March 30, 2013

ADVENTURES IN LEARNING:

Find it in today’s edition C1

Shepherd’s Center offers new classes, revives favorites A3

LOCAL BASEBALL: USC Sumter tries to climb in Region X standings B1 VOL. 118, NO. 137 WWW.THEITEM.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013 | SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA

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Airport seeks $600K New hangar needed to house corporate aircraft

Many foods disguised as healthy

BY MISSY CORRIGAN Special to The Item Baked chips, fat-free cookies, 100-calorie snacks and whole wheat pasta are just among the few foods that are disguised as being healthy. Many times we are often misled by advertisements for products claiming to be healthy or healthier for you. Even if CORRIGAN a food is marketed as heart healthy, a good source of fiber or calcium, no sugar added or fat free, you need to look further to consider if it is worth it to your health to eat it.

Food manufacturers choose to point out the positive changes made to their foods but leave out the negative, falsely representing the food. This leaves you responsible for doing your own research, reading the labels and knowing what to look for in ingredients. Yet we put too much trust in what we read as healthy but not what we understand as healthy.

Fat-free foods have maintained popularity as an essential “diet” food since the ’80s in the hopes of curing cravings for the real thing. But where fat has been reduced or removed, more sodium and sugar have been added to enhance the flavor. Look at the ingredients and you will find chemicals that have been added to the food, leaving it not any healthier or even less healthy than the original food itself. And reduced fat or fat free

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com It has been said that sometimes you have to spend money to make money.

That’s essentially the argument Sumter Municipal Airport is making as it seeks $619,000 from Sumter County to build a new hangar for corporate aircraft.

The proposed 12,000-square-foot hangar, which members mem

Sumter Municipal Airport is asking the county for more than $600,000 for construction of a larger hangar like this one to house corporate jets.

BRISTOW MARCHANT / THE ITEM

of the Airport Commission presented to county council’s fiscal, tax and property committee Tuesday, will relieve overcrowding at the county-run airport and in the process hopefully

Corey “Corine” Tomlin celebrates after winning the Men in Red Pageant with runner-up Ronald “Ronetta” Haynes.

Phil “Phyllis” Parnell

Eleven Men in Red participated Thursday night in the “beauty” pageant sponsored by Sumter County government. After casual wear, the question-and-answer w session and formal wear, judges Caroline sessio Mack, Jeanette Roveri and Cheryl Love Mack named Corey Tomlin of Sumter-Lee nam Regional Detention Center the winner.

Regi Proceeds from the pageant, the Proc second presented by the county in sec three years, benefit the American thr Heart Association.

He

Donny “Donna” Vickers shows off her figure.

The Men in Red line up on the Patriot Hall stage for final judging.

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reported Friday.

The drop comes as the statewide rate fell marginally to 8.6 percent as 44 of South Carolina’s 46 SEE JOBS, PAGE A7

Mulvaney talks with tea party from the Democrats. But now he’s encouraged by how congressional Republicans have managed to set the agenda in Washington since Election Day, keeping the focus on budgetary issues

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com BRISTOW MARCHANT / THE ITEM

Congressman Mick Mulvaney addresses a meeting of the Sumter Tea Party on Thursday. The Fifth District representative said conservatives discouraged by November’s election results should be encouraged by Republicans’ ability to control the policy message in Washington.

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Derrick Rhems asks Ron “Rhonda” Dodson his pageant question.

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM PH

Unemployment dips in Sumter The Sumter County unemployment rate has once again dropped below the double-digit mark, falling 0.4 percentage points in February to 9.8 percent, the

SEE AIRPORT, PAGE A8

HERE COME THE MEN IN RED

SEE HEALTHY LIVING, PAGE A8

BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com

create a more hospitable welcome for visiting industry executives.

“Basically, we’ve outgrown the

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U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., felt down after last November’s election results, when the Republican Party failed to retake the White House or the U.S. Senate

SEE MULVANEY, PAGE A7

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013 Contact the newsroom at 803-774-1226 or e-mail news@theitem.com

LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS |

Man charged with attempted murder

FROM STAFF & WIRE REPORTS

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com

Lee State Park offers ranger-led bike ride BISHOPVILLE — Lee State Park is offering a park ranger-led bike ride along the Park’s Loop Road from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 13.

The 5-mile route covers part of Loop Road, a dirt and gravel road built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The ride will take cyclists through the sandhills and the Lynches River wetlands, two habitats used by many of the park’s resident wildlife, with stops at two artesian wells for rest and water from a natural flowing well.

Admission to the park and the program is free.

Participants must be at least 8 and able to bike 5 miles. Adults must accompany children under 18.

Participants should meet at the park’s Education Building and dress for outdoors. Please bring a bicycle with mountain bike tires (road tires not recommended), a helmet, sunscreen, a water bottle and snacks.

To register, call the park’s Education Center (803) 428-4988. For more information about the park, visit out website www.southcarolinaparks. com.

Carowinds opens for the year FORT MILL — The Carowinds theme park on the South CarolinaNorth Carolina state line has opened for 2013.

The amusement park opened for the year late Friday morning.

Dinosaurs Alive! Is the big new attraction. It includes 32 life-sized dinosaurs in a five-acre section that use to house the picnic area.

Some of the dinosaurs roar and move on command.

The attraction includes a 3-D movie that is included in park admission and the dinosaur display that carries a $5 per person charge.

S.C. teacher accused of hurting student ROCK HILL — An elementary school teacher in Rock Hill has been accused of hurting a female student, leaving a bruise on her arm.

Thirty-five-year-old Daniel Johns of Rosewood Elementary School has been placed on administrative leave with pay after he was charged with third-degree assault and battery.

Officials said Johns was on hall duty early Wednesday when a 9-year-old girl became unruly. School spokeswoman Elaine Baker said Johns talked with the girl and then took her into a classroom and spoke with her again before returning her to the hall.

A Wedgefield man already facing drug charges from an arrest last month was back in jail Friday on a charge of attempted murder.

Konrad Dinkins, 32, of 5715 Alcott Drive, was arrested Friday morning after a reported argument with his girlfriend at the home about 11 a.m. that ended with the woman being shot in her left side.

The severity of the victim’s injuries was not immediately apparent, but an investigator

with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said she was conscious and able to communicate with law enforcement at the scene. She was taken to a local hospital, where she underwent surgery.

The suspect reportedly fled from his home DINKINS on Alcott Drive but was taken into custody without incident a short while later at a relative’s home on Emil Road. He is being held pending bond at Sumter-Lee Regional Deten-

tion Center.

Investigators were reportedly still searching the area for the weapon used in the shooting Friday evening.

This is not Dinkins’s first run-in with the law this year.

In mid-February, he was arrested after the sheriff’s office’s drug unit raided his home, the culmination of a three-month investigation into drug activity in the area.

The raid, according to reports, resulted in the seizure of several drugs and a 10 mm Glock handgun.

At that time, Dinkins was charged with multiple

counts of distribution of marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute each of the same and possession of drug paraphernalia. It was unclear how long Dinkins had been out of jail on those charges.

At the time of his February arrest, the sheriff’s office said a previous conviction for crack cocaine possession, for which Dinkins was on probation, prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

Contact Bristow Marchant at (803) 774-1272.

SATURDAY SNAPSHOT

Ethan Timmons, kindergartner and big brother Ethan Timmons, 5, is a busy guy.

When he isn’t soaking up information in his K5 class at Westside Christian Academy, he is playing with his best friend, Justin, or with his various action figures. But since last December, Ethan has had another job: that of a new big brother. His baby sister, Khloe, was born on Dec. 31 and Ethan has slid comfortably into his role as big brother.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT SCHOOL?

I really like the centers (Ethan’s class has various learning centers that the students visit). I like the block center because you can stack the blocks.

DO YOU EVER GET IN TROUBLE AT SCHOOL?

Yes. Sometimes I have to move my stick. Sometimes I talk or I’m not listening.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO PLAY?

I like to play with Justin. We met when we were babies. I like to play Ninja Turtles because they do a lot of ninja moves. My favorite is Raphael. I also like to play Jenga. It’s my favorite game.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

I want to be a policeman. If I see bad guys, I’m going to arrest them.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BABY SISTER, KHLOE.

She lives in the room across the hall.

JAMIE HUDSON WILSON / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

Big brother Ethan Timmons, 5, holds onto his new baby sister, Khloe, three months old.

She always looks at me. She laughs at me and she likes it when I play with her arms.

When she was getting ready for a bath, I played with her in the bedroom. On the way to church we sing the same song.

When she cries, she is loud. Sometimes I see her diapers, and they are nasty.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GOOD BIG BROTHER?

You need to listen to your parents and listen to your teacher. If someone picks on her, I’m going to pick on them. If they are mean to her, I’m going to say, “Get out of my house, because I love her!”

— Jamie H. Wilson

Bishopville High graduate returns to Broadway

BY RANDY BURNS Special to The Item BISHOPVILLE — Broadway is giving its regards to a 1977 Bishopville High School graduate once again.

Leon Brown, 53, has been named the understudy for Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. in the upcoming Broadway play “The Trip to Bountiful.” Brown also has been cast in a couple of non-speaking roles in the play, also starring the legendary Cicely Tyson and multiple award-nominee Vanessa Williams.

Tyson will be making her first Broadway appearance in 30 years. She plays the part of a Texas woman who, against the wishes of her family, dreams of returning to her hometown of Bountiful, Texas, one last time.

The Horton Foote play opens tonight in a limited engagement, with its official opening on April 23.

“This is certainly a good opportunity to be a part of this great theatrical event,” Brown said. “And it’s great

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to be working with such amazing performers. Ms. Tyson is an American icon.

And so is Horton Foote. We have one of the most talented directors in theater — Michael Wilson. It has every element to be a success.”

Brown said an understudy has to be ready to step into a star’s role at any time.

“Sometimes you might know ahead of time BROWN because of a conflict in the actor’s schedule,” Brown said. “But it can be something that happens at the last minute.”

Brown previously had roles in episodes of TV’s “Law and Order” and “The Good Wife,” and in movies, “Mo Better Blues” (1990), “Music of the Heart” (1999), “The Edge” (1989), and “Whirly Girl” (2005).

He was also cast in the 2012 Steven Spielberg blockbuster “Lincoln,” but his scene was edited out of the movie.

“I’ve had a great year,” Brown said. “I was in a play

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written and directed by Athol Fugard. I had the role in ‘Lincoln.’ As far as I’m concerned, I have had a very successful career. To me, it’s never been about being famous. My goal has always been to work as a professional actor, particularly in live theater.”

Brown has been in numerous plays, with his first being the critically acclaimed “Prelude to a Kiss.”

He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1985. Brown credits one of his professors at the University of South Carolina Sumter for his career as a professional actor.

“The first play I was ever in was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” Brown said. “It was at USC Sumter, and the director was Ken Callender.

He encouraged me to go on to study theater at the N.C. School for the Arts.”

Ennis Bryant, who was Brown’s varsity basketball coach, said Brown had the people skills and the work ethic essential for success.

“Leon was someone who would look you in the eye when you were talking to him, and you knew he was listening to every word,” Bryant said. “He had such a tenacity about him. And he still had this gentle manner.”

Bishopville High did not have a drama club or school theater during his time at the school, but Brown remembers being motivated by a three-day workshop conducted as part of an artists-in-residence program.

He said teachers and family also encouraged him to work hard to achieve his goals and credits Bryant and Harold Galloway, also a coach at Bishopville High, for their guidance. Marie Parker, a French teacher, sparked Brown’s interest in theater. Gail Player, a former Bishopville City councilwoman, was also supportive when he was a youngster, Brown said.

Brown was elected to the Lee County Arts Council’s Wall of Fame and his portrait is on the wall of the Opera House.

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LOCAL / STATE

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM

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Loftis holds on retirement backing COLUMBIA (AP) — State Treasurer Curtis Loftis is refusing to sign a $50 million check for an investment approved by the commission that oversees the state retirement fund.

Loftis, the commission’s only elected member, voted for the investment with private equity firm Warburg Pincus. But he wants a paper copy of a document to assure the state won’t overpay fees, rather than the email version he received, The State newspaper reported.

“They want to fund a $50 million investment with retirees’ money. I say to them, ‘I will fund it when it is safe,’” Loftis said.

The Retirement System Investment Commission’s chief operating officer said all commissioners received an email with the fee information. Loftis wants a copy signed by the commission’s attorney.

“He’s trying to unilaterally create a new document that currently doesn’t exist,” said COO Darry Oliver. “The commission doesn’t believe he is entitled to do that.”

Commission Chairman Reynolds Williams said he hopes Loftis will “come to his senses” before the bank requests the money next week.

As treasurer, Loftis is the official custodian of the state’s money,

meaning he is the only one who can sign the check. If he continues to refuse, the two sides could end up in court.

It’s the latest episode in an ongoing feud between Loftis and his fellow commissioners, particularly Williams, who Loftis unsuccessfully tried to remove last year as chairman.

The first-term treasurer has complained for more than a year that the commission pays too much in management fees for its investments. But other commissioners say the fees serve as incentives for managers to invest wisely, with bonuses given for successes.

ITEM FILE PHOTO

Gail Turnmeyer works on a project in a china painting class at the Shepherd’s Center. She’ll be teaching the class with Grace Prescott from 10 to 11:50 a.m. April 11May 30 as part of the center’s Adventures in Learning program. Registration for classes is now open.

Shepherd’s Center Disabled learn dog training at S.C. school offers new classes, revives favorites SPARTANBURG (AP) — Clint, a 9-year-old black lab, happily wagged his tail after a gentle pat and a “good boy” from South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind student Nicky Weilacher.

Weilacher, 19, is one of 14 students enrolled in the school’s new small animal care course, which includes a unit on dog training. The course is designed to teach students the skills needed for occupations in the pet or companion animal industry.

Students get hands-on experience with dogs and other small animals while studying animal care and potential career options.

“Depending on the skill or interest of the student, it could be someone interested in a vet tech program or even a dog groomer or dog walker,” said instructor Hunter Landis. “I think animals in general teach kids responsibility, and that can transfer to any profession or career.”

Terry Queen, owner of Comfort & Joy Kennels in Gaffney, lends his expertise in obedience training to the class. Clint is Queen’s dog, and after years of training, he’s proved the perfect way for students to practice obedience commands before trying them on an untrained pup.

Weilacher, a student in the School for the Blind, instructed Clint to “heel” as she walked around the training room. With a firm tug on the leash, Clint was walking beside her, then sat down on her command.

Queen said students are instructed on everything from tone of voice for commands to how to properly care for animals.

Students are responsible for caring for two young labs, Bull and Bella, who were donated to the school. They feed and water the dogs daily, and clean out their kennels.

“To see (students) go from not understanding what to do to seeing the confidence build, it shows them that even though they have a disability, they can still do this,” Queen said.

Landis explained that instruction is tailored to

BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ABOVE: Dog owner Terry Queen, left, walks along as student Charles Harris works with training dog “Clint,” with teacher Hunter Landis pushing the wheelchair at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind in Spartanburg recently.

Students are given the opportunity to work with dogs in the school’s new small animal care course, which includes a unit on dog training.

LEFT: Clint awaits commands from student Nicky Weilacher as dog owner Terry Queen looks on recently.

The course is designed to teach students the skills needed for occupations in the pet or companion animal industry.

students’ abilities. Some students may excel at verbal commands, while more tactile tasks, like grooming, may come easier for others.

Weilacher, of Georgetown, said she’s enjoying the class, and would consider a job related to animal care one day.

“It’s fun,” she said.

South Carolina Newspaper Network

Lemira Presbyterian Church (ARP) invites the Sumter Community to participate in their Sunday services: Sunday School: 10:00 a.m.

Morning Worship Service: 11:00 a.m.

Evening Bible Study: 6:00 p.m.

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Members of the Shepherd’s Center of Sumter share many things, from meals to learning experiences, vacation trips, entertainment and friendship. In August, many of them will travel to New York City for a week of sight-seeing, shopping and maybe a couple of Broadway plays. At the moment, though, they’re poring over the class schedule for the center’s spring session of Adventures in Learning.

Executive Director Jeanette Roveri said many favorite classes are being repeated, and she’s excited about one that will be offered for the first time.

“Gus Becker is going to teach us how to make hypertufa planters,” she said.

In two separate sessions, Becker will teach participants how to make lightweight garden planters from hypertufa, a type of concrete that is light, easy to work with and durable.

Open to individuals 50 years of age and older, the center’s classes teach new skills and enhance knowledge, improve health and entertain, while providing a fun atmosphere for socializing and forming friendships, Roveri said.

The wide variety of classes includes tai chi, bead weaving, low impact aerobics, beginning ceramics, china painting, geography, small engine repair, Bible study and more.

Those interested in handwork can sign up

to learn a variety of skills, including bead weaving, crochet and quilting. Just for fun, there are board and card games, bowling and scrapbooking.

Membership fees for the Shepherd’s Center are $20 for the remainder of the year; class registration fee is $15 if paid by April 5 and $20 thereafter. The class fee covers as many classes as you can fit into your schedule, but there are minimal additional material charges for a few craft classes. Six class periods are scheduled each Thursday, with two to six different programs each period.

Most classes meet on Thursdays, beginning April 11, and continue through May 30.

A few classes and activities meet on other weekdays. Members may opt to have lunch each Thursday at 12:15 p.m. for an additional $6. The lunches include a meat dish, vegetables, bread and dessert. Entertainment is also provided during lunch.

The center also offers public information classes at 11 a.m. each Thursday. There is no charge for this class, and members and nonmembers alike can attend. This session’s offerings, taught by experts in their fields, include information on hearing loss, foot care, spring gardening, do-ityourself home repairs, protecting yourself from scams and scammers and more.

For more information and a class schedule, visit the Shepherd’s Center at 24 Council St. or call (803) 773-1944.

Pastor Dan Rowton 514 Boulevard Road

We sing the “old” beloved hymns and study God’s word through His scriptures.

We are Family oriented; Mission driven; Small but mighty.

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THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Lawmakers tighten belts amid recent budget cuts

Suzanne Meredith, of Walpole, Mass., gases up her car at a Gulf station in Brookline, Mass., in July 2012.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cleaner gas would mean higher price at the pump WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration’s newest anti-pollution plan would ping American drivers where they wince the most: at the gas pump.

That makes arguments weighing the cost against the health benefits politically potent.

The proposal to reduce sulfur in gasoline and tighten auto emission standards, released Friday, would raise gasoline prices by less than a penny per gallon, the Environmental Protection Agency said. But the oil industry points to its own study putting the cost between 6 and 9 cents a gallon.

The EPA also said its proposal would add about $130 to the price of new vehicles, beginning in 2025.

The administration said the costs to consumers are

worth the payoff: billions of dollars in health benefits from reductions in smogand soot-forming pollution.

The agency predicts $7 in health benefits for every dollar spent to implement the new rules. The agency must hold public hearings before finalizing the rules. It plans for them to take effect in 2017.

The proposal was praised by environmentalists and health advocates, as well as automakers who say it will help the U.S. catch up with the cleaner fuels used in other nations. California already uses the sulfur standard.

EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe said the proposal is designed to “protect the environment and public health in an affordable and practical way.�

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of Congress are traveling less and worrying more about meeting office salaries. Their aides are contending with long lines to get inside their offices and there are fewer prospects of a raise. Such are the indignities thrust upon the men and women who brought the country $85 billion in government spending cuts this month.

There probably won’t be much sympathy for a senator or congressman making $174,000 a year who is in no danger of being furloughed or laid off, at least until the next election. Still, there has been an effort, especially in the Republican-led House, to show that no one should be exempt from sacrifice. “As those who are charged with the care of taxpayers’ dollars, we need to lead by example,� Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., who chairs the House Administration Committee, said last week in promoting a bill to slash the budgets of House committees by 11 percent.

Earlier in March — after Congress and the White House failed to come up with an alternative to across-the-board cuts in most federal programs — the House imposed an 8.2 percent reduction in lawmakers’ personal office budgets. That came on top

‘As those who are charged with the care of taxpayers’ dollars, we need to lead by example.’ Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich. of 11 percent cuts to members’ office budgets during 2011-12. “We’ve drastically reduced travel both for myself and my staff,� said Republican Rep. John Campbell, who must cross the country to visit his southern California district. He said he tends to stay in Washington on two-day weekends rather than return home. “I’m more productive here when I’m not rushing to get home,� he added.

Campbell said other “little things� he is doing to economize include reducing the office phone bill, cutting off magazine and newspaper subscriptions and using email rather than letters to communicate with voters.

Rep. Luke Messer, a freshman Republican from

Indiana, said he hired fewer people when he came to Washington because “we essentially began the term knowing there was a high possibility of a sequester�— Washington-speak for the automatic spending cuts.

So far, congressional staffers appear to have escaped the furloughs that are likely to send thousands of public servants home without pay for several workdays over the next six months and disrupt some government services. “I hope to avoid that,� said Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., “but we will take any steps to ensure we don’t exceed our budget.�

Under House rules, a lawmaker must pay for excess spending out of his or her own pocket.

The fiscal pressures are less strong in the Senate, where senators have staff budgets about double the amount of the $1.3 million average in the House and where the office cuts ordered because of the sequester were limited to 5 percent.

While staffers still have their jobs, they may have a harder time getting to them.

Security officials have cut costs by closing 10 entrances and several side streets around the Capitol complex, creating long lines to get through screening stations.

Threat may be more bark than bite SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Across North Korea, soldiers are gearing up for battle and shrouding their jeeps and vans with camouflage netting. Newly painted signboards and posters call for “death to the U.S. imperialists� and urge the people to fight with “arms, not words.�

But even as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is issuing midnight battle cries to his generals to ready their rockets, he and his millionman army know full well that a successful missile strike on U.S. targets would be suicide for the outnumbered, out-powered North Korean regime.

Despite the hastening drumbeat of warfare — seemingly bringing the region to the very brink of conflict with threats and provocations — Pyongyang aims to force Washington to the negotiating table, pressure the new president in

PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

North Korean army officers punch the air as they chant slogans during a rally at Kim Il Sung Square in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea, on Friday.

Tens of thousands of North Koreans turned out for the mass rally at the main square in Pyongyang in support of their leader Kim Jong Un’s call to arms.

Seoul to change policy on North Korea, and build unity inside the communist country without triggering a fullblown war.

North Korea wants to draw attention to the tenuousness of the armistice designed to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, a truce Pyongyang recently announced it would no longer honor as it warned that war could break out at any time.

In July, it will be 60 years since North Korea

and China signed an armistice with the U.S. and the United Nations to bring an end to three years of fighting that cost millions of lives.

The designated Demilitarized Zone has evolved into the most heavily guarded border in the world.

It was never intended to be a permanent border. But six decades later, North and South remain divided, with Pyongyang feeling abandoned by the South Koreans in the quest for

Innocent Until the wind blows WE CAN HELP! CALL US TODAY!

reunification and threatened by the Americans.

In that time, South Korea has blossomed from a poor, agrarian nation of peasants into the world’s 15th-largest economy while North Korea is struggling to find a way out of a Cold War chasm that has left it with a per capita income on par with subSaharan Africa.

The Chinese troops who fought alongside the North Koreans have long since left. But 28,500 American troops

FOR THE WAY IT’S MADE.Ž

are still stationed in South Korea and 50,000 more are in nearby Japan. For weeks, the U.S. and South Korea have been showing off their military might with a series of joint exercises that Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for invasion.

On Thursday, the U.S. military confirmed that those drills included two nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers that can unload the U.S. Air Force’s largest conventional bomb — a 30,000-

pound super bunker buster — powerful enough to destroy North Korea’s web of underground military tunnels.

It was a flexing of military muscle by Washington, perhaps aimed not only at Pyongyang, but at Beijing as well.

In Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un reacted swiftly, calling an emergency meeting of army generals and ordering them to be prepared to strike if the U.S. actions continue.

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LOCAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

POLICE BLOTTER |

THE ITEM

A5

HAWAII BOUND

CHARGES:

Veito Vidal Wright, 36, of 4315 Patriot Parkway, was arrested Wednesday and charged with criminal domestic violence. On Tuesday, Wright allegedly struck the mother of his children in the face, causing several bumps on the right side of her head and loosening some of her teeth.

Kirby Christopher Grant Pearson, 22, of 3065 Starks Ferry Road, was arrested Wednesday and charged with illegal possession of prescription drugs and simple possession of marijuana.

At 2:37 p.m., Pearson was stopped after reportedly making an improper turn from Lynam Road onto McCrays Mill Road.

