marie S. Green Beverly Harris Shamarr Howell Judy W. McGhaney Emma Brailsford Cleo T. Dickey

Unfortunately for Dubose and the victim’s family, Gibson could not grant that request.

“In this particular case ... the circuit judge will have to set this one for you,” Gibson said to Andrews.

“It is one of the ones we usually don’t set unless they ask us to do it.”

With the victim’s family grieving to his left, the judge did decide to move forward with the weapons possession charge and set a surety bond of $10,000. Andrews will remain in custody until his bond — if any — is set for the murder charge.

Following the hearing, Katrina Howell remained visibly distraught, and was quite outspoken about her grief.

“As a mother, I understand his

SEE ANDREWS, PAGE A7

Sumter bests U.S. jobless rate for 1st time in 14 years

BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 The job picture in Sumter County is better than the national average for the first time in nearly 14 years, according to figures released by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce on Friday.

New positive numbers from the DEW’s monthly unemployment rate report also indicate more people were working in Sumter County in February than have been in nearly seven years. By adding nearly 300 jobs in February while also seeing the local area labor force shrink by 400 people, the local area unemployment rate fell dramatically to 5.9 percent, its lowest level since May 2001.

The national rate sits at 6.7 percent.

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

Clyburn talks troubled youth at conference

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272

to that school and apologize, or ... and I’ll let you fill in the blank,” Clyburn said.

The student sheepishly returned to class and is now a corporate lawyer in Social workers have the power to New York with an Ivy League degree. change the direction of people’s lives, a That future couldn’t have been foreseen social work conference heard from Conthen and would have never happened if gressman Jim Clyburn on Friday. And a caring outsider hadn’t intervened.

Clyburn said he knows from personal “You as social workers come in conexperience how much outside interventact with that every day,” he said. “You tion can matter. deal with people who have not had good Clyburn addressed the 26th annual experiences in life, and you must unconference of Sumter-Area Social derstand that as you carry out your duWorkers, a daylong series of training ties, because you could be dealing with and educational sessions at the North the next Ralph Dawson.”

HOPE Center that attracts professionLegislative issues were also discussed als from across the state. at the conference. Many social workers This is a trying time for social workare concerned about Medicaid expaners, Clyburn said. From scanning the sion, Sinkler-Parker said, with bumper newspapers, the congressman told the stickers on one table at the conference conference that headlines jumped out calling for the Legislature to accept fedat him about 500 children dying in the eral dollars for the health care procustody of the state Department of Sogram. cial Services and the police search for Sinkler-Parker has dealt with clients an 8-year-old girl who was given up by struggling with access to health care her mother to “some guy.” and the impact it’s had on their lives.

“There is serious work to do, and our “That’s important because if you’re social service agencies are on the front BRISTOW MARCHANT / THE SUMTER ITEM line,” Clyburn said.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn spoke Friday at an annual conference of Sumter-area social work- not qualified under the Affordable Care Act, and if this is unattainable too, About 130 attendees listened to Clyers. The daylong event at the North HOPE Center focused on training and education on you’re just going to cost the state more burn speak about the issues during different social care issues. Clyburn focused on troubled youth and the effect a caring lunch, in between seminars on a raft of outsider can have on their lives and told attendees they have a chance to make that im- money when you get sick,” she said.

As Clyburn touched on, the controchallenges facing social workers and pact in their communities. versy surrounding DSS handling of the people they serve. child cases was also a topic, but Sinklerout front. My students had a different he was when he got his first job after “It’s designed for social workers to Parker said “people sometimes don’t gain new tools and improve their ability leaving school as a public school teach- experience.”

One student, named Ralph Dawson, he talk if their agency is the one in the to change lives in their community,” er in Charleston and learned about his thought, had a bright future if not for the news.” But she said the problems demsaid Carrie Sinkler-Parker, a consultant students’ backgrounds. onstrated the need for social workers to chip he carried on his shoulder. When “Many of them lived a life of experiat the conference.

Clyburn learned he’d been thrown out of rededicate themselves to helping others ences that were less than what we Clyburn told a story that illustrated where they can. might call ‘pleasant,’ experiences that I school after a blow-up with another the need for such work. He said he was “Like the example (Clyburn) gave, we teacher, he drove to Dawson’s home and fortunate to grow up in a supportive at- had only read about,” Clyburn said. “I need to look at the positive things we convinced him to swallow his pride and was nurtured in a home with a father mosphere in Sumter, where his father can do to help and enhance a person’s save his academic career. and mother present, nurtured in the was a pastor and his mother ran a chance to grow,” she said.

“I told him to get in my car, go back beauty shop. He realized how fortunate church next door and the beauty parlor

STATE BRIEF FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS

BMW plans $1 billion expansion in Greer GREER — BMW is celebrating its 20th anniversary of building cars in the United States by investing $1 billion in its plant in South Carolina to build two of its new X-series vehicles at the facility that ushered in a wave of foreign automakers building Southern plants.

The German automaker announced Friday it will produce the X7, a larger SUV with three rows of seats similar to a Cadillac Escalade. The company will also make the X4, a sportier version of the X3 coupe and plans to build a plug-in hybrid version of its smaller X5 SUV. The $1 billion will be spent through 2016 at the plant in Greer, just down Interstate 85 from Spartanburg. BMW said it will hire 800 additional workers, bringing total employment at the plant to 8,800 people. The Greer plant will make 450,000 vehicles a year by 2016, becoming the largest of the company’s 28 plants around the world.

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

Pastor motivates Ebenezer Middle male students

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS revans@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 Pastor Hugh Harmon of Columbia spoke to male students at Ebenezer Middle School on Friday morning, starting off his presentation by showing a series of famous people and others whom he referred to as “ordinary.” The students were asked to identify each person, and they easily pointed out Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan.

However, they struggled to identify Dr. Ben Carson, Debra Lee of BET and Mary T. Barra of General Motors.

“I showed you some people who seem ordinary, but they did extraordinary things,” Harmon said, referring to the photos the students couldn’t identify.

Harmon told the students his life story and emphasized the importance of education and finding something they’re passionate about doing. After highlighting the statistics that show male students are behind female students, Harmon told the students it’s important to choose to be a winner.

“No one is born a winner. We’re all born choosers, which means I choose to win or lose,” he said.

Harmon was born and raised by his grandmother in Barbados after his mother gave him up when he was only seven days old. His grandmother raised him and her own 10 children by herself, even though she only had a third-grade

RAYTEVIA EVANS / THE SUMTER ITEM

Pastor Hugh Harmon speaks to male students during a special assembly Friday at Ebenezer Middle School. Harmon told students about his humble beginnings from Barbados to New York City and encouraged them to find their passion. education. They lived in a house with no running water. They had no bathroom, but they did have an outhouse, he said.

In Barbados, Harmon and his family lived in what he referred to as “the hood,” where people were often stabbed to death. When he made the decision to get tattoos all over his body and join his uncle in selling drugs, his grandmother still encouraged him to change and make the right decisions.

“I never knew my mother or father growing up, so I had serious anger issues,” he said. “But my grandmother was still saying, ‘You are somebody.

Stay focused.’”

With the support of his grandmother, Harmon said before he left Barbados at the age of 15 to move to New York City when his mother finally sent for him.

He was enrolled and excelling in a pres-

tigious high school and preparing to graduate with an associate degree.

After coming to terms with his parents’ decisions, Harmon said he moved on to make a difference, teaching for 17 years after graduating from University of Pennsylvania. He encouraged the male students to keep three things in mind to be successful: find your passion, something you are willing to do all day and night; knowledge is power, “in fact, knowledge is powerful”; and accept that people will make mistakes, but it’s not the end.

“We don’t choose how the story begins. I can’t choose my parents or where I was born,” he said. “But we can control how it ends. It doesn’t matter what your passion is, you are somebody who can ultimately make a difference in this world.”

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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Concert to raise money for children’s hospital

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 If you like bluegrass and helping children, then Roy Reaves has an event that is perfect for you.

He’s the coordinator for the 2nd Annual Sumter Bluegrass and Gospel Festival to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a world-renowned pediatric cancer treatREAVES ment and research facility that provides free care to sick children.

The event is set for the first weekend in April.

Seven bands are scheduled, including Reaves’ own High Ridge Bluegrass Gospel, and he hopes to add another one or two groups to the roster.

He and his wife, Brenda, started the event in honor of Bayler Teal, a 7-year-old Bishopville boy who was diagnosed in 2008 with neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor of nerve tissue that usually occurs in infants and chil-

WANT TO GO? WHAT: Sumter Bluegrass and Gospel Festival WHEN: from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 5 WHERE: Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St. COST: $12; children 12 and under free with paying adults BENEFITS: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital FOR MORE: Contact Roy Reaves at (803) 464-4492 or at rodeo_94@ hotmail.com

SCHEDULED TO PLAY Palmetto Blue Subject to Change Southern Express Gospel The Hinson Girls High Ridge Bluegrass Gospel Ash Breeze Three Creek Deep

dren. They are good friends with his family.

“He lost the battle,” Reaves said getting emotional. “We lost the little boy. His family is doing good, (but) you never get over anything like that.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Hinson Girls take a break from playing their instruments, but they’ll be strumming right along come April 5 at the Sumter County Civic Center. They, along with six or more other bluegrass and gospel bands, are raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Bayler spent almost two years in the hospital, and he died in June 2010. Reaves hopes to get the family to come speak.

But even before that, Reaves and his brother would host cook-offs or sell chicken and barbecue plates to raise money to help people facing cancer or those recovering from a stroke.

“I feel they would do the

same for me,” Reaves said. “If all this saves one life, it’s worth it.”

The first benefit concert raised more than $10,000, Reaves said, and he hopes this one will raise $100,000.

“Every dime that comes into the building will go to St. Jude’s hospital,” he said.

The setup crews and bands are donating their time, and

Reaves has already gathered $81,000 in contributions, he said.

Though the event is all day, a stamped hand will get you in and out of the show at will. Tickets are $12 and available at SEACO Music, 140 N. Main St. For more information, contact Roy Reaves at (803) 4644492 or at rodeo_94@hotmail. com.

From Sumter to sea: Sailor leads Navy program for women

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 Amber Holland sees a difference between the softball field at Sumter Christian School and the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.

The 25-year-old has experience with both. She played for the Lady Bears until her senior year and now supervises the boatswain’s mates aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. But although she doesn’t think her athletic career had any effect on her decision to join the U.S. Navy, she does think SCS softball boosted her confidence level as a young teen.

“It probably did help me in that I got to meet new people and stuff like that,” Holland said in a phone interview from the Abraham Lincoln’s home port in Newport News, Va. When she made the decision just a year later to join the Navy, “it probably didn’t hurt.”

By the time she graduated

from Laurence Manning Academy in 2007, Holland had already decided on a career in the Navy. Now three years into her service, Holland is a lieutenant junior grade aboard the carrier, where in addition to her other duties, she HOLLAND also organizes the ship’s Women at Sea program for female sailors.

ally. Now I have more experience working with boatswain’s mates, first on a destroyer and now on an aircraft carrier.”

TSI: What are your duties on the Abraham Lincoln?

TSI: Do you still want to work in intelligence?

AH: “I am the supervisor over 109 personnel (out of the Lincoln’s compliment of 2,700), and I deal with any personnel and training related to maintenance, any logistics involved with moving personnel, fueling ships at sea or towing into port. I work with the boatswain’s mates, supervise their training and work hands on with them. They’re the ones who actually do the refueling and maintenance work. I had pretty much the same duties on board the U.S.S. Winston S. Churchill (a guided-missile destroyer). I was at sea with the Churchill for nine and a half months. Here, I haven’t been at sea yet. I’ve only been here two months.”

AH: “No, that was probably just the way he sold it to me, re-

TSI: You’re also over the Navy’s Women at Sea Program

TSI: When did you join the Navy and why?

AH: “When I was still in high school, I talked to a recruiter in Sumter about delayed entry to become an intelligence specialist, but he talked me into going on an ROTC scholarship to USC in Columbia, and then I got my commission.

there. What does that involve?

AH: “Only 18 percent of sailors are female, so Women at Sea tries to provide them with the resources they might need, mentorship opportunities and classes on sexual health, education and nutrition. It helps provide for some of her concerns without having to go through a male officer, because that can be uncomfortable for both of them. The last class we had 40 people there.

That was a self-defense class with a Marine corpsman. It’s open to anybody, so men can attend, too. We had one or two

there for that. This month’s is on nutrition, so we may not have as many there for that.”

TSI: What advice would you have for a young woman looking to join the Navy today?

AH: “The Navy is what you make of it. If you want to get out and see new places, it can be that, and if you want to be miserable and bring a lot of negativity into it, it can be that, too. It is a male-dominated service, so you have to be ready for that. I think the kind of people who are willing to work hard are best suited for it.”

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Signs of problems with cars missed by safety agency DETROIT (AP) — For years, the U.S. government’s auto safety watchdog sent form letters to worried owners of the Chevrolet Cobalt and other General Motors small cars, saying it didn’t have enough information about problems with unexpected stalling to establish a trend or open an investigation.

The data tell a different story.

An Associated Press review of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that during a nine-year period, 164 drivers reported that their 2005-07 Chevrolet Cobalts stalled without warning. That was far more than any of the car’s competitors from the same model years, except for the Toyota Corolla, which was recalled after a government investigation in 2010.

Stalling was one sign of the ignition switch failure that led GM last month to recall 1.6 million Cobalts and other compact cars, including the Saturn Ion, Pontiac G5 and Chevrolet HHR. GM has linked the problem to at least 12 deaths and dozens of crashes. The company says the switch can slip out of the “run”

position, which causes the engine to stall. This knocks out the power steering and powerassisted brakes, making the car harder to maneuver. Power to the device that activates the air bags is also cut off.

GM has recently acknowledged it knew the switch was defective at least a decade ago, and the government started receiving complaints about the 2005 Cobalt just months after it went on sale. House and Senate subcommittees have called the current heads of the automaker and NHTSA to testify on April 1-2 about why it took so long for owners to be told there was a potentially deadly defect in their cars.

Although the overall number of complaints represents only 0.02 percent of the nearly 625,000 Cobalts sold from 20052007 in the U.S., experts familiar with NHTSA say they were enough to warrant an investigation and recall. The Cobalt had about the same rate of complaints as the Corolla. And the agency knew of at least two fatalities in Cobalt crashes that involved a sudden stall when it first declined to investigate the cars in 2007.

Spotting trends in the tens

AP FILE PHOTO

Workers at General Motors’ Lordstown Assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, put the final touches on Chevrolet Cobalts on June 15, 2010. GM recently acknowledged it knew the ignition switch in Colbalts was defective at least a decade ago. of thousands of complaints NHTSA gets each year is a tough job, and this case may have been more complicated than most. The Cobalt had a litany of problems, including fuel leaks and a power steering defect that the agency did investigate. GM may not have disclosed all the information it had on the switches. And the 2010 recall of millions of Toyotas for unintended acceleration claimed much of the government’s attention.

But several experts say NHTSA should have pressed

In a letter calling for the probe, Foxx said he is unaware of information that NHTSA “failed to properly carry out its safety mission based on the data available to it and the processes followed.”

The safety agency, in a statement provided to the AP, said that during the past seven years, its investigations have brought 929 recalls of more than 55 million vehicles. “Each potential recall investigation is unique and dependent on the data gathered in each case,” it said.

S.C. judge won’t reconsider inmate mental health ruling

Air Force Global Strike Command Commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson speaks to reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday. The Air Force is firing nine mid-level commanders and disciplining dozens of junior officers at a nuclear missile base in response to an exam-cheating scandal that spanned a far longer period than originally reported.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

‘Librarians’ at core of nuke cheating ring WASHINGTON (AP) — Investigators dubbed them “the librarians,” four Air Force nuclear missile launch officers at the center of a still-unfolding scandal about cheating on proficiency tests.

“They tended to be at the hub” of illicit exchanges of test information, said Adam Lowther, one of seven investigators who dug into details of cheating that has embarrassed the Air Force and on Thursday brought down virtually the entire operational command of the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

At least 82 missile launch officers face disciplinary action, but it was the four “librarians” who allegedly facilitated the cheating, in part by transmitting test answers via text message. One text included a photo of a classified test answer, according to Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, who announced the probe’s findings Thursday.

Wilson said the four junior officers were at “the crux of it,” and that three of the four also are accused of illegal drug activity. The rest of the accused either participated in cheating or were aware of it but failed to blow the whistle, Wilson said.

Lowther said the investigation team examined evidence from cellphones allegedly used to transmit the offending text messages but was unable to interview the accused because all four obtained legal counsel at the outset of the probe.

In response to the scandal, the Air Force fired nine midlevel commanders at Malmstrom and announced it will pursue a range of disciplinary action against the accused 82, possibly to include courtsmartial. A 10th commander, the senior officer at the base, resigned and will retire from the Air Force.

Air Force officials called the discipline unprecedented in

for a recall sooner.

“They’re not connecting up the dots. That’s the generous explanation,” says Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Auto Safety, who has studied the government’s auto safety agency for decades.

“The not-so-generous is that they did connect the dots, but they just didn’t do anything.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, whose department oversees auto safety, has asked for an internal investigation into the GM issue.

the history of America’s intercontinental ballistic missile force. The Associated Press last year revealed a series of security and other problems in the ICBM force, including a failed safety and security inspection at Malmstrom, where the exam cheating occurred.

Lowther said the investigation team interviewed missile launch officers and others at the Air Force’s two other ICBM bases and found no indication of cheating there.

“Folks clearly crossed the line at Malmstrom,” Lowther said in a telephone interview.

He is a faculty member at the Air Force Research Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

The investigators found what Lowther described as “a persistent cultural problem” inside the ICBM force — a perception among the crews “that you don’t want to be there,” in part because of a sense that the mission is not highly valued.

In an emotion-charged resignation letter titled “A Lesson to Remember,” Col. Robert Stanley, who commanded the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom, lamented that the reputation of the ICBM mission was now “tarnished because of the extraordinarily selfish actions of officers entrusted with the most powerful weapon system ever devised by man.”

COLUMBIA (AP) — A judge Friday denied a request

by South Carolina prison officials that he should reconsider a ruling on how to deal with mental health treatment behind bars, saying he stood by his decision in favor of inmates who sued nearly a decade ago.

During a hearing Friday, Circuit Judge Michael Baxley said that he disagreed with the Department of Corrections’ arguments that his ruling didn’t address in writing a number of the agency’s defenses and castigated the agency for what he characterized as a “completely recalcitrant” approach to the litigation.

“This is why you have the hard and direct and comprehensive order that you have,” Baxley said.

Earlier this year, Baxley sided with inmates who, along with an independent nonprofit group called Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, sued the agency in 2005. His ruling chided the Corrections Department for failures in a number of areas — from screening new inmates for mental health problems to properly administering medication and preventing suicide — and gave the agency six months to come up with a plan on how to deal with better serving its mentally ill inmates.

During a 2012 trial that lasted more than a month, Corrections officials had disputed the claims, denying that any inmates’ constitutional rights were being violated and noting that the agency had no legal obligation to implement any of the recommendations from reports cited in the lawsuit against it.

The agency says they’ve made a number of fixes through the years in how inmate mental health is handled, such as consulting with the state Department of Mental Health on evaluating Corrections’ policies and using $1 million in recurring funds to pay for more staff, training and specialized programming to, hopefully, reduce mentally ill inmates’ time in isolation units because of disciplinary infractions.

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‘Five Came Back’ recalls day Hollywood went to war DOUGLASS K. DANIEL The Associated Press

(“The African Queen” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”) shared a penchant for embellishing their personal war stories. Huston went well Hollywood was never the same after beyond the accepted practices of the taking up the fight to defeat Nazi Gerdocumentarian when he passed off remany and Imperial Japan — just like enactments for “The Battle of San Pithe rest of the world. Many of the film etro” as actual battle footage. He was industry’s greatest talents put aside on more stable ground with his piece their careers to join the military and on shell-shocked troops and their turn the movies into a weapon for victreatments, “Let There Be Light,” tory. which proved unsettling enough that Films were developed to boost pubthe government kept it under wraps lic morale, educate millions of troops for decades. and stoke anti-German and anti-JapaWilliam Wyler learned that he had nese sentiment. The studios cooperatreceived an Oscar for the wartime ed with the government to ensure that drama “Mrs. Miniver” while serving dramas and comedies — entertainoverseas. He and his film crew flew on ment polished with propaganda — B-17 missions over Europe for one of carried the right message. Besides the war’s best-received documentachurning out training films, filmmakries, “The Memphis Belle.” Its fakery ers in uniform also sought to tell inwas forgivable: Wyler used footage spiring stories through documentafrom multiple bombing runs and asries, some of them mostly real and sembled the plane’s crew in Hollysome of them mostly made up. wood to record dialogue for the movie In his engaging book “Five Came because their words couldn’t be heard Back,” author Mark Harris follows over the roar of the bomber’s four enthe wartime experiences of a handful gines. Wyler (“The Best Years of Our of movie directors to explore this Lives” and “Ben-Hur”) lost much of unique intersection of entertainment his hearing while trying to film and war. His compelling narrative is aboard a B-25 flight. first-rate in all respects, a war story George Stevens (“Giant” and for film fans and a miniseries-like “Shane”) was less interested in maktreatment of American history for ing documentaries than in filming those interested in World War II. events as they happened to create a Director Frank Capra (“It Happened record of the war. For example, he One Night” and “It’s a Wonderful was in Normandy for D-Day and in Life”) joined up shortly after the atParis during the celebration of its libtack on Pearl Harbor. His major coneration. Most significant, Stevens and tribution was the “Why We Fight” sehis cameras passed through the gates ries, lessons in history and politics deof the concentration camp at Dachau signed to explain to recruits why they two days after its liberation. Stevens were being asked to go to war. As Harspent weeks there filming life and ris points out, Capra and his coldeath among the tens of thousands leagues were challenged to come up still at the camp, footage he later used with persuasive arguments aimed at in assembling two documentaries that black recruits given segregation. served as evidence during the NuremTheir depictions of the Japanese were berg trials. so racist that even the U.S. governIn Harris’ telling, these directors ment balked at approving such a film, faced their wartime fears with little knowing it would complicate the lives THE ASSOCIATED PRESS more than cameras and courage. of Japanese Americans and postwar This book cover image released by Penguin Press shows “Five Came Back: A Story of Hol- Their frustrations were due mostly to relations with Japan. lywood and the Second World War,” by Mark Harris. a kind of friendly fire. Time and again Director John Ford (“The Searchthe indifference of government buers” and “The Quiet Man”) was under spent three days drunk while bunking reaucracy, including in the military itgoing on an obliterating bender befire at the battle of Midway Island, self, made it exceedingly difficult for at a house along the French coast, getting a memorable documentary out tween movie assignments could have them to obtain the equipment and leaving his bed only to buy or steal ended Ford’s military career. In one of his color footage, and again at supplies required for them to do their more booze and pick a fight or two.

Omaha Beach when the Allies invaded sorry instance, a few weeks after the jobs.

Ford and director John Huston Normandy landings, the filmmaker Europe on D-Day. An old habit of

Aronofsky’s ‘Noah’ is everything — except boring JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer What to make of Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah”? Perhaps that’s the wrong question. Indeed, what NOT to make of “Noah”? Because it is so many things.

It is, of course, a biblical blockbuster, a 21st-century answer to Cecil B. DeMille. It’s also a disaster movie — the original disaster, you might say. It’s an intense family drama. Part sci-fi film. An action flick? Definitely, along the lines of “The Lord of the Rings.” At times you might also think of “Transformers,” and at one point, even “The Shining.”

But there’s one thing “Noah” is not, for a moment: Dull. So, what to make of “Noah”? It’s a movie that, with all its occasional excess, is utterly worth your time — 138 minutes of it.

Although the real star of the film is its visual ingenuity, particularly in a few stunning sequences, one must give ample credit to Russell Crowe, who lends Noah the moral heft and groundedness we need to believe everything that ends up happening to him. Noah’s near-descent into madness would not be nearly as effective had Crowe not already convinced us of his essential decency. At the same time, the actor is believable when pondering the most heinous crime imaginable. It’s one of Crowe’s more effective performances.

It wouldn’t have been possible, though, without considerable liberties taken by Aronofsky and his co-screenwriter, Ari Handel, in framing Noah’s story. There’s been controversy here, but if you glance at the Bible, you’ll see why liberties are necessary: the story takes up only a few passages, hardly enough for a featurelength script.

And yet, it’s one of the bestknown tales in the Bible, if most of us only remember the children’s version, with visions of brightly painted animals standing two-by-two on the ark. But there’s a much

more serious backdrop: Man’s wickedness and God’s desire to purge the earth of that wickedness. Aronofsky dives headlong into this story of good vs. evil, not only between men, but within one man’s soul.

We meet Noah and his family as they’re attempting to live peacefully off the land and ward off the greedy, violent descendants of Cain. Noah has three sons and a wife, Naameh (Jennifer Connelly, genuine and appealing). Along the way they pick up Ila, an injured young girl who will grow to love Noah’s son Shem (an invented character, played with sensitivity by Emma Watson.)

Noah visits his grandfather, Methuselah, embodied with scene-stealing vigor by Anthony Hopkins. The old man —

and by the way, this is relative, because Noah himself is already over 500 years old, according to the Bible — helps him induce a hallucination, which brings a vision. The Creator will destroy the Earth in a great flood. Noah’s job, of course, is to build that great ark, and get out of Dixie.

