May 13, 2015

CHICKEN DEATHS CASE

Judge drops charges Clarendon magistrate echoes Sumter’s, citing insufficient evidence to convict WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 3 SECTIONS, 26PAGES | VOL. 120, NO. 176

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BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Clarendon County Chief Magistrate Judge Percy B. Harvin Jr. dismissed the 12 Clarendon County charges against James Laverne Lowery, the suspect in the death of 300,000 chickens in Clarendon and Sumter counties, at a preliminary hearing held Tuesday morning in Manning.

Lowery was charged in early April with eight counts of second degree burglary and four counts of malicious damage to property at eight farms in Clarendon County. He was also charged with

one count of second degree burglary and one count of malicious damage to property at a chicken farm in Sumter County. On April 28, a Sumter County magistrate dismissed the charges.

Both Sumter and Clarendon judges cited lack of evidence in the dismissal of the cases.

Third Circuit Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney III said the solicitor’s office will have a meeting with investigators on Wednesday to assess the case and determine whether to go on to a direct presentment to a grand jury. The grand jury would then determine whether the

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

James Lowery listens to his attorney, Chip McMillan, during his hearing in Clarendon County on Tuesday. The charges against Lowery were dropped. case should go to trial.

“We may have some additional information that would establish probable cause,” Finney said.

Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office Inv. Eric Rosdail testified at the

SEE CHARGES, PAGE A8

TSA sweeps Wilson Hall to win SCISA 3A softball title B1 SOME LIKE IT SPICY

Take carrots to robust new level C2 DEATHS, B7 Toriano A. Toney Ervin Lesane Jr. Flossie Mae Way Geneva W. Hair

Robert A. Brown Jr. Michael E. Gardner Lewis Blyther

WEATHER, A10

RICK CARPENTER/THE SUMTER ITEM

Law enforcement officers watch as the Sumter County Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial is unveiled Tuesday.

CLEARING UP

Fallen officers remembered during prayer breakfast, monument unveiling

Lots of sunshine expected and less humid.

HIGH 86, LOW 67

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BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Law enforcement officers of Sumter Police Department, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and South Carolina Highway Patrol and their families gathered at Church of the Holy Comforter, 213 N. Main St., for a prayer breakfast to honor fallen officers in recognition of National Police Week.

Keynote speaker, state Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter, commemorated Sumter law enforcement officers for their dedication to serving the community.

He said the difference between Sumter and cities like Ferguson, Missouri is that local law enforcement has made connections with members of the community. Ferguson, and most recently Baltimore, Maryland, have become areas of unrest after the deaths and reported mistreatment of citizens by law enforcement officers.

“I’m proud of what you do here,” Weeks said. “We’re all in the same boat when it comes to fighting crime.”

He said all lives matter, including the lives of law enforcement officers. He said it is important to not

allow all of the good done by law enforcement be tarnished by the actions of officers who do wrong.

Weeks ended his speech with a life lesson that his mother taught him when he was young — to use the magic words “please” and “thank you.”

Weeks asked officers to continue to work hard and serve the community with dignity. He then thanked law enforcement officers for placing themselves in harm’s way every day to protect the public from those who do not respect the rights of others.

SEE HONORED, PAGE A8

NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

Get to know Cpl. James “JJ” Ardis happening on the other side of that crime scene tape or on those car stops. The best way for me to do that and help people was to become a police of-

In honor of National Police Week, The Sumter Item wants you to get to know law enforcement officers from different police departments and sheriff’s offices in the tricounty area.

ARDIS

NAME OF OFFICER AND RANK:

ficer.

Cpl. James “JJ” Ardis, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT? 10 years

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH YOUR CURRENT AGENCY? 5 years

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER? I wanted to know what was

At this point in my career I like helping the new deputies beginning their careers. I want them to know there is always someone they can call when they have a question or concern.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB? Seeing people in need and

SEE ARDIS, PAGE A8

Crowd-funding sites could prove great for small business owners

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Crowd-funding sites have become a popular way for people to fund a multitude of things such as films, video games, medical needs and a variety of other things.

A Sumter local is taking advantage of the widespread connectivity of Kickstarter.com to accomplish his goal of opening a bar and theater at 117 and 119 Main Street.

Kyle Garrett, the man behind the Rayven’s View and Wolves Den, has set up a Kickstarter account in the hopes of opening the doors of the building sometime in the near future. He said a friend approached him about two months ago and asked if he had thought about creating an account to help fund his project.

Garrett has set a goal to

raise $150,000; about 30 percent of construction costs for the buildings. He said he anticipates GARRETT the entire project will cost about $2 million. He said he needs to raise the money before he can receive a loan from a lending company.

Garrett said each supporter will receive an incentive for their donations ranging from a simple thank you for donations of $1, free dinner and drinks for a $1,000 donation and an all-expense paid trip to Charleston for two for donations of $10,000 or more. Anyone who donates $75 or more will have a brick engraved with his or her name placed in the wall inside the building, he said.

The account has been up for about a week, and three people have contributed a

combined $300 to the project. Garrett said there are 21 days left for people to donate to the project.

Bob Smith, president of First Citizens Bank & Trust, 683 Bultman Drive, said he is not familiar with Kickstarter but likes the idea for raising funds. From a banking standpoint, Smith said he does not understand why the public would invest in a project where they would not stand to get a share of future profits.

The crowd-funding concept makes much more sense if it were applied to a nonprofit organization where funds would go toward public use, he said.

Smith said even if all of the necessary money is raised, the possibility of receiving a loan is based on the success of the business plan.

SEE BUSINESS, PAGE A8

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

Kingsbury Road wreck kills Sumter man A Sumter man was killed at 4:55 a.m. Tuesday in the 1000 block of Kingsbury Road after he apparently lost control of his 1998 Lexus 4-door sedan and struck a culvert, said Lance Cpl. David Jones of South Carolina Highway Patrol. Jones said the man was traveling east on Kingsbury Road when he left the roadway on the left and overcorrected, crossing over the roadway and striking the culvert.

Sumter County Coroner Harvin Bullock identified the victim as 38-year-old Kevin Lamar Pleasant, of Sumter.

He was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bullock said an autopsy will be performed today.

County could raise millage Taxes might rise if state funding for local government is reduced

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon announced that the county may have to increase its millage on top of increasing the millage value in the hopes of providing adequate funding for county facilities during Sumter County Council’s budget workshop on Tuesday.

“It’s getting tough,” Mixon said.

He said the possible increases stem from the reduction of funding provided by the state. According to the state’s local government fund formula, municipali-

ties are supposed to receive 4.5 percent of the state’s general revenue funds from the previous year.

Mixon said this will be the eighth year in a row that the state has not provided the stipulated amount of money. He said it is hard to understand how the state cannot honor its financial obligations while having a surplus of funds.

The local government fund is used to finance the operations of state agencies in the county, but Mixon said the county may have to redistribute local tax revenues in order to fund those facilities.

Mixon said he would not

like for the county to use the maximum millage cap, but those funds are available.

Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney commented that although the county was able to use reserve funds in previous years for necessary projects and operations, it would be unwise to continue doing so because it could put the county in a vulnerable position in the instance of an emergency.