The officer reportedly smelled the odor of marijuana in the car, and Pearson reportedly turned over a backpack containing two grams of marijuana and nine prescription pills of various kinds.

Bobby Wendell Hartfield, 53, of 385 Pearson Road, was arrested Wednesday and charged with driving under suspension, second offense. At 2:41 p.m., Hartfield was pulled over on Cane Savannah Road near Eagle Road for reportedly driving 47 mph in a 25 mph school zone. His license was found to be suspended.

STOLEN PROPERTY:

A PlayStation2, a PlayStation3, a Wii, 25 video games, two gold necklaces, three pairs of gold earrings, seven baseball hats and a Blu-ray movie player were reportedly stolen from the 1000 block of Utah Circle at 12:03 a.m.

Friday. A teenage boy was reportedly seen carrying a television out of the house before he dropped the TV and fled. The recovered TV is valued at $700.

Eighty feet of copper wire was reportedly stolen from a power line in the first block of Shaw Street at 8:44 a.m. Thursday. The wiring is valued at $1,000.

Lakewood High School cheerleaders congratulate their coach, Shannon Collins, center, for being selected to join the Cheer Hawaii USA coaching staff this summer. The committee reviewed hundreds of applications from across America before it selected eight cheer coaches for an expenses-paid trip to spend a week in Hawaii working with more than 150 cheerleaders. Collins said she was “extremely honored” to be the only coach selected from South Carolina. Two of her cheerleaders, Daja Murray and Wendeline Williams, have also been chosen to attend the conference.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Airports suing over planned tower shutdowns CHICAGO (AP) — Airport operators are mounting a legal challenge to the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to cut funding for 149 air traffic control towers, accusing the agency of violating federal law meant to ensure major changes at airports do not erode safety.

Several airports are now asking a federal court to halt the plan and compel the FAA to more carefully study the potential safety impact, said Carl Olson, director of the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, Ill. He warned that without a more cautious approach,

lives will be put at risk by cuts that he contends are arbitrary and the result of reckless political brinkmanship in Washington.

“I think everybody’s going to realize what the industry knows, and that is there is a razor-thin margin of error in aviation, and any diminishment of safety is going to have an immediate and cascading effect,” Olson said in an interview Friday.

“And all the talk to the contrary won’t change that fact.”

Olson’s airport is among the latest to file a lawsuit this week with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington. The others are

Risk, reward at dawn of civilian drone age WASHINGTON — The dawn of the age of aerial civilian drones is rich with possibilities for people far from the war zones where they made their devastating mark as a weapon of choice against terrorists.

The unmanned, generally small aircraft can steer water and pesticides to crops with precision, saving farmers money while reducing environmental risk. They can inspect distant bridges, pipelines and power lines and find hurricane victims stranded on rooftops.

Drones — some as tiny as a hummingbird — promise everyday benefits as broad as the sky is wide. But the drone industry and those eager to tap its potential are running headlong into fears the peeping-eye, go-anywhere technology will be misused.

Since January, dronerelated legislation has been introduced in more than 30 states, largely in response to privacy concerns. Many of the bills would prevent police from using drones for broad public surveillance or to watch individuals without sufficient grounds to believe they were involved in crimes.

Stephen Ingley, executive director of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association, says resistance to the technology is frustrating. Drones “clearly have so much potential for saving lives, and it’s a darn shame we’re having to go

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

An Insitu ScanEagle unmanned aircraft launches Tuesday at the airport in Arlington, Ore. It’s a good bet that in the notso-distant future aerial drones will be part of Americans’ everyday lives, performing countless useful functions.

through this right now,” he said.

But privacy advocates say now is the time to debate the proper use of civilian drones and set rules, before they become ubiquitous. Sentiment for curbing domestic drone use has brought the left and right together perhaps more than any other recent issue.

“The thought of government drones buzzing overhead and constantly monitoring the activities of law-abiding citizens runs contrary to the notion of what it means to live in a free society,” Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said at a recent hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

With military budgets shrinking, drone makers have been counting on the civilian market to spur the industry’s

growth. Some companies that make drones or supply support equipment and services say the uncertainty has caused them to put U.S. expansion plans on hold, and they are looking overseas for new markets.

“Our lack of success in educating the public about unmanned aircraft is coming back to bite us,” said Robert Fitzgerald, CEO of the BOSH Group of Newport News, Va., which provides support services to drone users.

“The U.S. has been at the lead of this technology a long time,” he said.

“If our government holds back this technology, there’s the freedom to move elsewhere ... and all of a sudden these things will be flying everywhere else and competing with us.”

Spokane Airports in Washington state and the operators of Florida airports in Naples, Ormond Beach and Punta Gorda. The court combined the suits into a single case Thursday.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said Friday that the agency could not comment on the pending litigation.

The agency’s administrator, Michael Huerta, has stressed that safety remains the FAA’s top priority even as it is forced by the budget cutting known as sequestration to trim $637 million for the rest of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

The FAA said it had no

choice but to subject most of its 47,000 employees, including tower controllers, to periodic furloughs and to close air traffic facilities run by contractors at 149 small airports with lighter traffic.

The first of those closures will happen April 7. Olson’s airport is slated to lose its funding May 5.

The tower shutdowns will not mean that airports have to close. All pilots are required to know how to land at un-towered airports and to practice those procedures, which include communicating with other pilots over a shared radio frequency.

A6

NATION

THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Tips to help with digital de-clutter (AP) — Ask friends how many emails they have sitting in their inbox or how many photos are saved to their laptop, and don’t be surprised if the numbers tally in the thousands.

Some of us have a difficult time knowing how to organize all of this digital information, from emails and documents to uploaded photos and downloaded songs. We hoard because we can: Today’s computer memory can handle it, and our email providers offer seemingly infinite storage space.

Take Peggy Stempson, associate pastor at Pierre First United Methodist Church in Pierre, S.D., who hangs onto at least 4,000 emails, many of them part of long conversations with friends going back five years or more. “They spark memories and connect me with people and help me contact them,� said

PHOTO PROVIDED

Stempson, 30. “It’s kind of like a diary.�

All of this digital detritus is not a problem unless it interferes with your life, work or happiness, according to Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College, in Galesburg, Ill. “If this acquisition of ‘e’ stuff ends up leading to a lifestyle that forces you to have less time for your family, or less time to draw or play music or run around in a park, or less time to be involved in your community, then I would say that to me is a problem,� says Kasser. “I can see how that happens with electronic stuff.�

Thank goodness there are experts to help extend spring

cleaning to the digital realm.

Allison Carter of Atlanta gets paid to help people find their way through the digital morass. She helps clients streamline emails, organize finances, manage documents and photos and back it all up. “The digital world, it’s about finding things, making your life more efficient, enjoying things rather than having them only live in the darkness of your hard drive,� said Carter, whose business is called Digital Life Organizing.

Controlling the email torrent is often the most daunting challenge, she says. “I like my active to-do’s and ongoing projects to be in my inbox until I’ve tackled them,� said Carter, but that’s

all that should be there. server — what’s referred to as For important emails, she “the cloud.� recommends setting up action Two free, cloud-based sites reminders, and recommends that may help unclog your Google’s free online calendar. inbox and desktop are Others include Zoho Calendar Springpad and Evernote, she and the Cozi Family OrganizCarter. Users can store notes, er, which also are free. recipes, photos, newspaper Gmail users can retrieve articles — even snapshots of unread emails by typing web pages. “is:unread� into the search “Bookmarks are outdated,� field, then delete ignored Carter said. emails in large chunks. That’s Keep track of important a favorite Claro tip. documents at File This, and “It was a great, great feelreceive notifications of bills ing. It was like doing a juice and automatically pay them fast or something,� she said. — reducing emails, she said.

Carter likes the app ReShawn Whyte, an informamember the Milk for managtion technology consultant in ing tasks online. Manage your Helena, Mont., recently family’s activities via Cozi. Or moved thousands of doculink everyments, songs, WAIT. THERE’S MORE. thing — books and email, calenphotos from There is plenty of handy information dars, remindsix old comavailable in our 2013 Spring Home & puters and ers and more Garden section in today’s paper. — with a syspersonal laptem that pulls tops to a all of your work and home life newer one with monster activities into one online site, memory (2 TB, or terabytes). such as at IQTELL. Her favorite tip? If you’re a “That’s the wave that’s Google gmail user, view and coming next,� said Carter. manage your emails through “You’re going to have a place Microsoft Outlook. If you to have it all in one spot.� have other email accounts, And that one spot? Well, they all can be viewed via it’s not on your computer.

Outlook. It’s a time-saver, Rather, it’s on a remote public Whyte said.

Church Directory Adventist

Interdenominational

What You Seek

Sumter Seventh-Day Adventist 103 N Pike West 775-4455 Pastor Samuel Bonham Sat. Sch: 9:15am, Worship: 11:00 am Tues Bible Study 7 pm www.sumter22.adventistchurchconnect.org

City of Refuge Church $BSPMJOB "WF t Pastors Barbara and Johnny Davis 4VOEBZ 4DIPPM BN t 8PSTIJQ BN Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00pm www.cityofrefugeministry.com

Salem Missionary Baptist Church 320 West Fulton Street 803-775-8054 Rev. Lei F. Washington Sun. Worship 10:00am Sun School 6:00pm Tue. Prayer Service 5:30pm Wed. Fellowship Dinner 6:00pm

Baptist - Southern Grace Baptist Church 219 W Calhoun St * 778-6417 Dr. Stephen Williams S.S. 9:45 am; Worship 11:00, 6:30 Wed. Meal-Choir-Missions: 5:30 pm Wed. Bible Study: 6:30 pm Hickory Road Baptist Church 1245 Cherryvale Dr 803-494-8281 Dr. Ron Taylor Pastor Sunday School 9:45am Worship 10:55am Long Branch Baptist Church 2535 Peach Orchard Rd. Dalzell 499-1838 www.longbranch_baptist.com James R. Allen Sun School 10:00am Worship 11:00am Sun Evening Worship 6:00pm Wed Mid Week Service 7:00 pm Midway Baptist Church 1210 Plowden Mill Rd 803-481-5064 Raymond Tobias, Pastor Mickey Lloyd Assoc. Pastor Sun. School 10am Worship 11am Tues. 6:30pm Pine Grove Baptist Church 433 Old Manning Road * 481-2041 Rev. Don Riner, Pastor Sunday School 10:00am Worship 10:50am Shaw Heights Baptist Church 2030 Peach Orchard Rd 499-4997 Rev. Robert White Pastor Sunday School: 9:45am Sunday Worship:11am & 6pm

Photo Credit Istockphoto.com/maxoidos

Baptist - Missionary Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church 803 S Harvin St. * 775-4032 Marion H Newton, Pastor Sunday Worship: 7:45 & 10:45 am Sunday Youth Service: 10:45 am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm

St John United Methodist Church 136 Poinsett Dr * 803-773-8185 Rev. J. Robert (Bob) Huggins Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 11:00 am Wed. Night Supper/Bible Study 6:30pm Trinity United Methodist Church 226 W Liberty St * 773-9393 Rev. Kevin Gorry Contemporary Worship 8:45 Traditional Worship 11:00 Sunday school 9:45 trinityumcsumter.org

Love Covenant Church 245 Oswego Hwy * 775-7605 Apostle Tommy Fredrick Prophet Angela Frederick Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Thursday Bible Study: 7:00 pm

is What You Get Maybe you’ve heard someone say they’re on “the merry-go-round of lifeâ€? as a sentiment of emptiness or frustration‌they see one set of problems ater another with a result that is dizzy, not merry.

But think of how a child sees a merry-go-round‌all whirling fun and exhilaration! What makes the diference? Are we resigned to an empty life or one full of beauty and delight? Begin this week at your house of worship. Celebrate with a positive attitude and an expectation of excitement and you’ll love the ride!

Luke 24:36–53

Weekly Scripture Reading Romans Romans Romans 3:9–31 5:1–21 6:1–23

Romans 1:1–17

Romans 7:1–25

Romans 15:1–13

Scriptures Selected by the American Bible Society Š2013, Keister-Williams Newspaper Services, P.O. Box 8187, Charlottesville, VA 22906, www.kwnews.com

Church of Christ

Catholic - Roman

Plaza Church of Christ 1402 Camden Hwy. * 905-3163 Stewart Schnur cell 361-8449 Sunday School: 10 am Sunday Worship: 11 am & 6 pm Wed. Bible Class: 7 pm

The Catholic Community of Sumter/ St. Anne Site 216 E Liberty St * 803-773-3524 Fr. Thomas Burke, C.Ss.R. Weekend Masses: Sat Vigil 5pm Sun. 7:30, 9:00 and 11:30 am Mass

Episcopal

The Catholic Community of Sumter, St. Jude Site 611 W. Oakland Ave * 773-9244 www.stjudesumtersc.org Fr. Charles Michael Donovan, C.Ss.R. Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm Sun. Euch.: 9:00, 11:30 am, 1 pm (Spanish)

Church of the Holy Cross 335 North Kings Hwy (Hwy 261 N) 803-494-8101 The Rev. Daniel Lee Clarke Jr Christian Education 9:00 am Holy Eucharist 10:00 am Morning Prayer Tues-Thurs 7:30am Holy Communion Wed. 12:00 pm

Presbyterian First Presbyterian Church of Sumter 9 W Calhoun St * 773-3814 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship 9:45 a.m. Sunday School - All Ages 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening program

Non-Denominational

Spiritual Life Christian Center 4672 Broad St. Ext * 968-5771 Pastors Randolph & Minerva Paige Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm

Lemira Presbyterian Church 514 Boulevard Rd * 473-5024 Pastor Dan Rowton Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am Bible Study 6:00 pm

Bible Fellowship Church 227 Broad St *773-7101 Pastor Jim Ketchum Sunday Worship: 11 am Worship 6:00pm Sunday School: 9:45 am Wed. Prayer Meeting 7:00pm

Victory Full Gospel Interdenominational Church 601 Pitts Rd * 481-7003 Joann P. Murrill, Pastor Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Youth Bible Study/Respect Monday: 7pm

Lutheran - ELCA

Christ Community Church(CCC) 525 Oxford St, Sumter 803-934-9718 Pastor Toby Toburen Sun. Worship 10:00am (Patriot Hall)

St James Lutheran Church 1137 Alice Dr, Sumter 773-2260 / www.stjamessumter.org Pastor Keith Getz Sunday Worship: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am

First Church of God 1835 Camden Rd * 905-5234 www.sumterfcg.org Ron Bower, Pastor Sunday Worship: 10:30 am Sunday School: 9:30 am

Lutheran - NALC

Miracle Deliverance Temple COSC (Church Of A Second Chance) 1010 North Guignard Drive*934-1444 Apostle Larry DeRant, Bishop Sunday School 10:30am & worship 11:30am

Immanuel Lutheran Church 140 Poinsett Drive * 803-883-1049 Worship Service 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Nursery provided Wed Bible Class: 6:30 pm

Swan Lake Presbyterian Church 912 Haynsworth St Sumter 803-775-3146 Pastor Chuck Staggs Sunday School 9:45 Worship 11:00

Contact a Church Representative

The Salvation Army 16 Kendrick St * 775-9336 Major Robbie Robbins Sunday School: 9:45 am Worship Service: 11 am Wednesday Mid Week Lift: 7 pm Wednesday Men Fellowship & Woman’s Home League: 7:30 pm

Methodist - Southern First Southern Methodist Church 321 Miller Rd * 773-9723 Ellison Evans III, Reverend Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Worship: 11:00 am, 6:30 pm Wed. Sevs: 6:30pm, Epworth League Mtg: 6:30pm

Word International Ministries 1010 North Guignard Drive * 934-1444 Apostle Larry DuRant Pastor Woship - 8:00am & 11:15am Sunday: School - 10:30am

Methodist - United Aldersgate United Methodist 211 Alice Dr * 775-1602 Dr. Webb Belangia, Reverend Traditional Service 9:00 am Sunday School 10:15 am Contemporary 11:15 am

Pentecostal-United First United Penecostal Church 14 Plowden Mill Rd * 775-9493 Pastor Theron Smith Sunday Service: 10:00 am & 6:30 pm Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 pm

Bethel United Methodist Church 5575 Lodebar Rd * 469-2452 Rev. Billy Lewis Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 am Sunday School: 10 am www.BethelUMCoswego.org BMethodist@ftc-i.net

Sumter First Pentecostal Holiness Church 2609 McCrays Mill Rd * 481-8887 S. Paul Howell, Pastor Sunday School: 10:00 am Sunday Worship: 10:45 am & 6:00 pm Wed. Worship/Youth Group: 7:00 pm

by phone at 800-293-4709 or email at churchrep@kwnews.com to update your church ad or obtain information about listing your church information on the “Sumter Worship Directory�

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To view church information online go to www.theitem.com or www.sumterchurchesonline.com

OBITUARIES

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

JOHNNIE ANN HODGES Johnnie Ann Hodges, 64, died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late John Lester Brown and Pearl Virginia Ardis McIntosh.

She was a member of Pine Grove Baptist Church, where she HODGES served in the food pantry. She also spent many hours feeding the homeless.

Her favorite hobby was baking cakes and pies, but most of all she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She retired from Pinewood Manufacturing and Young’s Food Stores.

Survivors include five children, Raymond Henderson (Rose), Clyde Hodges Jr. (Linda), Ann Hodges and Dwayne Hodges (Marcie), all of Sumter, and Doris Woodard (Henry) of Greenwood; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brothers and sisters, Betty Welch, Mary McElveen, Debbie McCall, Wayne McCall, Johnny McCall, Jerome McCall and

Jeanette McCall.

She was preceded in death by a son, Jimmy Hodges; and a brother, Larry McCall.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Don Riner officiating. Burial will be in Green Acres Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at ElmoreCannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home, 580 Frank Hastie Lane.

Memorials may be made to Pine Grove Baptist Church, 433 Old Manning Road, Sumter, SC 29150.

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

HAZEL Y. RAMSEY Hazel Young Ramsey, 97, widow of Francis David Ramsey Sr., died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at a local nursing center.

Born in Mooresville, N.C., she was a daughter of the late John J. Rockwell Young and Gertrude Cloaninger Young. Mrs. Ramsey was a lifelong member of Grace Baptist Church.

She was also the co-

owner of Ramsey Radio & TV Service.

Surviving are her daughter-in-law, Becky Ramsey; granddaughter, Vicky Ramsey; her great-granddaughter, Korie Ramsey, all of Tacoma, Wash.; her sisters-in-law, Marion Young of Sumter, and Sharon Young and Joy Young, both of Charleston; a special niece and caregiver, Alice Osborne of Sumter; and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

She was preceded in death by a son, Francis David “Rusty” Ramsey Jr.; three brothers, Kenneth R. Young Sr., Paul F. Young and John Grey Young; and two sisters, Lorene Garrett and Eunice Holland.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Grace Baptist Church with Dr. Stephen Williams officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. today prior to the service at Grace Baptist Church.

Mrs. Ramsey’s life can best be summarized by her love and devotion to our Lord. “She is a woman of strength and dignity, and has no fear of old age. When she speaks, her words

are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says. A woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised.” Ecclesiastes 31:25.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of your choice for those in need.

Online condolences may be sent to www. sumterfunerals.com.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

Elmore Hill McCreight

FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY

JAMES BOWMAN James “Polly” Bowman, 87, died March 29, 2013, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning.

Born April 9, 1925, in Clarendon County, he was a son of the late John Canty and Dora B. Johnson.

The family will receive friends at the home, 2942 St. Phillip UME Church Road.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced

by Summerton Funeral Home LLC.

LOCAL

MULVANEY from Page A1 and controlling government spending.

The GOP’s success so far this year, Mulvaney told a meeting of the Sumter Tea Party on Thursday, is because of tactics such as inserting a “no budget, no pay” rule into negotiations over raising the debt ceiling, which Mulvaney credits with forcing Senate Democrats to pass their first budget in four years.

“It might not get down here, but a lot of the press in Washington is about how the president has no momentum and is having to retool his plans for his second term,” the 5th District congressman told a crowd of a few dozen gathered at the Elks Lodge for chicken dinner and political talk. “We’ve had a lot more success than I thought we’d have in November.”

The Indian Land lawmaker spent about an hour and a half answering questions ranging from federal education policy to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Steve Barrineau did not seem to share the congressman’s optimism about Republican efforts since last year’s election.

“Conservatives have kind of lost faith in the Republican Party,” he said. “What hope can you offer us for the future?”

JOBS from Page A1 counties experienced a decline.

In the tri-county area, Lee County also fell 0.4 percentage points to 11.1 percent, while in Clarendon County the February rate dropped 0.6 points to 13.3 percent.

Sumter County’s rate improved with both a modest increase in employment coupled with a drop in the area’s labor force. Among the three local counties, approximately 133 more people were employed in February than in

THE ITEM

| Mulvaney said his party’s biggest problem is “branding.”

He said polls show conservative ideas about how the budget deficit should be handled are broadly popular — until they’re presented as Republican proposals, at which point the public’s support drops precipitously.

“It’s when you put the ‘Republican’ label on it that people run away,” he said. “It has to be the messengers, because the message is sound.”

Mulvaney told the crowd he’d been asked to help spread the GOP message to new audiences. As one of the few nonHispanic congressmen who is fluent in Spanish, he’s already appeared for an interview on Univision, touting Republican ideas en español.

Afterward, the questioner said he appreciated Mulvaney’s straightforward answer and his critique of his own party’s problems.

“I’m always encouraged when I talk to Mick Mulvaney because he’s a straight shooter,” Barrineau said. “I just wanted something straight; the facts, not a campaign speech.”

Mulvaney also stressed the necessity of making changes to the most popular entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare in order to correct long-term fiscal problems.

“Even if you got rid of everything else in the budget you don’t like, every defense program, the Education De-

partment, the Commerce Department — if it all went to zero, we would still be facing a deficit,” he said.

He said he’d like to see the retirement age in Social Security gradually increase from 67 to 70, but phased in to protect those already nearing retirement age. Someone currently 59 years old, he claimed, would only have to work the equivalent of two extra months before getting his or her benefits.

One questioner brought up a proposal Mulvaney has cosigned called the New Fair Deal, which he seemed pleasantly surprised to know she had heard of. That plan, he said, would simplify the tax code by eliminating many tax deductions, which Mulvaney said would make taxes more equitable within the same income brackets. The name “New Fair Deal” is also meant to brandish the party’s message.

“One thing we want to do is re-take that terminology of ‘fairness,’” he said.

Others who attended the meeting seemed to enjoy Mulvaney’s answers even when they were challenging.

“Tonight was excellent. The questions were good, and the answers were not just meant to please us,” said Nancy Pugh.

“The thing I like about Mick is he doesn’t say ‘I don’t know.’

He says ‘I’ll find out.’”

the previous month.

The Sumter County rate is slightly more than a point lower than it was at this time last year, when it stood at 10.9 percent, according to revised figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Statewide, the DEW said most of the job gains in February were in the government sector as schools increased hiring for the spring semester, as well as the leisure and hospitality sector, buoyed by additional hotel and restaurant hiring. At the same time, the state experienced decreases in the trade, transportation and utilities sector.

Marion County continues to have the highest rate in the state, at 17.9 percent, despite experiencing a significant drop in February, while Lexington County continues to have the lowest, at 6.4 percent.

With the national rate sitting at 7.7 percent in February, seven South Carolina counties, mainly metropolitan areas, have a rate below the national average. According to the latest statistics, 25 of the state’s 46 counties have an unemployment rate above 10 percent.

Reach Bristow Marchant at (803) 774-1272.

Contact Braden Bunch at (803) 774-1201.

DONALD E. WILSON DALZELL — Donald Eric Wilson, 46, died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at his residence.

He was born Nov. 7, 1966, in Brooklyn, N.Y., a son of Donald and Odell Reardon Wilson.

The family is receiving friends at the residence, 3160 Kim St., Dalzell.

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

MITCHELL A. WINDHAM Mitchell A. Windham, 66, husband of Margaret Ann Windham, died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born in Lynchburg, he was a son of the late Jack A. Jr. and Doris Jordan Windham. Mr. Windham was a member of Eastside Baptist Church. He retired from Bi-Lo and was a die-hard Gamecock fan.

Survivors include his wife of Sumter; a daughter, Renee Hudson of Sumter; a granddaughter, Meagan Hudson of Sumter; and two brothers, Lynn Windham of Lynchburg and Don Windham (Ann) of Sumter.

NATION

A7

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m.

Monday in Wells Cemetery with the Rev. George Smith officiating.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home.