It’s a monumental task, but Noah has help: the Watchers, huge, lumbering creatures made of rock, who, for Aronofsky, represent the biblical Nephilim. Are they angels, giants or men? Interpretation varies.

But it is here that the movie courts ridicule. These creatures look a little too much like Transformers and detract from the mystical feel of the film. A giggle is surely not what the director was going

for here, but he may get a few.

But that ark? It’s a wondrous thing — constructed on a Long Island field, according to measurements specified in Genesis, and finished up digitally.

Also stunning: the flood itself, more chilling than any you’ve seen in a disaster flick.

It’s also rather magical to

watch the animals arrive, two by two (and by virtue of CGI) at the ark.

But for sheer cinematic beauty, it’s hard to beat the dreamlike sequence in which Aronofsky illustrates the story of creation, as recounted by Noah. At this moment, you may well forgive any excesses in the film.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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THE SUMTER ITEM

OBITUARIES

THE SUMTER ITEM

CHARLES W. KING MANNING — Charles W. King, 78, husband of Ernestine Rheames King, died Monday, March 24, 2014, at his residence, 1312 Crestview Lane, Manning.

He was born Oct. 8, 1935, in Manning, a son of the late Rev. KING Emanuel L. and Lena Dozier King. He attended Manning Training High School. He was employed by Daniel’s Equipment Co. and Witherspoon Farms. He was a member of William Chapel Christian Church, where he was church sexton.

Survivors are his wife, Ernestine R. King of the home; two daughters, Charlotte King of Manning and Willette (Roger) Gaiter of the home; three sons, Elbert “Chip” Rheames and Ronald King of Manning and Bobby (Diane) Richburg of Atlanta; six sisters, Sadie (Melvin) Lampkin, Addie Montgomery, Hagar King and Edith Smalls, all of Manning, Ida (Richard) Pompey of Greeleyville and Rosa (Allen) Wilson of Florence; three brothers, the Rev. Damon (Helen) King of Paterson, N.J., Emanuel (Jannnette) King Jr. of Sumter and Herbert (Edith) King of Manning; an additional sister-in-law, Diane Walker of Baltimore, Md.; three additional brothers-in-law, John, Jimmy and Larry Timbers, all of Washington, D.C.; motherin-law, Hettie J. Johnson of Baltimore; and four grandchildren.

Celebratory services for Mr. King will be held at 1 p.m.

Sunday at William Chapel Christian Church, Greeleyville Highway, U.S. 521 East, Manning. Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery. Pastor Emanuel Evans will officiating with the Rev. David Woods and Minister Napoleon Bradford assisting.

Mr. King will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.

The family is receiving friends at the residence.

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

MARIE S. GREEN Marie Stephen Green, 87, widow of Henry “Dick” Green, was called home on Wednesday, March 26, 2014.

She was born Aug. 25, 1926, in Clarendon County, to the late Mary and Isaac Stephen.

Marie was predeceased by five sisters and four brothers.

Marie leaves behind: her seven beloved children; a host of grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and greatgreat-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Antioch UME Church in Rimini. Burial will follow at Brown Chapel UME Church cemetery.

Viewing will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be sent to summertonfuneralhome@gmail.com.

The family will receive friends at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Jeffrey and Delphine Green, 2964 Chewing Road, Pinewood.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Summerton Funeral Home LLC, 23 S. Duke St., Summerton, (803) 4853755.

BEVERLY HARRIS Life’s journey started for Beverly Harris on Feb. 8, 1961, in Sumter. She was a daughter of the late Essex and Dora Reams Durant. She departed this life on March 22, 2014, at her residence.

Being reared in a Christian home, at an early age Beverly accepted Christ and became a member of The Living Church in the Lord Jesus

Christ of McBee. Her church affiliations included being a member of the prison ministry, missionary ministry, angel tree ministry, nursing home ministry, pastor’s aide board and gospel choir. Beverly was educated in Sumter School District 17 and was a 1980 graduate of Sumter High School. On January 25, 1993, Beverly was joined in holy matrimony to her soul mate, Jerome Harris. This union was blessed with two loving sons.

Early in life, Beverly’s first employment was as a bus driver for Sumter School District 17. She later worked many years for Korn Industries. She was presently employed by Sumter School District at Wilder Elementary School, where she was a lead cook.

Beverly’s precious memories will be cherished by her loving and devoted husband, Jerome of the home; three sons, Cedric and DeMarcus Harris of the home, and Eddie (Tiffany Bell) Durant of Charleston; one daughter, Courtney (Brandon) Wilson of Sumter; one brother, Roger (Alice) Durant; three sisters, Betty Durant, Carolyn Parrott and Sardora (Franklin) Simmons, all of Sumter; four grandchildren, Noah Durant, Jordan, Camille and Kingston Wilson; mother-in-law, Edna S. Harris; three aunts, Sallie Rhames of Richmond, Va., Roberta Simon of Philadelphia, Pa., and Gladys Harris of Sumter; two brothers-in-law, Marion and Jeffery (Kenya) Harris of Sumter; three sisters-in-law, Bertha Durant, Marie (Norris) Harvin and Barbara Harris of Sumter; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

The body will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. today for viewing until the hour of service.

Funeral service will be held at noon today at The Living

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014 Church in the Lord Jesus Christ, 841 S. 11th St., McBee, with Bishop B.L. James officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary / Zion Hill Cemetery in Pinewood.

The family is receiving friends at 2738 Tindal Road, Sumter.

Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.

Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary. net.

SHAMARR HOWELL Sharmarr Howell, 26, departed this life on March 25, 2014.

Arrangements are incomplete with Genesis Funeral Service and Chapel in Shelby, N.C.

JUDY W. McGHANEY Judy Williams McGhaney, wife of Earnell McGhaney, died Thursday evening, March 27, 2014, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Sumter Funeral Service Inc. The family will receive friends at the residence, 36 E. Patricia Drive, Sumter.

EMMA BRAILSFORD SUMMERTON — Emma Julia Oliver Brailsford, widow of Willie “Friendly” Brailsford Sr., died on Friday, March 28, 2014, at her residence.

Born Nov. 6, 1919, in Summerton, she was a daughter of the late Charlie and Rebecca Johnson Oliver.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence, 2200 White Tail - Gardner Lane, Summerton.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

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A7

by Fleming & Delaine Funeral Home and Chapel.

CLEO T. DICKEY LYNCHBURG — Cleo Thomas Dickey, 67, widow of Leon Dickey, died Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at her residence, 4960 Narrow Paved Road, St. John community, Lynchburg.

She was born Feb. 12, 1947, in Olanta, a daughter of the late Carey and Carrie Epps Thomas. She received her formal education in the public schools of Sumter County.

She was a health care provider for home health and eventually entered into private duty. She was a member of Mt. Zion Freewill Baptist Church in Olanta, where she sang with the gospel choir.

Survivors are two daughters, Elaine (Derick) Johnson of Lynchburg and Amy (Ronald) Warren of Baltimore, Md.; one son, Erick (Cierea Drew) Thomas of Baltimore; three sisters, Ivory Stukes and Lula Mae Thomas, both of Olanta, and Carrie (Robert) Mosley of Florence; one brother, Edward Thomas of Baltimore; one sister-in-law, Pearlie Mae Thomas of Olanta; 16 grandchildren; and 13 great- grandchildren.

Celebratory services for Mrs. Dickey will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Zion Freewill Baptist Church, 1900 Mt. Zion Church Road, Olanta, with Pastor Jimmie McGill officiating and the Rev. Warren Taylor, the Rev. I.J. Myers, the Rev. Jimmy Wilson and Minister Leroy Scott assisting.

Burial will follow in the churchyard cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. today at the Hayes F. & LaNelle J. Samuels Sr. Memorial Chapel, Samuels Funeral Home LLC, Manning.

The family is receiving friends at her residence.

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

JOBLESS FROM PAGE A1 The last time Sumter County had a better unemployment rate than the national average was October 2000.

Statewide, the unemployment rate fell to 5.7 percent, its lowest point since April 2008.

For many years, South Carolina had one of the 10 highest unemployment rates in the nation. With the new figures, the Palmetto State is now threatening to have one of the 10 lowest rates in the nation, as only 15 states have better employment ratios.

As expected in a state showing dramatic improvement, Sumter’s 1.5 percentage-point drop in February was indicative of the rest of the counties in South Carolina. In fact, all 46 counties saw their rates drop by at least a full percentage point in the latest figures.

Both Clarendon and Lee counties saw their unemployment rate drop by 1.4 percentage points, with Clarendon falling to 7.8 percent, while Lee fell to 6.8 percent. The declines in these counties, however, had far more to do with a shrinking labor force than new employment.

County numbers, which are not seasonally adjusted to remove the effects of cyclical events like tourist-related or educational-based hirings, can fluctuate more dramatically than state figures, which are seasonally adjusted by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This helps explain why the South Carolina rate did not drop as significantly as the counties.

Still, a year ago, exactly half of the state’s counties were experiencing double-digit unemployment. In February, only Marion and Allendale counties had an unemployment rate above 10 percent.

According to the DEW, at the same point last year, Sumter County had an unemployment rate of 9.5 percent.

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Jeffrey Andrews, the man charged in the shooting death of Shamarr Howell, stands before Magistrate Judge George Gibson on Friday during his bond hearing.

ANDREWS FROM PAGE A1 mother’s pain for what might happen,” she said, “but she’ll get to see her son. I won’t get to see mine. I won’t see him ever again, aside from the funeral. I’ll never see that beautiful smile again, I’ll never hear him say, ‘I love you, mama.’

“This was a senseless act,” she continued. “My son was 26; his life had just started. That man is 50 and has had time to live, and he took that away from my son.”

The angered mother said there’s now

Call (803) 774-1200 and subscribe today.

a void within her that will never be filled, and felt even more sorrow for Shamarr Howell’s children, who are left without a father.

“I have a 1-year-old and a 7-year-old who will never know their father,” Katrina Howell said. “It’s not fair. Whether you tell me you’re sorry or not, this can’t be undone. What gives you the right to be judge and jury and take someone’s life?”

Katrina said she spoke with her son an hour before the incident reportedly occurred. She said her fondest memory lies in the final words he spoke.

“My son would always tell me he

loved me,” she said, “but just before we hung up, he told me that he knew that I loved him, too. That’s the only thing that is helping me get through this, right now. His favorite saying was always, ‘You feel me?’ I’ll never hear that saying again, not how he said it.”

Looking back, Katrina said she wishes she’d known that her Tuesday night conversation with her son was going to be her last. For now, she waits and hopes for justice.

“I do forgive, but I pray that justice is done. I pray that he doesn’t get the chance to get out and enjoy all the luxuries of life,” she said. “My son won’t.”

Your community connection

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SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

PERRY FROM PAGE A1 goes back to work and is still in that neighborhood, would you feel your life is threatened because he’s out there?” Gibson asked.

“It’s a possibility, sir,” the victim replied. “I do feel that way ... that something else could come about it.”

Gibson then posed several questions to Perry and his Air Force representatives regarding his living situation and what measures the military would take in aiding the court’s decisions. He said he would not deny Perry bond so long as his superiors made sure he didn’t come into contact with the victim. Perry then spoke.

“I assure you that I will not be pursuing or following him around,” Perry said.

“Well, the courts want to make sure that we are assured, as well, from our

perspective and what it is that we can do,” Gibson said.

“He has no threat to his life, by any means, sir,” Perry interrupted.

Perry is stationed with the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron at Shaw. A Shaw spokesman said military officials will defer to the sheriff’s office as local law enforcement conducts its investigation.

Bond for Perry was ultimately set at $35,000. In addition, Gibson ordered that, should Perry meet bail, there be no contact, either direct or via a third party, between Perry and the victim. Perry has also been ordered not to travel within five miles of the victim’s residence.

Sumter Item staff writer Rob Cottingham contributed to this report.

CLUB MIAMI FROM PAGE A1 job is working as a bail bondsman. Even tough it has been a hassle over the past few years, he still found some enjoyment in it.

“The things that I enjoyed when I was in the club business for 13 years was the respect I earned from the people that came to my club,” Warren said. “Respect is something you earn, and it’s a pleasure and opportunity to have it. I would like to say thanks to all the people that came to Club Miami, but Club Miami isn’t here anymore. It’s gone.”

Sheriff Anthony Dennis said he spoke with Warren during the lunch break.

Warren told him that the numerous complaints from the Sumter community about Club Miami have overwhelmed him, and he no longer wanted to be a pain to the community, according to Dennis.

“He has always been prolaw enforcement,” Dennis said. “He was just the owner of the club. It wasn’t Jay Warren; it was Club Miami.”

In order to prevent any more problems from arising in the area around Club Miami, Dennis said he will request that no other nightclubs be established in the same structure, adding the location along U.S. 76/378 across from Shaw Air Force Base was not an appropriate place for a nightclub.

Dennis also wished to send a message to other nightclubs within Sumter County.

“We will be monitoring all clubs so that it won’t escalate this point,” Dennis said.

“We won’t hesitate to close down any clubs in Sumter County if they get near this point again.”

Sumter County resident

The last word ARIES (March 21-April 19): in astrology Pick up the EUGENIA LAST pace. You’ll be judged by what you propose and how much you offer. What you do to secure your position or income, as well as improve any pending matter, will ease stress.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Work quietly toward your goals. You don’t need to let others know every move you make. Wait until you feel comfortable with your achievements before sharing.

Calvin Bennett, who previously petitioned to have Club Miami closed down, was excited to hear that the club is no longer in business, but said that it alone won’t solve Sumter’s crime problem.

“Even though the club is down, we still got problems with violence in the community,” Bennett said. “Now is the time to really get to work and for the community leaders and community groups to work together to try to solve this problem.”

The trial was held Friday in administrative law court in Columbia, with a South Carolina Department of Revenue official representing Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Several representatives from the sheriff’s office testified that the level of crimes committed at or near the club had escalated in recent years and the number of crimes ranged from assaults to illegal weapons to drugs.

“Usually when you walk into that business, the smell of marijuana reeks coming from there,” said investigator Donald Vickers with the drug and narcotics division of the sheriff’s office.

Lloyd’s defense centered upon how club employees, particular bouncers and security, have been compliant with law enforcement and that the club itself should not be blamed for every incident that occurred at or around the business.

“Sumter County, in and of itself, is a very violent county,” Lloyd said. “It has a higher rate of violence than other counties in the state, and the club itself sits in an area that has a higher rate of crime than most parts of Sumter.”

victory if you take the initiative.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A change may not be welcome, but if you go with the flow, the benefits will outweigh any loss. Do something that makes you feel good about who you are and how you present yourself mentally and physically.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Explore new places and meet new people.

Interacting with creative people will kick-start your imagination and get you all worked up about goals you want to pursue.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Ease into anything that’s being asked of you.

Protect your rights, reputation and assets. Don’t allow anyone to take advantage of your skills. Only offer what you feel comfortable giving.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t rely on others. You’ll be disappointed and confused if you let anyone interfere with your plans.

Focus on home and the changes you can make that will ensure your happiness.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t waffle or you’ll be perceived as unreliable. Make decisions based on what you feel will help you obtain greater security. Checking out a different way of doing things will lead to positive personal changes.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t force what you want on others.

Carrying on and doing your own thing will attract more attention and interest. A personal partnership will play an important role in a decision you must make.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A proactive approach will help you reach your destination. Any opportunity to travel will open your mind to a new way to live your life. Set ground rules and focus on the decisions and outcomes that make you feel comfortable.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put your time and effort into planning your future. Fix up your place or invest in something that can raise your standard of living. Put an end to the things that are holding you back.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Unexpected changes regarding a medical or financial issue won’t favor you. Do your best to counter any suggestion made. Your ability to come up with a solution could lead to

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Resurrect one of your old ideas. Take precautions to avoid making the same mistakes you’ve made in the past. Broaden your outlook and be willing to share with someone who has what you need.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2014

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

A few t-storms, some severe

A little rain early; clearing

Mostly sunny and breezy

Plenty of sun

Partly sunny and pleasantly warm

Mostly sunny and pleasantly warm

77°

46°

70° / 40°

73° / 49°

78° / 52°

81° / 56°

Chance of rain: 65%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 10%

Winds: S 8-16 mph

Winds: W 8-16 mph

Winds: NW 10-20 mph

Winds: W 3-6 mph

Winds: SW 6-12 mph

Winds: SSW 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 73/42 Spartanburg 72/40

Greenville 71/40

Columbia 79/45

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

Sumter 77/46

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 78/42

ON THE COAST

Charleston 78/50

Today: A few thunderstorms, some severe.

High 70 to 77.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 62 to 70.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 68/39/r 42/26/pc 76/46/s 39/23/c 78/50/pc 69/57/pc 74/54/pc 51/46/r 83/64/t 52/45/r 85/64/s 61/50/r 57/45/r

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

357.84 75.35 74.76 97.42

24-hr chg -0.17 -0.11 +0.05 -0.12

Sunrise 7:14 a.m.

Moonrise 6:19 a.m.

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

0.02" 3.28" 3.50" 9.07" 9.69" 10.92"

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

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

71° 42° 70° 44° 85° in 2007 29° in 1955

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest.

Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 66/42/s 60/39/s 80/57/s 48/33/s 75/52/pc 70/54/sh 69/51/pc 49/38/r 77/52/s 48/37/r 84/59/pc 60/48/sh 49/37/r

Myrtle Beach 73/51

Manning 78/47

Today: A couple of thunderstorms. Winds southwest 7-14 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny and breezy. Winds northwest 10-20 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 78/48

Bishopville 79/47

Sunset Moonset

7:40 p.m.

6:47 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Mar. 30

Apr. 7

Apr. 15

Apr. 22

TIDES

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 9.36 -0.15 19 4.44 -1.44 14 8.99 -0.88 14 3.43 +0.62 80 79.54 +0.31 24 8.06 -0.57

AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Sun.

High 8:45 a.m.

9:03 p.m.

9:35 a.m.

9:53 p.m.

Ht. 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.6

Low 3:08 a.m.

3:31 p.m.

4:01 a.m.

4:18 p.m.

Ht. -0.7 -0.8 -0.7 -0.9

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 66/34/t 72/39/t 78/42/t 77/50/t 65/53/t 78/50/t 73/41/t 72/41/t 79/45/t 77/46/t 68/51/r 75/50/t 75/50/t

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 60/29/pc 70/37/pc 72/33/s 70/45/s 53/44/sh 70/43/s 65/35/pc 71/40/pc 71/38/s 68/37/s 54/36/sh 64/40/sh 65/40/pc

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 78/48/t 81/50/t 74/43/t 73/52/t 78/50/t 70/45/t 71/40/t 70/41/t 73/53/t 81/50/t 71/37/r 76/42/t 69/38/r

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 68/39/s 74/42/s 67/36/pc 60/37/sh 69/43/s 58/36/pc 68/38/pc 63/36/pc 65/49/s 72/43/s 67/34/s 70/37/s 65/38/s

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 68/40/t 77/50/t 73/51/t 78/45/t 76/50/t 73/44/t 74/41/t 75/49/t 79/48/t 72/40/t 75/51/t 74/56/t 70/45/t

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 63/33/pc 69/43/s 63/44/s 70/38/s 68/45/s 59/36/sh 67/35/pc 65/35/pc 71/43/s 67/37/pc 67/48/s 64/42/sh 59/37/pc

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

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 FRIDAY

PICK 3 FRIDAY

MEGAMILLIONS

9-6-9 and 6-0-2

10-12-20-26-38 PowerUp: 2

POWERBALL WEDNESDAY

numbers were not available at press time.

PICK 4 FRIDAY

28-33-41-44-59 Powerball: 21 Powerplay: 2

3-0-8-6 and 5-5-7-8

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC SUBMITTED BY: Richard Menzing OCCASION: Richard Menzing waited two hours for this peacock to show its plume but it just never would cooperate.

Menzing comments, “It was like he said ‘Quit staring at my hiney and photograph this good-looking mug.’”

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

SECTION

Kyle Busch wins the STP 500 pole Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

B

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

B4

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

McMillon mentors Fire Ants baseball team EDITORS NOTE: This story is the third article in a series The Sumter Item will begin featuring McMillon’s journey with the Boston Red Sox organization.

BY BARBARA BOXLEITNER Special to The Item FORT MYERS, Fla. — Boston Red Sox Double A manager Billy McMillon had a busy offseason.

But the Bishopville High School graduate made time to visit USCSumter baseball coach Tim Medlin and his players before reporting to spring training.

After leading high-Class A MEDLIN Salem to the 2013 Carolina League championship, McMillon BARBARA BOXLEITNER / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM traveled to Boston and Portland for Red Sox Bishopville High School graduate and Double-A manager Billy McMil- obligations. lon made time to visit USC Sumter baseball coach Tim Medlin and his During a telephone conversation from Sum-

ter, Medlin said he started watching McMillon in 1991, when Medlin coached baseball at Newberry College. They have been good friends since 2005, he said.

“It was the standard stuff,” Medlin said about McMillon’s visit with the Fire Ants. “I was just trying to get another voice in their ear about work habits.”

Medlin showed the players video of then-Detroit Tiger McMillon hitting a grand slam off New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, one of McMillon’s two career slams.

McMillon’s accomplished career and downto-earth personality make him a natural to mentor players. “He hasn’t changed,” Medlin said. “He’s the same humble young man.

“He’s articulate. He’s educated. He loves the game. He understands the game.”

Sumter resident and former USC-Sumter standout Tyler Smith, who is a Texas Rangers minor-league pitcher, worked out when McMil-

players before reporting to spring training.

SEE MCMILLON, PAGE B4

USC SUMTER BASEBALL

PRO BASEBALL

Climbing the hill

Cox, Maddux together again in Hall of Fame

BY JOHN KEKIS The Associated Press

back and (USCL starter) Tyler Jackson outpitched us in the second game.”

The losses dropped the Fire Ants to 5-3 in Region X a day after taking the overall lead. Now USCS is in fourth place with just four series remaining, starting with this weekend’s series at Pitt Community College.

The Bulldogs (17-9) sit two spots down from the Fire Ants (21-5) at 4-8 in Region X and among four squads under .500 in conference play. USCS has two such series remaining plus matchups with Spartanburg Methodist College and Florence-Darlington Technical College – the top two teams in the region.

“This weekend is big, no doubt,” Medlin said. “We have to play well and we have to score runs early, I think. We need to play up to the standard we’re capable of playing.”

Pitt’s strength comes in the form of its pitching staff, which has a 3.27 team earned run average.

Kyle Majette anchors the rotation at 4-1 with a 2.23

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Greg Maddux and Bobby Cox sat down together in the plaque gallery at the Baseball Hall of Fame, a sense of awe etched on their faces. Both had been here before, but this visit was entirely different.

“It’s starting to hit home right now for me for the first time — how much this means to a person that spent their entire life in the game of baseball,” Cox said. “This is the top of the hill.

It’s hitting hard today.”

Cox spoke Monday after the two had finished the pre-induction tour of the Hall of Fame that all electees receive prior to induction weekend.

The 72-year-old Cox was unaniCOX mously elected by the Hall of Fame’s expansion-era committee in December. The 47-year-old Maddux was chosen in January by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Maddux pitched 11 years for the Braves while Cox was Atlanta’s manager. They will be inducted MADDUX during ceremonies on July 27 along with former Braves lefthander Tom Glavine, Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas and retired managers Tony La Russa and Joe Torre.

“The entire thing can never happen again in a million years, I don’t think,” Cox said. “A manager being able to go in with two of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball, and then going in with two fellow managers at the same time. I don’t think that’s ever, ever going to happen again.”

Glavine toured the Hall a week ago.

That Cox was Maddux’s manager for so long made the trip north from spring training one they’ll file in the memory bank. Maddux is now a special assistant to the general manager of the Texas Rangers, and his brother is the team’s pitching coach.

“Being around spring training for the last month, you hear Hall of Famer, this and that,” Maddux said. “It starts to sink in a little bit, but today it’s hitting pretty hard.”

Maddux was the consummate ace on the mound, a slick fielder, ace bunter and superb master of the strike zone in a career that produced 355 victories with four teams (he also played a decade with the Chicago Cubs and spent two years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and two with the San Diego Padres).

Cox guided the Braves to an unprecedented 14 straight division titles and 15 playoff appearances. When he retired after the 2010 season, Cox, who also spent four years in Toronto, was the fourth-winningest manager with 2,504 victories and trailed only Connie Mack,

SEE USCS, PAGE B4

SEE HALL, PAGE B4

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

University of South Carolina Sumter’s Ryan Perkins (13) connects on a pitch during last Saturday’s opening game against USC Lancaster at Riley Park. Perkins and the rest of the Fire Ants hope to climb in the Region X standings this weekend when they travel to Greenville, N.C., to take on Pitt Community College in a 4-game series.

USCS looks to rebound in series against Pitt CC

BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS jdriggers@theitem.com Baseball games can often turn on one inning or one play.

For the University of South Carolina Sumter, last weekend’s series against USC Lancaster wound up turning on eight pitches.

The Lancers took advantage of uncharacteristic control problems from USCS starter Jamie Strock -who had been dominant for five innings -- in the sixth inning of last Sunday’s opener.

Eight pitches in, USCL had come from behind to take a 3-2 lead and eventually won the game 7-2 and evened the 4-game series at 2-2 the next game.