Mixon said he would love for the county to be able to provide the proper funds to make Sumter a special place, but that will not be possible with funding cuts coming from the state.

Fleming-McGhaney said she would like for the county to be able to provide funding for projects that would allow the area to stay industrially competitive with neighboring counties, but it would be difficult during this year’s budget process.

Mixon also reported that the county is moving closer to a balanced budget for fiscal year 2016. Revenues are projected to be $48.3 million and proposed expenditures are $49.6 million leaving the city with a deficit of $1.3 million. Revenues have increased by a little more than $450,000, and expenditures have decreased by more than $170,000 since April 28.

SCHOOL’S OUT

Prank Day at Thomas Sumter Academy

LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Clarendon Chamber to host job fair at MHS The Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce will team with SC Works to provide a free job fair Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Manning High School gym.

Some of the companies seeking employees are Suri Industries, Trimaco, Continental Tire The Americas, Georgia Pacific, Roper Staffing and Clarendon Memorial Hospital.

If you are looking for job, this is a free event but participants are asked to bring a copy of their resumes.

Businesses interested in having a booth at the job fair should contact the chamber at (803) 435-4405 or chamber@ clarendoncounty.com.

Senate gives roads bill priority debate spot COLUMBIA — The South Carolina Senate has agreed to put the debate on whether to raise taxes for more money for road in a prime debate spot.

Senators approved the special status on the roads bill Tuesday by a voice vote. The only other bill currently on priority status is an abortion bill.

The bill on the Senate floor increases the gas tax by 12 cents and other fees to raise about an extra $800 million a year for roads. A proposal last week by Senate Republicans would add about $710 million in income tax relief and give the governor the ability to appoint all eight members of the Department of Transportation board.

The House passed a substantially different roads plan. A compromise must be reached before the session ends June 4.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Monday was Senior Prank Day at Thomas Sumter Academy. The seniors, whose last day of school was Friday, decided to show middleand high-school students how cool it is not to have to go to class. They camped out in the courtyard playing games, wading in kiddie pools and eating hot dogs. Head of School Debbie Nix said this is the best prank she’s seen in years.

Drugs, guns seized in search, 1 arrested FROM STAFF REPORTS The Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office seized approximately 18 grams of cocaine and 74 grams of marijuana and made one arrest following the execution of a search warrant on Monday.

Luke Taylor, 26, of 2356 Raccoon

Road, was arrested after deputies found the aforementioned drugs, a shotgun that was previously reported stolen and a .38-caliber pistol in his residence while conductTAYLOR ing a search of the property.

The sheriff’s office reports that the

cocaine has a street value of about $3,600, and the marijuana has a street value of about $740.

Taylor is charged with trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and possession of stolen property. He has been transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.

HOW TO REACH US IS YOUR PAPER MISSING? ANNOUNCEMENT ARE YOU GOING ON Birth, Engagement, Wedding, VACATION? Anniversary, Obituary 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, S.C. 29150 (803) 774-1200 Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher jack@theitem.com (803) 774-1238 Rick Carpenter Managing Editor rick@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 Waverly Williams Sales Manager waverly@theitem.com (803) 774-1237

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LOCAL

THE SUMTER ITEM

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Boeing education relations manager Frank Hatten speaks to seventh graders at Ebenezer Middle School about opportunities at the company’s Charleston assembly plant.

Company representative appealed to STEM class during “Boeing Day” at Ebenezer Middle School

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Frank Hatten with the Boeing Company’s education relations talked to seventh-graders at Ebenezer Middle School on Tuesday about how to take advantage of opportunities that will be available at his company’s Charleston assembly plant.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about working at Boeing,” Hatten said. “One is that you have to have a college degree to work for Boeing, actually, one-third of our work force does not have college degrees, but they have the proper skill sets we need.”

Hatten told Lori Smith’s seventh grade Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics class that as a worldwide company, working for Boeing has a lot of advantages.

“Want to work anywhere in the world?” he asked. “You can work at Boeing and be paid to work overseas if you want.”

Hatten said the key was getting an education.

He pointed to his educational attainment is his biography displayed in a PowerPoint presentation.

“Because of these, I get paid pretty well,” he said.

Hatten was visiting Ebenezer Middle School and Sumter as part of “Boeing Day,” a program to interest children in the skills necessary for a manufacturing plant such as Boeing’s plant in Charleston.

“You have a chance to work for the largest aerospace company in the world,” Hatten said, “and you can do it right

in South Carolina.”

He explained some of the new technology going into modern jet liners including the use of composites instead of aluminum and how airplanes can now be flown by computer.

“It takes us 60 days to build a plane,” he said. “That’s a long time in our business, and we are trying to cut that down.”

Boeing is currently delivering 10 planes a month, he said, with seven built in Seattle and three in Charleston.

“We are going to make 12 a month with two more made in Charleston,” he said. “That means more jobs and opportunity for you.”

Hatten said the students can be assured the money and the jobs will be there for them, but it was up to them to pursue the skills and education necessary to work for Boeing.

“You have to get yourself ready for it,” he said. “There are no excuses.”

Nearly a third of the workforce at Boeing is nearing retirement age, he said, and that means the company will need skilled young people to replace them.

“Study science; study math,” he said.

Hatten said Boeing could have built a plant overseas but chose to locate in South Carolina because it wanted to show America could still build great products.

“Things that other people dream about, we do for a living,” he said.

He said he enjoys his chance to go out among young people and encourage them to think about their futures.

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LOCAL | NATION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

HIGHER EDUCATION

Central Carolina pins 12 new pharmacy technicians for 2015

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Residents survey severe weather damage on Monday near an elementary school in Van, Texas. About 30 percent of the community was damaged from the storm late Sunday, according to Chuck Allen, fire marshal and emergency management coordinator for Van Zandt County.

Severe weather rips 2 states Arkansas couple died trying to shield daughter from twister

BY CLAUDIA LAUER AND DAVID WARREN The Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Melissa and Michael Mooneyhan met as high school students and quickly fell in love. The two were married in 2004, even before they graduated.

More than a decade later, the pair died shielding their young daughter from a tornado as the twister chewed up the family’s mobile home in Nashville, Arkansas, authorities said.

The home looked “like it had exploded,� said Howard County Coroner John Gray, who called the little girl’s survival “a miracle.� Rescuers who found the family believe the couple perished while desperately trying to protect their child.

When search crews lifted a piece of trailer debris, they found the girl squatting between her parents’ bodies, awake and teary. “I don’t think she had nearly a scratch on her,� said Howard County Emergency Management Coordinator Sonny Raulerson. “There wasn’t enough room for her to even stand up. But she didn’t try to crawl out. I don’t think she wanted to leave her mama.�

The Mooneyhans were among five people killed Sunday after a line of powerful tornadoes battered several small communities in Texas and Arkansas. Three people died in Texas. Scores of others were hurt, some critically.