Memorials may be made to Eastside Baptist Church, 701 Boulevard Road, Sumter, SC 29153.

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

REBECCA D. BARNES Rebecca Durant Barnes, 77, widow of Willie Barnes, died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Sumter East Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Born May 24, 1935, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Moultrie and Janie Jackson Durant.

The family will receive friends at her home, 2545 Thomas Sumter Highway, Sumter.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced

by Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter.

|

AP FILE PHOTO

Then-outgoing schools superintendent Beverly Hall, center, arrives for her last Atlanta school board meeting at the Atlanta Public Schools headquarters in Atlanta on June 13, 2011. Hall and nearly three dozen other administrators, teachers, principals and other educators were indicted Friday in one of the nation’s largest cheating scandals.

3 dozen indicted in cheating scandal

BY KATE BRUMBACK The Associated Press ATLANTA — The former superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools and nearly three dozen other administrators, teachers, principals and other educators were indicted Friday in one of the nation’s largest test cheating scandals.

Former Superintendent Beverly Hall faces charges including racketeering, false statements and theft because prosecutors said some of the bonuses she received were tied to falsified scores.

Hall retired just days before a state probe was released in 2011 and has long denied knowing about the cheating or ordering it.

During a news conference Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard provided examples of two students who demonstrated “the plight of many children” in the Atlanta school system. He described a third-grader who failed a benchmark exam and received the worst score in her reading class in 2006. The girl was held back, yet

when she took a separate assessment test not long after, she passed with flying colors.

Howard said the girl’s mother, Justina Collins, knew something was awry but was told by school officials that the child simply was a good test-taker. The girl is now in ninth grade, reading at a fifth-grade level.

“I have a 15-year-old now who is behind in achieving her goal of becoming what she wants to be when she graduates. It’s been hard trying to help her catch up,” Collins said.

The criminal investigation lasted 21 months, and the allegations date back to 2005. In addition to Hall, 34 people were indicted: four high-level administrators, six principals, two assistant principals, six testing coordinators, 14 teachers, a school improvement specialist and a school secretary.

The investigation involved at least 50 schools as well as hundreds of interviews with school administrators, staff, parents and students. The district has about 50,000 students.

A8

DAILY PLANNER

THE ITEM

Get Ready for Summer and pay no interest for 36 Months!

AIRPORT from Page A1 facility we have there now,” said Frank Hill, a member of the commission that runs the airport.

County council took no action on the proposal this week, but airport commissioners predict that as more industries choose to locate in Sumter County, the county’s airport will see more planes and more traffic, boosting revenue for the airport and the county overall.

“It’s a gateway for economic development,” Hill said.

Since the current large hangar was built seven years ago, Hill said, Sumter Airport has seen the number of big planes it houses grow from two King Airs, a large twin-engine aircraft, to six King Airs and a jet. Commissioners fear the lack of available space for the kind of aircraft preferred by corporate leaders could hurt Sumter’s ability to attract new industry.

“When industries look at Sumter, the airport is one of the first things they see. If they fly in and can’t fit their plane in a hangar, they may start to change their mind about Sumter,” Hill said. “We could lose our ability to attract business.”

Total costs for the hangar-construction project are estimated at $980,000, of which the commission expects about $361,000 to come from the Federal Aviation Administration and the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, primarily for the design and construction of the site around the hangar.

“The FAA usually would not pay for a terminal building,” Hill said. “They pay for things like land acquisition, runway lighting.

Ninety-five percent of the money for the fence we’re putting up now

HEALTHY LIVING from Page A1 foods don’t taste all that great either.

No-sugar-added foods does not mean it is free from sugar; it just means that no extra sugar has been added.

You may think that the sugar-free and fat-free products are healthier for you, but pay attention. Generally, when one is removed or reduced, the other is doubled or something else is added. And if you count calories you will see that the calories don’t change much at all from the original version.

What about organic or all-natural foods? It may seem that these foods are more wholesome for you, but when you actually compare the nutrition labels, they prove to be not much different. Furthermore, in some products, if you read the ingredients list you may find that it is really not a healthy product at all. In the end, an organic cookie is a cookie, and an organic apple is an apple.

Deciding to go organic

comes from the state. ...

But the money for a hangar would come from local government.”

Today, Sumter Airport houses visiting and permanent aircraft in a 10,000-square-foot hangar and 30 individual Thangars. With 48 airplanes of varying sizes currently housed on site, airport manager Jeff Knauer said the airport is at full capacity. A new corporate hangar would create space for up to 10 more planes depending on their size, and plans allow for more T-hangars to be constructed later.

Airport officials said the new hangar could pay back its cost over time in increased revenue. Plane owners buy fuel from the airport and pay rent on spaces for their planes, and when owners register their planes in Sumter County, they also contribute property taxes to county funds. During a twoyear period, the airport estimates the new hangar could generate $52,368 in rent and property taxes.

“From the county’s perspective, we’re one of the few county operations that generates revenue,” Knauer said. “We have one of the nicer county airports in South Carolina, as far as our facilities, our runways, our approaches. ... Most don’t have as large a tenant base as we do.”

Hill said the county has pursued a successful tax strategy in attracting aircraft to Sumter County, such as lowering the property tax on airplanes from 8 percent to 4 percent.

“When people think of the airport, they think it’s just boys and their toys,” he said. “But that’s not what generates the revenue.”

Reach Bristow Marchant at (803) 774-1272.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING HEALTHY FOODS • Don’t be fooled by the health food claims • Understand and know what to look for on food labels • Read and understand the ingredients list • Compare different versions of the same food and see what changes are made

is a personal choice, and it is not necessary if your goal is weight loss.

For foods that do not have nutrition labels, like your fresh fruits and vegetables, you can look them up at www.nutritiondata.com. The same goes for food at most restaurants. You can find nutritional information on their website or posted inside the restaurant.

Knowing exactly what you are eating should be important to you if you want to be as healthy as you can. You may find out that what you are eating and what you think is healthy is actually harmful and that you should find a healthier alternative.

Missy Corrigan is director of healthy living for the Sumter Family YMCA. She can be reached at mcorrigan@ ymcasumter.org or (803) 773-1404.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

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TODAY

TONIGHT

SUNDAY

MONDAY 77°

74° 66°

TUESDAY 58°

WEDNESDAY 62°

50° 55°

Clouds breaking for some sun

50°

37°

41°

Mostly cloudy with a shower or two

Some sun with a thunderstorm; breezy

Clouds and breaks of sun

Cooler with some rain and a thunderstorm

Winds: S 3-6 mph

Winds: S 4-8 mph

Winds: SW 10-20 mph

Winds: WSW 8-16 mph

Winds: NE 10-20 mph

Winds: NE 6-12 mph

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 60%

Chance of rain: 60%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 15%

Sumter through 4 p.m. yesterday High ............................................... 65° Low ................................................ 33° Normal high ................................... 70° Normal low ..................................... 44° Record high ....................... 86° in 2012 Record low ......................... 28° in 1955

Greenville 64/51

Precipitation

Bishopville 66/50

24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest. ........... 0.00" Month to date ............................... 3.76" Normal month to date ................. 3.62" Year to date ................................. 9.69" Normal year to date ................... 11.04"

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

Full 7 a.m. 24-hr pool yest. chg 360 358.15 -0.21 76.8 75.48 +0.02 75.5 74.80 none 100 97.92 +0.20

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

Full pool 12 19 14 14 80 24

City Aiken Asheville Athens Augusta Beaufort Cape Hatteras Charleston Charlotte Clemson Columbia

Today Hi/Lo/W 68/51/pc 60/47/c 68/51/c 70/52/pc 70/53/pc 59/47/pc 69/54/pc 64/49/c 67/54/c 68/51/pc

7 a.m. yest.

9.65 6.22 7.50 5.76 80.54 9.45

24-hr chg +0.21 -0.05 -0.03 +0.05 +0.15 -0.08

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 74/56/t 64/45/sh 72/54/t 76/57/t 75/58/t 63/56/t 77/58/t 69/50/t 71/53/t 75/57/t

Columbia 68/51 Today: Variable clouds with a shower in spots late this afternoon.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy; with showers and a thunderstorm.

Apr. 2 First

Apr. 10 Full

Apr. 18

Apr. 25

Myrtle Beach 68/52

Manning 68/50

Shown is today’s weather.

Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Aiken 68/51 Charleston 69/54

The following tide table lists times for Myrtle Beach.

Sat.

Forecasts and graphics provided

by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2013 Today Hi/Lo/W 67/50/pc 60/45/pc 64/49/pc 66/49/pc 66/50/pc 76/49/s 65/51/c 65/47/pc 69/54/pc 64/48/pc

New

Florence 66/50

Sumter 66/50

Today: Clouds and sun; a shower in spots in northern parts. High 62 to 70.

Sunday: Sun and clouds with a thunderstorm. High 69 to 75.

City Darlington Elizabeth City Elizabethtown Fayetteville Florence Gainesville Gastonia Goldsboro Goose Creek Greensboro

Last Sunrise today .......................... 7:11 a.m.

Sunset tonight ......................... 7:41 p.m.

Moonrise today ..................... 11:36 p.m.

Moonset today ........................ 9:17 a.m.

Gaffney 63/51 Spartanburg 64/52

Temperature

Cool with sunshine and patchy clouds

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 74/54/t 66/53/r 72/55/t 71/55/t 73/56/t 80/58/pc 70/50/t 70/55/sh 77/57/t 67/49/sh

Sun.

City Greenville Hickory Hilton Head Jacksonville, FL La Grange Macon Marietta Marion Mount Pleasant Myrtle Beach

Today Hi/Lo/W 64/51/c 62/48/c 67/58/pc 76/52/s 67/52/pc 68/53/pc 67/52/c 62/47/c 69/55/pc 68/52/pc

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 71/51/t 67/47/sh 70/62/t 80/57/pc 72/55/t 76/57/t 71/53/t 68/44/sh 75/59/t 70/58/t

High Ht. 11:56 a.m.....3.0 --- ..... --12:31 a.m.....3.5 12:47 p.m.....2.9

City Orangeburg Port Royal Raleigh Rock Hill Rockingham Savannah Spartanburg Summerville Wilmington Winston-Salem

Low Ht. 6:44 a.m....-0.5 6:48 p.m....-0.5 7:36 a.m....-0.3 7:39 p.m....-0.3

Today Hi/Lo/W 68/51/pc 69/54/pc 65/47/pc 64/50/c 64/48/pc 72/53/pc 64/52/c 68/56/pc 64/49/pc 64/48/c

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 75/57/t 74/59/t 67/54/sh 70/52/t 70/54/t 77/59/t 71/52/t 72/61/t 71/57/t 67/49/sh

Shown are today’s noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.

-10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Stationary front

Cold front Showers Rain T-storms Snow Flurries

Ice

Warm front

Today Sun. Today Sun. City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Albuquerque 72/48/s 73/49/pc Las Vegas 83/63/s 79/58/pc Anchorage 42/31/c 41/27/pc Los Angeles 73/56/pc 69/54/c Atlanta 68/54/c 70/57/t Miami 78/66/s 81/70/pc Baltimore 58/37/s 58/45/r Minneapolis 46/31/r 39/21/c Boston 52/36/s 53/42/s New Orleans 76/61/pc 78/62/c Charleston, WV 60/45/s 63/42/r New York 56/42/s 54/45/r Charlotte 64/49/c 69/50/t Oklahoma City 78/55/c 73/46/s Chicago 58/38/pc 50/25/pc Omaha 60/35/r 57/25/pc Cincinnati 60/45/pc 58/35/r Philadelphia 58/40/s 59/44/r Dallas 80/62/c 80/60/pc Phoenix 87/62/s 88/63/s Denver 62/34/pc 64/31/pc Pittsburgh 53/38/s 54/36/r Des Moines 58/35/r 55/23/pc St. Louis 60/46/c 62/34/s Detroit 54/41/s 52/29/r Salt Lake City 67/45/pc 70/45/c Helena 59/33/pc 55/30/sh San Francisco 62/53/c 62/48/t Honolulu 80/66/sh 77/62/s Seattle 64/45/pc 68/46/s Indianapolis 58/45/pc 56/29/pc Topeka 68/39/t 66/33/s Kansas City 66/40/t 63/31/s Washington, DC 58/42/s 62/48/r Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice

ARIES (March 21-April 19): LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): the last word in astrology Settle differences you Open up the door of have with past communication and let eugenia LAST colleagues. Make amends anyone you’re dealing with if you plan to move know where you stand and forward. A network what you expect. Take care function will give you the chance to express of responsibilities to clear the way for what you your next venture as well as draw interest and really want to do. support.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Let your thoughts be TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Emotional concerns known. You can make worthwhile changes to involving partners will leave you feeling your home and domestic situations if you vulnerable. A positive look at the situation will follow your intuition. help you discover a solution that works well for SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A surprise may everyone. not run too smoothly if you have trouble GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Helping others will keeping a secret. Make changes at home that make you feel good, but won’t help you get will add to your comfort or enjoyment. ahead. Don’t lose sight of goals or worry about CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Go over your people waiting to criticize you for your personal and professional plans carefully. shortcomings.

Someone is likely to make last-minute CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put greater focus on alterations that will slow you down or make you and how you present what you’re capable you angry. of doing. An innovative approach will capture AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Get serious about someone’s attention and aid you in getting your future. Look into courses or opportunities ahead. that will help you get ahead. A change in the LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t sit around at home. way you earn your living will help improve your Go on a short trip that will be conducive to lifestyle. romance and adventure. If you opt to do PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll be able to nothing, you will face complaints. express ideas creatively, attracting someone’s VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep moving forward interest in your plans. Contracts can be with your plans, regardless of what others do. developed to ensure you get what you want as Discuss who is responsible for what and get long as you have proof that your facts and your part out of the way. figures are accurate.

PICK 3 FRIDAY: 2-2-6 AND 5-9-5 PICK 4 FRIDAY: 7-4-7-9 AND 8-2-9-3 PALMETTO CASH 5 FRIDAY: 10-18-24-34-38 POWERUP: 2 MEGAMILLIONS NUMBERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT PRESS TIME

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pictures from the public

Have you visited someplace interesting, exciting, beautiful or historical that you’ve taken some pictures of? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandrah@theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150. Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include selfaddressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please.

Tammy Brabham shares a picture she took of some old shrimp boats in Winyah Bay.

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM To contact the Sports Department, call (803) 774-1241 or e-mail sports@theitem.com

Fire Ants split with Pitt Bowers tosses 1-hitter in opener

B1

Tigers to face No.1 Tar Heels

BY SCOTT KEEPFER Greenville News

BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS jdriggers@theitem.com University of South Carolina Sumter starting pitcher Josh Bowers needed little run support in his 2-0, 1-hit shutout of Pitt Community College on Friday at Riley Park in the opening game of a doubleheader.

The Fire Ants certainly could have used another run or two in the second game, however.

USCS managed just eight hits and four runs on the day, and the Bulldogs took advantage in the nightcap with a 4-2, 9-inning victory to earn JUSTIN DRIGGERS / THE ITEM a split.

USC Sumter starting pitcher Josh Bowers throws during the Fire Ants’ opening game of a doubleheader against The Fire Ants fell to Pitt Community College on Friday at Riley Park. USCS split the twinbill with a 2-0 win and a 4-2, 9-inning loss.

SEE USCS, PAGE B3 Bowers went the distance and allowed just one hit in the opener.

CLEMSON — Clemson’s Daniel Gossett sees this weekend’s three-game series at top-ranked North Carolina not so much as a formidable challenge but rather as a welcome opportunity.

“We’ve got GOSSETT a chance to really make a statement,” Gossett said.

Gossett’s chance in the series will come quickly – he’s the Tigers’ scheduled starter for tonight’s series opener at the Tar Heels’ Boshamer Stadium.

A former Byrnes High standout, Gossett has emerged as the ace of SEE CLEMSON, PAGE B2

CLEMSON AT UNC WHAT: College Baseball WHEN: TODAY, 6 p.m.

RADIO: (WPUB-FM 102.7)

Louisville tops Ducks 77-69

BY NANCY ARMOUR The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS— Louisville survived its first test.

Russ Smith matched his career high with 31 points to lead three Cardinals in double figures, and top-seeded Louisville showed it can win close games, too, beating Oregon 77-69 on Friday night.

Kevin Ware added 11 and Gorgui Dieng had 10 points and nine rebounds for Louisville, which has won 13 straight. Coach Rick Pitino improved to 11-0 in the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament.

“We dug ourselves a pretty big hole and weren’t able to come back,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said.

“Louisville is a very good basketball team and very talented.

KEITH GEDAMKE / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

Alice Drive’s Danielle Abrams receives the baton from teammate Tajz Bradley-Harris in the girls 4x100-meter relay in the Sumter County Middle School Conference track and field championship on Thursday at Sumter Memorial Stadium. AD won the event as well as the girls team title.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Louisville center Gorgui Dieng (10) shoots over Oregon forward Arsalan Kazemi (14) during the second half of their Midwest Regional semifinal game in Indianapolis on Friday. Louisville won 77-69.

Smith got going to the basket and we just never got him slowed down.”

The 12th-seeded Ducks (28-9) at least made a game of it late.

After Louisville went up 66-48 with 9:01

left, Oregon made six straight field goals to close to 70-64 — the closest anyone’s been to the Cardinals in a couple of weeks.

But Kevin Ware SEE LOUISVILLE, PAGE B4

Marquette, Syracuse hold another Big East farewell

BY JOSEPH WHITE The Associated Press WASHINGTON — With the Big East As We Know It coming to an end, Marquette coach Buzz Williams no doubt figured he’d seen the last of Syracuse’s zone for a while.

He’s a got a 290pound player on the bench who can’t wait WILLIAMS to face it again.

“I know about spacing,” Davante Gardner said Friday.

“So they’ll change it up and try to lock me down.”

It takes a bit of bra- BOEHEIM vado for a backup junior forward to have a “bring it on”

attitude over Syracuse’s 2-3 fortress, especially after the way coach Jim Boeheim’s team dominated Indiana on Thursday night, but Gardner had a standout game against the zone last month and can’t wait for the rematch when the third-seeded Golden Eagles (26-8) face the fourth-seeded Orange (29-9) on Saturday with a berth in the Final Four on the line.

“I love playing against athletic guys,” Gardner went on. “Because they think they can just stop me.

But I use my weight to push them around.”

The Big East is turning into the league that just won’t die. Syracuse is leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference in the fall, and Marquette is one of the so-called

AD girls, Bates boys win county track titles FROM STAFF REPORTS The Alice Drive Middle School girls team and the Bates Middle boys team won the Sumter County Middle School Conference track and field championship on Thursday at Sumter Memorial Stadium.

Both teams won in easy fashion. AD won the girls meet with 147 points. Bates was second with 58 followed by Furman with 33, Hillcrest with 29, Mayewood with 23, Chestnut Oaks with 16 and Ebenezer with 1.

In the boys meet, Bates was victorious with 113 points. Alice Drive was second with 57.5 followed by Ebenezer with SEE TITLES, PAGE B3 ON THE NET For complete track and field championship results visit www.theitem.com

SEE FAREWELL, PAGE B4

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

ABOVE: Ebenezer’s Joel Daniels crosses the finish line to win the boys 1,600-meter race. BELOW: Bates’ Pressley Harvin attempts a throw in the shot put. Harvin won the event and the Bantams won the boys meet.

B2

SPORTS

THE ITEM

Monarchs improve to 5-1 in Region VI-3A play MANNING — Manning High School’s varsity baseball team improved to 5-1 in Region VI-3A with an 11-1 victory over Marlboro County on Thursday at the MHS field.

Justin McArthur allowed six hits and struck out five to get the win for the Monarchs, who are 12-2 overall. McArthur was also 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in and a run scored.

Willie Glover was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI and Rashad Hilton was 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and two walks.

LAKEWOOD CRESTWOOD

7 5

Lakewood High School defeated Crestwood 7-5 in nine innings on Thursday at the Crestwood field.

David Hayden pitched eight innings to pick up the victory for the Gators. He allowed just three earned runs while scattering 10 hits and striking out 14.

Dustin Frye struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to get the save.

Hayden was 2-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and a run batted in. Daquan Ingram was 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base and Billy Hayes had a hit and an RBI. The Knights, who fell to 1-10 overall and 0-6 in Region VI-3A, were led

by Nick Kremer. He had two hits, including a triple, and a run. Josh Johnson had two hits, a run and an RBI, Lee Sargent had two hits and an RBI and Edison Aldridge had two hits, including a double, and and RBI. CLARENDON HALL COASTAL CHRISTIAN

6 4

MT. PLEASANT — Clarendon Hall scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Coastal Christian 6-4 on Thursday at the Coastal field.

AREA ROUNDUP Dustin Way, Kee Evans and Kevin Bennett had singles to start the seventh and Brandon Baxley followed with a 2-run double.

Baxley was 4-for-4 with two doubles and three runs batted in.

Way, Bennett and Daniel Pappas each had two hits.

Tilton McRae struck out six and allowed just one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief to get the win for the Saints, who improved to 4-5 on the season.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL CRESTWOOD 5 LAKEWOOD 3

Crestwood High School picked up its first victory of the season with a 5-3 win over Lakewood on Thursday at the CHS field.

Collin Kremer and Tyler Harrington both went 2-for-3 and scored a run for the Knights, who improved to 1-7 on the season. Jeremiah Scott had a hit and a run while driving in two runs.

Cole Benenhaley picked up the victory for Crestwood.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL CRESTWOOD 12 LAKEWOOD 8

Crestwood High School beat Lakewood for the second straight day on Friday, winning 12-8 in the Crestwood JV Classic at the CHS field.

Collin Kremer was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in for the Knights, who improved to 2-7.

Brandon Miller, Traquan Joe and Eric Ulido each scored two runs Tyler Harrington had a hit and a run.

On Thursday at Crestwood, the Knights beat Lakewood 5-3. Kremer and Harrington both went 2-for-3 and scored a run. Jeremiah Scott had a hit and a run while

SPORTS ITEMS

|

driving in two runs.

Cole Benenhaley picked up the victory for Crestwood.

B TEAM BASEBALL SUMTER BROOKLAND-CAYCE

3-2 2-5

Sumter High School split a doubleheader wtih Brookland-Cayce on Thursday at Gamecock Field, winning the first game 3-2 before dropping the nightcap 5-2.

Lathan Todd was the winning pitcher in the opener, scattering four hits while going all five innings. Andrew Twitty had three hits to lead the offense and Daniel Twitty had two.

THOMAS SUMTER CLARENDON HALL

14 4

DALZELL — Clarendon Hall fell to 0-3 on the season with a 14-4 loss to Thomas Sumter Academy on Thursday at General Field.

The Saints were led by Ryan Morris, who was 3-for-3 with a run batted in. Ethan Jenkinson added a double.

JUNIOR VARSITY SOFTBALL THOMAS SUMTER 11 CAMDEN 7

LUGOFF — Thomas Sumter Academy evened its record at 5-5 on the season with an 11-7 victory over Camden on Friday in the Lugoff-Elgin JV Classic at the L-E field.

Lilly Hodge led the Lady Generals offensively with a triple and three runs batted in. Victoria Bundy had a double and two RBI and Sara Sutton had two hits, including a double.

Ahston Rogers had six strikeouts in getting the win.

On Thursday in Dalzell, TSA beat Holly Hill Academy 6-4. Hodge was the winning pitcher and had two hits, while Dymond Gibson had two hits. Cassidy Brunson had a double.

|

Qualifier in lead at Houston Open HUMBLE, Texas — Steve Wheatcroft hates going to Monday qualifiers. He was reminded Friday why they can be worth it.

Wheatcroft, who narrowly qualified for the Houston Open at the start of the week, ran off three straight birdies early in his round and kept bogeys off his card for a second straight 5-under 67. That gave him a one-shot lead over D.A. Points and Jason Kokrak going into the weekend at Redstone Golf Club.

SOUTH CAROLINA TEXAS A&M

6 4

COLUMBIA — No. 14 South Carolina batted around in the first inning to score five times and senior left-hander Nolan Belcher worked into the ninth inning asthe Gamecocks defeated No. 13 Texas A&M 6-4 on Friday at Carolina Stadium.

South Carolina is now 21-6 over-

all and 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference while clinching the sries. The Aggies are now 18-10 and 5-3.

Belcher went 8 1/3 innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits to improve to 5-2 on the year. He struck out nine and walked none. Tyler Webb picked up his 10th save.

Carolina sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first to take a 5-0 lead, knocking A&M starting pitcher Kyle Martin from the game in the process. Tanner English had a 2-run double in the inning.