“It really came down to what we’ve been talking about most of the year,” USC Sumter head coach Tim Medlin said. “When we took care of the things we were supposed to, like on Saturday, we won.

When we didn’t, we lost.

“But I have to give a lot of credit to Lancaster.

They got off the mat in Sunday’s game and came

Stopping North Carolina’s Diamond DeShields (23) will be one of the top priorities for the South Carolina women’s basketball team on Sunday in the Gamecocks hope to avenge their earlier loss against the Tar Heels and move on to the Elite 8.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Stopping UNC rookie DeShields a tough task

BY AARON BEARD The Associated Press CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Diamond DeShields has proven she can beat any defense thrown at her.

North Carolina’s star freshman shoots the 3, reliably knocks down pull-up jumpers and scores off the dribble.

Now she has the Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament’s round of 16, and the challenge STALEY of stopping her next falls to South Carolina in the Stanford Regional on Sunday.

“You can take away something but then I’m pretty well-rounded,” DeShields said.

“I feel like once you take one thing, I’ll just go do something else. If you put a short guard on me, a quick guard, then I’ll just go post up. If you put a long wing on me, and I’ll go by them.

“You know, certain players are just going to do what they do. You can only hope to contain them — and I’m blessed to have people say that about me.”

The 6-foot-1 guard from Norcross, Ga., has seen plenty of different defenses, from man to zone and even an appropriately named diamond-and-1 at North Carolina State last month.

Yet the Atlantic Coast Conference’s freshman of the year has thrived all season

SEE DESHIELDS, PAGE B4

B2

|

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

AREA ROUNDUP

LMA-WH baseball moved to Wednesday

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

Milwaukee 12 17 .414 Atlanta 12 18 .400 Los Angeles 6 11 .353 Philadelphia 9 17 .346 NOTE: Split-squad games count in the standings; games against non-major league teams do not.

TV, RADIO TODAY

MANNING – The SCISA Region II-3A varsity baseball showdown between Laurence Manning Academy and Wilson Hall was postponed on Friday because of inclement weather.

The game has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Manning.

LAMAR 11 CRESTWOOD 0

Crestwood High School fell to 0-7 on the season with an 11-0 loss to Lamar on Thursday at the Crestwood field.

Erick Pilido had the lone hit for the Knights. Collin Kremer went the distance on the mound, allowing just three earned runs.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL LAURENCE MANNING 2 WILSON HALL 0 MANNING – Buddy Bleasdale went the distance, allowing no runs on four hits with seven strikeouts, and collected two hits and an RBI as Laurence Manning Academy earned a 2-0 victory over Wilson Hall on Friday at Tucker Belangia Diamond.

Trent Fyre had an RBI for LMA while Morgan Morris scored both runs. Braden Osteen and Ryan Touchberry also had hits for the Swampcats.

Dawson Price took the loss on the mound for the Barons, allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts.

He also led the offense with a double as WH fell to 7-2 on the season.

VARSITY SOCCER CRESTWOOD 3 MANNING 1 MANNING – Renaldo Isaac, Tim Kranz and Wesley Simpson each scored goals as Crestwood earned a 3-1 victory over Manning on Friday at the MHS field.

Jonathan Ray had two assists for the Knights and Aaron Griffin made five saves in goals.

JUNIOR VARSITY SOCCER WILSON HALL 2 THE KING’S ACADEMY 1 Mills Herlong and Andrew McCaffrey each scored goals to lead Wilson Hall to a 2-1 victory over The King’s Academy on Friday at Patriot Park SportsPlex.

Graeson Smith and Taylor Heath each tallied assists for the Barons, who improved to 6-2 overall. James Munford made six saves in goal.

They JV Barons play at PorterGaud on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

GIRLS VARSITY SOFTBALL

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Laurence Manning Academy baseball players walk through the mud on Friday at Tucker Belangia Diamond after their game against Wilson Hall was postponed until Wednesday at 7 p.m.

SUMTER DROPS PAIR

The Sumter High School varsity softball team dropped a pair of games, losing 3-1 to Carolina Forest on Friday at the Lady Panthers field and also fell 9-0 to Lugoff-Elgin on Thursday at the SHS field.

Hannah Bettencourt took the loss for Sumter, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

Bettencourt and Madison Hodge collected the only two hits for the Lady Gamecocks. Bettencourt doubled in the seventh and Hodge brought her home with a sacrifice.

On Thursday, Taylor Rawl went 3-for-4 with four runs driven in to lead Lugoff-Elgin.

Erin Blizzard allowed just four hits in seven innings on the mound for the Lady Demons. Bettencourt took the loss for Sumter after allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Tara Rhodes led the Lady Gamecocks at the plate, going 2-for-3. Anna Copeland and Rachel Vise had the other base knocks for Sumter.

JUNIOR VARSITY SOFTBALL WILSON HALL 21 FLORENCE CHRISTIAN 9 FLORENCE – Wilson Hall defeated Florence Christian School 21-9 on Thursday at the FCS field.

Madison Reaves had an inside-thepark home run for the Lady Barons to go with a single and two runs batted in. Mary Daniel Stokes had three hits and four RBI. Caroline Campbell, Madison Sliwonik and Peyton Geddings each had two hits.

Liza Lowder, Sliwonik and Campbell each pitched two innings.

7 a.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Houston vs. Texas from San Antonio (MLB NETWORK).

8:40 a.m. -- International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match -- Aston Villa vs. Manchester United (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

10 a.m. -- NASCAR Racing: Sprint Cup Series STP 500 Practice from Martinsville, Va. (FOX SPORTS 1).

10 a.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Cleveland at San Diego (MLB NETWORK).

10:55 a.m. -- International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match -- Crystal Palace vs.

Chelsea (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

11 a.m. -- NASCAR Racing: Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 Pole Qualifying from Martinsville, Va. (FOX SPORTS 1).

Noon -- College Lacrosse: Notre Dame at Syracuse (ESPNU).

1 p.m. -- Professional Tennis: Sony Open Women’s Final Match from Key Biscayne, Fla. (ESPN2).

1 p.m. -- Horse Racing: Dubai World Cup from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (FOX SPORTS 1).

1 p.m. -- College Baseball: Louisiana State at Florida (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

1 p.m. -- College Baseball: Miami at North Carolina State (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

1 p.m. -- PGA Golf: Texas Open Third Round from San Antonio (GOLF).

1 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: New York Mets vs. Toronto from Montreal (MLB NETWORK).

1 p.m. -- College Baseball: Missouri at Auburn (SPORTSOUTH).

1:25 p.m. -- International Soccer: Barclays Premier League Match -- Arsenal vs. Manchester City (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

2 p.m. -- College Lacrosse: North Carolina at Johns Hopkins (ESPNU).

2 p.m. -- College Baseball: Clemson at Maryland (WPUB-FM 102.7).

2:30 p.m. -- NASCAR Racing: Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 from Martinsville, Va. (FOX SPORTS 1, WEGX-FM 92.9).

3 p.m. -- PGA Golf: Texas Open Second Round from San Antonio (WIS 10, GOLF).

3 p.m. -- College Basketball: NCAA Division II Tournament Championship Game from Evansville, Ind. -- Central Missouri vs. West Liberty (WLTX 19).

3 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament East Regional Final Match from Bridgeport, Conn. (ESPN2).

4 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament Northeast Regional Semifinal Match from Worcester, Mass. -- Denver vs. Boston College (ESPNU).

4 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Cleveland at San Diego (MLB NETWORK).

4 p.m. -- Major League Soccer: Chicago at D.C. (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

4 p.m. -- College Softball: Texas-El Paso at Tulsa (SPORTSOUTH).

4 p.m. -- College Baseball: Tennessee at South Carolina (WNKT-FM 107.5).

5:30 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament West Regional Semifinal Match from St. Paul, Minn. -- Robert Morris vs. Minnesota (ESPN2).

6 p.m. -- College Lacrosse: St. John’s at Providence (FOX SPORTS 1).

6:30 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Championship Match from Cincinnati (ESPNU).

6:30 p.m. -- Horse Racing: Florida Derby from Hallandale Beach, Fla., Louisiana Derby from New Orleans and UAE Derby from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

7 p.m. -- Arena Football: Orlando at Tampa Bay (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

7 p.m. -- NHL Hockey: Columbus at Carolina (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

7 p.m. -- LPGA Golf: Kia Classic Third Round from Carlsbad, Calif. (GOLF).

8 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at Houston (NBA TV).

9 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament West Regional Semifinal Match from St. Paul, Minn. -- St. Cloud State vs. Notre Dame (ESPNU).

9 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels (MLB NETWORK).

10 p.m. -- Women’s College Volleyball: UCLA at Brigham Young (BYUTV).

10 p.m. -- Professional Boxing: Sergey Kovalev vs. Cedric Agnew for the WBO Light Heavyweight Bout and Karim Mayfield vs. Thomas Dulorme in a Junior Welterweight Bout from Atlantic City, N.J. (HBO).

11:30 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal Match from Worcester, Mass. -- Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Minnesota State-Mankato (ESPNU).

Midnight -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: San Francisco vs. Oakland from Phoenix (MLB NETWORK).

3 a.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Seattle vs. Colorado from Scottsdale, Ariz.

(MLB NETWORK).

3:30 a.m. -- Formula One Racing: Malaysian Grand Prix from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

PREP SCHEDULE

Bowditch leads Texas Open at 8-under SAN ANTONIO — Phil Mickelson made the cut on the number in the Texas Open on Friday, blasting out of a greenside water hazard to 5 feet to set up a birdie on the final hole.

Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 — his worst score of the season — on TPC San Antonio’s AT&T Oaks Course.

BOWDITCH Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136.

Bishopville native Tommy Gainey withdrew on Friday after carding a 73 in Thursday’s opening round.

CARTER TAKES KIA CLASSIC LEAD

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Dori Carter might have gotten a bit ahead of herself late in the second round of the Kia Classic.

After birdieing six of the first seven holes on the back nine, Carter bogeyed the final two holes for an 8-under 64. The round was her lowest in competition and broke the Aviara course record.

USC, VOLS TIED IN 9TH

COLUMBIA – South Carolina got a bounce-back performance from former Sumter High and Sumter P-15’s standout Jordan Montgomery and No. 2 USC and No. 22 Tennessee were tied 2-2 on Friday at Carolina Stadium after eight innings.

Montgomery went seven-plus solid innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. The Volunteers scored on a dropped fly ball in the fourth inning and on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Kyle Martin doubled home the first USC run in the sixth. Tanner English scored on a passed ball with two outs

in the eighth.

Today’s game is slated for a 4 p.m. start.

TIGERS SWEEP MARYLAND

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Steve Wilkerson’s 3-run homer in the first inning and Chris Okey’s 2-run homer in the fifth lifted No. 20 Clemson to a 7-1 win over No. 25 Maryland on Friday in the second game of a doubleheader at Bob Smith Stadium.

The Tigers (17-9, 8-3 ACC) beat the Terrapins (16-8, 5-6 ACC) 3-1 in the opener.

Matthew Crownover (5-2) earned the win by pitching his first career complete game.

The Tigers totaled 13 hits in the contest, as Wilkerson led the way by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer and three RBI. In the opener, Shane Kennedy went 4-for-4 with a homer and the goahead RBI triple in the ninth inning.

Daniel Gossett (3-0) pitched eight strong innings, giving up eight hits, one run, and one walk with six strikeouts. Matt Campbell recorded his fifth save.

The series concludes today at 2 p.m.

SIZEMORE BEATS OUT BRADLEY IN CF

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox say Grady Sizemore will start in center field on opening day, completing his comeback from a series of injuries that almost ended his career.

The three-time All-Star is set to start for the World Series champions on Monday at Baltimore.

Sizemore beat out highly regarded prospect and former South Carolina standout Jackie Bradley Jr. for the starting job. The Red Sox said Friday Bradley will begin the season at Triple-A Pawtucket.

From staff, wire reports

Varsity Baseball South Park (Pa.) at Lakewood (DH), noon Chesterfield at East Clarendon, 2 p.m.

Junior Varsity Baseball Wilson at Crestwood (DH), noon Lakewood at Lewisville, 11:30 a.m.

Marlboro County at Manning (DH), 2 p.m.

Chesterfield at East Clarendon, 11 a.m.

B Team Baseball Wilson Hall at Laurence Manning (DH), 10 a.m.

Varsity Boys Soccer Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Lakewood, 11:15 a.m.

Junior Varsity Boys Soccer Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Lakewood, 10 a.m.

B Team Softball Laurence Manning at Williamsburg (DH), 11 a.m.

Varsity Track and Field Sumter in Coaches Classic (in Columbia), 9:30 a.m.

GOLF

Valero Texas Open Par Scores The Associated Press Friday At TPC San Antonio San Antonio Purse: $6.2 million Yardage: 7,435; Par: 72 (36-36) Second Round Steven Bowditch 69-67—136 Chad Collins 71-66—137 Andrew Loupe 67-70—137 Cameron Beckman 69-70—139 Pat Perez 68-71—139 Daniel Summerhays 72-68—140 Kevin Na 70-70—140 Freddie Jacobson 70-70—140 James Hahn 71-70—141 Trevor Immelman 70-71—141 Josh Teater 71-70—141 Will MacKenzie 69-72—141 Aaron Baddeley 70-71—141 ALSO: Tommy Gainey 73-WD

MLB SPRING TRAINING

By The Associated Press AMERICAN LEAGUE Tampa Bay Cleveland Los Angeles Seattle Baltimore New York Detroit Oakland Toronto Kansas City Houston Texas Chicago Boston Minnesota

W 16 19 18 17 13 16 14 14 14 11 10 10 9 10 8

NATIONAL LEAGUE Miami San Francisco Pittsburgh Washington Arizona Colorado New York St. Louis San Diego Cincinnati Chicago

TODAY’S GAMES

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

N.Y. Mets vs. Toronto at Montreal, 1:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.

Miami vs. N.Y. Yankees at Tampa, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Houston vs. Texas at San Antonio, 2:05 p.m.

Detroit at Washington, 2:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.

Seattle vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco vs. Oakland at Phoenix, 4:05 p.m.

Cleveland vs. San Diego at San Diego (Fowler Park), 4:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Arizona, 4:10 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at L.A. Angels, 9:05 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS

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

W 40 37 30 23 15

L 31 33 42 48 57

Pct .563 .529 .417 .324 .208

GB – 21/2 101/2 17 251/2

W 48 36 35 31 20

L 22 35 37 40 52

Pct .686 .507 .486 .437 .278

GB – 121/2 14 171/2 29

W 52 40 29 26 14

L 20 31 44 45 58

Pct .722 .563 .397 .366 .194

GB – 111/2 231/2 251/2 38

W 55 49 43 43 31

L 16 22 28 30 40

Pct .775 .690 .606 .589 .437

GB – 6 12 13 24

W 52 46 35 32 23

L 19 27 35 40 49

Pct .732 .630 .500 .444 .319

GB – 7 161/2 201/2 291/2

L 22 27 29 46 47

Pct .699 .620 .597 .352 .338

GB – 6 71/2 25 26

WESTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHWEST DIVISION x-San Antonio Houston Memphis Dallas New Orleans NORTHWEST DIVISION x-Oklahoma City Portland Minnesota Denver Utah PACIFIC DIVISION

W L.A. Clippers 51 Golden State 44 Phoenix 43 Sacramento 25 L.A. Lakers 24 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Portland 100, Atlanta 85 Houston 120, Philadelphia 98 Milwaukee 108, L.A. Lakers 105 L.A. Clippers 109, Dallas 103

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Charlotte at Orlando, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Washington, 7 p.m.

Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Cleveland at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Miami at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Portland at Chicago, 8 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Utah at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

San Antonio at Denver, 9 p.m.

New York at Phoenix, 10 p.m.

Memphis at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Detroit at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Houston, 8 p.m.

Atlanta at Washington, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Miami at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m.

New Orleans at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

TODAY

SPORTS ITEMS

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Washington 4, N.Y. Mets 0 Miami 6, St. Louis 4 Detroit 9, Atlanta 3 Toronto 3, Philadelphia 0 N.Y. Yankees 4, Pittsburgh 2 Chicago Cubs 4, Chicago White Sox 3 Cincinnati (ss) 9, Arizona (ss) 1 Cincinnati (ss) 8, Milwaukee 2 Cleveland 3, Arizona (ss) 2 Boston 4, Minnesota 1 Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3 L.A. Angels 7, L.A. Dodgers 5 Oakland 4, San Francisco 0

W 18 17 14 15 12 14 14 11 10 14 13

L 6 8 10 11 9 12 12 13 13 15 15 15 14 16 15

Pct .727 .704 .643 .607 .591 .571 .538 .519 .519 .423 .400 .400 .391 .385 .348

L 11 11 10 13 11 13 14 13 12 17 18

Pct .621 .607 .583 .536 .522 .519 .500 .458 .455 .452 .419

-8 -7 -7 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3

Utah at Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.

Indiana at Cleveland, 3 p.m.

Toronto at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Brooklyn, 6 p.m.

Chicago at Boston, 7 p.m.

New York at Golden State, 9 p.m.

Memphis at Portland, 9 p.m.

Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

NHL STANDINGS

By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W x-Boston 73 50 Montreal 75 42 Tampa Bay 73 40 Detroit 73 33 Toronto 74 36 Ottawa 72 29 Florida 74 27 Buffalo 73 20 METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W Pittsburgh 73 46 N.Y. Rangers 74 41 Philadelphia 72 38 Columbus 72 37 Washington 73 34 New Jersey 73 31 Carolina 73 32 N.Y. Islanders 73 28

L 17 26 24 26 30 29 39 45

OT 6 7 9 14 8 14 8 8

Pts 106 91 89 80 80 72 62 48

GF 233 195 217 195 216 205 178 139

GA 153 188 195 209 231 243 240 218

L 22 29 27 29 27 28 32 35

OT 5 4 7 6 12 14 9 10

Pts 97 86 83 80 80 76 73 66

GF 226 197 206 204 212 177 184 204

GA 183 179 204 196 218 190 205 246

OT 7 15 6 11 11 11 9

Pts 107 99 98 85 79 75 75

GF 238 244 224 183 203 183 206

GA 164 191 200 188 207 219 216

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

GP 73 74 73 74 72 74 74

W 50 42 46 37 34 32 33

GP W x-San Jose 75 47 x-Anaheim 72 47 Los Angeles 74 43 Phoenix 74 36 Vancouver 75 34 Calgary 73 30 Edmonton 73 25 NOTE: Two points for overtime loss. x-clinched playoff spot

L 16 17 21 26 27 31 32

L OT Pts GF GA 19 9 103 230 181 18 7 101 231 182 25 6 92 185 157 26 12 84 205 209 30 11 79 183 201 36 7 67 185 214 39 9 59 180 241 a win, one point for

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Phoenix 3, New Jersey 2, SO Tampa Bay 3, N.Y. Islanders 2, SO Boston 3, Chicago 0 Los Angeles 3, Pittsburgh 2 Montreal 5, Detroit 4 Carolina 3, Florida 0 St. Louis 5, Minnesota 1 Nashville 6, Buffalo 1 Colorado 3, Vancouver 2, OT Winnipeg 4, San Jose 3

TODAY’S GAMES

Boston at Washington, 12:30 p.m.

San Jose at Colorado, 3 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Montreal at Florida, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Minnesota at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Anaheim at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Winnipeg at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE The Associated Press

EAST REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At Madison Square Garden New York Friday UConn 81, Iowa State 76 Michigan State (28-8) vs. Virginia (30-6), (late) Regional Championship Sunday Semifinal winners

SOUTH REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At FedExForum Memphis, Tenn.

Thursday Dayton 82, Stanford 72 Florida 79, UCLA 68 Regional Championship Today Dayton (26-10) vs. Florida (35-2), 6:09 p.m.

MIDWEST REGIONAL Regional Semifinals At Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis Friday

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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B3

MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP

Michigan 73, Tennessee 71 Kentucky (26-10) vs. Louisville (315), (late) Regional Championship Sunday Semifinal winners

WEST REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At The Honda Center Anaheim, Calif.

Thursday Wisconsin 69, Baylor 52 Arizona 70, San Diego State 64 Regional Championship Today Wisconsin (29-7) vs. Arizona (33-4), 8:49 p.m.

FINAL FOUR

At AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas National Semifinals Saturday, April 5 East champion vs. South champion Midwest champion vs. West champion

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Monday, April 7 Semifinal winners

Gators face upstart Dayton in South Regional final

BY TERESA M. WALKER The Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Dayton Flyers are feeling very confident and loose with the upsets they’ve already pulled this NCAA tournament. They’re also ready to wreck what’s left of anyone’s bracket with their greatest DONOVAN challenge ahead and a trip to the Final Four on the line.

Enter the Florida Gators, the overall top seed.

While the 11th-seeded Flyers already have exceeded expectations going into Saturday’s South Regional final, the Gators are driven too.

They talk of chasing greatness, trying to add to a 29game winning streak that’s the best in school history.

Florida also is back in the Elite Eight having lost here the past three years.

“We’re just very blessed and fortunate to be a team that can put themselves in this opportunity to play for a Final Four again,” Florida senior Patric Young said Friday.

“Going to prepare and do the best we can, especially as a senior class, because it’s our last go-round to make it to that next step.”

The Gators ended their past three seasons ended by Butler in overtime, Louisville and Michigan. Young said the Gators have learned lessons from each of those regional final losses from not finishing a game when they had a lead or not coming out ready like a year ago when Michigan rout-

ed them 79-59.

“We’re going to do the best we can and make sure we go out there leaving no regrets,” Young said.

Coach Billy Donovan, who won his 450th career game at Florida when the Gators downed UCLA on Thursday night, said this team is so very different from each of the past three. Donovan noted he had to replace three starters in Mike Rosario, Kenny Boynton and Erik Murphy from last year’s team alone.

But every loss to end a season hurts, and Donovan isn’t ready to separate one from another.

“I can tell you it was just as painful in 2000 walking off the court losing the national championship game as it was losing last year in the Elite Eight,” Donovan said. “So I don’t know if there’s any easy way because I think everybody this time of year is putting their heart and soul.”

Florida (35-2) hasn’t lost since Dec. 2 at UConn, and the Gators’ win over UCLA matched the school record for most wins in a season set by the 2007 national championship squad. Their string of Elite Eights is even more impressive considering no other team has even made four straight Sweet 16s in the same span.

Dayton coach Archie Miller was asked if he has quizzed brother Sean for tips on Florida’s press considering Arizona played the Gators last season. Miller said his brother’s too busy and they’re not talking anyway right now. But the Dayton coach has seen the Gators plenty on TV.

Arizona’s Miller, Wisconsin’s Ryan each seek Final Four appearances

BY BETH HARRIS The Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. — Sean Miller has been on Bo Ryan’s radar since the mid-1970s.

That’s when the future Arizona coach came to Madison, Wis., for the first time at Ryan’s behest.

Miller was a 9-year-old hot shot point guard, and Ryan was a Wisconsin assistant looking for some juice to enliven a night designed to drum up interest in Badgers basketball. He called up Miller’s father, MILLER a coach who agreed to send his son from Beaver Falls, Pa., to help out.

The young Miller donned a Superman cape RYAN made by one of the coaches’ wives and showed off his ball handling and shooting skills.

“Sean more than handled himself,” Ryan recalled Friday.

“He was great.”

Ryan, a long-ago point guard himself, sees a lot of similarities in how he and Miller view basketball these days. Their teams — No. 2 seed Wisconsin and No. 1 seed Arizona — square off Saturday in the West Regional final, with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

Neither Ryan, who has 703 career victories, nor Miller, with 249 wins to his credit, has ever gotten that far.

“It’s hard to get to a Final Four,” said Miller, who started his coaching career as a Badgers assistant in 1992. “You can be really good and not make it, both as a coach, a team and a player.”

The Wildcats (33-4) have not advanced out of the regional in Anaheim in three previous tries, dating to 1998. With eight weeks at No. 1 and 21 straight victories during the season, they want to deliver for Miller, who has restored the program’s luster in his five years.

“What we have done during the season has validated how good we are,” said 7-foot center Kaleb Tarczewski, who was in foul trouble in their semifinal comeback win over San Diego State.

The Badgers (29-7) haven’t been to a Final Four since 2000, shortly before Ryan took over in Madison. They’ve reached just one regional final during 13 straight trips to the NCAA tournament, making it every year since Ryan assumed control of a program where he was an assistant from 1976-85.

He turned 69 earlier this week, and the team is feeling a sense of urgency to deliver for a coach, who in the words of guard Josh Gasser, is “getting up there.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Michigan’s Caris LeVert (23) shoots past Tennessee’s Jarnell Stokes (5) and Jordan McRae (52) during the Wolverines’ 73-71 win on Friday in the NCAA Midwest Regional in Indianapolis.

Michigan holds on late to beat Tennessee 73-71 INDIANAPOLIS— Jordan Morgan scored 15 points and Nik Stauskas had 14 including a key free throw to help Michigan hold on for a 73-71 victory over Tennessee in Friday’s first Midwest Regional semifinal.

The second-seeded Wolverines now play either Louisville, who they lost to in last year’s national championship game, or 2012 national champion Kentucky Sunday.

The Wolverines (28-8) led by 15 with 10:55 to go, but committed four turnovers in the final 97 seconds. Tennessee (24-13) cut the lead to 72-71 and had a chance to take the lead, but Jarnell Stokes was called for an offensive foul with 6 seconds left.