The child, about 18 months old, was taken to the hospital and later released to relatives. “That poor little girl is never going to know them,�

Gray added. “But she’s young enough that she’ll never remember what happened.�

Polly McCammack, who also lives in Nashville, is Melissa’s third cousin. A week ago, she said, the close-knit family lost their grandmother who “practically raised� Melissa and her siblings. “The family has been hit hard. They’re strong, but it’s almost like to the point you’re afraid to breathe,� McCammack said.

Michael Mooneyhan worked in the deli department of the local Wal-Mart. Melissa was a stay-at-home mom doting on their daughter. “That baby was definitely their life. They considered her their greatest blessing. You couldn’t find two parents who loved a child more,� McCammack said. “She’s going to grow up knowing family and

knowing love.�

Family members went to the site of the destroyed home the next day looking for mementos, toys and anything else they could salvage for the child, McCammack said.

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado with a preliminary EF2 rating and winds estimated at 125 mph touched down in Nashville, a city of 4,500 people about 125 miles southwest of Little Rock.

During Sunday’s first tornado warning, the county’s tornado sirens sounded for so long that the battery was drained, Raulerson said.

When a second warning was issued for about 16 miles south of Nashville, the sirens could not be activated.

In neighboring Texas, a tornado pummeled the small city of Van on Sunday night, damaging or destroying 50 to 100 homes and killing two people, according to Chuck Allen, fire marshal and emergency management coordinator for Van Zandt County.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Central Carolina Technical College Pharmacy Technician program pinned 12 new pharmacy technicians May 6 in a pinning ceremony at CCTC Health Sciences Center in downtown Sumter.

Members of this year’s Pharmacy Technician class are: Ayessa G. Cleveland, Travis J. Dyer, Phylicia D. Evans, Shanikqua Q. Fulmore, Jemina L. Hampton, Margaret A. Helmick, Tray McLaughlin, Everett C. Mosley, Denise A. Parks, Corey C. Pollard, Lindsay M. Privette and Justin M. Wages.

CCTC’s Health Sciences Division offers a pharmacy technician certificate that is designed to prepare individuals to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to function in a modern pharmacy environment. The curriculum provides classroom instruction that is coordinated with the texts and laboratory activities. Students obtain a broad knowledge of the actions and uses of drugs, pharmacology, calculating proper dosages and proper preparation for dispensing of medications to patients. Students participate in simulated pharmacy technology laboratory activities as well as actual clinical experiences where they will increase their management, organizational, interpersonal and other pharmacy-related skills. They learn to operate pharmacy computer programs and equipment to prepare labels, profiles, charges, credits and inventory control.

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Central Carolina Technical College is now offering specialized training that will earn you an industry-recognized QDWLRQDO FHUWL¿FDWLRQ DQG ZLOO LQFUHDVH \RXU HPSOR\DELOLW\ IRU KLJK GHPDQG ZHOO SD\LQJ MREV 3DUWLFLSDWLQJ FRPSDQLHV LQFOXGH &RQWLQHQWDO 7LUH WKH $PHULFDV //& (DWRQ &RUSRUDWLRQ &RYLGLHQ The program consists of 200 hours including: &ODVVURRP 7UDLQLQJ ‡ +DQGV RQ 6NLOOV 7UDLQLQJ ‡ 3URGXFWLRQ 6LPXODWLRQ

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Limited scholarships are available which will pay 100% of the cost of the program for you.*

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Course Times will be scheduled to meet the needs of the majority of students.

Princess Camp Junior Camp Ages 3-5

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Students will learn Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Gymastics. There will be a performance on the last day of camp. The students will choreograph their own dances for our show at the end of the week.

Cost is $85 per camp or $150 for both camps.

We will also have SUMMER INTENSIVES that will meet on WEDNESDAYS and THURSDAYS from June 17th thru July 23rd.

Classes will be offered in Pre School Combination ages 3-5 (tap, ballet, tumbling) and for ages 6 & up in Jazz, Ballet and Gymnastics. Cost is $90 for 1 class or $150 for 2 classes.

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527 N. Guignard Drive • Sumter, SC • 803.773.2847 freedschool.com • freedschool@hotmail.com

Central Carolina Technical College does not discriminate in employment or admissions on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, religion, disability, or any other protected class.

NATION

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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A5

States vary in success at improving grad rates

BY KIMBERLY HEFLING AP Education Writer

about high school graduation rates:

WASHINGTON — The record high American graduation rate masks large gaps among low income students and those with disabilities compared to their peers.

There are also wide disparities among states in how well they are tackling the issue.

“This year, we need to sound a stronger alarm,” said Gen. Colin Powell and his wife, Alma Powell, in a letter released Tuesday as part of an annual Grad Nation report produced in part by their America’s Promise Alliance organization. The report is based on 2013 rates using federal data, the most recent available.

The nation’s overall graduation rate has reached 81 percent, a figure frequently touted by Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Duncan said Tuesday in a statement that the gains are encouraging, but “we know that more hard work remains to truly prepare all — not just some — students for success in college.”

Here are five things to know

THE GOOD NEWS: More students are graduating from high school than ever before, with large gains among African-American and Hispanic students. Since 2006, the percentage of black students graduating has risen 9 percentage points to 71 percent and Hispanic students has risen 15 percentage points to 75 percent.

The improvement is due to a variety of factors, including greater consistency in comparing graduation rates from state to state and the development of systems to identify and target at-risk students.

The increase in the graduation rate also has been accompanied by a decline in the number of “dropout factory” schools, where 60 percent or less of students graduate.

The report estimates that the U.S. is on track for a 90 percent high school graduation rate by 2020.

STATE-BY-STATE COMPARISON Graduation rates among the states vary, ranging from 90 percent in Iowa to 69 percent

in Oregon. South Carolina came in at 77.6 percent, nearly four points behind the national average.

Gains have been fueled, in part, by large growth in some of the nation’s largest states, including California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

But 15 percent of the nation’s high school students attend school in states where rates are declining or stagnating.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities graduate at a rate of 62 percent, 20 points behind the national average. The rate is 2.9 percentage points higher than two years earlier.

These students include those with intellectual disabilities with significant limitations, but also a wide range of other disabilities such as autism and speech impairments.

It’s estimated that 85 percent of students with disabilities can do grade-level work, said Katy Neas, executive vice president for public affairs at Easter Seals. Neas said there have been improvements in the number of students with dis-

abilities earning standard diplomas, but historically low expectations kept these students from getting the support they need.

“When these kids get the right services and support, they can be successful in grade level academic work,” Neas said.

That includes districts, and later the state, raising the compulsory attendance age to 18, changing the state’s standards and assessments system, required interventions for students off track and incentivized early graduation, Winkler said.

LOW-INCOME STUDENTS:

Six states combined to educate more than 70 percent of Hispanic or Latino students, but Texas is the only one that has a graduation rate for these students above the national average of 81 percent.

Michigan, New York, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, California and Illinois are collectively home to more than 40 percent of African American students.

These states graduate only about 6 out of 10 black students or have recently had declines.

“Minority students continue to face barriers in their academic success, including discipline disparities that push them off track for graduation, language barriers and lack of access to rigorous coursework that will enable them to be successful in college and career,” the report said.