South Carolina had 11 hits with Chase Vergason and English each picking up three hits.

The series concludes today with the game beginning at 1:30 p.m.

From wire reports

CLEMSON from Page B1 Clemson’s staff this season. The sophomore righthander is 3-1 with a 1.33 earned run average.

“It would be huge if we could go there and take the series,” Gossett said.

“They are No. 1, but they’re just another team. We have the bats, we have the defense, we have the pitching to go there and take care of business.”

The Tar Heels have pretty much taken care of the Tigers of late. North Carolina has won seven straight games in the series, including regular-

season sweeps each of the past two seasons. The Tar Heels outscored Clemson 15-11 last season at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, winning two games by one run.

While Clemson is fighting to remain above .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (the Tigers are 5-4 in league play), the Tar Heels have been on a season-long roll. North Carolina is 23-1, including four one-run victories, and has scored 10 or more runs 11 times this season.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

SCOREBOARD TV, RADIO TODAY 7 a.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee (MLB NETWORK).

8:30 a.m. -- International Soccer: English Premier League Match from Sunderland, England -- Sunderland vs. Manchester United (ESPN2).

9 a.m. -- Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Trophee Hassan II Third Round from Agadir, Morocco (GOLF).

10 a.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Cincinnati at Arizona (MLB NETWORK).

11 a.m. -- International Soccer: English Premier League Match from Manchester, England -- Manchester City vs. Newcaslte (FOX SOCCER).

11:30 a.m. -- Women’s College Gymnastics: Big Twelve Conference Championships from Ames, Iowa (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

Noon -- Professional Tennis: Sony Open Women’s Final Match from Key Biscayne, Fla. (WBTW 13, WLTX 19).

Noon -- Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Bridgeport Regional Semifinal Game from Bridgeport, Conn. -- Delaware vs. Kentucky (ESPN).

Noon -- College Lacrosse: Johns Hopkins at North Carolina (ESPNU).

1 p.m. -- College Baseball: Miami at Virginia (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

1 p.m. -- PGA Golf: Houston Open Third Round from Humble, Texas (GOLF).

1 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Boston vs. Minnesota from Fort Myers, Fla. (MLB NETWORK).

1:30 p.m. -- International Soccer: English Premier League Match from Liverpool, England -- Everton vs. Stoke (FOX SOCCER).

1:30 p.m. -- College Baseball: Texas A&M at South Carolina (WNKT-FM 107.5).

2 p.m. -- Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Bridgeport Regional Semifinal Game from Bridgeport, Conn. -- Maryland vs. Connecticut (ESPN).

2 p.m. -- College Lacrosse: Maryland at Virginia (ESPNU).

2 p.m. -- College Baseball: Louisiana State at Missouri (SPORTSOUTH).

3 p.m. -- PGA Golf: Houston Open Third Round from Humble, Texas (WIS 10).

3 p.m. -- Women’s College Softball: Houston at Brigham Young (BYUTV).

3:30 p.m. -- Major League Soccer: New York at Philadelphia (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

4 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament West Regional Championship Match from Grand Rapids, Mich. (ESPNU).

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

4:20 p.m. -- College Basketball: NCAA Tournament East Regional Championship Game from Washington -- Marquette vs. Syracuse (WBTW 13, WLTX 19).

5 p.m. -- Women’s College Softball: Central Florida at Tulsa (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

6 p.m. -- Horse Racing: Florida Derby from Hallandale, Fla., and Louisiana Derby from New Orleans (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

6 p.m. -- College Baseball: Clemson at North Carolina (WPUB-FM 102.7).

6:30 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament Northeast Regional Championship Match from Manchester, N.H. (ESPNU).

6:55 p.m. -- College Basketball: NCAA Tournament West Regional Championship Game from Los Angeles -- Ohio State vs. Wichita State (WBTW 13, WLTX 19).

7 p.m. -- Women’s College Gymnastics: Southeastern Conference Championships from North Little Rock, Ark. (ESPN).

7 p.m. -- International Soccer: Mexican League Match from Mexico City -- Cruz Azul vs. Atlas (ESPN2).

7 p.m. -- College Lacrosse: Duke at Harvard (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

7:30 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Charlotte at Philadelphia (SPORTSOUTH).

9 p.m. -- Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Spokane Regional Semifinal Game from Spokane, Wash. -- Georgia vs.

Stanford (ESPN).

9 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament East Regional Semifinal Match from Providence, R.I. -- Union vs. Boston College (ESPNU).

9 p.m. -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: Seattle vs. Colorado from Salt Lake City (MLB NETWORK).

10 p.m. -- NBA Basketball: Indiana at Phoenix (NBA TV).

10:15 p.m. -- Professional Boxing: Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado for the WBO Junior Welterweight Title and Khabib Allakhverdiev vs.

Breidis Prescott for the WBA Junior Welterweight Title from Las Vegas (HBO).

11:30 p.m. -- Women’s College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal Game from Spokane, Wash. -- Louisiana State vs. California (ESPN).

11:30 p.m. -- College Hockey: NCAA Tournament East Regional Semifinal Match from Providence, R.I. -- Quinnipiac vs. Canisius (ESPNU).

Midnight -- NHL Hockey: Carolina at Winnipeg (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

Midnight -- Major League Exhibition Baseball: San Diego vs. Texas from San Antonio (MLB NETWORK).

2 a.m. -- NHL Hockey: Nashville at Colorado (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

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

MLB SPRING TRAINING Thursday’s Games Pittsburgh 2, N.Y. Yankees 1 Washington 5, N.Y. Mets 1 Houston (ss) 11, Detroit 4 Philadelphia 7, Toronto 2 Atlanta 2, Houston (ss) 0 St. Louis 1, Miami 0 San Diego 6, Cleveland 4 Seattle 6, Chicago Cubs 4 Kansas City 8, Cincinnati 3 Arizona 9, Texas 3 Milwaukee 6, Colorado 2 Boston 6, Minnesota 1 Baltimore 4, Tampa Bay 4, tie, 10 innings L.A. Dodgers 3, L.A. Angels 0 Oakland 7, San Francisco 3 Friday’s Games N.Y. Mets 7, St. Louis 2 Saturday’s Games N.Y. Mets vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 12:05 p.m.

Toronto at Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.

Minnesota vs. Boston at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:35 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Houston, 2:05 p.m.

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

Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.

Cincinnati (ss) vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 3:00 p.m.

Seattle vs. Colorado at Salt Lake City, Utah, 3:05 p.m.

Cincinnati (ss) vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 3:40 p.m.

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

L.A. Dodgers at L.A. Angels, 9:05 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS

x-New York x-Brooklyn Boston Philadelphia Toronto y-Miami x-Atlanta Washington Orlando Charlotte x-Indiana x-Chicago

By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB 44 26 .629 – 42 29 .592 21/2 37 34 .521 71/2 28 43 .394 161/2 26 45 .366 181/2 Southeast Division W L Pct GB 56 15 .789 – 40 32 .556 161/2 26 45 .366 30 18 54 .250 381/2 17 54 .239 39 Central Division W L Pct GB 46 27 .630 – 39 31 .557 51/2

The Tar Heels, whose only defeat was a 4-1 setback against Miami, rank first in the league in ERA (1.72), first in runs per game (9.0) and second in batting average (.316).

“They’re going to be a good offense – we know that going in,” said Gossett, who will pitch opposite UNC’s Kent Emanuel (4-1, 1.17 ERA) tonight at 6 p.m. “You can’t think, ‘OK, now we’re playing No. 1, it’s time to turn it on.’ You’ve got to take it like every other game.

“I’m excited, but you can’t get too excited. You’ve got to take it pitch by pitch, stay with the process.”

| Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

35 36 .493 10 24 48 .333 211/2 22 48 .314 221/2 WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct GB x-San Antonio 54 17 .761 – x-Memphis 47 24 .662 7 Houston 39 32 .549 15 Dallas 35 37 .486 191/2 New Orleans 25 47 .347 291/2 Northwest Division W L Pct GB x-Oklahoma City 53 19 .736 – x-Denver 49 24 .671 41/2 Utah 36 36 .500 17 Portland 33 38 .465 191/2 Minnesota 25 45 .357 27 Pacific Division W L Pct GB x-L.A. Clippers 49 23 .681 – Golden State 41 32 .562 81/2 L.A. Lakers 37 36 .507 121/2 Sacramento 27 46 .370 221/2 Phoenix 23 50 .315 261/2 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division Thursday’s Games Milwaukee 113, L.A. Lakers 103 Indiana 103, Dallas 78 Sacramento 117, Phoenix 103 Friday’s Games Washington at Orlando, 7 p.m.

Atlanta at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Charlotte at New York, 7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

Toronto at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Houston at Memphis, 8 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Miami at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Denver, 9 p.m.

Utah at Portland, 10 p.m.

Saturday’s Games Chicago at Dallas, 2 p.m.

Orlando at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

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

Memphis at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Charlotte at Philadelphia, 8 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Utah, 9 p.m.

Indiana at Phoenix, 10 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

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

Sunday’s Games Cleveland at New Orleans, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Washington, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Miami at San Antonio, 7 p.m.

Boston at New York, 7:30 p.m.

NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

By The Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL Regional Semifinals Sunday, March 31 Oklahoma (24-10) vs. Tennessee (26-7), 4:35 p.m.

Baylor (34-1) vs. Louisville (26-8), 7:05 p.m.

Tuesday, April 2 Regional Championship Semifinal winners, 9 p.m.

SPOKANE REGIONAL Regional Semifinals Saturday, March 30 Stanford (33-2) vs. Georgia (27-6), 9:04 p.m.

California (30-3) vs. LSU (22-11), 11:32 p.m.

Regional Championship Monday, April 1 Semifinal winners, 9:30 p.m.

NORFOLK REGIONAL Regional Semifinals Sunday, March 31 Notre Dame (33-1) vs. Kansas (20-13), 12:04 p.m.

Duke (32-2) vs. Nebraska (25-8), 2:32 p.m.

Regional Championship Tuesday, April 2 Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL Regional Semifinals Bridgeport, Conn.

Saturday, March 30 Delaware (32-3) vs. Kentucky (29-5), 12:04 p.m.

Connecticut (31-4) vs. Maryland (26-7), 2:30 p.m.

Regional Championship Monday, April 1 Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

FINAL FOUR At New Orleans Arena New Orleans National Semifinals Sunday, April 7 Oklahoma City champion vs. Spokane champion, 5:30 or 8 p.m.

Norfolk champion vs. Bridgeport champion, 5:30 or 8 p.m.

National Championship Tuesday, April 9 Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

GOLF Houston Open Par Scores The Associated Press Friday At Redstone Golf Club, Tournament Course Humble, Texas Purse: $6.2 million Yardage: 7,441; Par: 72 Second Round Steve Wheatcroft 67-67—134 -10 Jason Kokrak 66-69—135 -9 D.A. Points 64-71—135 -9 Brian Davis 67-70—137 -7 Stewart Cink 71-66—137 -7 Bill Haas 68-70—138 -6 Angel Cabrera 66-72—138 -6 Cameron Tringale 65-73—138 -6 John Rollins 65-74—139 -5 Scott Stallings 70-69—139 -5 Dustin Johnson 69-70—139 -5 Henrik Stenson 69-70—139 -5 Ben Crane 69-70—139 -5 Brendon de Jonge 71-68—139 -5 Charley Hoffman 68-71—139 -5 Jimmy Walker 68-71—139 -5 Boo Weekley 70-69—139 -5 Kevin Chappell 70-70—140 -4 Keegan Bradley 70-70—140 -4 Hunter Haas 69-71—140 -4 Bob Estes 71-69—140 -4 Billy Horschel 68-72—140 -4 John Merrick 68-72—140 -4 Lee Westwood 68-72—140 -4 Scott Verplank 72-68—140 -4 Jeff Overton 67-73—140 -4 Josh Teater 74-67—141 -3 Steve Stricker 73-68—141 -3 Wes Short, Jr. 71-70—141 -3 Greg Owen 68-73—141 -3 Failed to qualify Tommy Gainey 77-79—156 +12 Matt Every 79-77—156 +12 Matt Dobyns 78-78—156 +12 Paul Casey 78-79—157 +13 Clayton Wonnell 81-82—163 +19 Sean O’Hair 76—WD Thorbjorn Olesen 82—WD

Clemson, which is 16-9 overall, has won five of its last seven, but enters the UNC series coming off an uninspired effort in a 5-3 loss to a Georgia team that had lost nine straight.

“Hopefully we’ll have a different frame of mind,” coach Jack Leggett said.

The second game of the series is set for Sunday at 7 p.m. and pits Clemson freshman Clate Schmidt (2-0, 4.05) against UNC sophomore Benton Moss (6-0, 1.89). The Tigers’ starting pitcher for Monday’s 6 p.m. series finale has yet to be determined, but the Tar Heels will trot out junior lefthander Hobbs Johnson (0-0, 3.48).

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM

B3

TITLES from Page B1 50, Furman with 46, Mayewood with 20, Chestnut Oaks with 14.50 and Hillcrest with 9.

Danielle Abrams led the Lady Hawks with three individual victories. Abrams won the 100-meter dash in 13.43 seconds, the 200 in 29.28 and the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, 4 inches.

Anna Migliori won two events for AD. the 800 run and, the 1,600. She won the 800 in a time of 2 minutes, 58.21 seconds and the 1,600 in 6:30.31.

Alice Drive also won the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. The 4x100 team of Latrice Lyons, Javonne McFadden, Tajz BradleyHarris and Abrams won in 55.42; the 4x400 team of Sha Kyla FunchessDantzler, Irmani Woods, Ty’tiana Scott and McFadden won in 5:096.87.

Quajane Broughton of Bates won the 400 in 1:12.58 and Caitlyn Buford of Bates won the discus with a toss of 8608. Hillcrest’s Lindsey Rogers won the shot put with a toss of 27-11.

Harvin Pressley led the Bates boys to victory with first-place finishes in the discus and the shot. Pressley won the discus with a throw of 143-05 and the shot with a toss of 39-07.

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

ABOVE: Participants begin the boys 1,600-meter race in Thursday’s Sumter County Middle School Conference track and field championship. LEFT: Alice Drive’s Danielle Abrams, center, crosses the finish line to win the 100-meter dash in a time of 13.43 seconds.

The Bantams’ Rodney Pitts won the 200 in 24.98 and Rhythm Portee won the 400 in 1:00.73. Bates won both of the relays as

well. The 4x100 team of David Simmons, Pitts, Michael Taylor and Hunter Anderson won in 48.16, while the 4x100

team Richburg Canty Stacey Shaw, Portee and Takoda Spann won with a time of 4:12.00.

Ebenezer’s Joel Dan-

iels won both the 800 and 1,600. Daniels won the 800 in 2:29.00 and the 1,600 in 5:30.70. Ebenezer’s Michael Huffman

won the 100 in 12.27.

Furman’s Latheron Anderson won the long jump with a distance of 19-06.

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS / THE ITEM

TOP LEFT: USC Sumter’s Will Thompson connects on a pitch during the Fire Ants’ doubleheader against Pitt Community College on Friday at Riley Park. USCS split the twinbill with a 2-0 win and a 4-2, 9-inning loss. BOTTOM LEFT: USCS’s Anthony Conssentino attempts to bunt. ABOVE: USCS’ Joey Wilson swings at a pitch.

USCS from Page B1 22-11 overall and 5-7 in Region X play. Pitt improved to 15-10 and 4-8. The two squads will play another doubleheader at Riley Park today beginning at 1 p.m.

“That’s pretty much been the story this year,” USCS head coach Tom Fleenor said.

“When we lose games, that’s what we do, and quite honestly, when we win games that’s what we do. It’s frustrating, but the only thing we can do is stay positive and go out there tomorrow and try to have a better approach at the

plate.”

That includes hitting in big situations. The Fire Ants had a golden opportunity to earn the sweep in the bottom of the seventh inning with runners on second and third with one out, but could not come through with the big knock.

“We have to learn to be comfortable in those big situations,” Fleenor said. “A clutch hit, or a clutch sacrifice fly and we’re not even in the situation we were in the ninth.”

The situation in the ninth came about from two bloop singles and back-to-back USCS errors — the only ones the Fire Ants made all day — as the Bulldogs pushed across two runs for the eventual vic-

tory.

The rough finish made a hard-luck loser of USCS’ Wes Schuler after he had pitched two innings of scoreless ball.

In fact, four Fire Ant relievers had combined to toss 4 1/3 scoreless innings before the fateful ninth.

USCS had gotten off to a good start earlier in the game with a 2-0 lead through three innings. Brad Johnson singled home Will Thompson in the first and Thompson scored again in the third on a wild pitch after drawing a walk to lead off the inning.

Thompson was the lone bright spot for the Fire Ants on the day. He registered four of USCS’ hits, scored all four runs and was on base six

times. Three of Thompson’s hits came off infield singles as well.

“Speed never takes a day off,” Fleenor said. “He’s growing along with the rest of the team and he’s growing in that leadoff role. We just have to get more than one guy hitting at a time and coming through with big hits.”

Pitt tied the second game in the fourth inning on an RBI single by DJ Martinez and an RBI double by Thomas Bess.

Bess had three hits in the second game and Martinez had two.

In the opening game, Thompson gave Bowers all the run support he would need in the bottom of the first after reaching on a leadoff in-

field single and scoring on a wild pitch. He scored the Fire Ants’ second run in the sixth on an RBI single by Andrew Reardon.

Bowers took care of the rest. He struck out six, walked two and hit a batter. Tyler Mashburn’s infield single in the second was the lone blemish otherwise — one that came on a close play at first.

“It’s fine. One hit is a good day too,” Bowers said. “I just had all of pitches working today. I was able to throw everything for strikes, including my curveball. I had a couple of 3-2 counts that I went with my curveball on and was able to get the strikeout.”

B4

SPORTS

THE ITEM

Burke leads improbable UM rally

BY SCHUYLER DIXON The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas— Trey Burke scored all 23 of his points after halftime, including a long, tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, and Michigan rallied to beat Kansas 87-85 in the South Regional semifinals Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Wolverines wiped out a 10-point Kansas lead in the last 3 minutes of regulation, and Burke gave them their first lead since early in the game with another long 3 to open Michigan’s scoring in overtime.

Michigan (29-7) reached the regional finals for the first time since the Fab Five era 19 years ago, the last time they were in the round of 16.

Ben McLemore had 20 points to lead the Jayhawks (31-6), who looked to be on their way to a third straight regional final before

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kansas’ Elijah Johnson (15) tries to drive past Michigan’s Trey Burke during the first half of the South Regional semifinal on Friday in Arlington, Texas. Michigan won 87-85 in overtime.

Michigan’s improbable rally.

The Wolverines were down five when Tim Hardaway Jr. missed a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left, but Glenn Robinson III won a scramble for the ball and hit a reverse layup to force Kansas to win the game at the

free throw line.

The Jayhawks couldn’t do it. Burke’s tying shot came after Elijah Johnson missed a free throw moments after hitting two to keep the Kansas lead at five. Burke hit a layup to get Michigan within three.

The lead changed

Buckeyes, Shockers win from Final Four

FAREWELL from Page B1 “Catholic 7” basketballcentric schools breaking away from the pack and taking the Big East name with them. A pair of good runs in this NCAA tournament has have created one more reunion, with the Orange seeking to avenge a 74-71 loss in Milwaukee on Feb. 25.

The star that night was Gardner, who went 7 for 7 from the field, 12 for 13 from the line, grabbed eight rebounds and scored a career-high 26 points.

“He got a lot of offensive rebounds, they found him in the lane, and he made good plays,” Boeheim said. “To me he’s a very good player down there, and we obviously have to do better with him, for sure.”

But, Gardner’s confidence aside, Williams has a message for anyone looking for a repeat performance: Get real.

“I don’t think he will play that well again. And that’s only because he’s never played that well be-

SYRACUSE 61 INDIANA 50 SYRACUSE (29-9) Carter-Williams 9-19 3-6 24, Fair 4-10 3-3 11, Triche 6-12 2-3 14, Christmas 0-0 0-0 0, Southerland 1-3 2-2 5, Grant 1-2 2-2 4, Cooney 0-0 0-0 0, Keita 0-2 3-4 3, Hoffmann 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-48 15-20 61.

INDIANA (29-7) Hulls 0-5 0-0 0, Watford 4-12 3-5 13, Oladipo 5-6 4-7 15, Ferrell 0-2 0-0 0, Zeller 3-10 5-7 11, Sheehey 3-9 3-5 9, Mosquera-Perea 0-0 0-0 0, Creek 0-0 0-0 0, Abell 1-2 0-0 2, Elston 0-0 0-0 0, Hollowell 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-47 15-24 50.

Halftime_Syracuse 34-22. 3-Point Goals_Syracuse 4-10 (Carter-Williams 3-5, Southerland 1-2, Fair 0-1, Triche 0-2), Indiana 3-15 (Watford 2-5, Oladipo 1-1, Abell 0-1, Sheehey 0-3, Hulls 0-5).

Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Syracuse 32 (Fair 8), Indiana 34 (Zeller 9). Assists_Syracuse 4 (Triche 2), Indiana 8 (Hulls, Sheehey, Zeller 2). Total Fouls_ Syracuse 17, Indiana 18. A_NA.

fore or since,” the Marquette coach said. “So he played incredible. But we do need him to play. If you look at the games where we’ve won, the games where we’ve lost, Davante is a big pendulum swing.”

Gardner’s 14 points helped secure Marquette’s win over Miami in the round of 16 on Thursday, putting the Golden Eagles closer to their first Final Four appearance since 2003. Syracuse also hasn’t been among the last quartet in a decade, when Carmelo Anthony led the Orange to the national title.

AL EAST PREVIEW NEW YORK YANKEES

BY GREG BEACHAM The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — During Ohio State’s journey to the Final Four last season, Aaron Craft learned the importance of focusing on the next 40 minutes, not the three-week trip.

So Craft didn’t realize the highest seeds in the West Regional were dropping like dominoes until earlier this week. He purposely didn’t learn much about ninth-seeded Wichita State until Thursday night, when the powerful Buckeyes found out they’re facing the unheralded Shockers on Saturday for another ticket to the Final Four.

“I think that really helped a lot — just getting caught up in the moment and thinking about where you are and what you need to do to get out,” Ohio State’s star point guard said. “We watch all the games.

hands five times in overtime — the first OT game of the tournament — the last when Mitch McGary, who led Michigan with 25 points and 14 rebounds, hit a short jumper with Johnson in his face to put Michigan ahead for good 83-82.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ohio State’s Aaron Craft, center, and the rest of the Buckeyes will take on Wichita State in the championship game of the West Regional in Los Angeles today.

The winner will advance to the Final Four in Atlanta.

WICHITA STATE 72, LA SALLE 58 LA SALLE (24-10) Peterson 0-0 0-0 0, Duren 3-7 2-3 8, Mills 2-8 2-2 7, Wright 6-9 4-5 16, Galloway 4-15 1-2 11, Dunn 0-0 0-0 0, Hunt 0-0 0-0 0, Garland 5-15 2-4 16, Brown 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 11-16 58.

WICHITA ST. (29-8) Armstead 7-15 2-2 18, Early 4-11 0-0 8, Hall 7-11 2-3 16, Baker 4-6 3-4 13, Cotton 3-7 0-0 6, Lufile 0-1 0-0 0, Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Wiggins 1-2 0-0 2, Orukpe 1-3

Obviously we’re basketball fans, but I kept saying, ‘Where is this team? Which bracket is this in?

What is that?’ It wasn’t until after we played Iowa State that I realized our bracket was being destroyed number-wise, and really realizing how tough every team was.”

Craft’s point is a theme echoed on both sides of Staples

0-0 2, Van Vleet 3-9 0-0 7, White 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 7-9 72.

Halftime_Wichita St. 38-22. 3-Point Goals_La Salle 7-18 (Garland 4-7, Galloway 2-6, Mills 1-4, Duren 0-1), Wichita St. 5-12 (Armstead 2-3, Baker 2-3, Van Vleet 1-2, Williams 0-1, Early 0-1, Cotton 0-2). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_La Salle 29 (Galloway 8), Wichita St. 47 (Orukpe 9). Assists_La Salle 8 (Duren 4), Wichita St. 12 (Arm-

Center on Friday during workouts for the final game in a regional that emphasized the parity throughout college basketball when six of the top eight seeds lost on the first weekend.

Anybody who tries to paint this matchup as David facing down Goliath will get polite disagreement from the supposed big guy and the alleged little guy alike.