Stauskas then made 1 of 2 free throws and Tennessee’s long desperation heave was off the mark.

Jordan McRae scored 24 to lead the 11th-seeded Vols.

For most of the first 36 minutes, Michigan was in firm control.

Then came a stunning turnaround by Tennessee, a bubble team that had to win a first round game just to get into the round of 64.

When Stauskas, the Big Ten player of the year, knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:37 to go, the Wolverines led 70-60 and looked like they would cruise.

Instead, Tennessee gave up just one more basket and steadily took advantage of Michigan’s miscues.

When McRae completed a three-point play with 1:56 left, the Vols trailed 72-67.

Richardson’s layup made it 72-69 with 24.6 seconds left and when the Wolverines threw away the ball on the next possession, McRae’s layup cut Michigan’s lead to 72-71.

Another turnover on an inbounds play gave Stokes the chance to put Tennessee ahead.

But Stokes, who contended he did not commit the

TODAY’S NCAA TV SCHEDULE MEN

Regional Finals TBS 6 p.m. — Florida vs. Dayton 8:30 p.m. — Arizona vs. Wisconsin

WOMEN

Regional Semifinals ESPN Noon — Kentucky vs. Baylor 2:30 p.m. — Oklahoma State vs.

Notre Dame 4:30 p.m. — Brigham Young vs.

Connecticut 7 p.m. — DePaul vs. Texas A&M

foul, was called for the charge and the Vols’ comeback was over.

EAST REGIONAL (7) UCONN 81 (3) IOWA STATE 76 NEW YORK — DeAndre Daniels scored 27 points, 19 in the second half, and UConn held off Iowa State 81-76 on Friday to reach the East Regional final a year after the Huskies were barred from the NCAA tournament.

Daniels hit his first six shots after halftime, the only Husky to make a field goal for over 8½ minutes.

His 3-pointer gave seventhseeded UConn a 49-32 lead.

The Cyclones rallied late, pulling within 67-63 with 2½ minutes remaining. But senior Niels Giffey hit a 3 in the corner for his first points since the game’s opening moments, and when the Huskies (29-8) made their free throws in the final minute, the UConn fans packing Madison Square Garden could celebrate.

Dustin Hogue scored a career-high 34 points for thirdseeded Iowa State (28-8).

THURSDAY WEST REGIONAL (1) ARIZONA 70 (4) SAN DIEGO STATE 64

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nick Johnson put an awful first half behind him and came up big for Arizona in the final 2:45.

The Pac-12 player of the year scored all of his 15 points over that span after missing his first 10 shots,

and helped Arizona hold off San Diego State 70-64 on Thursday night to reach the final eight of the NCAA tournament.

Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 15 points each for the topseeded Wildcats (33-4), who will try to win a West Regional final for the first time in Anaheim. They’re 0-3 at Honda Center going into Saturday’s game against second-seeded Wisconsin (29-7).

Arizona coach Sean Miller joined his brother Archie in the final eight. The younger Miller coached Dayton to an 82-72 victory over Stanford of the Pac-12 in the South Regional semifinals.

Xavier Thames scored 25 points and Dwayne Polee added 13 points for the Aztecs (31-5). Those two tried to bail out SDSU in the final minute, each hitting 3-pointers before Thames’ basket cut the deficit to 65-61 with 38 seconds left.

SOUTH REGIONAL (1) FLORIDA 79 (4)UCLA 68 MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Florida Gators are back where their last three seasons have ended with yet another chance to go to the Final Four.

Being in the Elite Eight again, though, simply isn’t enough.

Michael Frazier II hit five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points as the Gators beat UCLA 79-68 Thursday night to reach its fourth consecutive NCAA regional final.

The Gators (35-2) also extended the best winning streak in school history to 29 straight in reaching the South Regional final.

The tournament’s overall top seed will play 11th-seeded Dayton on Saturday night for a trip to the Final Four. Dayton beat Stanford 82-72 earlier Thursday.

From wire reports

WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE The Associated Press

LINCOLN REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At Lincoln, Neb. Today UConn (36-0) vs. BYU (28-6), 4:30 p.m.

DePaul (29-6) vs. Texas A&M (26-8), 7 p.m.

Monday, March 31 Regional Championship Semifinal winners, 9:30 p.m.

STANFORD REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At Stanford, Calif.

Sunday Stanford (30-3) vs. Penn State (24-7), 4:30 p.m.

South Carolina (29-4) vs. North Carolina (26-9), 7 p.m.

Regional Championship Tuesday, April 1 Semifinal winners, 9 p.m.

NOTRE DAME REGIONAL

First Round Regional Semifinals At Notre Dame, Ind. Today Kentucky (26-8) vs. Baylor (31-4), Noon

Notre Dame (34-0) vs. Oklahoma State (25-8), 2:30 p.m.

Regional Championship Monday, March 31 Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

LOUISVILLE REGIONAL

Regional Semifinals At Louisville, Ky. Sunday Tennessee (28-5) vs. Maryland (26-6), Noon Louisville (32-4) vs. LSU (21-12), 2:30 p.m.

Regional Championship Tuesday, April 1 Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

FINAL FOUR

At Nashville, Tenn.

National Semifinals Sunday, April 6 Lincoln regional champion vs. Stanford regional champion, 6:30 or 8:30 p.m.

Notre Dame regional champion vs. Louisville regional champion, 6:30 or 8:30 p.m.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Tuesday, April 8 Semifinal winners, 8:30 p.m.

B4

|

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

AREA SCOREBOARD

775-2676, Chan Floyd at (803) 774-8555 or Rick Lavergne at (803) 481-3048.

GOLF

GOLFERS BIBLE STUDY

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER GOLF CLASSIC

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)

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

FISHING BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT

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

MCMILLON FROM PAGE B1 Pelicans.

“If I can get guys like that,” Medlin said, “it was really beneficial. Those guys listening to Billy and watching Tyler Smith work, that sends a great message.”

McMillon normally returns

to Clemson University, his alma mater, during the offseason yet didn’t get there this time. He was happy to visit Medlin’s group. “I try to help him out,” McMillon said.

“Anything I can do to help him out.”

USCS FROM PAGE B1 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. Taylor Hyssong has a 3.63 ERA while Keaton Haack leads the group with at 1.87.

“They have very good weekend starters,” Medlin said. “It’s going to be a matchup of very good pitching, and I think we’ve got the depth to go with anyone.”

USCS’ weekend rotation has remained solid. Not including Tuesday’s twinbill against Anderson University’s junior varsity squad, the Fire Ants still boast a 2.28 team ERA led by starters Trevor Bradley (1.20) and Fernando Pinillos (1.53) and relievers David Sauer (0.87) and Dylan Miller (0.00 in 7 1/3 IP).

The stats would seem to favor USC Sumter in that regard as Pitt’s offense has struggled somewhat this season with a .261 average.

Catcher Alex Kowalczyk has been the biggest spark with a .348 average and has driven in 18 runs. Zach Holton is the

only other regular batting above .300 (.308).

The Fire Ants meanwhile saw a bit of rejuvenation last weekend on offense. After shuffling the lineup, USCS scored 13 runs on Saturday against the Lancers and a combined 28 against Anderson.

“We’ve really swung the bats well the last five, six games,” Medlin said. “In that first game against Lancaster on Sunday, we just couldn’t get the big 2-out hit or hit with runners in scoring position or it could have easily been 4- or 5-0. Jackson just shut us down the second game, so my hat’s off to him, but we’ve done better lately.”

The Fire Ants have six regulars batting .300 or better, led by Ryan Perkins at .346.

The biggest adversary for USCS this weekend might again be the weather. The forecast calls for a 70 to 80 percent chances of rain all weekend for the Greenville, N.C., area.

DESHIELDS FROM PAGE B1 for the fourth-seeded Tar Heels (26-9). The daughter of former major league baseball player Delino DeShields averages a team-high 18.1 points, has scored in double figures in all but four games and even set a single-game freshman scoring record with 38 points — 27 after halftime — in that N.C. State win.

She struggled for much of the NCAA first-round game against UT Martin, going without a basket in the first half before sparking UNC’s comeback from 18 down to win. Two days later, she dominated Michigan State with 24 points and a season-high 12 rebounds while locking down defensively on senior Klarissa Bell in the victory.

Spartans coach Suzy Merchant called DeShields “a special talent” and said she was unlike any player her team had faced in the Big Ten, most notably in how she elevates over defenders.

“When she’s what she was tonight,” Merchant said, “you can’t stop her.”

Now it’s up to the top-seeded Gamecocks (29-4) and coach Dawn Staley to slow her down.

The teams met in December, with DeShields scoring 17 points in UNC’s 74-66 win.

“She was born to play this game,” Staley said. “You’ve got to try and defend her, make it harder for her to get in the flow. She’s a hard guard for us and any team she’s facing. You can’t let her get off and help everybody else get off, too.”

If there is a blueprint for defending DeShields, UCLA came the closest to it in November.

UCLA coach Cori Close said her team played zone to clog the paint and force the Tar Heels to shoot from outside.

Close said her team privately aimed to limit DeShields to about 15 points.

Instead, DeShields missed early shots, got in foul trouble and never got into a good

rhythm. She finished with her worst game: three points on 1-for-8 shooting before fouling out in just 20 minutes in UNC’s 78-68 win.

Of course, that scheme wouldn’t work if DeShields is hitting from outside.

“I think I’d see what kind of day she’s having — is she having a Tennessee-Martin day or a Michigan State day?” Close said. “I think you have to pick something with her. If I thought she was really hitting her jumper, ... I’d probably designate one person that that would be her only job, to faceguard her and try to deny touches before she even gets it and make her work harder to get those kind of touches.

“If she’s having a good night, you’re going to have a tough time. At the same time, if you can make her work extremely hard even to touch the ball, maybe over the course of time you can slow her down.”

Besides, that defensive attention opens up DeShields’ teammates, like when fellow freshman Allisha Gray scored a season-high 30 points with six 3-pointers in UNC’s win at UCLA. At this point, DeShields — who is averaging 20.5 points in her last 12 games — is ready for anything.

“If you have to defend me, it’s mental and you’ve just got to be ready,” DeShields said.

“I’ll throw curve balls, it’s not just going to be the same pitch. You’ve just got to stay on your toes.”

South Carolina

Newspaper Network

THE SUMTER ITEM

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 will be at 3 p.m.

For more information, call (803) 4649741 or (803) 720-4269.

BASKETBALL SUMTER CHRISTIAN CLINICS Registration is being taken for the Sumter Christian School 2014 Basketball Clinics to be held over the summer.

There will be four 5-day sessions at a cost of $45 per camper. A camp for children in grades 1-3 will be held June 9-13, grades 3-6 June 23-27, grades 6-9 July 7-11 and graves 9-12 July 21-25. The camps will run each day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The camp instructors will be the SCS coaching staff of Bobby Baker, Tom Cope and Jimmy Davis.

For more information, call Baker at (803) 469-9304 or (803) 464-3652.

NASCAR

Kyle Busch wins pole at Martinsville

BY HANK KURZ JR. The Associated Press MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Kyle Busch has seen it time and again at Martinsville Speedway.

Driving down pit road, heading back onto the track and in contention for the lead, Busch is used to seeing the pole-sitter gun the engine just off the jack and reassume the race lead.

Busch hopes to finally get to experience that for himself at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday after earning the pole on KYLE BUSCH NASCAR’s smallest, tightest track for the first time in 19 career starts.

“I think that’s a great thing for us,” Busch said after winning the pole with a lap at 99.674 mph. “We get to pit there and of course drop the jack and just lunge across the line and be good.

“You need to still run up front all day. I think that it’s a great opportunity for us to pick up some spots say if we’re second, third, fourth, whatever, but you definitely always want to stay as close to the front as you can and try not to use that box as much as some guys have in the past.”

The pole is the 14th of Busch’s career.

In an interesting twist under NASCAR’s new knockout qualifying system, Busch won it while Joey Logano set a track record.

That came at 100.201 mph during the first phase of two-session qualifying. All 44 cars competed in the 30-minute first session, and the top 12 moved into the 10-minute phase two.

Denny Hamlin earned the No. 2 starting spot with a lap at 99.548 mph, and will be followed on the starting grid by Logano and Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. That puts Busch in some pretty accomplished company be-

STP 500 LINEUP The Associated Press After Friday qualifying; race Sunday At Martinsville Speedway Martinsville, Va. Lap length: .526 miles (Car number in parentheses) 1. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 99.674 mph.

2. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 99.548.

3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 99.428.

4. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 99.178.

5. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 99.048.

6. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 99.048.

7. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 98.883.

8. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 98.846.

9. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 98.625.

10. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 98.165.

11. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 97.764.

12. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 97.382.

13. (55) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 98.965.

14. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 98.929.

15. (47) A J Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 98.888.

16. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 98.877.

17. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 98.712.

18. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 98.707.

19. (23) Alex Bowman, Toyota, 98.661.

20. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 98.625.

21. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 98.61.

cause Hamlin (4), Johnson and Gordon (8 each) have won a lot.

Busch, though, is coming off a victory last week at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., and while he said it wasn’t dominating, it gave him hope that the Joe Gibbs Racing teams are coming together.

“It just seems to be working well right now, whatever is working,” he said.

Hamlin, who promised earlier in the day that he would win on Sunday, wasn’t in love with the outside starting spot because it can be tricky to get down to the bottom on restarts from the outside, said nothing that happened in practice or qualifying made his change his view of how it can all unfold.

“I knew, even going into this weekend, I knew we were going to be really good contenders and be in the mix anyway,” he said. “I feel like after running a couple laps of practice I felt like this was a car that was capable of winning. I think with tire management being more of

HALL FROM PAGE B1 John McGraw and La Russa.

On the tour, Cox raised his eyebrows when Erik Strohl, vice president of exhibitions and collections for the Hall of Fame, mentioned that players in the game’s infancy didn’t wear gloves for 40 years.

When Maddux gazed at a black-andwhite photo of Babe Ruth driving a convertible in the 1920s, he wondered aloud about the man sitting in the passenger seat as he snapped a photo with his cell phone (it was Ruth’s agent, Christy Walsh).

Maddux smirked when Strohl said the 1859 baseball rule book mandated a 50-cent fine for swearing and ejection for a second violation.

“There’s so much about the history of baseball,” Maddux said. “To come here and learn some things about the game — it’s fascinating. It’s a history lesson every time you walk through here.”

This year’s class includes three inductees who helped transform the Braves into

22. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 98.61.

23. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 98.599.

24. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 98.599.

25. (51) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 98.43.

26. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 98.379.

27. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 98.359.

28. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 98.333.

29. (32) Travis Kvapil, Ford, 98.246.

30. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 98.206.

31. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 98.2.

32. (95) Michael McDowell, Ford, 98.002.

33. (98) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 97.957.

34. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 97.886.

35. (26) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 97.82.

36. (40) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 97.759.

37. (33) David Stremme, Chevrolet, owner points.

38. (83) Ryan Truex, Toyota, owner points.

39. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, owner points.

40. (7) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, owner points.

41. (30) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, owner points.

42. (36) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, owner points.

43. (66) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, owner points.

Failed to Qualify 44. (35) David Reutimann, Ford, 97.759.

a factor than it’s ever been, it kind of lends itself to my driving style even more. For that reason I think we’ll be tough on Sunday.”

Logano has two top-10 finishes on the 0.526-mile oval, but none since 2010.

“So we’ve got a track record, but we don’t have a pole. How does that work?” he asked.

A solid pit position, he said, could help turns things around on Sunday.

“Obviously, the pit stall is very important, especially here. It’s a dangerous pit road, so you want to get a nice spot you can get in and out of, but obviously here it’s a slow pit road and you can make up a lot with timing lines on pit road,” he said.

“For that reason alone it’s big, and that’s worth multiple spots throughout the race when you’re thinking about making a lot of pit stops.”

Danica Patrick qualified 10th, her best starting spot in a race not held at Daytona. Her previous best starting position was 21st, accomplished twice last season.

a powerhouse during their long run of success, and they’ll likely be joined by another next year. That scenario wasn’t lost on Cox when he spotted a photo of former Braves right-hander John Smoltz, who’s eligible in 2015 for induction.

“Oh, my gosh! Got a picture of Smoltzie,” Cox said, smiling. “He’s going to have to sweat it out for another year.”

Strohl also brought out the glove Rube Waddell wore when he beat Cy Young in a 20-inning duel on the Fourth of July in 1905.

Waddell pitched 19 straight scoreless innings after allowing two runs in the first inning and got the winning hit off Young, who did not walk a batter.

“That’s a tough loss,” Maddux said.

In the library, Strohl showed Cox and Maddux a copy of the scorecard New York Giants broadcaster Russ Hodges filled out when he announced Bobby Thomson’s winning home run to beat the Dodgers in a 1951 playoff game with rookie Willie Mays in the on-deck circle.

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(HD) by boy. (HD) (HD) (HD) Community: Ac- Community The First Family: The First Family Mr. Box Office Mr. Box Office Access Hollywood (N) (HD) The Arsenio Hall Show Late night Futurama: Kif counting for Law- Mother’s death. The First Butler Getting old. (HD) (HD) Energy drink. (HD) variety/talk show. (HD) Gets Knocked Up yers (HD) (HD) (HD) a Notch Entertainment Tonight (N) (HD)

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(5:30) The Fast and the Furious (‘01, 2 Fast 2 Furious (‘03, Action) aa Paul Walker. An undercover cop and an The Bourne Supremacy (‘04, Action) aaac Matt Damon. Bourne is blamed for murder in Action) aac Paul Walker. ex-con take on a money laundering operation. a failed CIA operation and goes on the run.

Debt Debt Greed: Young Lust Goes Bust The Suze Orman Show (N) Super Rich Super Rich Super Rich Super Rich Suze Orman CNN CNN Spot Chicagoland: Me and My Mayor Death Row: Gloria Killian Death Row: Joe D’Ambrosio Chicagoland: Me and My Mayor Death Row (6:30) Liar Liar (‘97, Comedy) aac Jim Carrey. A dis- Dumb & Dumber (‘94, Comedy) aaa Jim Carrey. Two bumbling buffoons drive Amy Schumer: Mostly Sex Stuff Hannibal Buress honest lawyer finds he can’t lie. (HD) cross-country to return ill-gotten money. (HD) Comic’s sex life. (HD) (N) Tangled (‘10, Fantasy) aaac Mandy Moore. (:45) Despicable Me (‘10, Comedy) aaac Steve Carell. A master thief Mighty Med Jessie (HD) Liv and Maddie Good Luck CharLong-haired princess trapped in tower. decides to use three orphaned girls to pull off a big heist.

Friend problems.

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Mixed Blessing Property Brothers (HD) Property Brothers (HD) Property Brothers (HD) House Hunters (N) (HD) Hunters (HD) Hunters (HD) Prop Bro (HD) Vikings: Brother’s War Vikings: Invasion Vikings: Treachery Vikings: Eye for an Eye (:02) Vikings: Answers in Blood (:01) Vikings Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Acts Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Mur- Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Law & Order: of Contrition (HD) Missing teen. (HD) der case. (HD) Saving Face (HD) Scared Crazy Odd therapy. (HD) Criminal (HD) (6:00) Taken Back: Finding Haley Zoe Gone (‘14, Drama) Sammi Hanratty. A teen mom’s maternal instincts The Wrong Woman (‘13, Thriller) Danica McKellar. Woman can’t remember (:02) Zoe Gone (‘12, Thriller) Moira Kelly. (HD) are ignited when her baby is kidnapped. (HD) committing crime. (HD) (‘14) (HD) Sam & Cat (N) Sponge (N) Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2014 (N) Instant (N) Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2014 Friends Friends Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Auction (N) Auction (N) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Cops (HD) Auction (HD) Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (‘09, Thriller) aaa Michael Sheen. The 30 Days of Night (‘07, Thriller) aaa Josh Hartnett. Vampires attack Alaskan city during the 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (‘10, origins of the Lycan-vampire feud. (HD) time in which the sun doesn’t come out.

Horror) ac Kiele Sanchez. (HD) (6:00) 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament: Regional 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament: Regional Final z{| NCAA Basketball Post-Game Cougar Town Final z{| (HD) The Great Race (‘65, Comedy) Jack His Girl Friday (‘40, Comedy) aaac Cary Grant. A newspaper editor Shock Corridor (‘63, Drama) aaac Peter Breck. A journalist is sent to While the City Lemmon. An early auto race. tries to convince his ex-wife to cover one last story. an asylum, where he tries to solve a murder case.

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World war looms as ‘Mr. Selfridge’ returns

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SUPPORT GROUPS AA, AL-ANON, ALATEEN: AA — Monday-Friday, noon and 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA Women’s Meeting — Wednesday, 7 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA Spanish Speaking — Sunday, 4:30 p.m., 1 Warren St. (803) 775-1852.

AA “How it Works” Group — Monday and Friday, 8 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call (803) 494-5180.

Al-Anon “Courage to Change” Support Group — Tuesday, 7 p.m., Alice Drive Baptist Church, Room 204, 1305 Loring Mill Road. Call Dian at (803) 316-0775 or Crystal at (803) 775-3587.

441 AA Support Group — Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 p.m., Hair Force, 2090-D S.C. 441.

AA Summerton Group — Wednesday, 8 p.m., town hall.

Manning Al-Anon Family Group — Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Behavioral Health Building, 14 Church St., Manning. Call Angie Johnson at (803) 435-8085.

C/A “Drop the Rock” Group — Thursday, 9:30 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call Elizabeth Owens at (803) 607-4543.

HIV/AIDS: Positive Outlook, through Wateree AIDS Task Force, will meet at 11:30 a.m. third Friday of each month.

Support group for those living with HIV / AIDS as well as their friends and family. For meeting location, contact Kevin, peer educator and advocate, at (803) 778-0303 or via email at watereeaids@sc.rr.com.

MONDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Vitiligo Support Group — second Monday of each month, 5:45-6:45 p.m., North HOPE Center, 904 N. Main St. Call Tiffany at (803) 316-6763. Find us on Facebook at Sumter Vitiligo Support.

TUESDAY MEETINGS: Sumter Connective Tissue Support Group — 1st Tuesday of Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov., 7 p.m., 180 Tiller Circle. Call (803) 773-0869.

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH How much do I hate the Kids’ Choice Awards (8 p.m. Saturday, Nickelodeon, TV-G)? Let me count the ways. For starters, I really can’t stand contrived fun, particularly the kind staged by adults for children that has all the subtlety of a big Hollywood production.

The practice of “sliming” talent at these events has been a central theme throughout the ceremony’s 27 years. Call it old, call it tired, call it done to death. The whole sliming thing — a contrived substitute for youthful exuberance — has about as much spontaneity as a gaggle of celebrities waiting for their tee time at the golf club. There’s nothing more desperate than choreographed joy.

If I had to name the most loathsome aspect of the event, I’d cite the forced commingling of childhood imagination and grown-up personalities. This year’s host, Mark Wahlberg, should be quite proud of his producer credits for “In Treatment,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Entourage.” None of these shows are for the kiddies.

So perhaps he should leave the sliming to those trained in juvenile entertainment.

• Killing off a major character used to be a shocking, even defining, moment of an important series. Has it become too commonplace?

At the risk of spoiling things, we’ve seen quite a few cast rearrangements over the past two seasons. In 2013, “Game of Thrones,” “Homeland” and “Downton Abbey” featured fatal shockers. And more recently, fans of “House of Cards” and “The Walking Dead” have seen the sudden departures of familiar favorites.

Add last week’s episode of “The Good Wife” (9 p.m. Sunday, CBS, TV-14) to the list.

For the sake of the show’s fans not yet in the loop, I’ll avoid naming names or giving elaborate commentary, except to say that you won’t see it coming — even if you already know it’s on the way.

Not to sound old-fashioned, but I blame social media for this recent spike in character mortality. We live in a world where you can pretty much watch anything anytime and catch up with “Breaking Bad” or “The Mothers-in-Law” at your leisure — on Netflix, Hulu

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Mothers of Angels (for mothers who have lost a child) — Every Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wise Drive Baptist Church.

Call Betty at (803) 469-2616 or Carol at (803) 469-9426.

EFMP Parent Exchange Group — Last Tuesday each month, 11 a.m.-noon, Airman and Family Readiness Center. Support to service members who have a dependent with a disability or illness. Call Dorcus Haney at (803) 8951252/1253 or Sue Zimmerman at (803) 847-2377.

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

PBS PRESSROOM / (C) ITV STUDIOS FOR MASTERPIECE

Jeremy Piven stars as Harry Gordon Selfridge on the “Masterpiece Classic” series “Mr. Selfridge,” which begins its second season at 9 p.m. Sunday on PBS. or any number of outlets. But marketers increasingly look to Twitter and other social sites to measure reaction to TV “events” in real time. And to get noticed, shows need to provide that “OMG” moment that folks can tweet about. And nothing sets the Twitterverse ablaze faster than sudden death.

• “Mr. Selfridge” enters a second season on “Masterpiece Classic” (9 p.m. Sunday, PBS, TV-PG, check local listings).

The show and its titular star (Jeremy Piven) return in a subdued mood due to the feisty independence of his arty wife and the gathering of war clouds over 1914 Europe.