The graduation rate for lowincome students was 73 percent. It’s moved up 3 points in the last two years, but is still 8 percentage points below the national overall rate.

In Kentucky and Texas, 85 percent of low-income students get a diploma. In contrast, 65 percent or less of low-income students do in Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico or Washington.

In Kentucky, where there’s about a 1 percentage-point difference between the graduation rate of low-income students and the overall population, Dale Winkler, a state education official, said there’s been a years-long effort to tackle the problem.

MINORITY STUDENTS:

Mother chides United for removing autistic teen from plane

BY TIM FOUGHT The Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon woman says United Airlines overreacted when it diverted a flight and removed her family from a plane after she and the crew had problems finding her autistic 15-year-old daughter something to eat.

Donna Beegle said the teen, Juliette, can be a picky eater and sometimes lashes out if she doesn’t get what she wants. Beegle is calling for training for airline employees on dealing with people who have autism.

Autism is a wide-ranging disorder that can be marked by difficulty communicating and behavioral difficulties.

“This is about a few, simple accommodations,” Beegle said Monday.

United, however, said flight crews did make special concessions for the girl but ultimately “made the best decision for the safety and comfort of all of our customers and elected to divert to Salt Lake City after the situation became disruptive.”

The conflict came May 5 on the family’s flight home to Portland from a trip to Disney World.

The girl had refused to eat at a layover in Houston and had turned down nuts, raisins, a granola bar and Juliette’s favorite blue Jolly Ranchers that the family had packed, Beegle said.

Beegle said Juliette wanted a hot meal, so Beegle bought a chicken sandwich on the plane and asked the flight crew to warm it in a microwave. The crew refused, she said, telling her the sandwich would get soggy.

Beegle said she told flight attendants that her daughter was about to have a tantrum, and that she could scratch someone.

After about 40 minutes, the mother said, the crew got the teen a hot serving of jambalaya from first class, “and she was perfectly happy.”

Shortly afterward, however, an emergency landing in Salt Lake City was announced, and they were removed, she said.

The family of four was booked on another flight to Portland, on another carrier, United said. The airline wouldn’t specify Monday whether the flight was diverted because of a perceived threat, the discomfit of other passengers or some other reason.

The airline said it wouldn’t make crew members available

for comment.

Some passengers have said they didn’t think the girl’s behavior was disruptive enough to divert the plane, but Marilyn Hedlund said she thought the flight

crew did the right thing.

Hedlund said the girl had been “wailing” during the flight.

The crew “did everything in their power to calm the situation, includ-

ing getting her hot food from first class,” Hedlund said. “It wasn’t just a snap decision.”

Beegle, an advocate for the poor, said her daughter travels frequently and has

been to Europe, Mexico and nearly two dozen U.S. states including Hawaii.

She’s not able to say what she wants to eat, but nothing like this has ever happened, Beegle said.

A6

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BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

Verizon buys AOL for $4.4B NEW YORK (AP) — Verizon is buying AOL for about $4.4 billion, advancing the telecom’s push in both mobile and advertising fields.

The acquisition gives Verizon an entry into increasingly competitive online and mobile video. The New York company is the country’s largest wireless carrier as well as an Internet and TV provider — and wireless video and targeted advertising is seen as the next battleground for customers.

The move comes as the media landscape is increasingly being disrupted on several fronts as more TV watchers stream shows online and through their smartphones and tablets. AOL offers an advertising sales and display network that made it an acquisition target.

“AOL’s focus on unifying the advertising experience across display, video, mobile and TV makes it an attractive asset because advertisers are looking for better ways to reach their audience across screens,” said Lauren Fisher, analyst at eMarketer. “Coupled with Verizon’s existing mobile (and streaming video) presence, the companies’ combined ad offerings mean massive crossscreen reach with much richer audience data.”

Increasingly, companies like Verizon and Google are looking to connect together video and other content viewers want, the digital “pipes” that deliver the content and the advertising networks that support it.

Verizon said last month that it was preparing to launch a

First-time buyers face hurdles to homeownership this spring

BY ALEX VEIGA AND JOSH BOAK AP Business Writers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The exterior of AOL offices in Palo Alto, California, is seen here. Verizon Communications Inc. is buying AOL Inc. for about $4.4 billion, advancing the telecom’s push in both mobile and advertising fields, the company announced on Tuesday video service during the summer for mobile devices. It also recently began offering various levels of cable service rather than one big cable package, which has been the norm.

That has put Verizon at odds with major content companies like ESPN as it sees more customers cut the cord in favor of video that is streamed online.

Verizon will gain access to AOL’s advanced advertising technology, including its “One by

AOL” integrated platform. AOL reported a 7 percent boost in revenue during its first quarter, mainly on strong global advertising sales.

It also gains control over significant AOL content, including cultural and political website The Huffington Post, and also TechCrunch. AOL is the nation’s fourth-largest online property with about 200 million monthly consumers of its premium brands, according to its website.

Young people aspiring to buy their first home are already facing disappointment this year.

Rising prices are putting more homes out of reach, and pickings are slim because few properties have come onto the market this spring, when sales are supposed to take off.

Millennials are also burdened by heavy school debt and depleted savings that hurt their ability to qualify for a mortgage. Until their incomes start to rise meaningfully, many will be forced to keep hunting for a home while delaying the dream of ownership. This has weighed on overall home sales and economic growth throughout the rebound in housing the past three years.

“People need to see more money in their paychecks before they’ll take the plunge into homeownership,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.

If early signs are any indication, there won’t be a noticeable jump in new homeowners during the spring.

Amy Arnold and her husband began looking at listings in Denver late last year. The 28-year-old apparel buyer quickly found that the few homes in the couple’s price range got

snapped up for more than asking price, leaving her exasperated at how “crazy” the market seemed.

For now, the couple has decided to keep renting a two-bedroom, one-bath house for $1,300 a month, hoping to have more money and find a better selection of homes once they jump back into the market.

“It’s very discouraging,” said Arnold. “Hopefully next year we will be able to buy, but there’s a chance we may have to rent again.”

Home prices nationwide have risen at more than double the pace of average hourly wages, making it harder for buyers to find the extra funds to save for a down payment.

In Denver, a limited roster of homes has fueled the rising prices and given sellers the upper hand. Forty percent of homes that sold in February went for more than the asking price, according to online real estate broker Redfin. That’s up from 21 percent a year earlier. In addition, half of the homes on the market went under contract in eight days or fewer.

“Typically, January, February even March are not quite as highly competitive as when you go into the spring months,” said Ilona Botton, a Redfin agent in Denver. “That’s not how it was this year. It has been multiple offer situations every single month.”

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Another deadly earthquake spreads fear and misery in Nepal

BY BINAJ GURUBACHARYA AND KATY DAIGLE The Associated Press KATHMANDU, Nepal — A new earthquake killed dozens of people Tuesday and spread more fear and misery in Nepal, which is still struggling to recover from a devastating quake nearly three weeks ago that left more than 8,000 dead.

The magnitude-7.3 quake, centered midway between Kathmandu and Mount Everest, struck hardest in the foothills of the Himalayas, triggering some landslides, but it also shook the capital badly, sending thousands of terrified people into the streets.