LOUISVILLE from Page B1 scored on a layup and Chane Behanan threw down a monstrous dunk to put the game out of reach.

Still, Oregon is only the second team to be within single digits at the buzzer during Louisville’s run.

Louisville (32-5) moves on to play the winner of Michigan StateDuke on Sunday, hoping to advance to the Final Four for the second straight year.

E.J. Singler’s 15 points led five Ducks in double figures, and the Ducks had only 12 turnovers — one fewer than the Cardinals. But Oregon could never recover from its poor first half, when the Ducks were plagued by foul trouble — Johnathan Loyd had three before halftime — and an off night by Damyean Dotson. The freshman

was huge in Oregon’s victory over Saint Louis, scoring a career-high 23. But he was 0 for 6 in the first half, and didn’t make a field goal until midway through the second.

He finished with 12 points on 5-of14 shooting.

“It wasn’t there in the first half,” Arsalan Kazemi said.

The Cardinals were barely tested in either of their first two games, beating North Carolina A&T by 31 and Colorado State by 26. They set an NCAA record with 20 steals against A&T, outrebounded one of the country’s best rebounding teams in Colorado State and left both teams with ugly shooting lines.

But the Cardinals were tested many times Friday night.

2012: 95-67, first place (lost to Detroit in ALCS).

Manager: Joe Girardi (sixth season).

He’s Here: 3B Kevin Youkilis, DH Travis Hafner, DH-OF Juan Rivera, OF Brennan Boesch, C Bobby Wilson.

He’s Outta Here: RF Nick Swisher, C Russell Martin, DH-OF Raul Ibanez, 3B Eric Chavez, OF Andruw Jones, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Freddy Garcia, LHP Pedro Feliciano.

Projected Lineup: SS Derek Jeter (.316, 15 HRs, 58 RBIs, 99 runs), RF Ichiro Suzuki (.283, 9, 55, 29 SBs with Mariners and Yankees; .322, 5, 27, 14 SBs in 67 games with New York), 2B Robinson Cano (.313, 33, 94, 48 doubles, 105 runs), 3B Kevin Youkilis (.235, 19, 60 with Red Sox and White Sox), DH Travis Hafner (.228, 12, 34 in 66 games with Cleveland), 1B Juan Rivera (.244, 9, 47, .286 OBP in 312 at-bats with Dodgers), LF Brennan Boesch (.240, 12, 54, .286 OBP with Detroit), C Francisco Cervelli (spent 2012 at Triple-A Scranton; .266, 4, 22 in 124 at-bats with Yankees in 2011) or Chris Stewart (.241, 1, 13 in 141 at-bats), CF Brett Gardner (.323, 0, 3, .417 OBP in 31 at-bats; missed most of season with elbow injury).

Rotation: LH CC Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 200 IP, 197 Ks), RH Hiroki Kuroda (16-11, 3.32, 191 1-3 IP, 165 Ks), LH Andy Pettitte (5-4, 2.87, 75 1-3 IP, 69 Ks), RH Phil Hughes (16-13, 4.19, 191 1-3 IP, 165 Ks), RH Ivan Nova (12-8, 5.02, 170 1-3 IP, 153 Ks) or RH David Phelps (4-4, 3.34, 99 2-3 IP, 96 Ks in 33 games, 11 starts).

Key Relievers: RH Mariano Rivera (1-1, 2.16, 5/6 saves in 9 games before knee injury), RH David Robertson (2-7, 2.67, 2 saves, 60 2-3 IP, 81 Ks), RH Joba Chamberlain (1-0, 4.35, 22 games), LH Boone Logan (7-2, 3.74, major league-high 80 games).

Hot Spot: The trainer’s room. The aging Yankees entered spring training with a long list of health concerns — third baseman Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) is out until at least the AllStar break — and things immediately got worse.

Center fielder Curtis Granderson (sidelined until May) broke his right forearm when he was hit by a pitch and first baseman Mark Teixeira could be out until June with a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist after he was injured while swinging in the batting cage during warmups for the World Baseball Classic. Jeter’s return from ankle surgery might be delayed into early April after he experienced stiffness. He has played minimally in the field this spring. Hughes injured his back in February and has not pitched in a game yet, and Sabathia is coming back from elbow surgery. The one player coming off an injury who has looked like his usual dominant self: 43-year-old Mariano Rivera, who tore the ACL in his left knee last May while shagging flies during batting practice.

Outlook: Injuries and austerity leave the Yankees heading into the season in a more precarious position than they have in years. Budget conscious with the $189 million luxury-tax threshold for 2014 in mind, the Yankees let Swisher and Martin leave as free agents. Their biggest moves were to sign Youkilis to take over at third for A-Rod until he’s ready — if at all — in July, and re-sign Suzuki and Kuroda. The Bronx Bombers hit a team-record 245 home runs in 2012. This season their opening-day lineup will include one player who hit more than 20 last year: Cano. With a bevy of All-Stars sidelined, the Yankees will turn to Juan Rivera and Boesch to fill in. Both players have trouble getting on base — uncharacteristic for this club. If Jeter is unable to play early, look for Gardner to be paired with Suzuki atop the order and Eduardo Nunez, a shaky defender, to start at shortstop.

The Yankees still can’t be ruled out, though, in the deep AL East. The pitching staff led by Sabathia could be one of baseball’s best and if Rivera is still a one-pitch wonder, then the game’s career saves leader can still hope his final pitch before retirement will be the World Series clincher.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES 2012: 93-69, second place (lost to New York in division series).

Manager: Buck Showalter (eighth season).

He’s Here: 1B Travis Ishikawa. INF Danny Valencia, 2B Alexi Casilla, RHP Jair Jurrjens, INF-OF Yamaico Navarro, OF Trayvon Robinson.

He’s Outta There: 1B Mark Reynolds, LHP Joe Saunders, 2B Robert Andino, OF Endy Chavez, OF Bill Hall, DH Nick Johnson, INF Omar Quintanilla, DH Jim Thome, LHP Randy Wolf.

Projected Lineup: LF Nate McLouth (.268, 7 HRs, 18 RBIs, 12 SBs), SS J.J. Hardy (.238, 22, 68), RF Nick Markakis (.298, 13, 54), CF Adam Jones (.287, 32, 82), C Matt Wieters (.249, 23, 83), 1B Chris Davis (.270, 33, 85, 169 Ks), DH Wilson Betemit (.261, 12, 40), 3B Manny Machado (.262, 7, 26), 2B Brian Roberts (.182, 0, 5 in 17 games) Rotation: RH Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.43 ERA, 113 Ks), LH Wei-Yin Chen (12-11, 4.02, teamhigh 154 Ks), RH Miguel Gonzalez (9-4, 3.25), LH Chris Tillman (9-3, 2.93), RH Jake Arrieta (3-9, 6.20).

Key Relievers: RH Jim Johnson (2-1, 2.49,

51/54 saves), RH Darren O’Day (7-1, 2.28), RH Pedro Strop (5-2, 2.44, 3/10 saves), Brian Matusz (6-10, 4.87).

Hot Spots: Second baseman Brian Roberts hopes he’s gotten past the numerous injuries that have kept him sidelined for most of the past three seasons. He’s been healthy at spring training and should start, but the 35-year-old Roberts probably lost his role as leadoff hitter and could be sharing time with Danny Valencia if he struggles with the day-to-day grind of being a starter again. Also, the Orioles will closely monitor the health of Markakis and Nolan Reimold, who missed significant time with injuries last season.

Outlook: The Orioles hope to duplicate their success of 2012 season with a roster that is quite similar to the one that produced a turnaround from 93 losses to 93 wins and a berth in the playoffs as a wild-card team. Showalter and vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette did a marvelous job of juggling the roster last season, and they’ll need similar success this year to survive in the tough AL East and get back in the playoffs. The Orioles ended a run of 14 straight losing seasons in 2012, and the goal this year is to build on the success.

TAMPA BAY RAYS 2012: 90-72, third place.

Manager: Joe Maddon (eighth season).

He’s Here: 1B James Loney, SS Yunel Escobar, OF Shelley Duncan, RHP Jamey Wright, RHP Roberto Hernandez, 2B Kelly Johnson.

He’s Outta There: RHP James Shields, RHP Wade Davis, OF B.J. Upton, 1B Carlos Pena, RHP Burke Badenhop, LHP J.P. Howell, 2B Jeff Keppinger, OF Ben Francisco.

Projected Lineup: CF Desmond Jennings (.246, 13 HRs, 47 RBIs, 31 SB, 85 runs), SS Yunel Escobar (.253, 9, 51 with Blue Jays), 3B Evan Longoria (.289, 17, 55 in 74 games), RF Ben Zobrist (.270, 20, 74, 14), DH Luke Scott (.229, 14, 55 in 96 games), LF Matt Joyce (.241, 17, 59), 1B James Loney (.249, 6, 41 with Dodgers and Red Sox), 2B Kelly Johnson (.225, 16, 55 with Blue Jays), C Jose Molina (.223 8, 32 in 102 games).

Rotation: LH David Price (20-5, 2.56 ERA, 2 CGs, 205 Ks, AL Cy Young winner), RH Jeremy Hellickson (10-11, 3.10), LH Matt Moore (11-11, 3.81), RH Alex Cobb (11-9, 4.03), RH Roberto Hernandez (0-3, 7.53 with Indians) or RH Jeff Niemann (2-3, 3.08 in eight games).

Key Relievers: RH Fernando Rodney (2-2, 0.60, 48/50 saves), RH Kyle Farnsworth (1-6, 4.00), LH Jake McGee (5-2, 1.95), RH Joel Peralta (2-6, 3.63), LH Cesar Ramos (1-0, 2.10), RH Jamey Wright (5-3, 3.72 with Dodgers).

Hot Spots: Keeping Longoria healthy figures to be one of the keys to getting back to the playoffs after falling short a year ago, when the threetime All-Star appeared in just 74 games due to a partially torn left hamstring. The club struggled offensively and defensively in his absence, yet still managed to win at least 90 games for the fourth time in five seasons. How important is Longoria’s bat? The Rays went 47-27 with their star in the starting lineup, compared to 41-44 without him. The offseason trade that sent Shields and Davis to Kansas City created openings in the rotation and bullpen, but Maddon has an abundance of arms to fill the void. The manager’s also counting on the acquisition of Escobar and Johnson to shore up the middle of the infield defensively.

Outlook: The budget-conscious Rays made a huge commitment by signing Longoria to a $136.6 million, 10-year deal that added six seasons and $100 million to his contract this winter, however one of the best pitching staffs in baseball is what gives Tampa Bay a chance, even when the offense is sputtering. The hardthrowing Price led the AL in wins (20) and ERA (2.56) en route to winning the Cy Young Award in his third full season in the majors. He will be counted on even more with Shields, the franchise’s career leader in wins, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts departed. A solid bullpen is anchored by Rodney, who posted a club-record and career-high 48 saves in 50 opportunities while setting a major league record for a reliever working a minimum of 50 innings with a 0.60 ERA last season. After making the playoffs three of the past five seasons, anything less than another postseason berth will be a big disappointment.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS 2012: 73-89, fourth place.

Manager: John Gibbons (first season).

He’s Here: SS Jose Reyes, RHP R.A. Dickey, RHP Josh Johnson, LHP Mark Buehrle, OF Melky Cabrera, INF Maicer Izturis, C Josh Thole, C Mike Nickeas, C Henry Blanco, OFINF Emilio Bonifacio, INF Mark DeRosa, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, RHP Esmil Rogers, RHP Guillermo Moscoso.

He’s Outta There: Manager John Farrell, C John Buck, SS Yunel Escobar, SS Adeiny Hechavarria, RHP Henderson Alvarez, C Jeff Mathis, RHP Carlos Villaneuva, 2B Kelly Johnson, RHP Jason Frasor, RHP Sam Dyson.

| Projected Lineup: SS Jose Reyes (.287, 11 HRs, 57 RBIs, 12 triples, 40 SBs with Marlins) LF Melky Cabrera (.346, 11, 60 with Giants before PED suspension), RF Jose Bautista (.241, 27, 65 in 92 games), 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.280, 42, 110), DH Adam Lind (.255, 11, 45), 3B Brett Lawrie (.273, 11, 48), CF Colby Rasmus (.223, 23, 75), C J.P. Arencibia (.233, 18, 56), 2B Maicer Izturis (.256, 2, 20 with Angels).

Rotation: RH R.A. Dickey (20-6, 2.73 ERA, 230 K, 5 CGs with Mets, NL CY Young winner), RH Brandon Morrow (10-7, 2.96, 3 shutouts in 21 starts), LH Mark Buehrle (13-13, 3.74 with Marlins), RH Josh Johnson (8-14, 3.81 with Marlins), LH Ricky Romero (9-14, 5.77).

Key Relievers: RH Casey Janssen (1-1, 2.54, 22/25 saves), RH Sergio Santos (0-1, 9.00, 2/4 saves in six games), LH Darren Oliver (3-4, 2.06, 2/4 saves), RH Steve Delabar (3-4, 3.82 with Mariners and Blue Jays), RH Esmil Rogers (3-3, 4.69 with Rockies and Indians), LH Aaron Loup (0-2, 2.64).

Hot Spots: Janssen, who stepped in as closer last year after Santos hurt his shoulder, underwent offseason shoulder surgery and has had a slow start to spring training as he regains his health. Key slugger and team leader Bautista is returning from season-ending wrist surgery last August, while free agent signing Cabrera is coming back from a 50-game suspension for steroid use.

Outlook: Excitement and expectations are high for a Blue Jays team remade by an offseason of wheeling and dealing. Gibbons is returning for a second stint as manager after Farrell went back to Boston. Gibbons has knuckleballer Dickey, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, at the head of a deep rotation. Former All-Star Reyes and Cabrera, a free-agent signing, join resident sluggers Bautista and Encarnacion at the top of a potent lineup. With AL East rivals New York affected by injury woes and Boston coming off a rare 90-loss season, the Blue Jays are determined to end their playoff drought at 20 years and return to October for the first time since back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.

BOSTON RED SOX 2012: 69-93, last place.

Manager: John Farrell (first season).

He’s Here: RHP Ryan Dempster, RHP Joel Hanrahan, 1B Mike Napoli, SS Stephen Drew, OF Shane Victorino, OF Johnny Gomes, C David Ross.

He’s Outta Here: Manager Bobby Valentine, RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Scott Atchison, 1B James Loney, SS Mike Aviles, RF Cody Ross, OF Scott Podsednik.

Projected Lineup: CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.271, 4 HRs, 26 RBIs, 14 SB), RF Shane Victorino (.255, 11, 55, 39 SB with Phillies and Dodgers), 2B Dustin Pedroia (.290, 15, 65, 39 2B, 20 SB), 1B Mike Napoli (.227, 25, 56, 125 Ks with Texas), DH Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.222, 25, 59), 3B Will Middlebrooks (.288, 15, 54), LF Jonny Gomes (.262, 18, 47 with Athletics) C David Ross (.256, 9, 23 with Braves), SS Jose Iglesias (.118, 1,2).

Rotation: LH Jon Lester (9-14, 4.82 ERA, 3 CGs), RH Clay Buchholz (11-8, 4.56), RH Ryan Dempster (12-8, 3.38 with Cubs and Rangers), LH Felix Doubront (11-10, 4.86), RH John Lackey (missed season after elbow surgery).

Key Relievers: RH Joel Hanrahan (5-2, 2.72, 36/40 saves with Pirates), RH Andrew Bailey (1-1, 7.04), LH Andrew Miller (3-2, 3.35), RH Daniel Bard (5-6, 6.22), RH Koji Uehara (0-0, 1.75 43 Ks, 3 Ws with Rangers), RH Alfredo Aceves (2-10, 5.36).

Hot Spots: Designated hitter David Ortiz is expected to start the season on the disabled list after experiencing inflammation in both heels. He played only one game last year after July 16 because of a strained right Achilles tendon. He was expected to bat cleanup in a revamped lineup. Shortstop Stephen Drew also could miss time at the start of the season with a concussion. Farrell, the Red Sox former pitching coach, should bring stability after one season under the unpredictable Valentine. Ellsbury’s ability to stay healthy after being hurt two of the past three seasons is a key.

Outlook: Expectations have been dampened after last season’s 69-93 record and last-place finish in the AL East. The Red Sox concentrated on signing short-term contracts with mid-level players after trading pitcher Josh Beckett, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and left fielder Carl Crawford to the Los Angeles Dodgers last August, cutting $250 million from the books. Starting pitching has been strong in spring training with the addition of Dempster and the return of Lackey. The bullpen appears deep with Hanrahan taking the closer’s role and Bailey able to fill that spot after a poor, injuryplagued season. Top prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. could make an impact early in the season in the outfield with his speed, arm strength and hitting.

TELEVISION

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

AROUND TOWN

TW FT

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The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program will offer free income tax assistance and electronic filing for taxpayers with low to middle incomes 9 a.m.3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 10 at the Shepherd’s Center, 24 Council St. Call (803) 4698322 or (803) 469-2052.

Goodwill of Sumter will offer free tax services 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wednesdays and Thursdays through April 20 in the Job-Link Center of Goodwill, 1028 Broad St. Call (803) 240-8355.

The Devine Sistas of Pretty Girls Rock will hold its 2nd Annual Easter Eggstravaganza at noon today at Swan Lake. Call (803) 406-5917 or (803) 4069621. Donations accepted.

The Clarendon Section of the National Council of Negro Women will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, April 1, at the Council of Aging, 206 S. Church St., Manning.

The Lincoln High School Class of 1964 will hold a class reunion meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, at South Sumter Resource Center, 337 Manning Ave. Call (803) 773-3804, (803) 775-9088 or (803) 7759660.

The Sumter Community Vision in Progress group will meet at 10 a.m.

Wednesday, April 3, at the James E. Clyburn Intermodal Transportation Center, Harvin Street. Dr. Tim Hardee will speak. Call (803) 491-4910.

The Lincoln High School Alumni Association’s Third Annual Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast will be held 8-10 a.m.

Saturday, April 6, at Applebee’s, 2497 Broad St. Tickets: $7 per person.

Call (803) 968-4173 or (803) 775-2999.

The Campbell Soup friends lunch group will meet at 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 6, at Golden Corral.

The National Federation of the Blind (Sumter Chapter) will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Shiloh-Randolph Manor, 125 W. Bartlette St. Esther Farmer-Judan will speak. Transportation provided within mileage radius. Contact Debra Canty at (803) 775-5792 or DebraCanC2@frontier.com.

South Carolina Legal Services will present a free D.I.Y. (Do-It-Yourself) Divorce Workshop 1:303:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at the Sumter County Library, 111 N. Harvin St. Workshop is appropriate for those who have been separated for at least one continuous year, have no minor children of the marriage, no property or debts to divide, and who do not seek alimony. Call (888) 799-9668 to reserve your spot.

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BBC America adds to supernatural fare lineup

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH “That’s you, all over!” could be the tagline for the new headscratcher “Orphan Black” (9 p.m. Saturday, BBC America, TV-14). Part of a lineup of supernatural fare, including a new episode of “Doctor Who” (8 p.m.

Saturday, BBC America, TV-PG), “Black” asks a lot of star Tatiana Maslany.

She’s first seen as Sarah, a punk runaway at a New York train station, who calls her foster brother (Jordan Gavaris, “Degrassi”) to announce that she’s back in town to reclaim her lost daughter and get rid of her deadbeat, drug dealer boyfriend.

Moments later, she witnesses a rather posh woman collapse in sobs before throwing herself in front of an onrushing commuter train.

But just before the woman hits the tracks, Sarah catches a glance at her face and realizes that the suicide is her mirror image. A resourceful street kid, Sarah steals her handbag, wallet and personal effects, planning to leave her scruffy old life and assume the identity of her dead identical “twin.”

If this story line sounds familiar, it’s because it’s similar to the plot to “Ringer,” the canceled CW drama that starred Sarah Michelle Gellar. But “Black” gets much more complicated in a hurry.

Sarah soon discovers that the “nice” girl whose identity she’s stolen was actually involved in some complicated police business. Did that drive her to suicide? Or was it the presence of yet another double — or is that a triple?

“Black” should have quit while Sarah was juggling with just one other life to lead. Once it sends in the clones, things stop making much sense and the drama begins to thin out.

• A new variation of “Upstairs Downstairs” set in a department store, the “Masterpiece Classic” presentation of “Mr. Selfridge” (9 p.m. Sunday, PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) is scripted

by Andrew Davies (“Bleak House”) and features the first starring role for Jeremy Piven

since his Emmy-winning turn in “Entourage.”

Piven plays Harry Gordon Selfridge, a Chicago merchandiser who shakes up early 20thcentury London society by catering to customers and whipping up public awareness of his shopping emporium with an outsized gusto that some find exciting and others deem vulgar. His penchant for huge gestures excites his thousands of employees and makes his department store a perfect setting for love affairs, social striving and the emancipation of its many female employees from Victorian mores.

Selfridge’s desires and appetites are hardly confined to the mercantile. He embarks on a tempestuous affair with the showgirl of the moment, Ellen Love (Zoe Tapper), and is audacious enough to make her the face of his new franchise. His patient wife, Rose (Frances O’Connor), is not immune to adventure. She secretly descends into London’s bohemian world of artists under an assumed name. Much of the melodrama involves shop girls working to improve their station in life, most notably Agnes (Aisling Loftus), whose serene facade masks a violent domestic life.

In its early going, “Selfridge” unfolds like a highly choreographed dance, as the title character inspires, conspires and perspires with a bracing allAmerican energy. In some ways, “Selfridge” has the high-strung energy of a musical without a score. One almost expects the central character to burst into song.

And it’s too bad Davies never wrote that libretto, because what might have worked as operetta often seems stilted as melodrama. And the fault lies principally with its star. As Selfridge, Piven delivers every line with an enthusiasm just short of bombast.

His volume and tone rarely vary.

Whether he’s sharing an intimate moment with his mistress, exhorting hundreds of employees to greater sales or chastising his daughters at breakfast, he’s always selling something — most often, himself.

On “Entourage,” Piven made

magic with super agent Ari Gold’s glib and self-consciously phony persona. Relocated to London in 1909, he’s often phony — when not unbearable.

• The epic series “Game of Thrones” (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO, TV-MA) enters its highly anticipated third season. Bring on the betrayals, swordplay and dragons. A lavishly produced variation on appointment TV, “Game” is hard to follow and a challenge to fully comprehend.

But its followers, once hooked, find it impossible to miss.

Saturday’s Highlights • Just three years shy of 60 years old, the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille biblical epic “The Ten Commandments” (7 p.m., ABC) continues to attract a large TV audience.

• Isaiah Washington and Lamman Rucker portray rival ministers struggling with power and corruption in the 2012 drama “The Undershepherd” (8 p.m., TV One).

• Joe attempts to locate Claire with his followers on “The Following” (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14).

• Scheduled on “48 Hours” (10 p.m., CBS): A televangelist’s world is rocked by murder.

• With just $300 to spend and a set of wheels, host Justin Warner prowls Southern back roads in search of “Rebel Eats” (10 p.m., Food Network).

• “The Nerdist” (10 p.m., BBC America, TV-14) returns for a new season.

Sunday’s Highlights • Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (7 p.m., CBS): Testimony may free a man imprisoned for four decades; Sudan’s lost boys.

• Regina and Mr. Gold scheme to harm those who dare enter the portal on “Once Upon a Time” (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG).

• A birthday to remember on “Call the Midwife” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings).

• “The Bible” (8 p.m., History, TV-14) surveys the New Testament, from Christ’s betrayal and crucifixion to Paul’s conversion and mission.

• Another season sets for

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (8 p.m., Bravo).

• Spring arrives, and with it Major League Baseball, as the Houston Astros host the Texas Rangers (8 p.m., ESPN). This is the first game for the Astros as members of the American League.

• A case hinges on a Supreme Court decision on “The Good Wife” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

• Victoria’s secrets revealed on “Revenge” (9 p.m., ABC, TVPG).

• Natalie vanishes on “Red Widow” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

• Earl Haraldson goes seriously medieval on Ragnar’s family compound on “Vikings” (10 p.m., History, TV-14).

Cult Choice TCM celebrates Easter, starting early with “Godspell” (5:45 a.m. Sunday morning), the 1973 hippie Jesus musical. The celebration continues with biblical epics “Ben Hur” (7:30 a.m.), “King of Kings” (11:30 a.m.) and “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (2:30 p.m.).

Saturday Series Two helpings of “Cops” (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., r, Fox, TVPG) * A killer targets the terminally ill on “Elementary” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * “Saturday Night Live” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV14).