A little gloom goes a long way here. My chief beef with the first season was Piven’s hammy exuberance. Ever the showman and salesman, he often looked ready — but never able — to burst into song, as if the highly choreographed “Selfridge” was a musical without music. This season’s less-frantic “Selfridge” is superior to the first.

SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS • Cinemax makes an offer some can’t refuse: back-to-back helpings of “The Godfather” (7 p.m.) and “The Godfather, Part II” (10 p.m.).

• On two episodes of “Mixolo-

gy” (ABC, r, TV-14): a chance encounter (8 p.m.); going out with a Jersey girl (8:30 p.m.).

• “Treblinka: Hitler’s Killing Machine” (8 p.m., Smithsonian) revisits the mechanics of genocide.

• An arsonist targets houses of worship on “Ripper Street” (9 p.m., BBC America, TV-MA).

SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS • Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (7 p.m., CBS): Wall Street highspeed trading; entrepreneur Elon Musk; piano virtuoso Marcus Roberts.

• A sudden downpour stops construction on “American Dream Builders” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG), but not the insufferable chatter.

• Bo goes hunting for a lost love letter on “Believe” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• Light, time and gravity converge to alter our perception on “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

• Tom pastors a third returnee on “Resurrection” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

• The target list grows on “Crisis” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques and Redd Foxx star in the 1970 detective drama “Cotton Comes to Harlem”

(9 p.m. Saturday, Bounce), an adaptation of Chester Himes’ novel, directed by Ossie Davis.

SATURDAY SERIES Temp work on “2 Broke Girls” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * Two hours of “Dateline NBC” (8 p.m.) * Genetic masks on “Almost Human” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) * Doing without on “Mom” (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV14) * Two episodes of “48 Hours” (9 p.m. and 10 p.m., CBS) * “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC) * Joe’s cult grows on “The Following” (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) * “Nightline Prime” (10 p.m., ABC) * Lena Dunham hosts a repeat of “Saturday Night Live” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

SUNDAY SERIES An exhausting roadblock on “The Amazing Race” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Homer works the World Cup on “The Simpsons” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) * Neal returns on “Once Upon a Time” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) * Peter starts smoking on “Family Guy” (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14) * Lisbon attracts Cupid’s arrow on “The Mentalist” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14) * Emily explores an old question on “Revenge” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

Copyright 2014, United Feature Syndicate

THURSDAY MEETINGS: TOPS S.C. No. 236 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) — Thursdays, 9 a.m., Spectrum Senior Center,1989 Durant Lane. Call Diane at (803) 775-3926 or Nancy at (803) 469-4789.

Asthma Support Group — Every 1st Thursday, 6 p.m., Clarendon County School District 3 Parenting Center, 2358 Walker Gamble Road, New Zion. Call Mary Howard at (843) 659-2102.

Alzheimer’s Support Group through S.C. Alzheimer’s Association — Every 1st Thursday, 6-8 p.m., McElveen Manor, 2065 McCrays Mill Road. Call Cheryl Fluharty at (803) 9057720 or the Alzheimer’s Association at (800) 636-3346.

Journey of Hope (for families members of the mentally ill), Journey to Recovery (for the mentally ill) and Survivors of Suicide Support Group — Each group meets every 1st Thursday, 7 p.m., St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive.

Call Fred Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

FRIDAY MEETINGS: Celebrate Recovery — Every Friday, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. program, Salt & Light Church, Miller Road (across from Food Lion).

For help with struggles of alcohol, drugs, family problems, smoking, etc.

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

B6

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COMICS

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Dating, peer pressure collide with teen’s morals DEAR ABBY — I’m 13, and my classmates are just beginning to “date.” Sometimes what this means is, Dear Abby “Hey, do you want to go to ABIGAIL my house, VAN BUREN get drunk and have sex?” There’s already a pregnant girl in our school.

I’m constantly being teased for not holding a guy’s hand, let alone not having had my first kiss. I have learned to deal with it, but my problem is there’s this one guy who has been flirting with me.

“Jon” is sweet and nice, but he’s part of the popular crowd.

I’m afraid if he asks me out,

THE SUMTER ITEM

he’ll end up trying to get me drunk. He’s different from the people he hangs out with, but I still don’t know if I can trust him.

I want to stay a virgin until I get married. I won’t drink until I’m 21, and I never intend to use drugs. But how do I say no if Jon asks me out and tries to have sex with me or gets me buzzed? I can’t hide my entire junior high-to-high school life and not accept a date.

Too young for trouble DEAR TOO YOUNG — There’s an old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together,” and it’s usually true. If the price of being popular at your school is being pregnant, then accept that you are better off NOT running with the popular crowd, even if Jon is “nice.”

Not all the students in your

class are into sex and drinking.

It’s up to you to avoid the ones who are and socialize with the ones whose values are like yours. If you do, you will never have to worry about someone getting you “buzzed” and taking advantage of you.

Before you go anywhere with anyone, your parents should have met the person.

There should be a clear understanding about where you’ll be, what time you’ll be home and which adult will be supervising.

Equally important: If you ever find yourself in a situation in which you are not comfortable, call your parents immediately so they can pick you up. Got it? You don’t have to be a prude, but you do have to set boundaries, and your parents can and should help you to do that.

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

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

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Lunch To-Go maker 9 Espresso feature 14 Inherit 15 Boring tool 16 A vacation often involves one 17 State birds of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin 18 Tony Soprano, for one 19 Navajo relative 20 Super Smash Bros. Brawl console 21 Pole, for one 23 Party person 24 Building owner, often 28 Air traveler’s concern 31 Real time news source 34 Many a Saudi 35 Quickly cooked cut 36 Seawater evaporation site 37 Brand no one wants 41 Time of existence 42 “__

chance!”

Poppycock Prevails in Listing Ocean floor dwellers 54 Payback 55 Like some angels 56 Slow-cooking method involving plastic bags 57 Circular 58 Not entirely DOWN 1 Rough writer’s output 2 Multimetallic Canadian coin 3 Guarneri relatives 4 Insta- relative 5 Cultural group 6 Words before a subject 7 Arouses 8 One-named Tevye portrayer 9 Frame in a photo lab 10 2000s sitcom set in Houston 11 Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene,” for one 12 Its arrival is often celebrated in ritual 13 11th-centu45 46 49 53

15 22 25 26 27

29 30

32 33 34 35 36

ry Benedictine philosopher Crosses Pribilof Islands native Action movie staple Cop (to) Shepherd memorably rescued during WWI F neighbor Japanese hands-on healing practice Pair with Reg. symbols Without a peep Like love potions Shorten, in a way

38 Cooking crust 39 One-celled organisms 40 Truman’s U.K. counterpart 43 Tibia neighbors 44 Used to hold food 47 Only 48 Many an “SNL” performer 50 Color slightly darker than electric blue 51 Work (out) 52 “To travel is to __”: Hans Christian Andersen

CLASSIFIEDS

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

THE ITEM

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803-774-1234

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

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL BUSINESS NOTICES SERVICES Beer & Wine License Notice Of Application Notice is hereby given that M & M Enterprises of Sumter DBA J & L Stop & Go intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license permit that will allow the sale ON premises consumption of Liquor at 2114 Hwy 521 S., Sumter, SC 29153. To object to the issuance of this permit / license, written protest must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2014. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the same county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protests must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214; or Faxed to: (803) 896-0110.

Notice Of Application Notice is hereby given that Ambelal Hotels Group, Inc. DBA Springhill Suites intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license permit that will allow the sale ON premises consumption of Beer, Wine and Liquor at 2645 Broad St. Sumter, SC 29150. To object to the issuance of this permit / license, written protest must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2014. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the same county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protests must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214; or Faxed to: (803) 896-0110.

Lawn Service Daniel's Lawn Care • Tree removal • Lawn Service • Mulch / Pine straw • Debris removal 803-968-4185 Oxendine & Son Lawn Care All your lawn care needs & pressure washing. Call Jonathan 803-565-2160 or Kerry 316-8726.

Four Seasons Lawn Care Serving Sumter for almost 20 yrs!

Free est. 494-9169/468-4008

Legal Service DIVORCE WITH OR WITHOUT children $125.00. Includes name change and property settlement agreement. SAVE hundreds. Fast and easy. Call 1-888-733-7165, 24/7

Roofing All Types of Roofing & Repairs All work guaranteed. 30 yrs exp.

SC lic. Virgil Bickley 803-316-4734.

Security Systems Security System equipment: 8 cameras & recorder with monitor.

Very little use. Asking $1,000. Call 803-494-4220

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

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.

803-316-0128

ANNOUNCEMENTS Lost & Found Lost: Nash/Phelps (Alice Dr school) area. Mini collie / Sheltie 5 yr old blue Merle (blk/white/red) female, long hair. Answers to Dolly. Call 931-310-1601 or bring home to 78 Nash St. Found: male beagle mix puppy @ the Old Camden Hwy. Owner call 803-607-9639 to identify.

Appliances (2) Wall ovens. Extra nice. $500 for both. Call 803-494-4220

Auctions ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION in 105 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 2.6 million readers. Call Jimmie Haynes at the S.C. Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377.

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.

For Sale or Trade

MERCHANDISE Computers & Equipment

Child Electric Go-Kart with 2 new batteries. Up to 125lbs, 12 MPH . $150. Small Girl's bike. $25.

Child's complete play kitchen, $150. Call 803-494-4220

My Computer Works. Computer problems?

Viruses, spyware, email, printer issues, bad internet connections - FIX IT NOW! Professional, U.S.-based technicians. $25 off service. Call for immediate help. 1-888-269-7891

REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL!* Get a whole-home Satellite system installed at NO COST and programming starting at $19.99/mo.

FREE HD/DVR Upgrade to new callers, SO CALL NOW 1-866-981-7319

Cash For Junk Cars, used Cars, junk Batteries & unwanted gift cards. Call Gene Beautiful Mahogany Dining Set: 803-934-6734 Furniture / Furnishings

Table w/ 12 chairs, 2 china cabinets, 2 storage chests, server with bar, (2) 6ft storage buffet cabinets. Custom built overseas.

Beautiful hand carvings on doors.

A real steal, cost over $35,000.

Must see to appreciate. Asking $8,000. Call 803-494-4220 All Upscale Furn: Table w/4 chairs $250. Curved Sofa w/2 recliners $800. 3pc Ent center $600. Solid wood desk and file cabinet $300.

Rosewood Shelf $300. Black desk & chair $200. 2 Armoires with drawers and mirrored doors $600 both. 803-494-4220

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales Neighborhood Yard Sale (Banbury Subd). , Sat. 7-1. Adger Lane.

Moving Sale Rain or Shine 1065 Radical Rd Fri & Sat 7-?

LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $1 & Up

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

Special front end load washer $399 Guarantee 464-5439/469-7311 Murray 16.5 riding mower, 42" cut, AT, $500. 4x8 steel bottom trailer, $600. Call 803-406-5356.

Antiques / Collectibles (2) Full Size Carousel Horses.

Beautifully hand-painted (2) Small horses. (1) with music box. All four $2,700. Very Great Steal. Call 803-494-4220

Extra Sturdy 12x10 Shed, $700.

Call 803-494-4220.

EMPLOYMENT

Open every weekend.

905-4242

Help Wanted Full-Time

Last Saturday in March Neighborhood Sale (Idlewild) Sat., 7AM. All streets. Lots of good stuff!!

STC Now Hiring Diesel Mechanic

203 Barefoot Ct (Idlewild Subd.)

Sat 7-1, Office furn.,/equip, monitors, NIB 15" pa speakers, patio swing, pool side furn, toys, plus sz clothes, daybed frame.

Multi-Family Sale; 394 Trailwood Dr. Fri, 5-8PM, Sat., 7AM-12PM. *Weather Permitting*. All proceeds benefits Relay For Life.

For Sale or Trade DirectTV. 2 Year Savings Event!

Over 140 channels only $29.99 a month. Only DirecTV gives you 2 YEARS of savings and a FREE Genie upgrade!

Call 1-800-908-5974

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

Help Wanted Part-Time $$$ AVON $$$ FREE TRAINING! 803-422-5555 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

Trucking Opportunities

Utility Buildings

FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Moving Sale: Sat 8-2, 2610 Turningleaf Lane (Dalzell), Furn. tv's chainsaw, wheelbarrow, size 18/20 ladies clothes, purses, shoes, 9 formal/semi-formal/prom dresses, crafts, hshld goods.

Help Wanted Full-Time

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

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 CDL drivers needed 21 & older, two years exp. Call 843-659-8254 or 843-659-2268

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

Truck Driver Looking for an exciting career with a growing agency and great benefits? Goodwill Industries of LSC currently has an opening for a full time Truck Driver in Sumter, SC. All interested candidates must apply online at: www.palmettogoodwill.org Goodwill Industries of LSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer minority/female/disability/veteran.

TRUCK MECHANIC/ TECHNICIAN Immediate openings for experienced truck and trailer mechanics / technicians for a locally based truck fleet. Duties include PM Service, general repair and some component rebuild or replacement and experience with Cat and Cummins engines a plus. Knowledge of Tanker HM - 183 inspections, hydraulic systems and some welding helpful. Benefit package includes medical, dental, prescription plan and life insurance. Paid holidays, Paid Vacation, 401k, profit sharing and uniforms supplied. Must have tools and pass pre-employment drug test, physical and have a valid driver's license. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Apply at FCI 132 Myrtle Beach Hwy Sumter, SC 29153 803-773-2611 x-24

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. Receptionist needed full time.

Computer skills a must. Send resume to: 2093 Alex Harvin Hwy. Manning, SC 29102.

a picture is

worth 1,000 words Include a photo of your item for sale, use up to 7 lines to describe it and run it for 1-week* for only

38

$

00

CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Call, email or fax us today!

classified@theitem.com • (803) 775-1024 FAX

(803) 774-1234

*1-Week (6-days). No refunds for early cancellations. Private Party only!

Businesses and Commercial accounts ineligible. All ads must be prepaid. All advertising subject to publisher’s approval. Special cannot be combined with any other discounts. Other restrictions may apply.

B8

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

Medical Help Wanted

Statewide Employment

Mobile Home Rentals

Land & Lots for Sale

Live-in CNA needed. Hrs: 9 am Fri - 9 am Sun. Non-smokers, must be strong & able to do stand/pivot transfers. Call 803-478-7434.

ADVERTISE YOUR DRIVER JOBS in 105 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 2.6 million readers. Call Jimmie Haynes at the S.C. Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377.

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

3 Lots in City limits (Bishopville).

Asking $20,000 or possible trade.

Call 803-459-4773

LAID OFF? PLANT CLOSING? Need that new job? Call Xtra Mile & enroll in CDL Class-A training today! 1-866-484-6313 / www.xtra miledrivertraining.com

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

Schools / Instructional AIRLINE CAREERS begin here Get trained as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-367-2513 Healthcare CAREERS - Looking for caring people to train for work in hospitals, clinics, health. Financial aid if qualified. Call Centura College Charleston 888-242-3623 / Columbia 888-891-1658.

HVAC Careers Start here - Heat things up with hands on training in months not years. Financial aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Centura College 888-891-1658.

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

Call 983-3438 or 406-2418

Statewide Employment GUARANTEED PAY! CLASS-A -CDL FLATBED DRIVERS NEEDED! Local, regional, OTR. Great pay package/benefits/401k match.

1yr exp. required. Call JGR 864-488-9030 Ext. 319, Greenville and Gaffney SC locations. www.j gr-inc.com WE NEED DRIVERS!! Immediate openings. OTR drivers, minimum 1yr. OTR experience. Late model conventional tractors/48' flatbed trailers. Top pay, insurance. Home most weekends. Senn Freight 1-800-477-0792 Superior Transportation New Careers for OTR Drivers Class A CDL 2yrs Exp Flatbed. Get paid for your Experience! Weekly Salary & Extra pay for weekends! Call 800-736-9486 Ext266 ATTN: DRIVERS - Home Run! Avg $1000 Weekly Now Hiring Recent Grads CDL A Req - 877-258-8782 www.ad-drivers.com Experienced OTR Flatbed Drivers earn 50 up to 55 cpm loaded. $1000 sign on to Qualified drivers.

Home most weekends. Call: 843-266-3731 / www.bulldoghiwa y.com EOE

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

RV parking avail. Call 494-8350

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

RENTALS Unfurnished Apartments

Vacation Rentals

8C Ann Park Studio Apt. all utilities inc. cable, $650/mo + $400/ sec. dep. Call 774-2085.

ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY FOR RENT OR SALE to more than 2.6 million South Carolina newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 105 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Call Jimmie Haynes at the South Carolina Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377.

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

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

775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Po Boy’s Rex Prescott Tommy Thompson

1999 Ford F150 Crew cab, PW, Sunroof, PL. 17' Chrome rims, $3,500 OBO. Call 803-464-3526

Miscellaneous DISH TV Retailer - Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month (where available.)

SAVE! Ask About SAME DAY Installation!

CALL Now! 1-800-635-0278

Autos For Sale Auto Choice Sales & Rentals Buy Here, Pay Here. No Credit, No Problem. Cash Rentals. 494-8827 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis $2500. 803-468-0060.

2002 Chevy Cavalier 87K mi.

Exc. Cond, gas saver. Asking $2,700 OBO. Call 803-447-5453

Reconditioned batteries $35. We buy OLD battery cores. Golf cart chargers for sale. Auto Electric Co 803-773-4381

Manufactured Housing

Mobile Homes with land. Ready to move in. Owner Financing (subject to credit approval). 3Br 2Ba. No renters. 803-454-2433, VMFhomes.com DL35711

Farms & Acreage

MAYESVILLE; 3BR/1BA brick home, appl's included. $350/mo + dep. 469-8328 or 803-983-9711

For Sale By Owner, 10 Acres , 8 mi. N of Sumter. Owner Financing 803-427-3888.

Mobile Home Rentals

Land & Lots for Sale 10-acres for sale on Raccoon Road near Jordan CommunityClarendon County. Residential / well / septic / farming. Serious inquirers.

Investors welcomed.Charles @ 704-699-6611, e-mail: cs.evans02@gmail.com

TREE REMOVAL

t 53*..*/( t 53&& 3&.07"t 456.1 3&.07"-

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

REAL ESTATE

’S TREE SERVICE PO BOYFREE ESTIMATES TREE CARE

2000 S10 ext. cab Pickup truck, V6, AT, cold AC, runs & drives perfect! $3700 OBO. 803-972-0771

A Guaranteed Credit Approval AUTO LOANS

Mobile Home with Lots

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

2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

Vans / Trucks / Buses

TRANSPORTATION

Autos For Sale

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.

Unfurnished Homes

STATEBURG COURTYARD

Hwy 441 Dalzell, ac, cleared, water, septic, elec $3K dn $225 mo 60 mo $13K. 713-870-0216

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

t 5011*/( t 413":*/( t 136/*/( t '&35*-*;*/( t #64) )0((*/(

OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE LICENSED & INSURED

FIREWOOD DELIVERY

469-7606 or 499-4413

More Bang for your buck

I Found it in the

CLASSIFIEDS

JOBS HOMES APARTMENTS CARS BOATS MOTORCYCLES BIKES FURNITURE PETS GARAGE SALES & MORE GET THE CLASSIFIEDS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR. 803-774-1258

CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Call, email or fax us today!

classified@theitem.com • (803) 775-1024 FAX

(803) 774-1234

No refunds for early cancellations. Private Party only! Businesses and Commercial accounts ineligible. All ads must be prepaid. All advertising subject to publisher’s approval. Special cannot be combined with any other discounts. Other restrictions may apply.

/ .BHOPMJB 4USFFU t 4VNUFS 4$ XXX UIFJUFN DPN

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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g n i r p S N E D R A G & E

M O H

2014

PHOTO BY MIKE BOND

Hello, warmer weather and new ideas for gardening and decorating.

Maybe sprucing up for springtime and the coming blistering months of summer seems daunting. Maybe you want your yard to look like those around you, but you don’t have the time or energy for it. In that case, March 20, the vernal equinox, has come and gone.

Lighter, brighter days are here, bulbs are just showing we’ve got a few ideas for you, too.

We’ve talked with experts in the area who have their shoots and picnicking suddenly sounds like a shared their tips and know-how just for you. Our splendid way to spend an afternoon. guide will help you take the stress out of preparing After two ice storms that swept through our area this year, it’s time to celebrate new growth and warmer days. your home and garden plot to look their best.

My mom once told me she almost decided my middle Dust off those garden gloves, put some new gas and oil in your mower and stock up on plant food. Spring is name would be “Spring,” as I was born right around the change of the seasons that year. It would have been finally here for us.

This year’s Spring Home & Garden section is packed fitting, as Spring is my favorite season. I already have with tips on how you can get the most out of your yard 22 various bulbs, a raspberry bush and a new rose bush in my yard this year, and my bird feeder is full. this season, including which plants grow best in our Bring on Spring. area, how to attract beautiful wildlife to your property

BY MELANIE SMITH mbyer@theitem.com (803) 774-1293

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SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

Use these 2 simple products to clean

Fire up these grills

BY ROB COTTINGHAM rcottingham@theitem.com (803) 774-1225 As the season shifts from winter to spring, temperatures rise, but the heat might not be coming from the sun.

Those amazing smells surely aren’t.

Every spring, millions of Americans begin pulling out the grills and cleaning them for the warm weather ahead.

Eventually, it’s time to buy a new one, and Ronnie Galloway of Simpson Hardware in Sumter has you covered.

Galloway’s been working at the store for eight years. In that time, he’s learned a thing or two about grills and their many accessories and options, so forget what you thought you knew about grilling.

While the store still offers traditional Weber lines of charcoal and gas grills, there are some newer options available that have gained a mass following.

Time to fire it up.

THE BIG GREEN EGG Of the many options at Simpson Hardware, Galloway said there’s a clear favorite among trending grills: the Big Green Egg. Almost entirely ceramic, the Big Green Egg grill imitates the cooking conditions provided by traditional brick ovens, and its name is about as spot-on as it gets. These hunter green, elliptical beauties are sure to satisfy anyone who enjoys grilling.

“There’s nothing they can’t handle,” Galloway said.

“They’re great smokers, great for searing and slow cooking. You can set your temperature, drop in a Boston butt and walk away for five hours. When you come back, it’ll be perfectly cooked.”

According to Galloway, word is getting around. Despite a steeper price range — roughly $500 for a small Egg to just under $1,100 for an extra large — the ceramic juggernauts have sold quite well.

“We sold 25 large Big Green Eggs in December alone,” Galloway said. “People love them.”

And they’re very clean, too.

“They use carbon coal, which burns for a long time and gets very hot, so you don’t need too much — maybe a handful of coals — to keep it going for a long time,” Galloway said. “And

T

he more environmentally conscious and the penny

pinchers can now rejoice.

Name-brand producers of baking soda and borax now offer a number of cleaning concoctions you can make from the box in the fridge or the laundry room.

USES OF 20 MULE TEAM® BORAX:

ROB COTTINGHAM / THE SUMTER ITEM

Maj. Nick Sporinsky, a logistics planner for U.S. Army Central, takes a look at a Big Green Egg grill recently at Simpson Hardware on Wesmark Boulevard in Sumter. Sporinsky said recent weather threw his family grill across the yard several times, which brought him into the store to look at newer options. carbon coal hardly gives off any smoke, which gets rid of that lighter fluid or burnt charcoal taste many people don’t like.”

Big Green Egg grills don’t require any lighter fluid, as an electric or conventional fire starter is enough to ignite the coals. A bag of Big Green Egg coals costs about $28, but it far outlasts traditional charcoal, Galloway said.

If there’s any grilling accessory needed for the job at hand, Big Green Egg also makes an entire line of accessories, including cooking utensils, recipe books and how-to guides. Galloway strongly recommends the company’s line of flavored wood chips.

“If you’re really into smoking meats, you have to try them,” he said. “All you have to do is light the coals and drop in the wood chips.

They’ve got all kinds of flavors, such as hickory, oak, maple and even Jack Daniels.”

Galloway said he’s seen many grills come and go but assures consumer satisfaction with Big Green Egg products.

“It’s the best grill ever made, hands down,” he said.

THE ORION COOKER If smoking is more your game, especially for large groups, then Galloway strongly recommends the Orion Cooker.

This sturdy, stainless steel cylinder grill boasts it can cook a 20-pound turkey in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Seems like a fishin’ tale, right?

“The suggested cooking times for the Orion Cooker are on-the-dot accurate,” Galloway said. “And it’s perfectly moist and tender.”

Using two coal bins, one at the top of the cylinder and another surrounding the base, the Orion Cooker uses a convection current to produce a steady, indirect heat to cook the items inside. This allows the meat to cook thoroughly and quickly without losing any flavor or quality.

“The flavor is wonderful,” Galloway said. “People brag about how good the food is that comes from these cookers all the time.”

The cooker comes with three grilling grates, three rib hangers, a poultry stand with a lifting handle and a cooking manual, Galloway said.

“You can cook up to six racks of ribs at one time,” he said, “which makes it great for large parties.”

What’s probably more impressive than its convenience is its price. The Orion Cooker is modestly priced at about $140.

“You can’t go wrong with it,” Galloway said. “It’s a fantastic bargain.”

CHAR-BROIL BIG EASY Speaking of poultry, turkey’s not just for Thanksgiv-

ing, and recent trends show that deep frying the large birds is the preferred way to cook them.

The only downside is the risk involved, as many house fires arise from deep frying turkeys. It’s that pesky oil that causes such a problem.