Nepal’s Parliament was in session when the quake hit, and frightened lawmakers ran for the exits as the building shook and the lights flickered out.

At least 37 people were killed in the quake and more than 1,100 were injured, according to the Home Ministry.

But that toll was expected to rise as reports began reaching Kathmandu of people in isolated Himalayan towns and villages being buried under rubble, according to the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Tremors radiated across parts of Asia. In neighboring India, at least 16 people were confirmed dead after rooftops or walls collapsed onto them, according to India’s Home Ministry. Chinese media reported one death in Tibet.

The magnitude-7.8 earthquake that hit April 25 killed more than 8,150 and flattened entire villages, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Indian women mourn a family member who died when a wall collapsed in an earthquake in Danapur, on the outskirts of Patna in the eastern Indian state of Bihar on Tuesday. Strong shaking was felt across northern India with some deaths reported when rooftops or walls collapsed on them in the state of Bihar. A major earthquake hit a remote mountain region of Nepal on Tuesday, triggering landslides and toppling buildings less than three weeks after the Himalayan nation was ravaged by its worst quake in decades. in the country’s worst-recorded quake since 1934. The U.S. Geological Survey said Tuesday’s earthquake was the largest aftershock to date of that destructive quake.

Tuesday’s temblor was deeper, however, coming from a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) versus the earlier one at 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.

At least three people were rescued Tuesday in Kathmandu, while another nine pulled to safety in the district of Dolkha, the government said.

Rescue helicopters were sent to mountain districts where landslides and collapsed buildings may have

buried people, the government said. Home Ministry official Laxmi Dhakal said the Sindhupalchowk and Dolkha districts were the worst hit.

Search parties fanned out to look for survivors in the wreckage of collapsed buildings in Sindhupalchowk’s town of Chautara, which had become a hub for humanitarian aid after last month’s quake.

Impoverished Nepal appealed for billions of dollars in aid from foreign nations as well as medical experts to treat the wounded and helicopters to ferry food and temporary shelters to hundreds of thousands left homeless amid unseasonal rains.

Tuesday’s quake was followed closely by at least 10 strong aftershocks, according to the USGS. Early reports indicated at least two buildings had collapsed in Kathmandu, though at least one had been unoccupied due to damage it sustained on April 25. Experts say the earlier quake caused extensive structural damage even in buildings that did not topple and that many could be in danger of collapse.

Frightened residents in the capital, who had returned to their homes only a few days ago, once again set up tents Tuesday night with plans to sleep in empty fields, parking lots and on sidewalks.

“Everyone was saying the earthquakes are over. ... Now I don’t want to believe anyone,” said 40-year-old produce vendor Ram Hari Sah as he searched for a spot to pitch the orange tarpaulin to shelter his family. “We are all scared; we are terrified. I would rather deal with mosquitoes and the rain than sleep in the house.”

Extra police were sent to patrol ad-hoc camping areas, while drinking water and extra tents were being provided, according to Kathmandu administrator Ek Narayan Aryal.

“I thought I was going to die this time,” said Sulav Singh, who rushed with his daughter into a street in the suburban neighborhood of Thapathali.

“Things were just getting back to normal, and we get this one.”

Paul Dillon, a spokesman with the International Organization for Migration, said he saw a man in Kathmandu who had apparently run from the shower with shampoo covering his head. “He was sitting on the ground, crying,” Dillon said.

Meanwhile, new landslides blocked mountain roads in the district of Gorkha, one of the regions hit hardest on April 25, while previously damaged buildings collapsed with the latest quake.

Residents of the small town of Namche Bazaar, about 50 kilometers (35 miles) from the epicenter of Tuesday’s quake and a well-known spot for high-altitude trekkers, said a couple of buildings damaged earlier had collapsed there as well. However, there were no reports of deaths or injuries in the town.

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A8

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LOCAL

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

CHARGES

not terminated until after the vandalisms had already occurred,” he said.

McMillan said that Pilgrim’s Pride had sent his client a total of four letters, dated Dec. 24, 2014, Jan. 13, Jan. 29 and Feb. 23. McMillan said that Lowery only received two of those letters, however, Jan. 29 and Feb. 23.

“Three of the letters were standard warnings that asked my client to please correct the deficiencies on his farm and that he was still in good standing,” he said.

Rosdail said the sheriff’s office had obtained a list of employees fired by Pilgrim’s Pride in the recent months and farmers who had their contracts terminated. He said that those investigations did not result in any potential suspects, however, except for Lowery.

“We have no doubt that Mr. Lowery is responsible for these acts,” he said. “We have him at every single location on the nights of the crimes.”

McMillan argued that there was not enough evidence.

“There are no fingerprints, no probable cause other than limited knowledge of cellphone records,” he said.

FROM PAGE A1 preliminary hearing on Tuesday that the sheriff’s office had cellphone data that indicated that Lowery was in the proximity, on average from 200-600 meters, on all eight farms at the specific time that the vandalisms occurred in early February.

Rosdail said the sheriff’s office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division obtained tracking data from Lowery’s cellphone provider.

“Mr. Lowery was careful not to make any phone calls or texts on the night of the attacks,” Rosdail said. “However, the data we have obtained provides GPS coordinates that indicate he was in the direct proximity of every single one of the eight farms on the nights that the vandalisms occurred.”

Rosdail said that the data is used by cellphone towers to pinpoint the location of a cellphone for 911 purposes.

The tower specifically tracks the latitude and longitude location of the cellphone, he said.

He also made the argument that Lowery knew how the alarms operated at all of

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Eric Rosdail, an investigator with Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, explains how the department built its case against James Lowery as Judge P.B. Harvin listens. Charges against Lowery were dismissed. the farms, which is a complicated system of switches that monitor the heating, air and ventilation systems.

When an alarm is activated, a notification goes out to the chicken house farmer’s cellphone.

“When we met with the chicken farmers, they were all in agreement that the

HONORED FROM PAGE A1 “Thank you for never letting us forget the sacrifices of those we honor today,” said Weeks.

After Weeks’ speech, Sumter County Chief Deputy Hampton G. Gardner conducted a final inspection of the eight fallen law enforcement officers honored during the prayer breakfast while the Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office Gospel Choir sang “Amazing Grace.”

When the prayer breakfast concluded, everyone walked across the street to the Sumter County Judicial Center, 215 N Harvin St., to see the unveiling of the Sumter County

ARDIS not having the resources to help them in their time of need.

WHAT IS THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD PART OF YOUR JOB? That we are not human.

We have the same feelings

TELL US ABOUT THE MOST MEMORABLE EVENT IN YOUR CAREER? Being awarded patrol Deputy of the year in 2012.

That is when I knew that my hard work and dedication to the citizens of Sumter County had paid off.

BUSINESS FROM PAGE A1 He said lenders are not going to invest in a project that is lacking a practical and feasible plan.