Sunday Series “The Amazing Race” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Homer preps for doomsday on “The Simpsons” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) * Motherdaughter bonding on “Bob’s Burgers” (8:30 p.m., Fox, r, TVPG) * A secret to spill on “Family Guy” (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) * A vacation mingles work and pleasure on “American Dad” (9:30 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) * A hotel clerk checks out on “The Mentalist” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) * A promise that can’t be kept on “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

Copyright 2013, United Feature Syndicate

THE ITEM

COMICS

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

DOG EAT DOUG

GARFIELD

ZITS

BEETLE BAILEY

BLONDIE

ANDY CAPP

DILBERT

BORN LOSER

MOTHER GOOSE

Jeff MacNelly’s SHOE

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Sisters square off over boy they both like

D

SUDOKU

but I have faith in you, EAR ABBY — and it will be worth it in There’s this guy I the long run. like, “Joey.” My sister likes him, too. Joey DEAR ABBY — My and I are not dating, alniece is being married though we are very close soon on the East Coast. friends. My sister (of My husband and our two course) decided to ask teenaged children have him out on a date. I’m so been invited to atupset with her. It tend. We cannot afhas been two ford the multiple days since their airfares and the date and I’m still cost of hotel acnot talking to her. commodations.

I can’t believe We don’t look she asked him poor and we don’t out when she act poor, but money knew I was about Abigail VAN BUREN is very tight right to. I don’t want to now because we’re ruin our relationpaying for the last ship, but Joey is semester of our third now into her. Please give child’s college tuition. I me some advice before I had already sent a lovely do something terribly shower gift to my niece. wrong.

How can we gracefully CAN’T TAKE IT decline the invitation DEAR CAN’T TAKE IT without offending any— If your sister jumped in one? knowing you were interJUST DON’T HAVE IT ested in Joey, it was IN SAN DIEGO sneaky and wrong. But you have nothing to gain DEAR JUST DON’T by declaring war over it.

HAVE IT — As I see it, you Keep your options open have two choices — reand bide your time. With spond by saying you have luck, their romance will a “conflict,” or tell these blow over — and when it relatives you would love does, if you have mainto be there, but with the tained your position as Jo- cost of a college education ey’s “close friend,” you can these days, you can’t make your move then. It swing it. (I vote for the latmay take nerves of steel, ter.) dear abby

B6

CLASSIFIEDS

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

MATCHING LARGE BATH TOWELS $4 Each 29 Progress St. - Sumter 775-8366 Ext. 37

HAND TOWELS

Store Hours 0RQ 6DW 9:30 - 5:00 Closed Sunday

WASHCLOTHS

LEGAL NOTICES Legal Notice Public Auction A Sale will be held at Sumter Self Storage, 731 Broad Street, 731 Broad St., Sumter S.C. on Saturday, April 13th at 10:00 AM Items from the following units will be sold: Charles Brooks III/s 621 Cedrick James/s 916 Roxanne Solone/s 706-814 Laquan Davis/s 116 Sale handled by management "CASH ONLY" Everything must be removed day of sale.

Bid Notices ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Project:

Dabbs Fire Station

(For Sumter Fire Department and Sumter County) Separate sealed bids for the construction of: Dabbs Fire Station per plans and specifications will be received by Sumter County in the County Council's Chamber located on the third floor of the Sumter County Administration Building, 13 East Canal Street, Sumter, SC until 2:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013 there at said office opened and read aloud.

To request a bid package contact Scott Bell, AIA, RS Bell Architects LLC, 3 Law Range, Sumter SC 29150 803 774-3025. A deposit of $150.00 is required per set of plans and specifications.

The deposit is refundable upon return of the documents.

A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 18, 2013 at 10:00 am in the Sumter County Council's Chambers.

Abandon Vehicle / Boat

$1.25 Each 50¢ Each

Summons & Notice

Summons & Notice

Rights of persons affected by orders.

Any person affected by an order issued by the Public Officer may, within 60 days after the posting and service of the Order, petition the Circuit Court for an injunction restraining the Public Officer from carrying out the provisions of the Order and the Court may, upon such petition, issue a temporary injunction restraining the Public Officer pending the final disposition of the cause. Hearings shall be had by the Court on such petitions within 20 days or as soon thereafter as possible and shall be given preference over other matters of the Court's calendar. The Court shall hear and determine the issues raised and shall enter such final order or decree as law and justice may require. In all such proceedings, the findings of the Public Officer as to facts, if supported by evidence, shall be conclusive. Costs shall be in the discretion of the Court. The remedies herein provided shall be exclusive remedies and no person affected by an Order of the Public Officer shall be entitled to recover any damages for action taken pursuant to any Order of the Public Officer or because of compliance by such person with any Order of the Public Officer. Provided, however, in the event that foreclosure of a lien obtained hereunder fails to cover the costs incurred by the Public Officer on behalf of the county in carrying out the provisions of this article, nothing herein shall be construed to limit the power of the Public Officer on behalf of the county to pursue all other remedies available at law and in equity to recover such costs, including, but not limited to, seeking an in personam judgment against the owner

Civil Procedure, specifically provide that the said Master in Equity is authorized and empowered to enter a final judgment in this action. If there are counterclaims requiring a jury trial, any party may file a demand under rule 38, SCRCP and the case will be returned to the Circuit Court

H. J. "Butch" Avins Public Officer March 27, 2013 Sumter, SC 29150

SUMMONS AND NOTICES (NON-JURY MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE) IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS C/A NO: 13-CP-43-0220 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER

Abandoned Boat Notice To all persons claiming an interest in: Yamaha-15HP-1998-15MSHW Michael S. Holt will apply to SCDNR for title on watercraft/outboard motor. If you have any claims to the watercraft/outboard motor, contact SCDNR at (803) 734-3858. Upon thirty days after the date of the last advertisement if no claim of interest i s m a d e a n d t h e watercreaft/outboard motor has not been reported stolen, SCDNR shall issue clear title.

Case No:20121026951164

Summons & Notice SUMMONS AND NOTICE FINDINGS of FACT and ORDER STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER NOTICE IS HERBY PROVIDED TO: Frank Holmes, a/k/a Frank Holmes, Jr.; the heirs of Frank Holmes, a/k/a Frank Holmes, Jr.; Charles "Charlie" Holmes; the heirs of Charles "Charlie Holmes; Johnnie Smith; the heirs of Johnnie Smith; Maggie Smith; the heirs of Maggie Smith; Ashby Holmes; the heirs of Ashby Holmes; the heirs of Rosa Lee Carroll; the heirs of Christina Holmes, a/k/a Christiana Holmes, a/k/a Christana Holmes, a/k/a Christanna Holmes; and any persons claming an interest in the property known as 1288 N. Main Street, Sumter, SC, TMS #230-12-02-001 A hearing was held on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Present at the hearing was the designated Public Officer, H. J. "Butch" Avins, Johnathan W. Bryan, Sumter County Attorney, Don Bowman, Sumter County Deputy Sheriff and others whose names appear on a sign-in sheet in the Public Officer's file. The Complaint was reviewed and evidence was presented. Based on the evidence presented at the hearing I find that that the property located at 1288 N. Main Street, Sumter, SC , bearing Sumter County tax parcel number 230-12-02-001, has the following defects which make the property uninhabitable: a) exterior walls open; b) damage to structural components; c) no heating, ventilation or air conditioning; and d) no working plumbing of any kind.

MidFirst Bank, PLAINTIFF, vs.

Patrick O. Noonan; and United States of America, acting by and through its agency the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, DEFENDANT(S).

TO THE NAMED:

DEFENDANTS

ABOVE

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint herein, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, or to otherwise appear and defend, and to serve a copy of your Answer to said Complaint upon the subscribers at their office, 4000 Faber Place, Suite 450, P.O. Box 71727, North Charleston, South Carolina, 29415, or to otherwise appear and defend the action pursuant to applicable court rules, within thirty (30) days after service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; except that the United States of America, if named, shall have sixty (60) days to answer after the service hereof, exclusive of such service; and if you fail to answer the Complaint or otherwise appear and defend within the time aforesaid, the Plaintiff in this action will apply to the Court for relief demanded therein, and judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

TO MINOR(S) OVER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE, AND/OR TO MINOR(S) UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE MINOR(S) RESIDE(S) AND/OR TO PERSONS UNDER SOME LEGAL DISABILITY: YOU ARE FURTHER SUMMONED AND NOTIFIED to apply for the appointment of a guardian ad litem within thirty (30) days after the service of this Summons and Notice upon you. If you fail to do so, application for such appointment will be made by the Plaintiff.

YOU WILL ALSO TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Rule 53(b) SCRCP, as amended effective September 1, 2002, the Plaintiff will move for a general Order of Reference to the Master in Equity for Sumter County, which Order shall, pursuant to Rule 53(b) of the South Carolina Rules of

NOTICE OF FILING COMPLAINT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the original Complaint in the above entitled action, together with the Summons, was filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Sumter County on February 11, 2013 at 1:51 P.M.

LIS PENDENS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an action has been commenced and is now pending in this court upon Complaint of the above-named Plaintiff against the above-named Defendants for foreclosure of a certain mortgage of real estate given

by Patrick O. Noonan to Midland Mortgage Corp., in the amount of $82308.00 dated September 30, 2005, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter County in Book 1001 at Page 1542 on October 17, 2005.

The premises covered and affected by the said mortgage as by the foreclosure thereof, were, at the time of the making thereof, and at the time of the filing of this Notice, described as follows: All that certain place, parcel, or lore !and, together with improvements thereon, situate, lying and being in the County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, designated as Lot No. 176 of Millwood Gardens Subdivision as shown on that certain plat by Julian B. Allen, R.L.S., dated September 27, 1978 and recorded in the Office at the Register of Deeds for Sumter County in Plat Book Z-41, at page 421, the exact boundaries and measurements of which can be determined by reference to said plat.

Said Lot No. 176 being bounded and measuring according to said plat as follows: on the North by Lot No. 177, said plat, and measuring thereon 124.75 feet: on the East by Woodside Road, said plat, and measuring thereon 90.00 feet on the Southeast by the intersection of Woodside Road and Oakland Avenue, said plat, and measuring thereon 104.75 feet; and on the West by Lot No. 175, said plat, and measuring thereon 110.00 feet. Be all of said measurements a little more or less and according to said plat. This is the same property known as 1801 W. Oakland Avenue, Sumter, SC 29150. Tax Map No. 206-04-03-069.

Property Address: 1801 West Oakland Ave, Sumter, SC TMS#: 206-04-03-069 FINKEL LAW FIRM LLC THOMAS A. SHOOK Post Office Box 71727 North Charleston, South Carolina 29415 (843) 577-5460 Attorney for Plaintiff

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO.: 2010-CP-43-2784 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER OneWest Bank, FSB, Plaintiff(s)

’S TREE SERVICE PO BOYFREE ESTIMATES

Po Boy’s Rex Prescott Tommy Thompson

TMS No.: 203-03-02-054 TERMS OF SALE FOR CASH. The undersigned will require a deposit of 5% of the amount of the bid (in cash or equivalent) to be applied on the purchase price only upon compliance with the bid. In the of case of noncompliance of the bid within 30 days the successful bidder's deposit shall be forfeited and applied to the Court's costs and to Plaintiff's debt and the property will be re-advertised for sale upon the same terms (at the risk of the former highest bidder).

The Plaintiff does demand a deficiency judgment. As a deficiency judgment is being demanded, the bidding will remain open thirty (30) days after the date of sale.

Interest at the legal rate shall be paid through the day of compliance on the amount of the bid.

The purchaser shall pay for preparation and recording of the deed and required transfer taxes by any governmental authority.

If the Plaintiff or its representative is not present at the sale, the sale shall be postponed to the next available sale date.

The sale shall be subject to taxes and assessments, existing easements and restrictions of record.

Richard L. Booth Master In Equity for Sumter County ATTORNEYS FOR THE PLAINTIFF: Johnson & Freedman, LLC Nicholas N. Sears, Jr., SC Bar No.: 78031 1587 Northeast Expressway Atlanta, GA 30329 (770) 234-9181 J1001318SC

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER

Plaintiff(s) vs.

Samantha E. Richburg aka Samantha Richburg, and Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Inc, Deficiency Judgment Waived Defendant(s).

Under and by virtue of an Order of the Court of Common Pleas for

Being the premises conveyed to the Mortgagor by deed of Household Finance Corp. II dated August 28, 2006 and filed for record herewith in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Sumter County in Book 1052, Page 1882.

TERMS OF SALE FOR CASH. The undersigned will require a deposit of 5% of the amount of the bid (in cash or equivalent) to be applied on the purchase price only upon compliance with the bid. In the of case of noncompliance of the bid within 30 days the successful bidder's deposit shall be forfeited and applied to the Court's costs and to Plaintiff's debt and the property will be re-advertised for sale upon the same terms (at the risk of the former highest bidder).

TREE REMOVAL

469-7606 or 499-4413

FIREWOOD DELIVERY

Andre, It has been one year since you went on to be with the Lord.

We miss you so much but your precious memories are still with us. We all love and miss you. Your mom, Wife, Children, Grandchildren, Sister, Brother, Nieces, Nephew & other famiy member.

Lost & Found Found: Nice Black Dog in the vicinity of Long Branch Rd. Owner must call to identify. Call 03-512-0963 leave message.

In Memory

Interest at the legal rate shall be paid through the day of compliance on the amount of the bid.

The purchaser shall pay for preparation and recording of the deed and required transfer taxes by any governmental authority.

If the Plaintiff or its representative is not present at the sale, the sale shall be postponed to the next available sale date.

The sale shall be subject to taxes and assessments, existing easements and restrictions of record.

Richard L. Booth Master in Equity for Sumter County ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF: Johnson & Freedman, LLC Nicholas N. Sears, Jr., SC Bar No.: 78031 1587 Northeast Expressway Atlanta, GA 30329 (770) 234-9181 0925983SC

THE

In Loving Memory of Linda Raye Miller 08/11/1938 - 03/30/2012 Memories of you will live in all of us forever. We miss you very much. Love Connie, Ed, Travis, & Garrett Jennings

BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS SERVICES Announcements

Business Services

SMELL LIKE A MILLIONAIRE! Over 300 fragrances at CJS! Make your house smell like a home!

803-774-7823 *633 Bultman Dr* 12:30-5PM

NEED AN ERRAND RUN???

Call Gail at 803-464-8825. Very reasonable rates.

Gail's Go For Service

FOR FREE! ARE YOU AN ITEM SUBSCRIBER? Do you want to sell something for $100 or OHVV" 7KH ,WHP &ODVVL¿HG 'HSDUWPHQW ZLOO UXQ \RXU DG FREE LQ WKH SDSHU IRU GD\V

Name $GGUHVV City Home Phone # 3ULQW <RXU $G +HUH

Must submit ad on provided coupon Businesses/Commercial Accounts not eligible Additional Lines $5.49 Each Add a Photo - $5.00

State

=LS

UP TO 16 WORDS

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OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE LICENSED & INSURED

Andre D. Wiley 03/30/12- 03/30/13

No personal or deficiency judgment being sought, the bidding will not remain open after the date of sale and compliance with the bid may be made immediately.

3 Lines (up to 16 words) For 3 Days Price & Phone number must be in ad One item, per household, per week May repeat ad at regular cost

AND IT IS SO ORDERED!

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Property Address: 2202 Dartmouth Drive Sumter, SC 29150

Card of Thanks

All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land with the dwelling and improvements thereon, situate, lying and being in Sumter Township, Sumter County, South Carolina, more particularly shown and designated as Lot 36, Block E, Sherwood Forest Subdivision on a plat thereof prepared by J.P. Edwards, RLS, on June 29, 1979; said plat being filed for record in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Sumter County in Plat Book Z43, Page 110 and incorporated herein by reference pursuant to Section 30-5-250 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 (as amended).

Under and by virtue of an Order of the Court of Common Pleas for Sumter County, South Carolina, heretofore granted in the above entitled case, I the undersigned, as Master in Equity on Monday, April 1, 2013 commencing at 12:00 PM during the legal hours of sale, at the Sumter Courthouse in the City of Sumter, South Carolina, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder the following described property:

NOTICE: Sec. 22-132. Code of Ordinances, Sumter County provides:

2 for $1.00

Sumter County, South Carolina, heretofore granted in the above entitled cause, I the undersigned, as Master in Equity on Monday, April 1, 2013 commencing at 12:00 PM during the legal hours of sale, at the Sumter Courthouse in the City of Sumter, South Carolina, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder the following described property:

vs.

Gerald S. Welch, Hampshire Estates Homeowners Association and Shaw Lumber Company Deficiency Judgment Demanded Against Gerald S. Welch Defendant(s).

All that certain piece, parcel or lot of land, situate, lying and being in the City of Sumter, County of Sumter, State of South Carolina, designated as Lot Number 20B of Hampshire Estates on a plat prepared by Joseph

KITCHEN TOWELS

R. Edwards RLS, dated February 23, 2006 and recorded in Plat Book 2006 at Page 100 in the RMC Office for Sumter County and is bounded and measuring as follows on the northeast by Lot 17B and measuring thereon 37.0 feet; the southeast by Lot 19 and measuring thereon 100.12 feet; on the southwest by Darmouth Drive and measuring thereof 36.99 feet; and on the northwest by Lot 20A and measuring thereon 100.06 feet, be the said measurements more of less. This property is known as 2202 Dartmouth Drive Sumter South Carolina and bears Sumter Tax Map Number: 203-03-02-054.

Bank of America, N.A.,

NOTICE OF SALE

$20 Per Set

Notice of Sale

This is a portion of the property conveyed to Gerald S. Welch by deed of Palance and Palance Investments, LLC, dated June 11, 2004 and recorded June 18, 2004 in Deed Book 942 at Page 1174 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Sumter County

B7

KING SIZE 300 THREAD COUNT SHEET SETS

Notice of Sale

NOTICE OF SALE

Furthermore I find that the unsafe dwelling must be demolished within 60 days of the service of this Order.

If the owners fail to comply with this Order to remove or to demolish the dwelling, the Public Officer may cause such dwelling to be removed or demolished at the owners' expense. Attention is directed to Section 22-132 of the Code of Ordinances for Sumter County, which follows.

TREE CARE

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR FAMOUS WAREHOUSE SALE! SATURDAY, APRIL 6 8AM - 5PM

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO.: 2011-CP-43-0271

Notice of Sale

THE ITEM

Mail To:

&ODVVL¿HG 'HSW P.O. Box 1677 Sumter, SC 29151

NO REFUNDS. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS. GARAGE & YARD SALES EXCLUDED. ALL ADVERTISING SUBJECT TO PUBLISHERS APPROVAL. MUST HAVE PAID CURRENT SUBSCRIPTION.

B8

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

#6: " 46*5 "5 3&(6-"3 13*$& "/% 5)& '3&& 45&3 #6//: 8*-- (*7& :06 " 4&$0/% 46*5

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

MAYOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SUIT CITY

The Free-ster bunny has arrived!

FREE

4*;&4 50 4)0354 "/% &953" -0/(4 */$-6%&%

8&4."3, 1-";" t t .0/ 4"5 t 888 .":04%*4$06/546*54 $0. t 569&%04 #6: 03 3&/5 Home Improvements

SBC Construction Decks & Fences, Screen Porches, Sun Rooms, Flooring, Concrete, Top Soil, Water problems, Insulated Windows. Free Est. 795-6046

For Sale or Trade

Help Wanted Full-Time

Statewide Employment

Unfurnished Homes

Turbo Ear Hearing Aid with charger (New) $25. Call 481-8878 before 8pm.

Fun Job Travel the US. Call today, start work today. 18 yrs & over. Will train. No exp. Company pays transportation. Earn $400 wkly, commission based. Cash advance while in training in sunny Florida.

Call Mrs. Berry 678-768-7470

COLONIAL LIFE is seeking business-to-business sales representatives and managers to market insurance products and services.

Commissions average $56K+/yr. Training & leads. Call Natalie at 803-312-2492.

**After Tax Special** 4270 Hickory 3BR/2BA $375/mo 195-Q Hoyt 2BR/1BA $325/mo 231 Clement 2BR/1BA $275/mo 195-G Hoyt 2BR/1BA $225/mo 237 Clement 2BR/1BA $275/mo (Deposit same as rent) Frederick & Associates, Inc 294 N. Bultman Dr. 803-938-5524

Professional Remodelers Home maintenance,ceramic tile, roofing, siding & windows doors, etc. Lic. & Ins. (Office) 803-692-4084 or (Cell) 803-459-4773

Lawn Service JW PROFESSIONAL LAWN Seasonal lawn maintenance, leaf removal, roof/gutter cleaning, pressure washing, hedging, pine straw, fencing, decks, small additions, and mulch, haul off junk and much more. 20 yrs experience.

Call 803-406-1818 Newman's Lawn & Tree Service Mowing, hedge trimming, Spring clean-up, pinestraw, mulch bedding, tree removal. 803-316-0128 Pearson's Lawn Service. Lawn maint., Debris removal, and other handy services. Call 803-406-3514 Daniel's Lawn Care â&#x20AC;˘Tree removal/trim â&#x20AC;˘Clean-up jobs â&#x20AC;˘Mowing â&#x20AC;˘Pinestraw Mulch 803-968-4185

Roofing Robert's Metal Roofing 29 years exp. 18 colors & 45 year warranty. Call 803-837-1549.

Hodge Roofing Solutions, LLC, Lic.& Bonded. Free Estimates.

Also do Vinyl Siding & Seamless Gutters. 803-840-4542

NEW - NEVER USED 5'5" x 9' wire mesh utility trailer w/ gate, $1,100.

Call (803)983-9685.

Be Green! Yard/Garden Composter. Heavy Duty Rotating makes beautiful Mulch. Great condition. $85.OBRO. Call 803-468-3535 Washers, Dryers, Refrigerators, Stoves. Also new Gas stoves.

Guaranteed. 803-464-5439 Equipment Trailer, $1,750 and Car hauler $1,475.

Call 803-972-0900 Evergreen Memorial Cemetery park, 3 plots & 2 vaults. Call 843-774-3947.

Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600. Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Thomasville Table w/6 chairs, two leafs. Showroom condition, $4,000 FIRM. Call 803-494-5708 Baby High Chair- Chrome tray and legs. Very sturdy and in good cond. $50 OBO. 803-469-2958

Musical Instruments

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

NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal , trimming & stump grinding. Lic & Ins.

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A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721 STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net Tree Doctor Call us for an appt. Free est. 7 days/week. Prune trees, remove trees, grind stumps, proper limbing & treatment. 803-773-8402.

PETS & ANIMALS Livestock Baby chicks www.barnyardconservation.com

Call 803-410-3815

MERCHANDISE Want to Buy Wanted Appliances: Washers, Dryers, Stoves & Refrig. Working or not. 803-968-4907

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales SUMMERTON 14 N Church St. Sat 7-11 Table /4chrs, LR Chair, Too much to list 470 Canvasback (Idlewild) Fri. Preview starting at 9 am & Sat. 6:30 am - 1 pm. Teen formals, Easter, pottery barn, shoes, kitchen, lamps, 1st Ed. books & more .

Gleaton Floor Covering 761 E. Liberty St. Sat. 9 - 5. Sale on ceramic tile 25 cents per sq ft., vinyl tile $5 box. Carpet $3 sq/yd 1140 Briar Bend Sat 7-? Terry Bass Boat, 2 Golf carts, Sleeper Sofa, Much More!

LARGE GARAGE SALE 1st & 3rd Weekend Tables $1 & Up FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

803- 905-4242

Sumter County Flea Mkt Hwy 378 E. 803-495-2281 500 tables. Sat. $8 free return Sun. 980 S Main St Fri & Sat 7-? New and used clothes all sizes, shoes, Misc. items 1028 Saltwood Rd (Near Sumter High Stadium) Sat. 7am-?

Lawn Mower and other yard equip, pet supplies-all kinds, dog house, Bakeware and kitchen items, Adult/teen clothes, lg pool, carpet vac and shampooer, furn., bicycles, craft items.

The sale you've been waiting for: Idlewild Neighborhood Yard Sale, Saturday, March 30th 7am-?