Well, you can breathe a little easier.

The Char-Broil Big Easy is a great alternative, according to Galloway. The Big Easy is a gas-powered, oil-free turkey fryer that doesn’t sacrifice any flavor or tenderness.

“It comes out looking just like it does on the box,” Galloway said. “It’s fantastic.”

It’s also a cost-cutting cooker, he added. The Big Easy starts at about $100, which makes the grill, itself, quite affordable, but the real saving lies in not having to fill it with oil, which can be expensive to do.

“If you use it twice, it pays for itself,” Galloway said.

The Big Easy isn’t limited to frying. The product’s website boasts that it’s also an excellent roaster and smoker.

The absence of coals and oil makes the cooker more of an indoor option, which means you won’t have to sit in the sweltering summer sun or the frigid winds of winter to keep an eye on it.

Regardless of how you use the Big Easy, Galloway said it’s safe to bet on satisfaction.

“People who buy them brag about how good the food is all year long,” he said.

• For a multipurpose cleaner that won’t scratch delicate hard surfaces and still removes grime, grease and other stains, mix ½ cup of borax in one gallon of hot water.

• This same formula can be used for carpet steam-cleaning machines.

• Adding ½ cup of borax to your sink full of dishes can reduce water spotting, remove grime and shine your utensils, pots and pans.

• To remove soap scum, hard water deposits and dirt from shower stalls and tubs as well as bathroom walls, sprinkle borax on a damp sponge or cloth. Not only does it remove stains, but it will also brighten grout and tile.

• To clean the toilet bowl, sprinkle 1/4 cup of borax in and swish with the toilet brush to remove bacteria and odor.

SOLUTIONS FROM ARM & HAMMER™ BAKING SODA: • Clean your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling the baking soda on a clean, damp sponge or brush. Scrub the shower curtain and rinse clean. Hang it up to dry.

• To clean floors, even nowax ones, and tile, mix 1/2 cup of baking soda in a bucket of water. Mop and rinse.

• Clean and remove marks from walls and painted furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth.

• Similarly, to clean a dirty microwave, sprinkle the baking soda on a damp sponge and wipe. Rinse well.

• To clean your coffee or tea stains from pots and cups, add 1/4 cup of baking soda to one quart of warm water and soak before washing.

Information compiled by staff writer Jade Reynolds from 20muleteamlaundry.com and armandhammer.com.

Smartphone apps make doing it yourself much easier

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS revans@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 In this digitally-influenced society, there aren’t very many activities that we indulge in without a smartphone, tablet or laptop somewhere close by.

Even when you’re taking on spring improvement projects for your home or just spending time enjoying the outdoors this season, an app can help you out. Here are a few cool apps that you can try out this spring.

MOSQUITO REPELLENT Mosquito bites can easily be avoided this year by using one of the many apps available for iPhones and Androids.

Here’s how it works. Mosquitos normally stay away from certain sonic frequencies. The app emits a high-frequency sound that mosquitos dislike and keeps them away, and ultimately keeps them from attacking you. The sound the app emits is very high frequency, which means most humans won’t even hear it.

The app uses very low battery power, so don’t worry about it draining your phone.

IMAGEMETER Looking to change your furniture in

your home but not quite sure of the dimensions of the room? This app is perfect for you to complete the task without too much hassle. ImageMeter allows you to measure dimensions, angles and areas using images. Basically, you take a photo of the space and annotate it with the dimensions on your phone or tablet. So before you buy anything, use this app for the correct measurements.

COLOR911 Whether you’re painting the exterior of your home or brightening up a specific room for the spring or in preparation of the birth of a new baby, choosing a color is sometimes a tough part of the process. Color911 by Amy Wax, an artist and experienced color consultant, can help you figure out a color you can live with.

The app allows you to choose from Wax’s different themes, create your own color palettes and organize your color ideas. Simply, Color911 helps you become properly prepared for choosing the right color before you walk into your local home-improvement store.

FRIDGE PAL Everyone has had that moment when you get to the grocery store and realize

you’ve forgotten your list, so you decide to wing it. As a result, you may return home with purchases you don’t really need. Fridge Pal may help you avoid this minor dilemma.

This app, available for iPhones and Androids, allows you to create shopping lists and share them. You can also organize shopping lists for each store where you shop. To avoid buying products you already own, Fridge Pal can scan the barcodes of the items in your fridge and keep reminders of what you have at home and send you reminders about expiration dates.

HANDYMAN CALCULATOR Complete minor projects around your home with this app. The Handyman Calculator is a construction calculator that allows you complete DIY projects with simple inputs. The app includes a fraction calculator, square-footage calculator, a time-tracking tool and a feet and inches calculator.

IHANDY LEVEL Don’t have a level on hand? This free app has a simple, high-definition bubble level that makes it possible to straighten a photo, shelf, etc. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IHANDY LEVEL

iHandy Level is a free app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users that will help you finally straighten that picture on your wall.

SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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‘Sky is the limit’ with spring container gardening

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 From suitcases to bicycle baskets to pallets, people are often customizing their plant containers by using recycled materials.

Marjorie Hill and her husband, Trey, used pallets to make a vertical garden.

“It took about two hours,” she said.

“We’re both good at woodworking.”

She got the idea off the website Pinterest. They created scooped, J-like shelves in the structure and lined them with landscape fabric.

“It’s used to prevent weeds in flower beds, but we just used it to help hold the soil in,” Marjorie Hill said.

Other options include coconut fiber, also called coir, and sphagnum moss, said Marlene Malcom, Master Gardener with Southern States Palmetto Farm Supply.

“They keep soil inside your basket like a filter holds coffee grounds, (and) they’re easy to cut to fit your container,” she said.

On the top shelf, Hill placed rosemary because it grows tall. In the middle, she placed thyme. As a ground cover, it tends to spread out more than up, she said.

“It was next to the kitchen and out our back door,” Hill said. “The wall was just the right size to fit the pallet.”

In the bottom she put marigolds. The Hills also drilled holes so that they watered the plants in the top, and it drained down to water the other ones.

“I watered them about every other day if it didn’t rain that week,” she said.

Container plants can and do dry out quickly, Malcom said.

“Check them often,” she said. “If the soil is dry one inch below the surface, it’s time to water.”

After she cleans out the old, dead plants and used soil, Hill plans to plant even more flowers and herbs in

JADE REYNOLDS / THE SUMTER ITEM

Lightweight soil mix is one of the most important factors in creating a container garden from recycled items, said Master Gardener Marlene Malcom. She also recommends using a fertilizer, as frequent watering washes away nutrients. fresh, new soil.

“The most important thing is your soil mix,” Malcom said.

Really, anything can be used to make a container garden as long as certain steps are followed, she said: • If it is going to be hanging or mounted, make sure you give it the proper support.

• Make sure it has good drainage.

• Research your plants. Know if they like shade or sun, how big they will get, what their water needs are, etc.

• If you have pets, check to make sure the plant is not toxic to the animals or is out of their reach.

• When watering, use a soft spray so you don’t splash water or soil out.

• The frequent watering does flush nutrients from the soil, so fertilize container plants regularly.

• Remove fading flowers to keep plants healthy and blooming well.

“You know those Topsy Turvy planters? My friend used a bucket to grow tomato plants that way a couple of years ago,” Malcom said. “Broken-up (pots) are still usable. Really, the sky is the limit.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Marjorie Hill displays a vertical pallet garden outside her home. It has rosemary on top, thyme in the middle and marigolds on the bottom.

Tame everyday clutter with drop zones around your home

BY FAMILY FEATURES FIND MORE ONLINE For further information on how to organize your home, visit www.ClosetMaid. com, www.

StorganizationBlog. com or call 800874-0008.

ClosetMaid products are available locally at Lowe’s.

After returning home from a long day at work, a weekend soccer tournament or an all-day shopping excursion, it’s natural to want to drop everything and relax. However, literally dropping everything can cause a tremendous amount of clutter in the home, leading to stress, misplaced items and wasted time.

Try establishing designated drop zones throughout your house to regain a sense of order. You can

still drop everything and relax when you come home — just drop everything in the right spot.

convenient place to take off shoes and neatly stow them away.

store your keys and other small essentials.

KITCHEN

ENTRYWAY

Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, many family members congregate here. Establish a corner of the kitchen counter to drop lunch boxes, bottles and coffee mugs used throughout the day.

To prevent a pile-up of papers and misplaced items, set up a command center with enough space to file mail and bills and

Don’t let relaxation be delayed because of disorganization. Depending on the size of your living room and how you use the space, you may need to establish several drop zones. For example, a coffee table tray or basket is ideal for storing remotes and chargers. Add storage cubes with bins as a convenient place to store and hide laptop cords,

As the first and last access point of your home, a lot of activity occurs here.

To control unruly entryway clutter, try creating a drop zone near the door.

The addition of a coat rack or hooks make it easy to hang up outerwear, while a storage bench, such as ClosetMaid’s 3-Cube Bench, is a

LIVING ROOM

tablets, gaming equipment and children’s toys.

Consider labeling a bin for each family member to “drop” or stow their stuff.

BEDROOM To clear clothing clutter, use a valet rod to hang up tomorrow’s outfit or clothes that need to be taken to the tailor or dry cleaner. Additionally, try designating a dresser drawer as a drop zone for jewelry, watches, your wallet or other valuables.

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SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

Making your laundry detergent can be easy

BRISTOW MARCHANT / THE SUMTER ITEM

Steve Carlisle, left, and Tim Hodge with Smoak Landscaping and Irrigation lay down sod on a new lawn. An amateur can make some common mistakes in caring for his or her lawn, but professionals know the whens, whats and hows of keeping your grass healthy.

Is the grass always greener?

With sod and care, it can be

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 Springtime is a green time, as plants and trees spring back to life. After the doldrums of winter, it can be a beautiful and reinvigorating time of year. Unless your green thumb is a bit more yellowish-brown, in which case it might match the color of your lawn.

Even someone who isn’t naturally inclined to work in a garden faces the challenge of dealing with a yard full of grass on occasion. When to mow? When to water? How often? And what about fertilizer?

Joey Smoak is familiar with these dilemmas. He deals with them all the time as owner of Smoak Landscaping and Irrigation, where he installs lawns on residential and commercial properties, including sprinkler systems, shrubs, trees and most of all grass, whether seed or sod.

“A common mistake is to use too much water,” Smoak said. “It should really depend on the season.”

During the warmer part of the year, a healthy lawn should drink about two inches of precipitation per week. The right sprinkler system can be set up to provide just the right amount of wetness, preferably spread over two or three run times.

“That lets it dry out. It stresses the grass and runs the roots deep,” Smoak said. “Monday-Wednesday-Friday is a good generic three-day span.”

In winter, grass is dormant and needs less attention. If seasonal rainfall drops below average, your sprinkler system should run at most every one to two weeks.

“But unless there’s a drought, mine is off,” Smoak said.

The amateur yard owner will water her grass in the evenings after work, but this is incorrect.

Better to water in the morning, when dew forms naturally, and let the evaporation process take its course. Soaking your lawn just before nightfall, Smoak said, “is like leaving a wet diaper on a

baby. You’re going to have problems.”

Mowing is another challenge, mostly because different species of grass need to be mowed at different times.

Bermuda grass, popular on golf courses, has to get a haircut at least every other day. Centipede grass, which is popular for homes, should be left alone for seven to 10 days to reach the same height.

Most people get into a habit of mowing in a set pattern, but this can compact the grass in the regularly affected areas.

Mowing patterns should vary over time.

Instead of mowing from the perimeter of the yard into the center, try mowing in diagonal paths, which creates a similar affect to what you might see in a baseball outfield.

Smoak recommends leaving a blade of grass standing two to two and a half inches from the soil. If you’re using St. Augustine grass, which grows best in shadier spots, allow for at least three inches.

If cut too short, “it reduces the leaf strength of the plant,” he said. “The blade is where it conducts photosynthesis. More leaf gives it more light.”

Fertilizer is another hot topic in the lawncare world and can depend on local conditions in your yard. If not administered properly, some chemicals can kill the grass you’re trying to help. Smoak advises sending soil samples to Clemson Extension Service to get an expert opinion on how much to use.

Spreading fertilizer too early in the spring won’t have the desired effect, because the grass hasn’t had the time to wake up from its dormancy period and start turning green.

April and May are the best season for fertilizing.

If you plant a perennial rye grass, you can keep your lawn green throughout the winter, but Smoak calls the affect “fake” and said the rye can end up stealing nutrients from the yard’s permanent grass.

“It’s taking all the groceries off the shelf,” he said.

Better to let the grass stay dormant — and take a break from mowing.

BY JENNIFER FORKER Associated Press Writer

RODGERS’ HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

It’s convenient to pick up some laundry detergent at the store, but it’s not difficult to create your own.

Soap and water are a time-tested duo against dirt and germs, and homemade cleaners can carry away grime without added chemicals or perfumes.

All it takes are a few, simple ingredients to make laundry detergent — liquid or powder — and fabric softener. Then cut down on drying time and static cling by tumbling wet clothes with homemade dryer balls.

Faith Goguen Rodgers’ switch to homemade cleaners began a few years ago after she used a commercial-brand cleaner on the bathtub.

“I’d cleaned it, and then I really didn’t want to get in it. The bleach smell and feel — it didn’t feel good,” she says.

“Then when I had kids, it didn’t make sense at all.

It feels a lot safer knowing what’s in my cleaners.”

Rodgers is an herbalist with three young children who creates all the cleaners she uses in her Lafayette, Colo., home — even the toothpaste. While the health piece is “really big” for her, she’s also motivated by cost.

“You save a ton of money making your own,” she says, especially if you buy ingredients in bulk.

Homemade cleaners, particularly laundry soap, lack much odor, but a pretty scent can be added with essential oils. This lifts the laundry-detergent-making project up a notch — adding some olfactory fun.

“You and your family can get creative and come up with your own signature laundry scent,” Rodgers writes on The Little Herbal blog, where she posts her natural cleaning recipes. “Our laundry comes out clean and smelling fresh.”

Her favorite combinations of essential oils for laundry detergent include lemon and eucalyptus, orange and geranium, and grapefruit and lavender.

Sherri Griffin’s foray into homemade laundry soap began when she got a rash and wanted something gentler than storebought laundry detergent.

She started researching alternatives, and recommends checking out what’s in commercially made products on the Environmental Working Group’s website.

An Orlando, Fla., nurse, Griffin started a blog, Overthrow Martha, to educate people about natural cleaners. Besides sharing a fabric softener recipe, she recommends simple-tomake dryer balls. Dryer balls decrease drying time, eliminate static cling and decrease wrinkles, she says. Essential oils can be added to them every few loads to softly scent clothes.

Supplies: 3 cups washing soda (similar to baking soda; look for it near laundry products at the supermarket) 3 cups borax 1 cup baking soda 1 bar of castile (olive oil-based) soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap Pure, organic essential oils (optional) Directions: 1. Grate the bar of soap into a small bowl and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the washing soda, borax and baking soda. Mix well to get rid of clumps. Add the essential oils, if desired. Mix them into the powder well to avoid clumping.

3. Add the grated soap and mix ingredients together.

4. Store detergent in a half-gallon mason jar or other well-sealed container. Use 2 to 4 heaping tablespoons per load of laundry.

BASIC LAUNDRY LIQUID FORMULA FROM SIEGELMAIER’S “THE NATURALLY CLEAN HOME” Supplies: 2¼ cups liquid castile soap ¼ cup white distilled vinegar 1 tablespoon glycerin ¾ cup water 10 to 15 drops essential oil of your choice Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a plastic container or squirt bottle. Shake once or twice before adding to the wash. Use ¼ cup per average load; ½ cup for extra large or heavily soiled loads.

GRIFFIN’S NATURAL LAUNDRY FABRIC SOFTENER Supplies: 3 cups white vinegar ¼ cup rubbing alcohol 20 drops of essential oil (optional) Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake. Add to the fabric softener dispenser of washing machine.

GRIFFIN’S WOOL DRYER BALLS Supplies: 100 percent wool yarn Pantyhose Essential oil (optional) Directions: 1. Wrap wool yarn around two or three fingers at least a dozen times, then make a bow by wrapping yarn tightly around middle of wrapped yarn. Bring the two sides together and continue wrapping tightly in different directions to make a small ball the size of a lemon. Repeat to make several balls.

2. Push the wool balls into one pantyhose leg, knotting the pantyhose between each ball so they don’t touch. Run through the washer with a load of towels on hot cycle, then toss into dryer on hot. Once dry, remove from pantyhose. Each ball should appear “felted” — the wool fibers tightly adhered. Snip any loose strands.

To use: 1. Scent balls with essential oil, if desired (it’ll last a few loads).

2. Toss at least 2 balls into dryer with wet laundry.

Your community news source www.theitem.com

SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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Add more color to your yard by attracting wildlife

BY MELANIE SMITH mbyer@theitem.com (803) 774-1293 Springtime usually conjures beautiful pictures in our minds of blooming native flowers and trees, far from the drab world of winter. Birds and butterflies can also add pops of color and more life to your spring garden and be relatively simple to attract, as well as being fascinating to watch for adults and children alike.

With the right tools and plants, you can create a haven for our area’s winged wildlife.

You might even help to restore the population of Monarch butterflies in our region with some planning and planting this season.

BACKYARD BUTTERFLIES If you feed them, they will come. Butterflies need a nectar source, while caterpillars need leaves and other foliage to help them grow.

Some species use one source of food exclusively. Monarch butterflies “are arguably on the brink of complete decimation here in the East,” said Austin Jenkins, naturalist and professor of biology at USC Sumter. He advises residents to grow the Monarchs’ host plant, milkweed or butterfly weed (asclepia), to help both attract them and increase their numbers in the area.

Jenkins said seeds for these plants can be found in stores.

Robin O’Brien, who started the butterfly garden at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens, said several varieties of asclepia will attract this specific species of butterfly but that “the variety that we grow the most of here in our gardens is Asclepius currisavica, which goes by many common names.”

This species is the easiest one to grow, according to O’Brien.

If you’d like other butterflies to find your yard and stay awhile, for our area, “all you must do to see gazillions of butterflies is to grow lantana and tropical passion flower vines,” according to Barbara Pleasant, a gardening writer and honorary Alabama Master Gardener. “There are many more excellent butterfly plants for flower gardens, but these two are the main ones for climates with warm, muggy summers.”

L.A. Jackson with Carolina Country magazine also suggests planting lantana, along

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail suns itself on a flat rock near the border of South Carolina and eastern North Carolina in July. You can attract butterflies to your garden or backyard by providing flat rocks for cold-blooded butterflies to rest and sun themselves on.

with primrose, sweet William, lilac and cosmos. And she said a large grouping of flowers is best.

Jackson said adult butterflies “seem to favor plants with red flowers first, followed then by yellows, pinks, whites and purples.”

She also said that to create a more welcoming atmosphere, you can place water dishes with sugar, honey or pieces of PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM fruit to give them a sort of wa- A sparrow rests at a nearly empty bird feeder hanging from a window in Sumter recently. Naturalist and tering hole. But she also USC Sumter biology professor Austin Jenkins said offering seeds is OK throughout the warmer months. warns to be careful, as this can also attract insects such as wasps and ants.

You can also add flat “warm-up” rocks to sunny spots around your yard, which the cold-blooded butterflies will use to sun themselves in the morning.

To keep the area inviting all season, these insects also appreciate cover near their feeding sites.

“Most butterflies also prefer a bit of a wind break like a planting of native shrubs surrounding the area to break strong winds,” O’Brien said.

ATTRACTING BIRDS Soon, various birds will migrate back to their homelands away from our area while others will return to enjoy the warmer weather. Many of us will no doubt find little families of baby birds in our hanging plants, trees and under our porches.

Pleasant said some tropical species from Central America and Mexico will make their summer homes here again this spring. She said seeing hummingbirds is a sure sign that these species have come back for awhile.

Jenkins said species such as ruby-throated hummingbirds, painted and indigo buntings and rosebreasted grosbeaks will be coming back to the area.

But how to persuade them to stay after their families have flown the nest?

Making sure you have sunflower seeds on hand for them is important as a year-round food source, said Jenkins, while Pleasant said finches enjoy nijer or thistle seed from feeders.

Many migrant birds, enjoy fresh cut citrus, and feeders are available specifically for offering those treats.

Unlike in winter when birds can come to depend on protein from seeds, they’re able to find their own protein now.

“Many birds will be switching to a largely insect diet during summer to obtain protein for raising young,” said Jenkins, although he said keeping seed available through the warmer months is OK, too — you might just see fewer birds take advantage of it.

Because of this warmweather diet, Pleasant suggests removing peanut butter and suet treats you might have offered during the winter, as those can melt and become a mess. Water is also an important part of a birdfriendly yard.

“If you have a cat and don’t want to actually feed birds, providing a birdbath or other water source can bring birds into your viewscape,” she said.

A pair of goldfinches enjoy thistle seed from a finch feeder in a Sumter backyard recently.

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SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

How do Sumter’s gardens grow?

With magnolias, azaleas, camellias and more

BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com (803) 744-1295

son sells is called the sky pencil, which is given its name thanks to its outstanding vertical shape, which is commonly placed on the corners of houses, which can Magnolias. Forsythias. Azagive off an elegant appearance if leas. Camellias. Knock-out roses. placed in a pot next to an entryHybrid tea roses. Sky pencils. way. The plant is named for how These are just some of the hunthe branches extend straight and dreds and hundreds of thoudon’t branch outward, according sands of flowers, shrubs and to Johnson. trees that grow around Sumter.

According to Johnson, plenty Spring has come, and enthusiof trees grow well around Sumastic gardeners are looking to ter County, ranging from dogmake some of these beautiful woods to the very Southern plants a part of their personal crape myrtle. But apparently, gardens. And spring is the busiest time for Harold Johnson, who one tree that isn’t very popular among South Carolina gardeners owns Tree Nursery and Feed is the Bradford Pear tree. Once Supply along Thomas Sumter the tree reaches 25 to 30 years Highway. old, the branches tend to break Johnson said one of most popular flowering shrubs at his busi- apart easily. But Johnson said that he still considers it a beautiness is the azalea. ful tree and keeps selling them.

“It’s a very Southern flower, While homeowners are catchand it’s very easy to grow,” Johning spring fever, they may want son said. to wait a few more months before Magnolias are also very popuplanting trees and shrubs. Johnlar among Johnson’s customers, son said the best time to begin especially Southern magnolias. planting trees and shrubs would But apparently, they’re not the be in the fall when the weather is most popular kind that Johnson cool, and watersells. ing is less nec“The most essary. common one “Most plants anymore that go dormant, people really like which means is the Little Jim they are not Magnolia, which trying to grow is basically a during the winsemi-dwarf ter time,” Johntree,” Johnson son said. “They said. “It gets to don’t require as be a good size much care and tree, but it’s not maintenance to nearly as big as get through that the Southern time, and the magnolia.” roots grow all Johnson said winter long.” the Little Jim However, if a magnolia is also HAROLD JOHNSON gardener still not as much of a wants to plant hassle to care for Owner of Tree Nursery in the spring, compared to the earliest time Southern magand Feed Supply to start would nolia, as the Litbe on or near tle Jim leaves Easter, which is when the last less trash and debris because of frost usually subsides, according its smaller size. to Johnson. Because Easter is With camellias, a spring garcoming later than usual this dener’s best choice would be the year, gardeners will have to dejaponica camellia, which blooms cide for themselves if they can in the springtime, as opposed to get away with it. the sasanqua camellia that On a final note, Johnson gave blooms in the fall. some planting advice.

“The flowers on both tend to “My daddy used to always say have very similar colors, but the that if you put a $100 tree in a $1 japonica has a big giant bloom,” Johnson said. “The sasanqua has hole, it becomes a $1 tree,” Johna smaller bloom that’s about one- son said. “If you put a $1 tree in a $10 hole, it becomes a $100 third the size of a japonica.” tree.”

A very popular tree that John-

‘My daddy used to always say that if you put a $100 tree in a $1 hole, it becomes a $1 tree. If you put a $1 tree in a $10 hole, it becomes a $100 tree.’

PHOTOS BY TYLER SIMPSON / THE SUMTER ITEM

Camellias are a very popular flower to grow in Sumter County. There are two kinds of camellias: japonica camellias and sasanqua camellias. Japonica camellias grow during the spring and grow bigger flowers, but sasanqua camellias produce more flowers.

Treehouse Nursery and Feed Supply, owned by Harold Johnson, has plenty of camellias, seen left.

The Bradford Pear tree, right, as beautiful as it is, is also one of the more unpopular choices for gardeners as the branches tend to break off once the tree reaches 25 to 30 years old.

SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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Groutless tile makes DIY projects easier

BY ROB COTTINGHAM rcottingham@theitem.com (803) 774-1225 Something about the warmer weather inspires many of us to do more than just clean up around the house.

Home-improvement projects are almost always on someone’s spring to-do list, whether it’s a simple repair or a renovation. If adding a tile backsplash to your kitchen is something you’ve been contemplating, then Lowe’s has an easier option for do-it-yourselfers.

Introduced within the past six months, Instant Mosaic tiles allow consumers to effortlessly install tile decorations to their homes, a relatively effortless alternative to the traditional method.

Sumter Lowe’s Assistant Store Manager Alan Lo Re said he wished the item was around when he installed his own backsplash.