Smith said a possible upside of community members supporting the project is that a business owner could possibly use the number of

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sponding to help a fellow officer make an arrest; • Sgt. Allen Brazzell of Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office who was struck and killed by a drunk driver in 1986 while removing debris from a roadway; • Sgt. Charles Kubala Sr. of Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office who was shot and killed in 1996 after responding to a call of a suspicious person; • Lance Cpl. Jonathan Park of South Carolina Highway Patrol who died in 2005 after his vehicle was deliberately rammed while pursuing a robbery suspect; and • Cpl. Charles “Chuck” Nesbitt of Sumter Police Department who died in an automobile accident in 2010.

munity will be interested in investing in his project because there is nothing like it in Sumter, and Garrett intends to bring the kinds of services that are available in Columbia or Charleston to the downtown area.

Search “Wolves Den and Rayven’s View” on Kickstarter.com to learn more about the project and how to donate.

backers as a marketing strategy to indicate local interest in the project. He said that approach may or may not work.

Garrett said if he does not receive the necessary funds in that time he will search for investors and if that does not work out, the project may be put on hold indefinitely.

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Pride had been terminated around the same time that the vandalisms occurred.

Lowery’s attorney, Marvin E. “Chip” McMillan Jr., made the argument that the termination letter was dated Feb. 23. The chicken houses were vandalized over a week’s period, Feb. 16-23.

“My client’s contract was

hope to never have another name on this wall,” said Dennis.

The eight officers commenmorated on the new monument are: • Officer William Alvah Clyde of Sumter Police Department who was shot and killed in 1908 while pursing a suspect; • Deputy William M. Strange of Sumter County Sheriff ’s Office who was shot and killed in 1937 while investigating illegal whiskey manufacturing at a home; • Patrolman Alfred A. Thomason of South Carolina Highway Patrol who died in an automobile collision in 1970; • Patrolman Jimmy A. Traylor of South Carolina Highway Patrol who was shot and killed in 1970 after re-

Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in remembrance of Sumter’s law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said officers are forced to seek the unknowns while conducting their duties and must confront danger every day regardless of the threat of harm.

Dennis then read a poem to the audience about what the eight fallen officers would have said if they were able to speak during the ceremony. The poem began, “I never dreamed it would be me,” and ended, “Dear God, let my name be the last.”

“As a law enforcement officer, I

and emotions that everyone else has.

FROM PAGE A1

suspect had to have prior knowledge of how the alarms operate,” he said.

Lowery had a contract with Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, the company that all chicken farmers in Clarendon County have contracts with.

Rosdail testified that Lowery’s contract with Pilgrim’s

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

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

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COMMENTARY

Some odds and ends Occasionally, I wonder whether I’m alone in some of my wonderings.

Look at the claim that conservatives or Republicans have launched a war on women as a part of their overall meanspirited agenda. In the case of mistreatment of Walter women — Williams or of anyone else — assault, rape and murder are about as horrible as it gets.

But I would be willing to bet a lot of money that most of the assaults, rapes and murders of women are done by people who identify as liberals or Democrats, particularly in the cases of murderers.

Most crime, except perhaps white-collar crime, is committed by people who vote Democratic.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that former Attorney General Eric Holder, President Obama and their liberal Democratic partners want to end laws that prevent felons and ex-felons from voting. Felons and exfelons are seen as an important part of their party’s constituency.

What about diversity? Diversity is nothing less than a craze on most college campuses.

Despite budget squeezes, universities have created diversity positions, such as vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion; director of diversity and inclusion; manager of diversity recruitment; associate dean for diversity; and vice president of diversity.

Some diversity chiefs — such as the vice chancellors of diversity at the University of California campuses in San Diego and San Francisco — have annual salaries that top $250,000. That doesn’t include the millions of dollars spent staffing and equipping diversity offices.

The original motto of our nation, E Pluribus Unum — meaning “out of many, one” — was proposed for the first great seal of the United States by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson in 1776. It recognizes the diversity of the American people.

You can bet that the campus call for diversity is everything but a patriotic celebration of America. If anything, it’s a condemnation and criticism of the United States and Western values.

The academic vision of diversity calls for the celebration of people based upon their race, religion, genitalia and sexual behavior.

And the last thing academic diversity means is diversity in thought, opinions and political affiliation.

Taxpayers and irresponsible donors foot the bill for this deviancy.

Intellectuals argue that diversity is necessary for academic excellence, but what’s their evidence other than plausibility?

Here’s what they need to explain. Japan is a nation bereft of diversity in anything. Close to 99 percent of its population is of one race.

Whose students do you

‘Diversity is nothing less than a craze on most college campuses. ...

Some diversity chiefs — such as the vice chancellors of diversity at the University of California campuses in San Diego and San Francisco — have annual salaries that top $250,000. That doesn’t include the millions of dollars spent staffing and equipping diversity offices.’ think have higher academic achievement — theirs or ours, who are diversityrich?

According to the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, the academic performance of U.S. high-school students in reading, math and science pales in comparison with their diversity-starved counterparts in Japan.

I also wonder about sex equality.

The Army’s physical fitness test’s minimum requirement for 17- to 21-yearold males is 35 pushups, 47 sit-ups and a 2-mile run in 16 minutes, 36 seconds or less. For females of the same age, the minimum requirement is 13 pushups, 47 sit-ups and a 19:42 2-mile run.

In “Defense Department ‘Diversity’ Push for Women in Land Combat” (http://tinyurl.com/axn9l93), Elaine Donnelly, director of the Center for Military Readiness, points to U.S. Army studies showing that women are twice as likely to suffer injuries and are three times more undeployable than men.

Women are less likely to be able to march under load; that’s marching 12.4 miles in five hours with an 83pound assault load. They are also less likely to be able to crawl, sprint, negotiate obstacles and, worse yet, move a wounded comrade weighing 165 pounds while carrying that load.

So here’s my wonderment: Should male soldiers sue the Department of Defense for sex discrimination or should everyone have to live up to the same standards?

Or should sex inequality be the official standard for our military?

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

Copyright 2015, creators.com

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POSITIVE RESPONSE TO LETTER WELCOMED On April 27, you published my criticism of the Sumter Post Office and on May 5, the response of the Sumter postmaster.

I was humbled by the positive response of the Sumter postmaster to my criticism and do sincerely accept the apology offered. I hope this means a return to the days when help with a postal problem is once again the norm for Sumter.

JOE RATTZ Sumter

PRAYER BREAKFAST WONDERFULLY DONE I just returned from the prayer breakfast in celebration of National Police Week. To those who organized the event, you did a spectacular job.

The food was great. The program covered so much but didn’t last too long.

Councilman Calvin Hastie and Rep. G. Murrell Smith Jr. were among several prominent Sumter officials who spoke briefly.

Mrs. Cheryl Weeks introduced her husband eloquently and with a bit of humor. Rep. J. David Weeks spoke with much passion about his respect, honor and admiration for the Sumter area police force.

He told us that he grew up on the South Side and that he and his friends were glad when they saw the police in their neighborhood because they knew the police were there to protect them and the community. He also asked for prayer for all lives here in the Sumter area. All lives matter, he said.

This part of the ceremony concluded with the “Final Inspection,” a candle lighting event honoring the eight fallen officers from our area.

Then we walked across the street to 215 N. Harvin, the new Sumter County Judicial Center.