For Sale or Trade Hallicrafters Sky Champion S-20R Receiver $25.00. Call 803-494-4825

Pretty contemporary Weiler upright piano, pecan finish, padded storage bench, maintained & tuned. Non smoker. $800 OBO. Call 803-983-3186

Clothes Formal evening gowns CACH'E sz 4, CIRE' sz 4, ROMY sz med, BLONDIE sz 3, all long gowns worn once in 2011 & 2012. call 803-505-2050 for info

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time Front desk person needed for busy office. Must have computer knowledge and be able to work well with the public. Duties include answering multiple phones, spreadsheets and receivable.

Must be able to multi-tasks as this position includes working with several different divisions of the company. This is a full time position with benefits. Applicants will be seen by appointment only.

Mail resumes to: PO Box 38, Manning, SC 29102. Applications will be taken through April 5, 2013.

Owner-Operators Harris Transport, Inc., Elgin, SC terminal, needs owner-operators to run from S.C. to various states and back to S.C. We furnish fuel card, tag if needed, flatbed or dry van, weekly home time and we run on paper logs. 100% NO touch freight, weekly settlements by check or payroll card. Harris is a 100% owner operator company since 1985. Call Don @ 803-420-4403 or Danny @ 803-549-7298 EQUIPMENT RECOVERY PERSON for Major Cable Provider.

Evenings & Weekends Required.

Need Reliable Transportation & pass Background check, Drug Screen. For more info email Davidp@universalcollectionsyste ms.com Established Heating and Air Conditioning Company looking for an experienced HVAC service technician. Must have a minimum of 2 years experience, a valid driver's license, people skills, good personality and personal tools on hand. Great benefits offered and top pay! Apply in person Hatfield Heating & Air, 1640 Suber St. Sumter, SC Assistant Manager Needed.

Valid driver's license and automobile required. This is a Manager Trainee Position and a career opportunity that offers competitive salary and a complete fringe benefit package. Promotion to Manager possible in 15 months.

No experience necessary. Apply in person at: World Finance 104 Capital way. Manning SC

Certified Dental Assistant needed for fast paced dental office.

Must love the joy & challenge of working with children. Excellent salary & benefits for the experienced professional. Please fax resume to: 803-934-9943.

First Care Medical Transport has full/part time Emt positions available.

Contact Michelle 843-372-1656 Value Stream Leader (Production Supervisor) Apex Tool Group, LLC, a manufacturer of premium quality hand tools is searching for a Value Stream Leader to join our Sumter, SC team.

Responsibilities include: â&#x20AC;˘ Directing and coordinating all manufacturing activities in an assigned value stream from raw product to finished goods. â&#x20AC;˘ Ensuring equipment safety, part quality, machine availability and cost reduction in an effort to assist manufacturing operations in meeting policy deployment goals and KPI targets. â&#x20AC;˘ Providing technical assistance and troubleshooting to production areas while leading efforts for lean conversion.

Apex Tool Group offers a competitive starting salary and comprehensive benefit package. A Bachelors degree and a minimum 1-3 years' experience are recommended. For prompt confidential consideration, send resume and cover letter with salary requirements to: Apex Tool Group, LLC, Attn: Manager Human Resources, P.O. Box 2096, Sumter, SC 29151-2096. An Equal Opportunity Employer PILGRIM'S We are currently seeking an experienced and proven CDL Driver Qualified applicants must have a current Class A license and an excellent driving record with a minimum of 3 years on the road experience. Working knowledge of DOT regulations. Basic reading and writing skills.

Background and a preemployment physical/drug screen are required with this position. We have an excellent compensation package which consist of paid holidays, vacation, medical, dental, life insurance, and 401k.

If you meet these requirements please mail or fax your resume /qualifications to: PILGRIMS Attention: HR Department 2050 Highway 15 South SUmter, SC 29150 Fax: 803-481-8961 EOE/AA/M/F/D/V Truck Drivers Needed Flatbed.

OTR, 2 yrs. exp. necessary. Home weekends. (803) 473-9353.

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.bulldoghiway. com EOE MEDICAL CAREERS begin here.

Train ONLINE for Allied Health and Medical Management. Job placement assistance. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV authorized. Call 888-220-3872 www.CenturaOnlin e.com AIRLINES ARE HIRING -Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified - Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-367-2513 Company Drivers: $2500 Sign-on bonus! Super service is hiring solo and team drivers. Excellent hometime options. CDL-A required. Call 888-441-9358 or apply online at www.superservicellc.com ADVERTISE YOUR DRIVER JOBS in 112 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.

DRIVERS - CDL-A $5,000 SIGNON BONUS for exp'd solo OTR drivers & O/O's Tuition reimbursement also available! New Student Pay & Lease Program USA TRUCK 877-521-5775 www.GoU SATruck.jobs DRIVERS.... Apply now, 13 drivers needed top 5% pay & benefits Class A CDL required.

877-258-8782 www.ad-drivers.co m Gypsum Express regional hauls for flatbed company driver. Terminal in Georgetown. Ask about Performance Bonus coming April 1st & more. Melissa 866-317-6556 x6 or www.gypsumexpress.com AVERITT OFFERS CDL-A DRIVERS a strong, stable, profitable career. Experienced drivers and recent grads - excellent benefits, weekly hometime, paid training.

888-362-8608 AverittCareers.com Equal Opportunity Employer.

Satellite installers needed. Be your own boss! Join CAOTTI, one of the fastest growing contractors in the industry. Providing quality installation & service for home entertainment needs! Training & resources are provided to ensure a successful future. Late model WHITE truck or van & basic tools 28' ladder required. Must be able to pass background check & drug screen. Apply online: tech.caotti.com. 866-310-2336.

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

RENTALS

Trucking Opportunities

Unfurnished Homes

Driver Trainees Needed for McElroy Truck Lines Local CDL Training No Experience Needed Weekly Home Time Call Today 1-888-263-7364

3BR/1.5BA Oakland Ave. 1400 sq ft., lg. yard, Millwood Elem. $700 mo. + dep. 303-751-1460.

Medical Help Wanted Full-time MA or CMA needed for busy Family Practice. Mon-Fri, hours vary. Must supply references. Fax to Attn: Clinical Mgr. (803)934-0877.

Schools / Instructional MEDICAL OFFICE TRAINEES NEEDED! Train for a career in Healthcare Management! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Advanced College gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & PC/Internet needed. 1-888-528-5176.

Work Wanted Need X-Tra $$$ Buy Wholesale $100 Min. Home & Body Oils, Oil Warmers, Bottles, More! 774-7823 Need X-Tra $$$ Buy Wholesale $100 Min. Home & Body Oils & More! 774-7823

Spacious, nice 2BR in safe area.

Convenient to Shaw/Sumter. Dumpster, Water, Heat pump & Sec lights included. No H/A or PETS! $465/mo + $350/dep.

803-983-0043

3BR home, off Wise Dr. Near Bultman. Mins from Shaw. Completely renovated.

Carport, C//H//A, Range, hardwood floors and new carpet. lrg storage bldg, fenced yard.

773-9847 or 983-9483

SOUTH FORGE 1 BEDROOM APTS. Water, stove & refrig.

Call Linda at

(803) 494-8443 Income Restricted Equal Housing Opportunity Co.

Bill Horne, BIC

GOODWIN EXCLUSIVE

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2004 Mazda RX8

$7 995

2007 Nissan Murano

$11 995

2001 Lincoln Towncar

GOODWIN AUTOMALL

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469-2595

469-2595

#30"% 45 r 46.5&3 4$ Price Good Through 3-30-13

#30"% 45 r 46.5&3 4$ Price Good Through 3-30-13

$4 995

#30"% 45 r 46.5&3 4$

469-2595

Price Good Through 3-30-13

PAXVILLE 3BR, Stove, Refrig.

Housing Authority and Sec 8 welcome. Call 803-452-6998 3BR 1.5 BA 1700 Sq Ft, Owner Financing with $5,000 Down Call 803 288-2934

Mobile Home Rentals 2 Bd $350, Clean & in nice area.

Call 803-840-5734 Beautiful large 4BR 2 Ba DW On Flamingo Rd $625 Mo. Call 540-271-3353 3Br 1.5 Ba Fenced Yard On Orange St $495 Mo. Call 540-271-3353.

3BR/2BA DW C/A, wall to wall carpeting, FP, lg. den. Completely reconditioned 0.5 ac. yd, $625mo.

96 Bowman Rd. Lee County. Sect.

8 welcome 410-804-0458 or 803-968-1672.

Rent to own 2BR/1BA all appl. incl. C/H/A, water & sewer incl. $385/mo. Call 803-464-5757 Mobile Homes for rent.

Section 8 OK. Call 803-773-8022.

Convenient to Sumter/Shaw, large 2 br, 2 ba DW with all appliances, W/D, porch, carport, stocked fish pond on fenced 1.5 ac lot. Not suitable for small children due to pond being very deep. Large storage shed. $650 mo.+dep. No Pets. Call 983-8152 2BR 2Ba Mobile home off Panola Rd. between Pinewood & paxville $450 mo.843-884-0346 Iris Winds MHP: 3BR/2BA MH No pets. Ref/dep req'd, $500/mo.

Call 803-775-6816, 803-460-9444 For Sale, 3Bed/2Bath, Land, $360/mo.

803-494-5090

REAL ESTATE Homes for Sale OPEN HOUSE, Sat (8-4), Sun. (1-5) 2176 Avalon Dr. Sumter, AGENTS WELCOME!! 3 br, 2 ba, 1975 sq. ft., $164,900. $$$ for closing, home warranty. AGENT BONUS!! 540-845-0322.

New const. in Beech Forest Patio Sec. 1550 sq. ft. 3BR 2BA, Eat in kitchen Hdwd, carpet, tile, granite. Custom cabinets, $148K 803-565-4850 740 Colony Rd. 2 br, 1 ba brick home, immaculately clean, 21x24 insulated garage/work shop with electric & water. An additional 10x12 storage bldg. on approx. 1 ac. $75,000. 469-9381 / 481-3683

Manufactured Housing Clayton 28 x 72 DW, on 2 acres.

Asking $50,000.

Call 803-406-0375 Iris Winds MHP,Sumter Immediate occupancy. 3BR MH. $25,900.

Fin. avail.

803-460-9444, 800-996-9540, 803-775-6816 FOR SALE IN MANNING:1465 Herod $350/mo. 1356 Herod Dr. $350/mo.

Owner Financing.

803-460-3787 Tax Season is here! Been turned down for bad credit? Come try us, we do our own financing.We have 2-3-4-5 bedroom homes. We have a layaway program. For more information call 843-389-4215.

Blow Out Sale Pre-owned Manufactured Homes 2, 3, 4 Bedroom homes at wholesale prices. Call 803-614-1165

Land & Lots for Sale 5 MH lots left for sell, Dalzell. 2 home lots for sell Wedgefield Rd. Call Burch 803-720-4129.

Multiple lots for sale: Bush Lane, Spanish Moss Circle, Watermark Drive, Hwy 15 North. Call (803) 774-7208 for details.

RECREATION

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

RV parking avail. Call 494-8350 Scenic Lake. 2 Br/2Ba. & 3BR /2BA. No pets. Call between 9am 5pm: (803) 499-1500.

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

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

Guns / Ammunition

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2002 Toyota Camry

$7 995

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Vacation Rentals ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY to more the 2.6 million South Carolina newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 112 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Call Jimmie Haynes at the South Carolina Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377

Hunting / Tanglewood Plantation Hunting Club, Lynchburg looking for 3 good members. Contact Arthur 491-7665 for details.

TRANSPORTATION

Office Rentals 2 ind. prof. offices - can be rented separately. Utilities incl., immediate occupancy. Also separate 3 off. Suite loc. 533A Oxford St. (N. Guignard Dr.) Further information, call (803) 773-7526 or 775-6800.

120 Broad St Office space, Great location, Rent is $495-$695 Agent Owned Call 236-2425

Autos For Sale 1989 Z71 Chevy Silverado. Runs Good. $3,500 OBO. Call 803-305-8136 2003 Ford Expedition XLT, Black/Tan Ext, Leather Int, TV, PW/PL, 3rd row, 130k miles. $6,000 OBO. 803-464-3526

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2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

$9 995

#30"% 45 r 46.5&3 4$

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C2

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Spruce up your yard with ornaments

BY RANDY BURNS Special to the Item

WANT TO GO? BISHOPVILLE – Smith’s Concrete Products, located on U.S. 15 South about two miles south off Interstate 20, is packed with concrete statues, benches, birdbaths, flower pots, fountains, gargoyles and other ornamental items primarily designed for the yard, porch or deck.

Gargoyles, you ask? Yep, gargoyles.

The sign near the entrance sums up what the business is all about, said owner Jon Smith.

“We have items which will beautify your home, garden or business,” he said.

While he was still in high school, Smith established the business along with his mother, Mary Smith; they moved the business to its current location in 1995.

All of the manufacturing and painting is done at the Bishopville facility, but Smith also has a store in Garden City.

About 20 to 25 percent of the business’ sales come from the Garden City store, he said. The online virtual store is also responsible for about 25 percent of the sales, he said.

“A lot of people will go online, and they’ll find what they like and then come here to the store to buy the item,” he said.

What started out as a hobby has become one of the leading producers of ornamental concrete in the eastern United States. Smith estimates he has 800 to 1,000 concrete items on the Bishopville sales lot.

Deborah Haggins of Bishopville recently stopped at the local store to buy a column cap for her father’s brick wall.

“I drive by here all the time, and I’ve always wanted to stop,” Haggins said. “It is

Smith’s Concrete Products 2613 Sumter Highway Bishopville Phone: (803) 428-6066 www.smithsconcrete.com MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PHOTOS BY RANDY BURNS / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

Deborah Haggins, a recent customer at Smith’s Concrete Products store in Bishopville, talks with store owner Jon Smith. Almost 1,000 ornamental concrete items including concrete statuaries, benches, birdbaths, flower pots, fountains, gargoyles and other ornamental items primarily designed for the yard, porch or deck can be found on the lot of Smith’s Concrete Products, located on U.S. 15 just about two miles south of Interstate 20 in Bishopville.

an adventure to come out here and walk around. He’s got some beautiful stuff here.

I am coming back when I

have more time to find me a bench for my back yard.”

Haggins was impressed she was able to find column

9 a.m.–6 p.m.

SATURDAY 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

SUNDAY 1–5 p.m.

caps for $25 to $30.

Smith said he is able to keep prices down because “there’s no middle man.”

“We make about 95 percent of the items right here at the Bishopville store,” he said.

“We’re able to keep the prices really low.”

Many customers prefer unpainted benches and birdbaths, but any item can be painted, Smith said.

“Depending upon the size of the item, we can paint the statues usually for $10 to $25,” he said.

All of the Carolina Gamecock and Clemson Tiger items are painted and have become big sellers at Christmas time.

“We recently have added a license to do the Georgia Bulldogs,” he said. “We also have the license for Coastal Carolina. And we are working to add Tennessee and Alabama.”

Another popular item is the gargoyle statuary.

Smith said, “They are said to ward off evil spirits.”

The gargoyles are typically animals such as dragons or monsters and often represent Oriental images.

“The uglier they are the better they seem to sell,” he said.

Gargoyles are typically placed near steps and entrance ways in front yards.

Smith also sells to garden centers and hardware stores in the eastern U.S., he said.

While business is down from the economic boom of the early 2000s, Smith said it is slowly improving.

“We had 18 to 20 employees in 2001 and 2002,” he said. “We’re down now to about eight. But there are signs that we are slowly returning to what we used to have.”

Smith has expanded hours to include Sunday afternoons.

“Our three busiest months are April, May and June,” he said. “This is when people are looking to make their yards and porches more attractive.”

Don’t throw out your kitchen scraps! Regrow them

BY MELANIE SMITH mbyer@theitem.com This time of year can’t pass quickly enough. Last year, I was bitten by the gotta-garden-now bug, and my hands now crave dirt, seeds and home-grown cucumbers. It’s still a little early to begin planting for this year’s crops, though.

Inspired by a neighbor’s sprawling vegetable garden and fruit trees, we dug a 100-square-foot plot last spring and filled it with seeds of our favorite vegetables — cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, beans, more cucumbers and a few experiments. I planted an onion that had sprouted in my kitchen, and my husband, Dave, planted a couple corn kernels. His family laughed, but we did get a few shriveled ears.

Most of what we grew was a success, except for the succulent peas that were enjoyed by the rogue rabbits in our yard and the yellow squash that refused to sprout. So as winter set in and weeds took control of our plot, I thought of this year’s garden. And I’ve bought more packets of morning glory and nasturtium seeds than I should probably admit for a spring project in-

PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE ITEM

ABOVE: Romaine lettuce is simple to grow. Cut the heart down so that about an inch is left. Place it in a shallow dish with about an inch of water. After a few days’ worth of growth, peel back and remove the old lettuce to let the new growth expand in the dish. LEFT: This red potato was one of my experiments. I’ve kept it on my sunny windowsill, where it has grown in spurts. Most recently, it’s grown by several inches in about a week. RIGHT: Green onions are easy to grow from the ones you buy in a store. Simply cut off the green parts to use, save the root ends and place them all in a container with a little water. They should be ready to harvest in a week or two.

volving my fence line and the neighbors.

While it’s still early to plant, I discovered something courtesy of my Pinterest-loving peers. You can grow vegetables in winter — indoors – from kitchen scraps. I can now satisfy my longing for growing something tasty while waiting for the robins to

take over my yard again.

My first experiment was to grow romaine hearts in a dish with water and the cut part of the plant on my laundry room window ledge. Cue skeptical looks from my husband here. But he was as surprised as I was when it grew an inch in two days. Soon I added more to the dish to grow.

Even more rewarding to grow have been my green onions. If you use these, save the root end of each plant, fill a container with about an inch of water and plonk your roots inside. Make sure they’re placed in a sunny spot near a window if possible. These grew more rapidly than the lettuce, and you can

keep harvesting them.

Change and refresh the water every few days, and they’ll keep growing. I wash them, chop them up and freeze them, then add them to any dish I want.

I’ve also been experimenting with growing potatoes and celery indoors, but there are others to try — carrots,

pineapple, avocados, garlic and more. Some of these will not result in edible rewards but will still produce some striking plants. I imagine all of these would be intriguing experiments to try with children interested in gardening as well.

To find more ideas and methods for growing kitchen scraps indoors, check out Birds and Blooms’ blog series on the subject, beginning at http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2013/01/11/ winter-gardening-project/. At the bottom of the page are links to more blog posts on the topic, including what some of your plants might look like. If you get really into it, there’s even a book you can find to help you with ideas: “Don’t Throw It, Grow It: 68 Windowsill Plants From Kitchen Scraps” by Deborah Peterson and Millicent Selsam.

I’m the first to admit I don’t have much of a green thumb. I’m 26 and have already planted and killed a variety of herbs, including mint — yes, the plant that never dies and reportedly can take over entire gardens — and cacti. But if I can grow these veggies indoors, take a stab at it.

You might become as addicted to it as I have.

Happy growing.

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM

C3

Irrigation experts caution against too much watering

BY JAMIE H. WILSON Special to The Item

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Some people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

Water, water, everywhere, but not as much as you think.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what many of Sumterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s irrigation experts are saying as the generally hot and humid climate typical of South Carolina summers moves in and homeowners begin to turn on their sprinkler systems.

Patrick Lester, owner of Turfmaster, said he often sees the aftermath of a irrigation systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overuse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our biggest problem is people run it too much,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It leads to a lot of problems with disease.â&#x20AC;?

Lester said his company deals mainly with lawn maintenance, including weed and insect control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand how an irrigation system should work,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there to supplement Mother Nature.â&#x20AC;?

There are two important things to remember, Lester said. Those maintaining a lawn should practice deep watering or water less frequently but for longer periods of time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The soil can hold moisture for a pretty good amount of

understand how an irrigation system should work. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there to supplement Mother Nature.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Patrick Lester, owner of Turfmaster time,â&#x20AC;? said Lester.

Master Gardener Sue Timmons said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It makes the grass put its roots down deeper.â&#x20AC;?

Deeper roots translate into healthier, hardier grass and a better-looking lawn.

The second tip for a healthy lawn, Lester said, is not to water at night time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Water just sits there,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It acts like a Petri dish.â&#x20AC;?

Bacteria can fester and cause disease in the grass.

Joey Smoak, owner of Smoak Irrigation, said homeowners

would be well-served to cut back on watering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You want to slightly stress the grass so it puts its roots down further,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Smoak said the homeowner must first decide on a water source when installing an irrigation system. Those who do not live on a body of water choose between well-pumped water or water pumped through a city-wide system. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You really have to consider the cost of the water per month versus putting in a pump,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very economical (to put in a pump).â&#x20AC;?

While the initial investment in a pump would be considerable, the cost of water would significantly decrease.

Smoak said it is also very important to choose a reputable company to install the system.

He also said his company employs a crew who specifically focus on maintenance and repairs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe some of the messes we see because people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to install the system properly,â&#x20AC;? he said.

To install a sprinkler system in the average yard in Sumter is roughly $2,600 to $3,200.

Homeowners have alternatives to traditional landscaping

BY JAMIE H. WILSON Special to The Item When it comes to watering a lawn, horticulturalist Sue Timmons believes in tough love. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are doing your grass a favor watering longer,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It starts becoming more selfsufficient.â&#x20AC;?

Patrick Lester, owner of Turfmaster, advises installing inexpensive rain gauges in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yard, then watering to find out how much water is being absorbed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ideally, you should have one-fourth to a half inch of water every time you order,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Joey Smoak of Smoak irrigation agrees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The time of year, type of soil, types of plants determine how much one should water,â&#x20AC;? Smoak said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sandy, loamy soils need about two inches of water per week.â&#x20AC;?

To combat the South Carolina heat many homeowners turn to a professionally installed irrigation systems, but there are other options, Timmons said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easily done because of the heat,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many people around here grow centipede grass because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more water conservative.â&#x20AC;?

Beyond the blades, she said, homeowners can look to grassless landscaping. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are alternatives to having a lawn,â&#x20AC;?

Timmons said.

Pine straw, shrubs, trees, groundcover plants as well as rock and other landscaping materials can be substituted for grass.

Rainscaping is an answer to storm runoff problems

BY DEAN FOSDICK Associated Press Writer Stormwater runoff can quickly drain a homeownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wallet.

The flooding erodes yards, soaks basements, pollutes streams and wastes a precious resource.

But rainscaping â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an integrated system of directed water flow and settling basins â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can convert those losses into gains by providing new wildlife habitat, beautifying properties and in some cases providing food for the dinner table. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming a pattern of capture and reuse rather than simply moving the water off,â&#x20AC;? said Pat Sauer, Rainscaping Iowa Program administrator. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are more options out there than just rain gardens. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking more comprehensively at what can be done on the landscape.â&#x20AC;?

Numerous state and local groups are holding workshops and providing rebates for residents who add such refinements to their properties as rain barrels, cisterns, permeable paving, settling ponds, green roofs and berms.

Yards vary, and rainscaping designs must be site specific. Some suggestions: â&#x20AC;˘ Perk. Conduct a soil test to see if your yard will percolate (drain) rainwater, Sauer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perk, then all youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be left with is standing water. If your yard is hard, like concrete, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to improve the soil.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Plant native. Prairie

plants and woodland seedlings with deep roots help soak up stormwater, filter pollutants and recharge groundwater levels, Sauer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using native plants also helps ensure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll survive their new setting.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Installing a residential rain garden, which is a saucer-like depression in the ground that captures rain from a down-

spout, driveway or patio, is the simplest and least expensive way to retain stormwater, Woelfle-Erskine said. But hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s his kicker: â&#x20AC;&#x153;They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work if your yard is uphill from your house.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Use permeable materials like bricks, paving blocks or gravel on driveways and walkways, with spacing that allows water to seep into the soil.

Rainscaping features can be expensive and complicated or simple and cheap, like this rain barrel capturing water from a downspout.

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C4

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Decals can transform walls cheaply, easily

BY MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON Associated Press Writer During a recent home remodel, Diane Wright decided the stairway leading to her garage needed some perking up.

So she went online and found a wall decal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; roosting love birds on a branch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love them. It adds some individuality,â&#x20AC;? said Wright, who also has used decals in other parts of her home on Kiawah Island.

Wall decals have taken off as an easy, affordable and temporary way to transform a room, said interior designer Darla Blake of Unique & Chic Interiors in Irvine, Calif. The flexible vinyl decals come in dozens of colors and hundreds of designs, everything from animals and music notes to funky patterns and religious symbols. There are words and sayings.

And some companies make custom decals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having a tree in your bathroom, or a park bench and bicycle on a wall behind a sofa, or a bridge going to nowhere brings a smile to everyone who enters the room,â&#x20AC;? Blake said.