“Before this product, the process took so much longer to complete,” he said. “Having something like this would’ve definitely made it easier for me.”

The process for Instant Mosaic tiles is fairly simple: Peel a thin film off the back of the tile sheet and stick it to the wall, which should be cleaned prior to application. The tile patterns vary, as does the material, he added. Customers can choose

PHOTOS BY ROB COTTINGHAM / THE SUMTER ITEM

An instructional video plays at an Instant Mosaic display in Lowe’s recently. Along with the video, the display also features step-by-step charts and how-to troubleshooting guides, as well as a catalog of tile patterns. from glass, metal or stone tiles in several colors.

“The tiles are already staggered, so it gives it that mosaic look people usually aim for,” Le Re said. “The ends interlock, which makes applying additional tile sheets that much easier.”

Lo Re estimates that a normal-sized backsplash project only takes a few hours to complete with the Instant Mosaic system.

“It used to take so much longer,” he said. “You’d have to lay

down your mortar, then apply the tiles. Once you were done with that, you’d have to come back the next day and apply the grout. It can be pretty tedious.”

The sheets are sold at a rate of about $10 per square foot, which means the average project would only cost about $200$250.

“It really saves you money,” Lo Re said. “You don’t have to buy the mortar, the grout or a vast assortment of tools. It’s definitely a money saver.”

Lowe’s Assistant Store Manager Alan Lo Re holds an Instant Mosaic glass and ceramic tile square recently as he explains how much easier the tiling system is compared to traditional methods.

Lo Re and his co-worker, Assistant Manager Takayes Rock, strongly recommend using a wet saw for the project.

“We have tile-cutting tools that start at $20, but they’re limited to only straight cuts,” Rock said. “Wet saws make the project so much easier.

The cuts are clean and smooth, which is what you

want with tile.”

Wet saws at Lowe’s begin at about $179, Rock added.

Lo Re is a strong advocate for Instant Mosaic and encourages any do-it-yourselfer to give it a shot.

“You don’t have to be an expert,” he said. “So long as you’re comfortable with a wet saw, anyone can do it.”

Lots of choices when deciding on the right lawn mower

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 “What size of yard do you have?” is the first question Don Neiman, owner of Dad’s Small Engine Repair on the Myrtle Beach Highway, asks when a customer walks in his store shopping for a lawn mower.

“I am not going to sell you a 72-inch lawn mower if you have an eighth of an acre yard,” he said.

Neiman said that besides yard size, he also wants to know if the customer has to deal with gates, fences and other obstacles.

A Husqvarna dealer, Neiman said he sells a wide range of lawn maintenance equipment, from 30- to 72-inch zero-turn mowers and 38-inch to 54-inch riders.

It’s no longer just a question of oldstyle push mowers or gas-powered, or even mulching or non-mulching.

Today there is a wide array of choices.

If you are tired of doing your small yard with a weed trimmer, you can choose between man-powered push mowers, gas or electric mowers you have to push to move, and gas and electric mowers that are self-propelled.

For very small yards, self-propelled mowers probably are not needed except for those who have a physical handicap.

The same is true for the average yard,

‘Mowing season is when it’s not raining.’

DON NEIMAN Owner of Dan’s Small Engine Repair

JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Don Neiman displays some of the many types of lawn mowers for sale at Dad’s Small Engine Repair on Myrtle Beach Highway. unless there is a slope or hills, then having a mower that drives itself can come in handy.

Having a larger yard means having even more choices.

Besides riding mowers that steer with a traditional wheel, now there are zeroturn mowers, but they are not for everyone.

“I’ve had people who don’t want to

use a zero turn because of the sticks,” Neiman said. “It is the sticks that make them move. They have steering control handles versus a steering wheel.

“It’s all based on what you want to use,” he said. “I’ve had an 85-year-old gentleman who wanted a zero turn.”

Another decision to make is whether to bag the yard waste or mulch it in the soil.

Mulching mowers are increasing in popularity, Neiman said.

“Everyone is going more to mulch mowers whereas years ago, everyone was bagging.”

Neiman said Clemson University recently published an article on the benefits of mulching.

“It recycles the leaves and things of that sort which puts the nutrition back in the ground and makes your grass grow,” he explained. “Sucking all that stuff up and burning it or whatever you do hurts the environment, and you’re not putting the nutrition back in the ground. Your grass will grow, but if you had recycled and put all of them leaves and grass back into the ground, it makes it grow better.”

Neiman said whatever mower you buy, you will probably use it year round.

“Mowing season is when it’s not raining,” he said. “You are cutting grass all year, but you are picking up leaves in the winter months. So you are still using it, whether you use a bagger or whether you mulch.”

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SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

‘Lazybones, sleepin’ in the sun’? These shortcuts are for you

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com (803) 774-1221 You admire the beautiful vegetable and flower gardens in your friends’ yards and envy their industriousness. You’d love to have beautiful blossoms and healthy vegetables growing in your own yard, but you dislike gardening and, frankly, you just don’t have the energy or heat tolerance for the work — or extra money lying around to pay someone else to do it.

If only there were a way to make it easier.

While Master Gardeners may love the bending and stooping and weeding and watering, they have also learned some shortcuts easy to adopt by “the lazy gardener.” Three Sumter Master Gardeners offered a few tips they employ in their own landscapes.

Betty Reese BETTY REESE freely admits, “I am lazy, I Sumter Master am a gardenGardener er, and I cut every corner I can.”

Her latest cultivation project is a miniature box garden she calls “Mr. McGregor’s Garden, because it’s all vegetables Peter Rabbit likes, and it looks like the original (art from Beatrix Potter’s book, ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’).”

Turnips, potatoes and onions are planted in a box with a planting surface about 2 feet square. The box is also about 2 feet tall, “so you don’t have to bend over much to take care of it,” Reese said. “It’s easy to weed, and when you eat what you’ve grown, you can plant another crop of vegetables or flowers.

“Another tip for container gardening is to grow potatoes in a burlap bag. Found that on the Internet.

Start with eyes cut from your Irish potatoes, a small amount of dirt in a rolled-down burlap bag, and as the potatoes grow, keep adding soil and roll the bag upward. When the tops start to turn yellow and die off, the taters are ready.”

‘I am lazy, I am a gardener, and I cut every corner I can.’

IVY MOORE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Betty Reese planted a large container with root vegetables. Soon she’ll be harvesting turnips, potatoes, onions and more. Then she’ll plant either flowers or other veggies for spring and summer harvest. The mini-garden is a cinch for lazy gardeners, she said.

Reese also gardens in her yard and tries to make that as easy as possible, too.

She said, “My red-hot tip for easy gardening is Round Up®. The skill is to not be afraid of it. I edge my entire flower beds each year, and (my husband) Clyde never has to ‘weedeat’ the edges.”

Herb gardeners, Reese said, can “plant almost anything in a bale of hay and water every day, and they will grow huge as the hay rots. I did this last year with herbs, and it was a great project. You just can’t go on vacation unless you get someone to baby sit it each day for watering.”

She advises to “get the hay now so it can start rotting.”

Ruth Ann Bigger, also a Master Gardener, has these tips for lazy gardeners: “Put a baby diaper in the bottom of a hanging basket (trim off excess plastic), and you won’t need to water as often. And MULCH! Cuts down on weeding and watering.”

Master Gardener Robin O’Brien justifies her lazy gardener status by explaining that “lazy gardening is actually much friendlier to the Earth and to the soil that sustains our plants.”

Like Bigger, she advises, “The most critical and efficient way a lazy gardener operates is to mulch, mulch, mulch. Let the worms do your digging. The soil is teeming

with worms and minute critters too small for us to see. And they all have work to do to make nutrients available to our plants in a form that they can use. In addition, they create other conditions in the soil that keep it healthy and productive. When we replenish our mulch with natural substances like pine straw, aged wood chips, Coastal Bermuda hay and our own leaves, we not only keep the weeds from sprouting and save work for our creaking knees, we are feeding all those soil critters who go to work converting that material into useful elements for our plants.”

In addition, O’Brien said, mulching “helps to hold moisture in the soil so we don’t need to be out there watering, loosens the soil making it easier for those tender young roots to grow and find nutrients. Remember those worms tunneling through the soil to get to that mulch. It allows necessary air to exist in the soil. ... Simply add new mulch over the old so the critters can continue to work on that bottom layer. This is a win, win. Your plants are happy, your knees are happy, and you can enjoy your flowers and go do something else.”

Also of utmost importance is to “plant the right plant in the right place,” she said. “Check out the ultimate size of the plant and add a little since they sometimes outgrow the size on the label. If you are going to need serious annual pruning to keep it in bounds or to see out of your windows, choose another variety or plant it somewhere else. Many shrubs and trees come in a variety of sizes from dwarf to quite tall.

“The crape myrtle is a beautiful and graceful plant which should be allowed to grow naturally with minor pruning for crossed branches or sprouts at the bottom for a few years. Many provide beautiful winter bark, especially the white blooming Natchez, which turns a glorious cinnamon color in cold weather. So save time and beauty by letting those crape myrtles be what they are destined to be.”

The magnolia is another tree that should be left alone, O’Brien advised.

“Plant the right variety and keep all those branches down to the ground level,” she said. “Save yourself the constant work of picking up the tough leaves which constantly drop, never seem to break down, and blow all over your yard and your neighbor’s yard.”

THE SUMTER ITEM

SPRING HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014

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Expert: ‘90 percent of painting is preparation work’

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS revans@theitem.com (803) 774-1214 It has been more than a week since the official beginning of spring, and most people are eager to begin and complete home-improvement projects in preparation to properly enjoy their homes — inside and out — for the summer season.

Planting, renovating, upgrading and painting are some of the many spring activities many homeowners are anticipating this season.

Dusty DuBose, store manager for Sherwin Williams, 106 W. Liberty St., said when it starts to warm up, many homeowners look to work on their decks, poolside trim, painting their homes and/or shutters and some interior painting.

“Usually people start looking at outside projects. In the months of March, April, May, they’re looking at their decks, around their pool areas and exterior improvements,” DuBose said.

DuBose said what people are looking to do to their homes this spring will definitely vary. However, he said he expects a lot of people are looking to keep it fresh, update or improve parts of their homes’ exteriors and interiors and prepare for the summer months.

Anticipating the homeowners and future homeowners looking to make some of these improvements to their homes by adding some color, DuBose said Sherwin Williams will have a sale in April with 40 percent off paints and 30 percent off supplies. The company tries to have about three large sales each year.

DuBose said in his experience, many people have a contractor who will hire someone to paint. However, for those looking to DIY their

way through some of their spring improvements, DuBose simply said, “Don’t just slap the paint on.” A lot of the work is put into preparation and knowing what type of work needs to be done, DuBose explained.

“Ninety percent of painting is preparation work. If it’s peeling, it all has to come off before you start painting,” DuBose said. “A lot of times different products have different dry times, so you have to be aware of that and prepare for it. If it’s already painted and it just needs to be touched up, you can proceed without using primer.”

Sherwin Williams employees are helpful in the process of choosing the right products and supplies needed to get it done. For some, they’ve become experts on renovations, upgrades and everything paint-related, while others DuBose said Sherwin Williams will help from the time they walk in the door until they help the customers load their purchase into their vehicles.

The store provides a checklist of materials they may need for different projects as customers come in. They also give customers a list of top 50 most popular colors.

Sherwin Williams currently has a partnership with HGTV as well where they have grouped together multiple color schemes that can help homeowners keep the rooms of their homes connected in more ways than one.

DuBose said they get various requests, so he wouldn’t be surprised if people are making minor improvements this spring such as touching up their kitchen cabinets. Either way, Sherwin Williams and other area stores are preparing for the changes people are looking to make to their homes in preparation for summer.

RAYTEVIA EVANS / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sherwin Williams store manager Dusty DuBose stands in front of an array of paint color options at the store located at 106 W. Liberty St. With the summer months approaching, many homeowners will be looking to make improvements to their homes, including tackling exterior and interior painting projects.

stains very well and thereelements.

PULLOUT: fore are not a good choice for • Satin/eggshell paints are When deciding on which easy to maintain and are pre- children’s bedrooms. paint sheen to choose, conferred for high-traffic areas. sider the look and function WhenAnd deciding on which choose, the look and function Theysheen have atosheen thatconsider falls of each. remember, the paint of each. between semi-gloss and flat higher the sheen, the more paints.

These paints resist intense andsemi-gloss darker theor color • Gloss, high-sheen paints are easier to clean and keep clean than They are typically the toughest and most stain-resistant. Semi-gloss stains better than flat paints willothers. be. are commonly chosen bathrooms, kitchens andfor are easy to clean with a and on cabinetry, and is a • paints Gloss, semi-gloss or highgood choice high-moisture areas to select a mildew-resistant damp cloth(be butsure probably sheen paints are for easier to formula). aren’t a good choice for the clean and keep clean than Gloss is ideal for window dooror trim and baseboards, as well as on ornate kitchen bathroom.

They others.

They are typically the and woodwork or architectural elements. are ideal for adult bedrooms toughest and most stain-reand dining rooms.and are preferred for high-traffic sistant.

Semi-gloss paints • Satin/eggshell paintsare are easy to maintain • Flat/matte paints conceal and flat paints. These commonly chosen for a bathareas. They have sheen that falls between semi-gloss flawsflat better thanand other paints rooms, kitchens on cabipaints resistand stains better than paints are easy to clean with a damp cloth probably good choice for the should be used on kitchen surfac- or bathroom. They are netry.

It isbut a good choicearen’t for a but ideal for adult bedrooms and dining es that arerooms. unlikely to rehigh-moisture areas, but be quire frequent cleaning. sure to select a mildew-resis• Flat/matte paints conceal flaws better than other paints but should be used on They are afrequent great choice for tantsurfaces formula.that are unlikely to require cleaning.

They are a great choice for ceilings, older walls, theceilings, dining older room,walls, livingthe room din-and closets. Because of a Gloss is ideal for window texture, they don’t resist stains very well and therefore are not the best ing room, living room and andporous door trim and basechoice for children’s bedrooms. closets. Because of a porous boards, as well as on ornate texture, they don’t resist woodwork or architectural

Take the guess work out of sheen

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Become the master of your own terrain

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com (803) 774-1221 You’ve gotten your hands and the knees of your pants dirty, and maybe you’ve had some success in producing beautiful plants and flowers.

Your success prompts you to want to learn more about gardening and plants. If you’d like to add a green thumb to your horticultural résumé, perhaps it’s time to become a Master Gardener.

Administered by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, Sumter’s Master Gardener program begins shortly after the first of each year and continues into May. Participants complete a minimum of 40 hours of instruction from experts in their fields. The training is practical and covers not just horticulture proper, but also related topics, such as entomology.

On March 17, students in this year’s class were learned about turf management from Suzanne Gold, a University of Georgia Extension agent who’s an authority on Southern turf. That’s just one of many topics they learn about from experts in their fields.

Robin O’Brien, who has been a Master Gardener for several years, is serving as a “runner” for the classes this year, she said, assisting both students and instructors. She said the course lasts from February through May and that Master Gardeners, once they complete their training, are required to participate in activities that provide a ser-

MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM WEBSITE: https://www.regonline. com/MGSUMS14 PHONE: Pat McDaniel at the Sumter County Extension office, (803) 773-5561.

vice for their communities.

Instruction is split between classroom and the outdoors, much of it at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens.

Clemson Extension Agent Amanda McNulty is Master Gardener coordinator. In offering the training, she explained to potential students that the course provides “the basics of horticulture.” Those basics are, however, fairly extensive.

McNulty went on to explain that “botany and physiology help you to understand plant responses so you can be aware of the consequences of your actions. We’ll study the basic palette of plants grown in this part of the state — learning their requirements, assets and liabilities. Field trips to see beautifully landscaped but different gardens are combined with lectures on butterflies and other insects, water gardening and vegetable growing.”

On the list of topics in The Clemson Extension Master Gardener (CEMG) Program are “soils and plant nutrition, entomology, plant physiology and pathology, vegetable gardening, tree and small fruit culture, lawn management,

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Sumter Master Gardeners Jo Ellen Miller and Sheryn LaVanish prepared sweet basil plants for sale in the Gateway to Gardening area in the Bland Gardens at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens during the Sumter Iris Festival.

Master Gardeners always have a big presence at the festival, offering plants they’ve started in their own gardens and greenhouses for sale at very low prices. That’s just one of the activities the group offers to the community. They also have started and continue to maintain variety gardens at Swan Lake, along with the Friends of Swan Lake. culture of woody ornamentals and problem solving.”

Donating at least 40 hours of service and passing the final exam gain students the title “Clemson Extension Master Gardener.”

Among the volunteer services Sumter Master Gardeners provide are answering gardening questions at the Clemson Extension office

and working with community members on projects such as community gardens. In Sumter, Master Gardeners can be found often at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens, working in the various gardens there.

While the current Master Gardener class is almost halfway through its studies and hands-on training, another will be offered starting

in the early part of 2014.

Classes are limited to 15 students, and the fee is $300 total.

To learn more about the Clemson Extension Master Gardener Program, visit the website https://www.regonline.com/MGSUMS14 or call Pat McDaniel at the Sumter County Extension office, (803) 773-5561.

Make small spaces charming

BY FAMILY FEATURES In home listings across the country, the word small is often replaced with a far more marketable and appealing word: “charming.” But what makes a home charming compared to small? How does a homeowner transition a cramped room into a space with character?

Focusing on a few key areas will let you make a big impact in a little space, allowing you to create a charming and memorable environment. For starters, when dealing with a small space, it’s important to live clutter free. Make sure that only mandatory items and furniture are in the room.

CREATE SPECIAL SPACES AND STORAGE Lorie Marrero, a certified professional organizer and author of “The Clutter Diet,” recommends carefully considering the functions of any space, such as TV viewing, reading or FAMILY FEATURES computer use, so that only the Even the smallest spaces can be utilized for storage with organization items needed for those specific functions are stored there. Unand the correct products such as those made by ClosetMaid.

derstanding how this space is utilized also allows you to establish dedicated zones and supplies for each activity.

In addition, Marrero notes that creating proper storage is the key to managing and maintaining a clutter-free home.

“Even if large closets aren’t available, there are a number of versatile and affordable DIY products that help create storage where there wasn’t any.

ClosetMaid’s wide assortment of products can help transform any room of the home simply by allowing people to truly utilize the space they have.”

MAKE IT LARGER WITH LIGHTING Clearing a small home of its clutter will automatically make it seem larger. However, the illusion of more space can also be enhanced with proper lighting. The right lighting will also play a big role in helping create a more charming feel.

Recessed lighting is visually appealing and perfect for small spaces. Torchiere lights can help bounce light off the ceiling and back down to the

room. If the room does not have windows, consider adding a skylight to bring character and light to the space. You can also affect a room’s lighting with low-cost or no-cost solutions that make the most of the space’s built-in features. For example, highlight the windows, don’t cover them.

ADD CHARMING DETAILS Woodwork is another simple embellishment that adds instant character and charm without affecting usable space.

A chair rail, crown molding or even baseboards can help take a standard room and outline it with interesting architectural elements. In a small area, intricate woodwork can serve as a main focal point or art, giving the space exceptional appeal that won’t be easily forgotten.

By managing clutter, using lighting to create bright and airy spaces and incorporating simple architectural elements, you can easily transform a cramped area into a charming and inviting room that you — or a potential buyer — can enjoy.

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Be adventurous with outdoor spaces

BY KIM COOK Associated Press Earthy hues that blend into the landscape tend to dominate the outdoor furniture market. Understated woods, metals and cushions are easyto-incorporate neutral elements.

But outdoor spaces also offer the chance to be more adventurous than we are inclined to be indoors.

Maybe bolder balconies and peppier patios on your redecorating radar?

“Vibrant color has dominated the home furnishings arena since last fall, and after an unusually cold winter, the time’s ripe for bright color to become a focus for our outdoor spaces.

Color is a great energizer,” says Jackie Hirchhault, marketing vice president for the American Home Furnishings Alliance, based in High Point, N.C. Aimee Beatty, in-house stylist at Pier 1, says lively outdoor pieces give people a way to make a statement: “Incorporating pops of color with furniture and accessories adds personality and flare.”

She suggests adding a colorful bench to the patio to coordinate with a more traditional or neutral dining set. “One new piece is a simple, budgetfriendly way to make a big impact,” she says.

“Brightly colored furniture is also a quick way to punch up a small space,” she adds. A bistro table and chairs in playful hues sets the stage, and you don’t need much more than a few additional pieces to create an inviting space, even if it’s a tiny terrace.

Pier 1’s Paris-inspired Neely Bistro Set (below) comes in red or peacock blue rust-resistant cast aluminum. Frontgate’s

RHONDA BARRICK / THE SUMTER ITEM

Experts agree that adding brightly colored furniture to an otherwise dull space makes a big impact. One budget-friendly way to achieve this is to add a punch of color to your outdoor furniture for the cost of a few cans of spray paint. Add a few outdoor pillows and your new look is complete. powder-coated aluminum side and bar chairs in fresh colors like aqua and melon come in whimsical designs like curlicues and floral motifs.

The Rock Point acacia wood bench can be had in red, marine blue or dandelion yellow, and has the added benefit of being foldable for off-season storage. Synthetic rattan chairs are weather resistant

and come in an array of clean, crisp brights like ocean, purple, orange and yellow. (www. pier1.com ) Z Gallerie’s Madison garden stool comes in gold for a touch of metallic flair. You’ll also find the Mimosa lantern, featuring a filigreed Moroccan motif in mandarin, white, lemon and aquamarine. (www. zgallerie.com )

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A patio umbrella is a quick and inexpensive style changer.

Start the party by setting up Hayneedle’s shaggy acrylic Palapa umbrella, a 6-foot-wide hula skirt on a pole with thatched strips of acrylic in lime, whiskey, raspberry pink or lemon yellow. (www.hayneedle.com ) Walmart’s got a well-priced basic market umbrella that can be had in a fresh sunny orange, deep green or canary yellow. (www.walmart.com ) Grandin Road’s op-arty Lulu planter in a loopy blackand-white graphic would be an exclamation point to colorful outdoor furniture. Their Sea Life collection of outdoor pillows includes stylized starfish and sand dollars in brilliant hues. (www.grandinroad.com ) Usable as either planters or beverage receptacles, LED-embedded resin GardenGlo containers provide glowing illumination in a range of colors. (www.gardenica.com ) Consider adding a few glowing orbs to the garden, pool, pathway or anywhere you’d

fancy ambient light. A remote control lets you run through a variety of soft colors or switch to just white. They’ll last eight hours on one battery charge. (www.frontgate.com ) Seattle-based designer Nicole Ketchum creates lightweight acrylic chandeliers in 11 colors that can be hung from trees, deck roofs or anywhere you’d like. Choose a faux ornate pattern or an octopus. (www.chandelierbynk. com) Outdoor polypropylene rugs add color and give outdoor spaces a more finished, roomlike look. Horchow’s Geometric Twist collection puts a crisp white graphic on a tangerine, lime or navy background for preppy punch, while Dash & Albert’s indoor/ outdoor rugs feature East Asian graphic motifs, chevrons and sailing stripes. (www. horchow.com ) Dash and Albert’s new outdoor pillow collection includes exuberant retro-Hawaiian prints, sea horses, crewel florals and bubble patterns, all in a riot of fun-loving colors.

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THE SUMTER ITEM The Butterfly Art Cable, a temporary way to display children’s art, is seen. Interior designers and others encourage parents to find a way to create a rotating gallery in their home for children’s art.

PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Finger-paint décor: Kids’ art adds personal touch MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON Associated Press Writer It’s a conundrum many parents face: What to do with the steady flow of drawings, paintings, collages and more that children bring home from school and camp? Which are the keepers and — besides sticking them up on the refrigerator with magnets — how can you display them creatively?

“They caught me throwing some away, and they were not happy about it,” Mandy Rose of Carterville, Ill., said of her three children.

Rose, who loves to decorate her house and writes about it at houseofroseblog. com, decided to combine some of her kids’ work with professional pieces and family photos in a montage on her dining room wall. She even commissioned one of the kids to create a finger painting for an eye-catching frame she had bought.

“People always ask, ‘Did your kids make that?’” she said. “It’s a real conversation starter.”

Children’s art absolutely has a place in home décor and can add a welcome personal touch, said Esther Sadowsky, owner of Charm & Whimsy, an interior design firm in Jersey City, N.J. “Sometimes my jaw drops when I see the work of my customers’ children,” she said. “Children’s art displayed in a house — it’s a home then.”

‘Sometimes my jaw drops when I see the work of my customers’ children.

Children’s art displayed in a house — it’s a home then.’

Owner of Charm & Whimsy

Dynamic Frames Inc.’s Lil Davinci Art Gallery frame set, which includes four frames, is seen. Each of the frames opens from the front so parents can easily change out their children’s artwork. The frames can hold 50 pieces of artwork so they also help the parents store and preserve their children’s masterpieces.

Like Rose, she suggests displaying kids’ works in art groupings. She often lays out the pieces on the floor so she and her client can visualize how they fit together. “You can make a beautiful arrangement,” said Sadowsky, who has a painting she made as a 12-year-old hanging in her own living room.

Rose laid out the items for her “gallery wall” on the floor as well. She snapped photos of various arrangements so she could compare them and went through her house to find frames in the same color palette to create cohesion in the grouping.