The new monument was unveiled.

You have to see it to appreciate the thought and planning that went into this monument. It’s in three sections.

When you go to see it, take time to read the left section. It’s called “The Final Inspection.”

The right section has the eight names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They include William A. Clyde, William

M. Strange, PTL Alfred A. Thomason, PTL Jimmy A. Traylor, SGT Allan R. Brazzell, SGT Charles B. Kubala, LCPL Johnathan W. Parker and CPL Charles R. Nesbitt Jr. God bless all the policemen and policewomen who keep our community safe from the criminal element that is doing the devil’s work.

On a somber note, we have sexism, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, bigots and too many more to mention.

We need a new word for those who hate and want to kill law enforcement officers of any kind.

Maybe then the lawless and evil among us can recognize themselves for what they are.

JACQUELINE K. HUGHES Sumter

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN ARE POWERFUL I’m so proud of First Lady Michelle Obama talking about her encounters with racism as the country’s first black first lady.

Let’s be clear, there is an unspoken rule in America that black females MUST be fine with race relations because of Affirmative Action and all of these government and company goals and objectives on Diversity and Inclusion.

Truth be told, we are NOT fine! We are NOT happy! Things could be much better!

I look around in my community, and I don’t understand why so many of us are still divided by a railroad track. Are you happy with people surrounding you every day who look and act just like you?

Where is the growth?

Where is the diversity of thought for you and your children?

I had a few people who spoke poorly of my decision to allow my teenage daughter to join a 90 percent white volleyball team. My daughter liked the game; the league was local, and the price was reasonable. Those were my top choices for allowing her joining the team.

I was not about to drive 60 miles (each way) three times a week for her to join an all-black squad.

My daughter gained some great friends, and I feel the lessons learned, tears shed and matches won expanded her horizon on

what type of world it could be if we all work together towards a common goal.

I’ve been waiting for someone to start some “REAL” conversation, but people are afraid.

Instead of engaging First Lady Obama, she is receiving tons of backlash. Why do people tiptoe around race discussions? What will it take for us to have a real exchange, starting with where you are now?

If people are not ready to have these real conversations, then why should I be concerned about where another person is on their “feel good” radar?

Hearing a white person say, “I have one good black friend” or a black person say, “I have one good white friend, and he/she is cool.

VONGRETCHEN C. NELSON Sumter Editor’s note: Because this letter exceeded the 350word length as stated in our Editorial Page Policies which appears regularly on this page, it can be read in its entirety under Opinion on The Sumter Item’s website, www.theitem.com.

PUT BENCHES BACK IN SUMTER MALL I am writing this email with a few concerns about the Sumter Mall.

For starters, the mall has quite a few elderly mall walkers, and no benches for any of them to sit should they become fatigued or short of breath, which is of itself a health hazard. Without benches there is also nowhere for bored husbands to sit while their wife shops causing them to encourage the wife to hurry and preventing the wives from adequately shopping.

Also without benches or a nursing station, mothers who nurse their children have nowhere to calmly and comfortably feed their child causing them to shorten their shopping trip.

Putting benches back into the mall will make the mall safer for mall walkers, be a convenience for shoppers and help to make the mall more inviting to the public, and thus promoting more shopping within the mall.

ANGEL COONCE Wedgefield

A10

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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

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

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

AA “How it Works” Group — Monday and Friday, 8 p.m., 1154 Ronda St. Call (803) 4945180.

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

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

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

Manning Al-Anon Family Group — Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Behavioral Health Building, 14 Church St., Manning. Call Angie Johnson at (803) 4358085.

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

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

Find us on Facebook at Sumter Vitiligo Support.

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

Mothers of Angels (for mothers who have lost a child) — Every Tuesday, 6 p.m., Wise Drive Baptist Church. Call Betty at (803) 469-2616 or Carol at (803) 469-9426.

Parkinson’s Support Group — Second Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital cafeteria, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group — Third Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital community meeting room, 121 E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746.

Amputee Support Group — Fourth Tuesday each month, 5:30 p.m., Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital cafeteria, 121

E. Cedar St., Florence. Call (843) 661-3746.

EFMP Parent Exchange Group — Last Tuesday each month, 11 a.m.-noon, Airman and Family Readiness Center.

Support to service members who have a dependent with a disability or illness. Call Dorcus Haney at (803) 8951252/1253 or Sue Zimmerman at (803) 847-2377.

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

THURSDAY MEETINGS: TOPS S.C. No. 236 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) — Thursdays, 9 a.m., Spectrum Senior Center,1989 Durant Lane. Call Diane at (803) 7753926 or Nancy at (803) 4694789.

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

Alzheimer’s Support Group through S.C. Alzheimer’s Association — Every 1st Thursday, 6-8 p.m., McElveen Manor, 2065 McCrays Mill Road. Call Cheryl Fluharty at (803) 905-7720 or the Alzheimer’s Association at (800) 636-3346.

Journey of Hope (for families members of the mentally ill), Journey to Recovery (for the mentally ill) and Survivors of Suicide Support Group — Each group meets every 1st Thursday, 7 p.m., St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive. Call Fred Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Sunshine and less humid

Mainly clear

Partly sunny and pleasant

Variable cloudiness

Mostly cloudy

Rather cloudy and humid

86°

57°

82° / 61°

83° / 61°

84° / 64°

84° / 65°

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 15%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 20%

Chance of rain: 20%

Chance of rain: 25%

NNE 6-12 mph

ENE 3-6 mph

E 6-12 mph

SE 6-12 mph

S 7-14 mph

SW 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 82/52 Spartanburg 83/54

Greenville 84/57

Columbia 87/58

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 86/57

Aiken 86/55

ON THE COAST

Charleston 85/61

Today: Partly sunny; however, sunnier in northern parts. High 80 to 85.

Thursday: Partly sunny; a thunderstorm in the area in the south. High 77 to 83.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

91° 70° 81° 56° 96° in 1963 42° in 1966

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest.

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

Myrtle Beach 81/62

Manning 85/57

Today: Sunny and less humid. Winds light and variable.

Thursday: Partly sunny. Winds east 6-12 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 85/57

Bishopville 85/56

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

357.90 75.47 75.27 96.75

24-hr chg -0.03 +0.04 -0.04 -0.31

RIVER STAGES Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 6.18 +0.34 19 3.74 -0.35 14 4.01 +0.12 14 3.02 +0.20 80 76.87 -0.05 24 6.47 -2.64

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

0.08" 0.28" 1.17" 17.85" 12.62" 15.52"

Sunrise 6:22 a.m.

Moonrise 3:17 a.m.

Sunset Moonset

8:14 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

May 18

May 25

June 2

June 9

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Thu.

High 5:15 a.m.

5:47 p.m.

6:17 a.m.

6:48 p.m.

Ht. 3.1 3.2 3.1 3.4

Low Ht. 12:15 p.m. -0.3 ----12:49 a.m. 0.0 1:12 p.m. -0.5

FRIDAY MEETINGS: Celebrate Recovery — Fridays, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. program, Salt & Light Church, Miller Road (across from Food Lion). For help with struggles of alcohol, drugs, family problems, etc.