The decals make it easy to personalize a

room, which is popular right now, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can easily find something to reference your personality, your job or your lifestyle,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Wright has used decals as an inexpensive border in a bedroom and above photos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly a whole lot less than hiring a painter,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Price varies by size, but a decal about 25 inches by 50 inches would usually be less than $100.

Barbara Irvine of Syracuse, N.Y., chose a verse from one of her favorite hymns to decorate the space above her kitchen sink. The words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come ye thankful people, come,â&#x20AC;? prompt her to count her blessings, she said.

She installed them herself by slowly rubbing them off their paper backing with a tool similar to a tongue depressor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They come with very good instructions,â&#x20AC;? said Irvine, who ordered the custom phrase from Wall Words in Santa Ana, Calif. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fairly easy. You do want to get them level.â&#x20AC;?

The words are designed to easily go on and off, said Carrol Caldwell, owner of Wall Words. She advises using painterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tape to attach

the paper backing to the wall before firmly rubbing the decal onto the wall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It brings back how important words are in your life,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a way to add something that is very meaningful and helps you through the day.â&#x20AC;?

And the decals peel right off when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re done using them, she said.

Easy removal makes decals especially attractive to renters, students in dorms and parents decorating nurseries, said Jordan Guide, chief executive and founder of Walltat.com.

They can add impact to a small room without taking up space, added interior designer Linda Hunt of Creatively Yours Custom in Richmond, Va. She often puts them in powder rooms to make the space feel larger. She has had clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; monograms made and installed in their master bath. She also uses decals in kitchens and foyers.

Once, she used them to create text for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;memory wallâ&#x20AC;? that a client had in honor of her deceased brother. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The possibilities of what you can put together are endless,â&#x20AC;? Hunt said.

PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Branches and Blossomsâ&#x20AC;? wall decal from Walltat.com is seen above, and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids on Swingsâ&#x20AC;? decal is seen at right. The decals are growing in popularity because they can easily be installed and removed without damaging walls or paint.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM

C5

Turn to professionals for an attractive yard

BY RANDY BURNS Special to The Item Spring is the time of year that a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughts turn to having a nicely manicured lawn packed with beautiful flowers. And women, too, dream of that perfect yard.

For the best results, homeowners are typically better off turning to professionals. Regardless of who does the work, there are plenty of issues to consider.

Fertilizers are applied to grass and flowers to encourage quick growth and to create an attractive product.

Gardeners must decide what fertilizer to use, when to use it, how often to use it and how much to apply.

Jeremy Thames, owner of Thames Lawn Care in Sumter, said a good number of his

customers call wanting help in making their lawns more attractive.

Centipede, which is the most popular type of grass in the Sumter area, and other types of grass grown in the state work best without a lot of lime and fertilizer.

Thames recommends a slow-release fertilizer with a NPK formula of 16-14-8 when the grass is initially established. The NPK formula represents the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer, Thames said.

In addition to a 164-8 formula, some suggest using 15-0-15 for subsequent applications in the spring. The middle number, representing phosphorus, is a root builder, Thames said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a good foundation, then you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need any phos-

phorus,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You just want to make your grass greener.â&#x20AC;?

Many gardeners suggest fertilizing your lawn twice a year, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you are fertilizing in the fall, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want any nitrogen,â&#x20AC;?

Thames said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So you want that first number to be a 0. You will burn up your grass if you have nitrogen in your fertilizer in the fall.â&#x20AC;?

Chris Rutan, owner of BC Mulch and More in Sumter, said the soil should be prepared before planting and fertilizing flower gardens. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your soil needs to have vitamins and nutrients in the soil before you plant and fertilize,â&#x20AC;? Rutan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We always tell our customers to put in either organic composted top soil or a soil compost before you fertilize.â&#x20AC;?

Amanda McNulty,

Clemson University Extension Service agent for Sumter County, said it is best to have your soil tested to determine the amount of acid in it before the fertilizer is applied. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the pH right, then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re throwing money away,â&#x20AC;? she said.

The pH is a measure of the amount of acid in the soil. The desired pH tends to be between 5.8 and 6.3, McNulty said.

McNulty said fertilizers should not be added until after April 15, and after the flowers are in bloom.

The Home and Garden Information Center at Clemson Exten-

sion Service (www. clemson.edu/extension/ hgic) provides fact sheets on grass, flowers, plants and trees, which include information on how to fertilize the plants. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just click on the category youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for whether it is turf, a flower or plant,â&#x20AC;? McNulty said.

Sue Timmons, greenhouse manager at Simpson Hardware, said azaleas and camellias are considered acid-loving plants and require fertilizers specifically for them. Fertilizers come in water soluble or liquid form and in granular form, Timmons said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They (flowers) all canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use the same

form of nitrogen,â&#x20AC;? Timmons said.

Timmons said popular fertilizers for azaleas and camellias are Liquid Miracle-Gro and Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evergreen Granular fertilizer.

And all fertilizers should be applied as directed on the labels, Timmons said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tell people all the time if they follow the directions on the label, then they would be fine,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And they should never overdo by thinking more is better. Follow the directions that come with the product.â&#x20AC;?

All other flowers can typically use the same type all-purpose fertilizer, with a 10-10-10 NPK formula.

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C6

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Spruce up a patio without breaking the bank

BY TIFFANY CASTEEL Special to The Item Spring is here, and so is the stress of redecorating a worn out patio or porch on a tight budget. Smart decisions and small compromises can allow anyone to get a designer look without spending tons of money.

Decorating starts with the flooring of the porch or the patio. Cement is an ideal flooring option for outdoor areas because it’s easy to keep clean, fairly easy to install and can be made decorative. Loren Purcell, owner of LG Dirtbusters LLC, says that installing “decorative joints in a unique pattern can be a very attractive patio” and adding “shadow boxes or picture frame borders can make a smooth finish.”

Purcell also suggests staining concrete as an affordable option to existing concrete.

Stains can be found in many different colors, but Nicole Norris, president of Nicole Norris Design Studio, suggests using a darker stain because

Many options for decorating a patio or other outdoor space are available at local stores this time of year for those on a budget.

PHOTOS BY TIFFANY CASTEEL / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

“darker backgrounds will make flowers and pillows jump out.” Concrete stains can be done by a professional for a reasonable cost, but experienced users can purchase concrete stains at Sherwin Williams.

Using dark paint for the walls and banisters may not be a bad idea, either, to help vibrant colors stay sharp and fresh. Nice, inexpensive exterior paint can be purchased at Sherwin Williams and is avail-

able in almost any color imaginable. The company also supplies customers with how-to pamphlets with easy-to-follow instructions.

A neutral patio set makes it easy to decorate and change colors from season to season, making it an ideal decorating pick. Eddy Hyder, a merchandiser at Simpson Hardware, says that “bright, colorful pillows can be used to spice up plain furniture.” Norris suggests using bronze or black

furniture as a base and using Kelly green, Laguna blue, indigo and turquoise in pillows and rugs. She also recommends using “splashes of orange, coral, yellow and pink.”

Flowers are a great way to add color to any porch or patio without spending too much money. Gerbera daisies bloom all spring and summer and come in various colors to fit anyone’s decorating needs.

Sue Timmons, the greenhouse manager at Simpson’s, says

that “topiaries, Kelly ferns, Boston ferns and succulents are very popular, and they’re easy to take care of.”

Putting the plants at varying heights in bright-colored, glazed flower pots is a nice touch, as is placing inexpensive concrete statues around the flowers.

Adding a pergola to a porch can create a more entertaining atmosphere for guests at parties and cookouts. Norris says that adding “Confederate jasmine and white twinkle lights to the top of the pergola” is an attractive and very easy-tocare-for accent. You can also hang fun-shaped flower pots or, she suggests, use lanterns with colored candles.

Tight budgets are not an excuse to have a boring, unwelcoming porch or patio with the abundance of inexpensive possibilities available. Decorating a porch or patio can be a fun and rewarding experience without the guilt of overspending with the help of local business and a smart eye for good deals.

Find success with container gardening From left, a variety of flowers, lettuces and herbs such as this mint plant are all good choices for suitable containers.

Keep your plants thriving this season Beginning a container garden can be tricky depending on which plants you choose. Use this chart as a helpful guide to help your plants stay healthy and beautiful.

Problem

Cause

Solution

Tall, spindly, unproductive

Insufficient light

Move container to a sunnier location

Yellowing, poor color

Excessive water

Reduce watering intervals, check drainage

Wilting in spite of adequate water

Poor drainage/ aeration

Increase drainage Use mix with higher percent organic matter

Burning of leaves

High salts

Leach container with tap water regularly

Stunted, sickly, purple color

Low temperature

Locate to warmer area

Holey leaves, distorted shape Insects

Insecticide

Leaf spots, dry/dead areas powdery/rusty areas

Remove diseased areas, apply fungicide

Plant disease

Helpful container gardening tips • Choose two or three colors for a unified look.

• Consider the color of the flower, foliage and planter.

• Shaded areas can appear brighter by using light-colored plants and/or planters: light pink, light yellow, lavender, pale blue, white.

• Surround dark plants in the shade with light-colored plants so that they don’t disappear into the background.

• Cool colors such as blue, violet, silver and white lend a calming effect and make plants appear farther away.

• Pastel flowers look best when viewed from a short distance and look washed out in the bright sun.

• Containers in full sun can handle brightly colored flowers: reds, oranges, bright yellows, deep blues, purples.

• Warm colors include red, orange and yellow.

They make flowers appear closer than they really are. These colors energize the garden, show well in bright sunshine and attract your eye from a great distance. Bright-colored flowers will steal the show if combined with less intensely colored plants.

• White flowers create a lovely display in the evening when combined with wellplaced, soft lighting.

Source: Master Gardener container gardening handout GRAPHIC AND PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE ITEM

Tomato plants, such as this Better Boy, can be successfully grown in containers if given proper care.

BY MELANIE SMITH mbyer@theitem.com If you live in an apartment, have little space or just don’t want to tear up your yard but still crave home-grown vegetables and beautiful flowers, container gardening is a popular option.

Pots and other containers are easy to move around your home for redecorating, require little soil and can be dressed up to suit your gardening needs and style.

Containers can be simple with one plant or include a variety that grow well together and create a unique look.

Ruth Ann Bigger, who recently taught a container gardening class for Master Gardener students, said, “there are no set rules; you can put only one plant or have a dozen different ones if it suits you.”

To begin a container garden, Bigger said the pot or container size should be large, and she suggested starting with an 18-inch pot to avoid watering the plant continuously.

Sue Timmons, the greenhouse manager for Simpson Hardware at 40 W. Wesmark Blvd., said choosing a container that’s too small is the mistake people often make in this area.

“Here in the South, bigger is better because it gets so hot in the summer. Small containers dry out quickly. You want it as large as you can manage,” she said.

She also said using a good-quality potting soil, not dirt dug from your yard, is important.

The Internet offers many ideas for unique containers — unused colanders, old boots, watering cans. Bigger said drilling extra holes in your container if needed is a good idea for proper drainage to prevent root rot.

Timmons said, “You can use recycled articles, but you have to be careful in that most of that sort of thing is small.”

However, she said water-conservative plants such as succulents that don’t need to be watered often can be the perfect choices for items such as old boots.

According to Timmons, locals have been imaginative in their container choices.

“I’ve even seen other people use old commodes. You can use chairs with the seat cut out.

Anything that’s waterproof is going to last,” she said.

Many varieties of plants can thrive in containers in this area, Bigger said.

“There are all kinds of small-scale vegetables that work fine in containers — look for names that have clues to them, like ‘bush’ or ‘patio,’ and be sure to check the plant tag for additional information. Lettuce, which comes in so many different colors and leaf shapes, is always a good companion plant,” she said.

Timmons said additional vegetables ideal for containers are carrots, peppers and cherry tomatoes, and herbs also do well.

“Around here, tomatoes I think do better in pots than in the ground,” she said. “There are a lot of soil-borne diseases that you can’t do anything about, and it’s easier to start with a sterilized soil in a bag. Tomatoes can be a lot more finicky. Cherry tomatoes seem to do better and have less of a disease problem than others.”

Flowers also do well in containers, and Timmons recommends beginning with morning glories, nasturtiums, verbena, dracaena (spikes), asparagus ferns, coleus, impatiens and petunias.

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE ITEM

C7

Get your air conditioner ready for warm weather

BY STATEPOINT When the weather heats up, your heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system quickly becomes a most valuable player in your home life and stays that way for several months. However, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 3 million HVAC systems fail each year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Air conditioning is a big investment in your home. Learning what maintenance steps you can take on your own and what questions to ask your air-conditioning contractor can save you time, money and keep you comfortable this season,â&#x20AC;? said Frank Landwehr, vice president of Emerson Climate Technologies, a major provider of equipment used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Here are some preventive tasks to take that can extend the life of airconditioning equipment: â&#x20AC;˘ Change air filters: A general rule is to change indoor ductwork filters every three months or at the beginning of every heating and cooling sea-

son. Ensure the filter is sized correctly, fitting snugly. â&#x20AC;˘ Keep the outdoor unit clean: Keep coils free of debris by hosing them off with light pressure. Any bushes or shrubs should be trimmed back away from the unit. â&#x20AC;˘ Let air flow: Maintain a reliable airflow to reduce moisture buildup, which can lead to mold.

Keep vents open. Similarly, keep internal doors open inside your home to maintain air flow. â&#x20AC;˘ Clean duct grills: Annually, clean the vents and grills at the opening of each duct in every room by lifting the grill out of the floor, wiping with a rag or vacuuming. â&#x20AC;˘ Keep condensate drain open: A stoppedup condensate line can lead to expensive water damage. Keep the drain line clean and the drain tube open and clear to prevent backup.

Good maintenance will only get you so far.

Eventually, your equipment will need to be replaced. Landwehr offers these tips for when that time comes: â&#x20AC;˘ Hire wisely: Even

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the best equipment wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t provide comfort if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not sized and installed properly. Hire only a certified A/C technician you trust. Also, remember that not all contractors will carry the brand you want. Determine what features and

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money in the long run.

Use a programmable thermostat to avoid wasting money on cooling costs when no one is home. Also, consider a high-efficiency air conditioner with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating of above 16.

C8

2013 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE ITEM

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

Spring means yard work for hummingbird watchers

BY SUE MANNING Associated Press Writer LOS ANGELES â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest bird can take up a big chunk of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring to-do list: Trim the trees, weed the garden, make the nectar and hang the feeders.

With the beginning of spring, hummingbirds are making their way north after migrations that took many of them more than 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico. They will return to the same yards where

they have stayed in the past. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are fascinating.

I call them natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s miracle. They have all these disadvantages (size, enemies, flying solo), yet they are thriving and have all these incredible abilities,â&#x20AC;? said John Schaust, chief naturalist for Wild Birds Unlimited Inc. nature shops, which are based in Carmel, Ind. Although hummingbirds are

not traditional pets in the sense that they cannot be caged, clothed or leashed, enthusiasts consider the tiny colorful birds as pets that they feed, watch and fuss over.

Every spring, for instance, Schaust fields calls from people worried that not all of the hummingbirds that lived in their yards will return. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They say last year they had six and this year there is only one. They want to know if they got hurt, if they were caught in a hurricane,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illegal to sell or keep a hummingbird as a pet, but people who put out food and feeders and make their properties bird-friendly care about them like pets, Schaust said.

A good reason why hummingbirds shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be caged like canaries or parakeets is that it would die if it werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t free to fly and feed, said Dr. Laurie Hess, a Bedford Hills, N.Y., veterinarian for birds and exotic pets. She has treated two rescued hummingbirds, one for an eye ulcer and one for a beak injury.

A hummingbird has to visit between 200 and 1,000 flowers a day to survive, depending on the size of the bird and

amount of nectar in the flower, said Ethan J. Temeles, a professor of biology at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Nectar is available in many stores, along with bird feeders, but concoctions can be made at home with four parts water to one part sugar, Schaust said.

Hummingbird numbers are unknown but Schaust estimated it to be in the hundreds of millions, though they are only found in North, Central and South America.

They can live between three and five years.

Anyone who wants to attract hummingbirds to their yards should avoid pesticides in their gardens, since the birds

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird is seen. The smallest bird in the world weighs a tenth of an ounce, has a brain the size of a BB, wobbly legs and enemies like the praying mantis and bullfrog. Even so, millions of humans will spend countless hours this spring and summer watching, feeding and worrying about the hummingbirds mating and nesting in their backyards.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Start composting for your garden

BY STATE POINT It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a gardening novice trying to supplement your dinner table with some home-grown veggies or an entrepreneur that earns a living off the land; composting is a simple way to go green and help save the environment.

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be an environmentalist to compost, either. Compost, which is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled and used for fertilizing soil, is great for your garden and will help reduce landfill waste. In addition, composting in your home garden will help you save money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using compost means your garden will be more cost-effective because you will have to spend less on fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides for a given harvest of any crop,â&#x20AC;? said Brett L. Markham, author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Mini Farming Guide to Composting,â&#x20AC;? the latest in his Mini Farming book series.

Markham offers these gardening tips to get started on composting: â&#x20AC;˘ Composting is a natural form of recycling, so use food waste, grass clippings, coffee grounds and even paper as compost.

Just be sure to shred the paper first to speed up the process. â&#x20AC;˘ Start your compost pile in a convenient spot, and make sure it is semishaded and well drained. â&#x20AC;˘ Add bulking agents such as wood chips to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials, allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process. Add leaves, straw or hay along with grass clippings or green manures for plenty of bulk.

Each layer should be no more than two inches so that the grass clippings or leaves donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get matted down to form a layer impermeable to air. â&#x20AC;˘ Keep the compost

moist. Either water it yourself or let rain take care of it. The compost should be moist but not soaked. â&#x20AC;˘ Cover the compost pile to help retain moisture and heat. This will also help prevent the compost from being overwatered by the rain. â&#x20AC;˘ Turn the compost pile with a shovel or a fork to aerate the pile. It is important to water the pile as you turn it as well.

Turning the pile adds oxygen to the compost, which is necessary to get the most out of your pile.

You can learn more about composting, mini farming, and self-sufficiency at www.MarkhamFarm.com/mainsite.

Composting is the first easy step to helping the environment while growing your own food. So make the most out of your garden, and start digging.

M ITCHUMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAINTING & REPAIR

need nectar and small bugs, and residue can easily be carried back to its nest, said Monique Rea of San Juan Capistrano, a volunteer hummingbird rehabilitator.

Preparing for the return of the birds means carefully trimming trees and plants to avoid agitating a nest, she added.

It might seem like a lot of work for a bird that weighs just a tenth of an ounce, but devotees say the rewards are handsome â&#x20AC;&#x201D; among them watching their flight.

Hummingbirds flap their wings 20 to 80 times a second in a figure-eight motion to get lift going up and coming down.

They can fly forward, backward, right side up and upside down, making them â&#x20AC;&#x153;one of few birds who can fly backwards and the only one that can sustain flight backwards,â&#x20AC;? Schaust said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just amazing to me that they can beat, breathe, hover and still be able to eat, but they do,â&#x20AC;? said Hess.

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Prepare vehicles, landscape for warm weather

BY ROBERT J. BAKER AND JAMIE LARDNER bbaker@theitem.com Spring has arrived and road trips, scenic drives and more time spent behind the wheel beckon.

But without proper automotive care this season, you may spend more time at the mechanic than enjoying the beautiful weather.

Tripp Lee with Frasier Tires said of all things a standard tune-up is important, one that includes: • Checking the air-conditioner’s refrigerant level;

• Checking the engine coolant and wiper fluid levels; • Checking your wiper blades to be sure they can handle heavy pollen and Southern downpours; and • Checking windows to make sure they ascend and descend in case you’ve had them up all winter.

If you’re looking to ditch the road trip and stay closer to home, Freddie Hatfield, coowner of Hatfield Heating and Air, said your home cooling system also needs a tune-up.

“Dirt is the No. 1 enemy of your system,” Hatfield said.

“The dirtier one gets, the less

efficient it gets.”

Hatfield said a system service includes making sure coils are cleaned and that drain lines are checked. He said homeowners should also: • Check windows. Leaky windows and doors can mean as much as a 25 to 40 percent drop in energy efficiency.

• Check ductwork. Like windows, leaky ductwork can “run up a power bill,” Hatfield said.

“There’s actually a house blower door test that can be done to tell homeowners where they’re losing heating and cooling efficiency at,” Hatfield said.

“Anytime you have a leak,

you’re essentially cooling or heating the outside of your home. You don’t want to be doing that.”

Those more prone to spend this spring and summer in the yard will want to follow homemaker Janet Crisp’s advice. An environment that allows for standing and stagnant water will be a downer for any outdoor plans, she said. Her recommendations include: • Disposing of any bodies of standing water to ward off mosquito swarms.

• Covering wood piles to stave off moisture and moving them away from your house en-

tirely if necessary. Snakes, lizards and spiders like to make their homes in wood piles.

• Making sure your irrigation systems work to, again, stave off standing water.

• Checking lawn hoses for cracks and holes that developed during winter.

• Applying fertilizer to grass to facilitate growth. Fertilizer can also be added to flowering shrubs. Pruning should be done cautiously in early spring, however. It can damage the plants.

• A ring of sulfur around the house and its crawlspace will ward off bugs and snakes.

Despite restrictions, you can make a rental space your own

BY MELISSA RAYWORTH Associated Press Writer It’s yours, but it isn’t. A rented apartment or house can be a wonderful place to live and a challenging place to decorate.

The restrictions are many: Landlords often want their white walls to stay white. Many won’t let you do even the most minor construction.

Some even ask renters not to nail anything to the walls.

Complicating things further, many rental properties have small rooms and no-frills, buildergrade light fixtures, doors and cabinetry with little personality.

How can you inject some of your personality into a rented space without enraging your landlord?

The first step is to go all in.

“So often people think of their rental as not theirs and therefore go through

life not creating a beautiful home or nest,” says designer Kyle Schuneman, author of “The First Apartment Book: Cool Design for Small Spaces.”

“Life is too short to not create a sanctuary that represents your unique vision.”

Home decorating blogger Wanda Hoffs gives the same advice to her readers at recreateanddecorate.com. As an Army wife, Hoffs has lived in many rental properties across the country and has learned to decorate each one as if it were truly hers.

Here are four ideas from Hoffs and Schuneman that can help you embrace your rented space.

PLAN CAREFULLY

“Usually rentals are small, and I am a firm believer in function before form,” Schuneman says.

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He suggests using old items in new ways: Does the desk become a footboard? Should a small bookcase from your old living room be tucked into the corner of your new kitchen?

If your current furniture doesn’t fit well into a rental, Hoffs suggests spending wisely on new items. Rather than buying an expensive new piece that fits your rental perfectly, “use thrift store furniture and paint it yourself,” she says.

Used furniture can be “so inexpensive that you can sell it at a yard sale if need be” when you decide to move out of the rental.

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CHANGE WALLS WITH LITTLE OR NO PAINT

“Wallpaper used to be only for the homeowner crowd,” Schuneman says, “but now with companies

like Tempaper, you can put up temporary wallpaper that peels on and peels back off when you’re ready to move.”

Hoffs suggests using wall decals, which now come in a huge range of styles and sizes, or even duct tape.

“It comes in many great colors and patterns,” she says, “and can be used on a wall in many different patterns, such as the trending chevron pattern, stripes, or even to create a border around a wall grouping.”

If you want to do just a bit of painting that could be easily repainted before you move out, Hoffs and Schuneman both suggest painting a stenciled design on one wall. Or paint a band of bold color along the top of your walls.

To make the eventual repainting easier, Hoffs says, “always know the original color and brand of paint.”

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INFUSE WITH COLOR

“If you’re afraid to touch your walls or have a really difficult landlord,” Schuneman says, “bring in the color through fabrics and textures around the room. If you leave your walls white, hang a bold curtain on the windows and a coordinating couch that really pops.”

Hoffs agrees: “Fabric can be a great, inexpensive way to add color, pattern and texture to a room. It can be framed or stapled to a large art canvas to be hung on the walls,” to add a burst of color. You can also attach fabric temporarily to a

THE FLOOR IS YOUR FIFTH WALL

“Your floors are a blank slate for design,” Schuneman says. “Treat it as your fifth wall and find a beautiful rug to ground the whole space.”

Schuneman is a fan of FLOR carpet tiles, which can be arranged to make what appears to be a rug of any size. “I love using FLOR tiles for rentals because they can be put together in different configurations when you move and can be personalized, so only you have that certain pattern that represents your style,” he says.

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