Sadowsky has sent parents to big-box stores or craft stores to buy inexpensive frames. It’s possible to find frames with precut mats for a more professional look. Do-it-yourselfers also can use con-

struction paper or foam core to create mats for artwork, she said.

In her children’s playroom, Rose strung wire between two hooks and allows the kids to pick and choose what they want to hang up. The setup allows them to highlight favorite paintings and projects until they make something they like better.

Finding a temporary place like that to display work makes sense, agreed Jeffry Cudlin, a professor of curatorial studies and practice at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. He routinely highlights the work of his 4-year-old son, Miles, at home to show him that the family values handmade art.

Cudlin uses binder clips to hang Miles’ art in an ornate frame that usually hangs in his dining room; the clips

ESTHER SADOWSKY

mean he can rotate different pieces through the frame for an ever-changing display.

Deciding which pieces to keep longterm can be a challenge, Cudlin said. He looks for work that includes loved ones or commemorates a special event. He routinely frames Miles’ work and gives it to family members who are represented in the drawing.

He also finds that he appreciates many of his son’s drawings more after he asks questions about them. The art provides insights into how the preschooler views the world and helps preserve his thoughts, Cudlin said.

“His way of thinking about things — the way he experiences the world — you’re not going to get that back,” he said.

Splatters, fingerprints and dust? Spiff up walls, woodwork

BY LISA A. FLAM Associated Press Writer Walls can get dirty before you know it — from a splatter of spaghetti dinner to the crayon artistry of a roaming toddler to fingers simply reaching for a light switch.

It’s easy to pass by walls and woodwork every day without a second glance, but spring-cleaning season is a great time to give them the attention they deserve.

Like many housekeeping tasks, regular cleaning can help avoid bigger cleanup work later on.

“It doesn’t have to be as difficult of a job as it sounds,” said Amy Panos, senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens.

“The easier you can make it on yourself, the more likely you are to do it.”

DIRT AND SCUFFS Walls tend to get dirtiest around light switches and door knobs.

“Even if a hand looks clean, it still has a little dirt and oils that over time build up and eventually make that area of the wall dirty,” Panos said.

Walls also get marked up from accidental kicks or the brush of a bag near the baseboards. Parents know how toddlers’ hands often find their way to walls, either with filthy fingers or with crayons or markers.

These fingerprints and other blemishes are best tackled right away. “The sooner you can get to a mark that is noticeable, the easier it will be” to clean, said Sharon Grech, a color and design expert for Benjamin Moore.

People are wary of cleaning

HOME PLUMBING INSPECTIONS

or washing painted surfaces because they fear the process will remove the paint. But Grech said the technology has improved during the last decade, and paints now are more stain-resistant and durable for cleaning.

Still, it’s important to use the right products.

To remove everyday marks, Grech suggested using a clean cellulose sponge with a little warm water.

“Just give it a good rub,” she said. “Wait for it to dry, and see if it’s clean.”

If the dirt is still evident, repeat the process using a dab of dish detergent and wipe the area dry with a clean sponge, rag or paper towel.

“Warm water does miracles with a sponge,” Grech said.

“You want to avoid using regular household cleaners that

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have ammonia and other products in them” because they can change the sheen of the paint.

Panos likes the ease of a foam eraser pad, such as Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, though be sure to test it first in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won’t remove the color or finish. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is approved by the manufacturer for use on most paints, including flat and semi-gloss paint.

“They’re quite incredible,” Panos said. “They take care of a lot.”

Don’t forget doorways and trim, often coated in easy-towipe paints but in light colors such as white and cream that make marks especially visible.

Cleaning those areas can instantly make the room seem brighter.

“It really glistens,” Grech said. “It’s like putting on a nice lip gloss.”

DUST AND COBWEBS While most people know to take care of an unsightly mark, many overlook cleaning the whole wall, Panos said. Once you have a fresh coat of paint, lightly dust the walls about every three months.

“You don’t need to get a bucket and soap and sponge and completely wash down the walls,” she said. “Make it easy on yourself by getting a tool with an extension pole so that you can stand on the ground and take care of the job in just a few minutes rather than having to drag out a ladder.”

Clean the ceiling first, with a dust-attracting microfiber mop on the extension pole for smooth ceilings, or a slightly damp paint roller on the pole for a popcorn ceiling, she said.

The walls can be cleaned from top to bottom with the mop (dry or slightly damp) and the baseboards hand-cleaned with a microfiber cloth.

“Keeping the environment as dust-free as possible is helpful for a good interior air quality,” Panos said.

Grech recommends regular cleaning where dusts collects, such as on baseboards, and on window ledges, where it can mix with moisture and turn into a mess.

While cleaning the walls won’t prolong the paint job, she said, it will help keep them looking their best.

“You want to clean the areas that are getting a little bit more abused to keep it fresh,” she said.

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Easily grow your own strawberries

BY JOAN CASANOVA Green Earth Media Group Strawberries are cold hardy and adaptable, making them one of the easiest berries to grow.

While most fruit trees take several years to begin bearing, you can harvest your own strawberries the very first summer. And even if you live in an apartment or small home, you can grow strawberries in a container on your balcony, rooftop, patio or even doorstep. If your horizontal space is limited, consider growing strawberries in a hanging basket or stacked planter, which will allow you to take advantage of vertical growing space as the strawberry plants tumble out over the sides.

There are two main kinds of strawberries: “June-bearing” and “Everbearing” varieties. June-bearing bear all at once, usually over a period of about three weeks. Because of their earliness, high quality and concentrated fruit set, June-bearers such as “Allstar” produce high yields of very large, sweet, extra juicy berries in late mid-season, which is usually late spring and early summer, depending on your geographic region. These are the best variety for preserving.

“Ever-bearing” strawberries produce a big crop from spring flowers, set light flushes of fruit through summer and then bloom and bear again in late summer and fall.

They’re perfect for large containers or raised beds, where you can give them attentive watering and regular feeding.

Bonnie Plants, available at most garden retailers, offers a good selection of ever-bearing strawberries.

“EverSweet” offers large berries ripening in abundance. Savor a long harvest, with fruits ripening from late spring until frost. “Quinalt” is the most popular variety of ever-bearing strawberry and offers large, soft, deliciously sweet fruit, ideal for preserves or fresh eating. New this spring are two

MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Strawberries from Stafford Farms are seen. The sweet, red berries are the quintessential summer fruit.

TIMELY TIPS TO ENSURE STRAWBERRY SUCCESS

MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM

David Smith collects strawberries along a row at Stafford’s Farm. There are several types of strawberries available to grow with two main types: “June-bearing,” which bear fruit all at once, and “ever-bearing,” which produce berries through summer, late summer and fall. compact varieties which don’t produce many runners, making them both perfectly suited for containers.

Tristan is an eye-catching edible ornamental that shows unusual pink blooms, which fade to form plump, sweet, medium-size strawberries.

Loran has pretty white blooms that fade to form large, deep red, cone-

shaped berries on this ever-bearing variety. Fruits burst with sweet flavor.

Harvest stretches all season long, with fruits ripening from late spring until frost.

If your kids have yet to plant and care for a fruit or vegetable, strawberries are a perfect choice for their first gardening experience.

• When planting strawberries, be sure the crown is above soil level and the uppermost roots are ¼ inch beneath soil level. Buried crowns rot, and exposed roots dry out. Strawberry plants should be placed approximately 14 to 18 inches apart from each other in neat rows that are separated by 2 to 3 feet each. Let runners fill in until plants are 7 to 10 inches apart.

• Use mulch to keep berries clean, conserve moisture and control weeds.

• If you want to keep it simple, plant strawberries in a container. Just remember that container plantings need much more water than in-ground plantings, usually once a day, and if it’s hot, twice.

Strawberry pots are the obvious, best container choice for growing strawberries. You can fit several plants in one pot; just make sure whatever type of garden pot you use has good drainage.

Strawberries have a relatively small root ball and can be grown in containers as small as 10-12 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep. However, the smaller the container, the more frequently you will need to water. Synthetic and light-colored pots will keep the roots cooler than dark colors and natural materials that conduct heat.

• Strawberries like well-drained, fairly rich soil, so be sure to add compost or other organic matter when preparing the pot or patch.

• They need full sun, 6-8 hours per day, and frequent, deep soakings. They will grow in all zones and should be fed twice a year — when growth begins and after the first crop. You’ll need to feed them with a plant food such as Bonnie Plant Food; this herb and vegetable food has nutrients and growth stimulants that your strawberry plants will love.

• Control slugs and snails by handpicking them off plants and prevent theft from birds by covering your patch with netting as the first berries ripen.

Gourmet herbs: Tasty, attractive and simple garden addition

BY DEAN FOSDICK Associated Press Writer

off the plants. Really unique.”

The difference between a good cook and a great cook Culinary herbs are enjoying often comes down to the use a revival thanks to new variet- of culinary herbs — how much to use and how to pick ies, stronger flavors, health concerns and more discerning them for optimal flavor, Ball said. palates. Their low cost, attrac“Herb flavor declines and tiveness and easy-to-grow attributes are making them pop- changes once plants begin and continue flowering,” he said. ular, too.

“The best way to extend the “Herbs can add a lot of flaharvest is by pinching (back) vor to cooked dishes and lead the plants often to keep them to reductions in fat, salt and from flowering cholesterol,” said and, worse yet for Gary Gao, a hortiflavor, from growculturist with Ohio PLANT HERBS ing seed stalks.”

State University THIS YEAR Culinary herbs Extension. These make a good alterdays, he said, “peonative cash crop ple tend to spend For more about for small-scale more time at home growing and using growers, Gao said. and less time travfresh herbs, see www. culinaryherbguide.

Their market rangeling. Cooking com. es from home gourmeals at home also met cooks to ressaves a lot of You can contact taurant chefs, money.”

Dean Fosdick at deanfosdick@ health food and Food safety connetscape.net. grocery stores, cerns are another farmer’s markets reason that many and food-processpeople plant herbs, he said. “Gardeners feel much ing companies.

Basil, cilantro, parsley, rosebetter about their gardenmary, tarragon, sage and mint fresh herbs than what they are the most commonly grown buy.” herbs for commercial use, Gao New varieties have been insaid. troduced for use with ethnic Herbs are inexpensive, cooking, said George Ball, chairman of W. Atlee Burpee & Co. Sales have jumped 15 percent per year since Burpee and its Cook’s Garden subsidiary launched their Pinnacle Herbs Collection in 2012, he said.

“Home cooks are experimenting with recipes outside the standard or customary menu,” Ball said. “There is an unbelievable number of more subtle variations of taste of single herbs and, particularly, combos of herbs.”

The Pinnacle Herbs line is made up of 50-plus varieties planted in the porous “compost pile” soils of mountainous western Pennsylvania.

“Free of air pollution, unfiltered light shining down on the herbs induces, fairly quickly, higher oil content production,” Ball said in an email. “Even during pre-shipping, the smells are drifting

MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM

A mint plant grows in a Sumter backyard recently.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

whether sold as seeds or plants. Try a taste test if undecided about which herb to buy, suggested Rose Marie NicholsMcGee, president of Nichols Garden Nursery in Albany, Ore. “Go to a nursery, and taste a little (leaf) sample from one of

Chive, left, blooms in a residential garden near Langley, Wash. They are lovely to look at, but the plant’s flavor declines and changes once it begins to flower. Extend the harvest by pinching back the plants to keep them from blooming.

the plants,” she said. “If it doesn’t have the flavor you like, then it’s obviously not a plant you want to buy.”

Many herbs are attractive, too. Plate them up as a garnish or make some into fragrant centerpiece arrangements for the table. Lemon

thyme, lavender, mint, some long-blooming oregano and the seed heads from garlic chives are frequently used for decorating.

“I think of them as the ‘vegetable flowers’,” Ball said.

“They’re very lovely plants to grow as well as to taste.”

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Murphy beds turn multipurpose room into a guest room

BY MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON Associated Press Writer The clients came to interior designer Laura Casey with a space dilemma: They did not want to give up the guest room in their suburban home, yet they needed a place for their child to play.

Casey came up with a solution often used in small urban apartments: a Murphy bed. It takes up less space than a sofa sleeper or futon and — unlike many of those — uses a standard mattress, so guests, including elderly grandparents, have a more comfortable stay.

“They did not want to compromise the quality of the mattress,” said Casey, owner of Laura Casey Interiors in Charlotte.

The Murphy bed — which tucks into cabinetry when not in use — is enjoying new popularity as a stylish space-saver in many kinds of homes, not just studio apartments.

“It’s an interesting trend,” said Chris Fahy, vice president of The Bedder Way Co. in Indianapolis, which makes Murphy beds and has seen sales rise in recent years. He says many customers are Baby Boomers, empty nesters and other homeowners who want to turn a bedroom into a hobby room or exercise room but still need a place for grown children, grandchildren or other guests to sleep.

Fahy’s Murphy beds range in price from $1,300 to $3,100.

California Closets, which also makes custom wall beds, has seen the same upward trend, said Ginny Snook Scott,

vice president for sales and marketing. Customers still buy Murphy beds for studio apartments and vacation homes, she said, but many others are looking to get more use out of an extra room.

The company designs vertical and horizontal Murphy beds, often incorporating them into cabinetry units for home offices or craft rooms. Prices range from $3,000 for a simple wall bed and desk to $20,000 for a custom project with extensive cabinetry.

Support pieces vary by manufacturer, but generally the mattress is encased in a frame that pulls out from a cabinet adhered to the wall. Today’s improved mechanism for lowering and raising the bed makes the process an easy job for one person, Fahy said.

The bed Casey designed for her client does not include a piston or spring mechanism, which most manufacturers use to lower the bed onto the floor.

“It just slowly drops down,” she said.

Her design, which she had a carpenter build, does not look like cabinetry. The bed is encased in a faux wall. When not in use, the bed looks like a couch with a shelf over it. In order to reveal the bed, the homeowner removes the couch cushions and pulls on the shelf, which causes the faux wall to drop to the floor. The wall is really a platform for the queen-size mattress. The shelf becomes the support for the foot of the bed.

It was the first time Casey ever recommended a Murphy bed to a client. She wrote about the project on her design blog,

PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Interior designer Laura Casey designed this Murphy bed for clients who wanted comfortable guest accommodations and a place for their child to play in the basement of their home in Charlotte.

at www.lauracaseyinteriors. com, and the post drew inquiries from across the country, she said.

She’s not the only one to think of a new twist on the Murphy bed. Some manufacturers also have designed beds that, like hers, are hidden in a faux wall rather than a traditional cabinet. Resource Furniture in New York sells a wall bed that flips down over the top of a couch attached to a fake wall, said interior designer Nicole Sassman of Century City, Calif.

“The whole bed comes down over the couch, and it’s a proper bed,” she said. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Sassman recently designed a room that she and the client nicknamed the “jackknife room” because it served so many purposes, including guest room, meeting room and home office. It included a Murphy bed; they’re just more versatile and comfortable than sofa beds, she said.

“People are far more designsavvy, and they need multipurpose rooms,” Sassman said.

“There are so many reasons why the Murphy bed works in so many places.”

New patterns aren’t your grandma’s florals

BY MELISSA RAYWORTH Associated Press Writer After years of simple solids and geometric prints, the lowly flower is making a comeback in décor. Floral patterns have been blooming all over fashion runways in recent months, and they are slowly finding their way back into the world of home decorating, too.

It wasn’t long ago that any mention of floral upholstery or wallpaper brought back memories of 1980s cabbage roses, flowery Shabby Chic borders stenciled high on bedroom walls and suburban homes designed to feel like precious cottages swathed in pink and green.

But today’s new patterns aren’t your grandmother’s florals. And they can be a refreshing antidote to the minimalist patterns that have dominated home decorating in recent years.

“It’s what we’re all craving,” says New York-based designer Jon Call, founder of Mr. Call Designs. “It’s romance, it’s a softness ... and it feels fresh again, because no one has defined it for our generation.”

While brands such as Laura Ashley delineated the floral look of a generation ago, the new florals have no rules, which makes them more fun — and more challenging — to use successfully.

Here, Call and two other interior designers — Betsy Burnham of Los Angeles’ Burnham Design, and Brian Patrick Flynn, executive producer of HGTV.com’s Spring House series — offer advice on working with this fresh crop of floral patterns.

WHAT SIZE? “Scale is the most important factor in modernizing the look and feel of florals,” says Flynn. He suggests avoiding flowers that are depicted at their actual size. In-

“Anytime I’m dealing with a home occupied by couples arguing over masculine and feminine styles, I’m likely to mix botanicals or florals with classic masculine prints such as gingham, check or plaid.”

That juxtaposition of “classic girly prints with iconic patterns used for men’s spaces” creates a modern, genderneutral room.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn, the interior designer Flynn uses navy blue prints from Ralph Lauren and John Robshaw to make an otherwise feminine den a bit more gender neutral. stead, pick patterns where the flowers are bigger — between 50 percent and 200 percent larger than life-size.

Call agrees: He’s a fan of using vintage prints in “the largest scale you can find,” so that the print’s eye-popping size contrasts with its traditional style.

But Call and Burnham also think floral prints can look modern if they’re printed on a very small scale, especially if they’re used on smaller items such as throw pillows.

WHICH PATTERN? Find a floral print that really appeals to you personally, Burnham suggests. “Nothing corny, nothing ordinary,” she says. You want “something really special.”

You might try “chinoiseries that include figures and florals,” Burnham says, “or flora and fauna. That’s a way to do it if you’re kind of

scared of just flowers.”

Another option is choosing a pattern that’s more “botanical” than flower-filled.

“Homeowners with aversions to super-girly florals featuring rosebuds or elaborate petals may find botanicals a better fit,” says Flynn.

“While floral prints include shapes and silhouettes of actual flowers, botanicals rely more on stems and leaves.”

Call points out that designers such as Vivienne Westwood have created digitized, pixilated floral prints that mix traditional and modern style. But, he says, even the most classic chintz fabrics can look great in a modern home if they’re handmade and high quality.

Flynn encourages clients to mix floral patterns with other prints.

“The floral cottage style of a decade ago was all florals and ribbons,” Flynn says.

color palette, says Flynn.

“Florals with mustard yellow and burgundy palettes instantly feel old and stuffy.

To make them fresh and fun, look for those with unexpected color palettes, such as black and violet or springy greens and punchy pinks.

The pattern will keep its classic appeal, but with a youthful update.”

Burnham says floral patWHERE TO USE IT? terns done in just two colors (or in two shades of the Floral patterns can work especially well on sleek, mod- same color) can look more ern pieces of furniture, Burn- modern than florals that inham says. Rather than choos- clude several colors. And “if ing a floral sofa that’s round- you go for something on a crisp white background,” ed and tufted, use floral upshe says, it “might read holstery on a simple sofa more current than somewith straight, clean lines. thing on a tea-dye that’s And rather than hanging floral draperies in a bedroom more muted.”

Call thinks just about any or choosing a floral bedspread, use solid-colored fab- color can work, though he prefers to steer clear of rics in those locations and then upholster the headboard pinks and purples. “It gets too sweet, too endearing,” he in a bold, oversize floral. says. You have to “be careful WHAT COLORS? with the sentimentality,” he says, or you’ll lose some of A great pattern can look the modern edge. dated if you pick the wrong

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GE can help you decipher LED, CFL and more

BY FAMILY FEATURES For many people, a trip down the lighting aisle can be an overwhelming experience, especially when considering the many energy-efficient lighting options available. Whether looking at light-emitting diode bulbs or compact fluorescent technology bulbs, there are some factors you should think about before making a purchase.

Recent studies have found that most homeowners aren’t ready to make the leap to newer energyefficient lighting solutions, such as LED and CFL. But those who are making the switch from incandescent bulbs to GE Energy-Efficient Soft White bulbs are doing so at a rate of two to one, compared to CFL bulbs.

“We understand that consumers are overwhelmed by all of the changes in the lighting aisle, and whatever their lighting preference, we have reliable lighting options for them,” said John Strainic, general manager of Consumer Lighting for GE in North America. “For consumers who still want an incandescent-like bulb, our incandescent isn’t gone — it’s more energy efficient. Our Energy-Efficient Soft White bulb provides a warm, cozy light and dimming capabilities but saves energy and meets federal brightness requirements.”

SMALL UPGRADES EQUAL BIG SAVINGS According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, lighting consumes up to 17 percent of a home’s overall energy usage. With an annual energy savings of $2.05 per bulb, a household that replaces 40 60-watt incandescent bulbs with 43-watt Energy-Efficient Soft White bulbs could save more than $80 a year based on 3 hours’ use per day and an 11c/kWh electricity rate.

For more information, visit www.gelighting.com/ EESW. “Our newer lighting technologies, such as GE’s Energy-Efficient Soft White bulbs, are specially engineered to provide the light consumers love the same way it was delivered more than a century ago,” said Strainic. “But today we can meet federal brightness requirements without as much wasted energy.”

OTHER ENERGY-SAVING OPTIONS One popular option in energy-efficient lighting is the LED bulb. Though the price for this option can be higher than others, experts think that prices should decrease as LED technology evolves, allowing for a broader mass market appeal. Another more energy-efficient lighting option is CFL bulb technology, which has been in the market now for more than 30 years and has greatly improved to mirror the performance of a traditional incandescent light.

As new energy-efficiency standards took place Jan. 1, consumers will choose between these more energy-efficient lighting options, including Energy-Efficient Soft White, or halogen technology, CFL or LED bulbs. Consumers will still be able to find a limited supply of incandescent bulbs at some retailers until inventory is gone.

For those wishing to save money on energy bills, having an understanding of the different energy-efficient lighting options available can help to make an informed purchasing decision.

Source: GE

FAMILY FEATURES

Taking an older piece of furniture and transforming it into a unique piece is easier than you may think.

Revitalize your forgotten furniture with a simple DIY transformation

BY FAMILY FEATURES

SUPPLIES:

Putting your own flair into an old piece of furniture or thrift store find is a creative and budget-friendly way to transform unused items into personal treasures.

Refinishing old tables, chairs and other wooden items can instill new life, making these pieces functional and contemporary once more. Whether you’re repurposing a piece entirely, or simply updating the look, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Chemical stripper Hand-held paint scraper Tack cloths or lint-free rags Rubber gloves Safety glasses Orbital sander with 60-, 120- and 220-grit discs Interior wood stain and sealer product, such as Cabot Premium Wood Finish (ready-to-use or custom tinted to your color of choice) Painters’ tape Paint brush 300-grit sand paper Use a chemical stripper to remove heavy layers of paint, stain or varnish. Follow the label’s directions, allowing the stripper to sit for the designated amount of time and then gently scraping and wiping away the residue (tack cloth or lint-free rag is important, so you don’t leave particles behind).

Tip: Remember to wear gloves approved for chemical handling and eye protection, and be sure to set up your project in a well-ventilated area. A respirator may be necessary to ensure you don’t inhale too many powerful fumes.

Once your piece has been stripped, wiped clean with a damp rag and allowed to thoroughly dry, you are ready to sand. Although for some small projects sandpaper sheets will do, you’ll get the best results using a quality orbital sander (there are many options in the $50 to $100 range, well

COLOR Do you have a specific room in mind to use your selected piece? If you have a place already chosen, consider a colored stain to match the room’s décor. If not, a versatile wood tone may be a better choice.

PRODUCT Is this your first project? If so, water-based products can be a simpler, DIY friendly alternative to oil-based stains and finishes. Will your “new” furniture be in frequent or casual use? To protect from wear and tear on daily-use items, be sure to finish your project with an appropriate sealant or protective coat. Interior stain and sealers offer a protective element built into the product, such as Cabot Premium Wood Finish, which provides rich color and tough, durable results.

PREPARATION Although you may be anxious to put your new treasure to use, taking time to properly strip and prepare your wood for its new finish will ensure the best results.

The DIY project above, created by Beth Hunter, author of the blog “Home Stories A to Z,” shows you how to take a tired, outdated coffee table from attic to amazing in three simple steps.

MORE DIY PROJECT IDEAS For additional DIY project ideas for your home, including tips and how-to videos, visit www.cabotstain.com.

According to the Cabot website, area stores that carry Cabot products include Simpson Hardware, Lowe’s and Jefferson Barns and Lumber.

worth the investment if you’ll be doing more projects in the future).

Using the sander, start with a low-grit, coarse sandpaper (60 grit) and work up to the high-grit, fine paper (220 grit). The low grit takes off any remaining finish quickly and roughens the wood, while the finer grits smooths the wood and creates a pristine surface. After sanding, use a tack cloth to wipe down your piece and remove the dust.

Now you are ready to add color. For this project, a series of colors in the new Cabot Premium Wood Finish line were used, including Mussel Shell, Stormy Teal, Riverbed and Coffeehouse. The products in this line are water-based stain and sealers so they dry quickly, and are good choices for a DIYer because they stain and protect at once while providing high-quality, beautiful results. These finishes also offer smooth application without the need for a primer or conditioner and a simple soap and water clean-up.

If you will be using multiple colors, as with this project, tape off areas to make crisp lines. Use a brush to apply the product, and allow to dry as described on the package directions. Use ultra-fine grit sand paper, such as 300 grit, to lightly sand the first coat. Finish with a second coat.

Tips: For a richer color, use the finest sand paper possible to remove as little stain as possible between coats. Apply more layers for a darker look, or only one coat for a distressed look.

Source: Cabot Wood Stain

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