Wateree AIDS Task Force Support Group — Every third Friday, 11:30 a.m. Contact Kevin Johnson at (803) 778-0303.

SATURDAY MEETINGS: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/ Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Support Group — 1:30 p.m. every third Saturday, 3785 Blackberry Lane, Lot 7.

Call Donna Parker at (803) 481-7521.

PUBLIC AGENDA

NATIONAL CITIES

REGIONAL CITIES

Today Thu. City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Atlanta 85/63/s 84/66/pc Chicago 56/40/s 65/54/c Dallas 71/64/r 81/67/t Detroit 61/41/s 66/51/c Houston 80/71/t 83/71/t Los Angeles 70/57/pc 66/55/sh New Orleans 88/71/t 86/73/c New York 69/52/s 72/56/s Orlando 92/71/t 89/72/t Philadelphia 71/50/s 73/53/s Phoenix 92/68/s 88/63/pc San Francisco 64/54/pc 63/52/sh Wash., DC 73/53/s 73/56/s

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 78/48/s 86/58/s 87/54/s 85/64/pc 70/55/s 85/61/pc 82/54/s 86/60/s 87/58/s 85/57/s 75/55/s 82/57/s 82/57/s

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 77/55/pc 84/63/pc 86/61/pc 83/66/pc 68/56/s 82/65/pc 80/58/pc 83/64/pc 86/62/pc 82/59/pc 70/52/s 77/57/pc 78/57/s

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 85/57/s Gainesville 90/66/t Gastonia 82/55/s Goldsboro 80/57/s Goose Creek 85/61/pc Greensboro 80/53/s Greenville 84/57/s Hickory 82/52/s Hilton Head 81/67/pc Jacksonville, FL 90/68/t La Grange 86/61/pc Macon 88/60/pc Marietta 84/60/s

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 80/60/pc 88/66/pc 80/58/pc 75/53/s 82/64/pc 76/57/s 81/61/pc 78/58/pc 79/68/pc 83/68/pc 88/66/pc 88/64/pc 84/65/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 82/48/s Mt. Pleasant 85/62/pc Myrtle Beach 81/62/s Orangeburg 86/58/s Port Royal 83/65/pc Raleigh 80/53/s Rock Hill 82/54/s Rockingham 84/53/s Savannah 86/64/pc Spartanburg 83/54/s Summerville 85/60/pc Wilmington 81/59/s Winston-Salem 80/52/s

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 74/53/pc 82/65/pc 77/63/pc 84/62/pc 81/66/sh 76/55/s 81/57/pc 76/53/pc 83/66/pc 78/59/pc 82/63/pc 76/57/pc 76/57/s

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

WITH WI T EQU EQUAL Q AL PAYMENTS S

NO INTEREST TILL JANUARY 2020

SUMTER COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION / ELECTION COMMISSION Thursday, 5:30 p.m., registration / election office, 141 N. Main St.

803-795-4257

See details a See at www.boykinacs.com ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll make an EUGENIA LAST interesting business contact if you network. Don’t make personal changes impulsively or you will have regrets. Focus on expanding your skills, knowledge and expertise, not on changing your appearance.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Secrets must not be shared. If you divulge something about someone else, it will make you look bad. Taking on too much will be your downfall.

Focus on what you can accomplish.

Realistic expectations will help you succeed.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll face opposition and an untimely surprise if you haven’t prepared to accept what someone around you does for a living. Talks will lead to emotional setbacks that may not be reversible. Honesty and diplomacy are necessary.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t let anyone stop you from following your creative direction. Work alone and don’t worry about what others do or say. A last-minute change can be to your advantage if you don’t make a fuss. Acceptance will make your life easier.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Working alongside others will bring good results. Discuss your expectations and concerns and you’ll end up in a leadership position. You’ll meet new and exciting people if you participate in an industry event or fundraiser.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Expect the unexpected. Patience will lead to a better position. Look for the positive in any situation you face and you will find a way to maneuver your way to success. Say little and do a lot. Romance will improve your

The last word in astrology

personal life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make up your mind to participate. Being indecisive won’t help you get ahead. Step up your game and share your ideas. Don’t let insecurity stand between you and advancement.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Go with the flow. Don’t be daunted by what others do. You don’t have to keep up with anyone. Follow your heart and enjoy the company of someone you love. Do your own thing and you will find the happiness you are searching for.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t be mesmerized by someone who is very different from you.

Socialize with people who are of the same mindset and you’ll avoid wasting time that should be spent on developing plans and profitable ideas.

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

6-13-16-20-31 PowerUp: 2

4-15-17-35-58 Powerball: 17; Powerplay: 3

Numbers not available at press time

PICK 3 TUESDAY

PICK 4 TUESDAY

5-8-2 and 8-1-8

5-5-2-6 and 4-5-8-4

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC Alyce Bender shares a photo she took during a recent visit to Magnolia Plantation in Charleston.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Observation will be necessary, and impulses will lead to poor decisions.

Try not to reveal your motives until you’ve secured your position. A partnership with someone unique will turn out to be a prosperous, winning combination.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put your energy to good use. Make positive changes at home and discuss plans with someone you love to help your relationship flourish. Working as a team player will result in a healthy atmosphere at home and at work.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Listen carefully before you give in to someone trying to push or pressure you. Don’t be tempted to spend on a gimmick that promises the impossible. Stick close to home and to people you can trust. Romance is highlighted.

HAVE YOU TAKEN PICTURES OF INTERESTING, EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL OR HISTORICAL PLACES? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Sumter Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandrah@theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150.

Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please.

SECTION

EC baseball disqualified from playoffs B3

Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

B

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

PREP SOFTBALL

PREP BASEBALL

A class all their own

Gamecocks stay alive, get rematch with CFHS

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com

MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Thomas Sumter Academy pitcher Emily DeMonte, right, embraces catcher Emily Nevels after the Lady Generals defeated Wilson Hall 8-3 on Tuesday at Patriot Park SportsPlex to win the SCISA 3A state championship. It is the first 3A fastpitch title in school history and comes on the heels of TSA’s 2A state championship a season ago.

After earning last year’s 2A title, Lady Generals make splash in 3A by capturing state crown with 8-3 victory and sweep of Wilson Hall

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com If champions are defined or made by coming through in the clutch then add the 2015 Thomas Sumter Academy softball team to the list.

The Lady Generals scored seven of their eight runs

with two outs in an 8-3 victory over Wilson Hall on Tuesday at Patriot Park SportsPlex, sweeping the 2-time defending SCISA 3A state champion Lady Barons in the best-of-3 series.

TSA captured the school’s first 3A fastpitch championship in history after win-

ning the 2A title last year.

“Last year we didn’t expect a state championship and won a state championship. This year we expected a state championship,” said TSA head coach Lou DeMonte, whose team finished with a 20-2 record. “We knew the road wouldn’t be

easy; LMA and Wilson Hall lived up to all the hype I think that was expected. I want to tip my hat to them, they did a great job.

“I considered it a tight ball game throughout most of the game at 5-2, then

Munn grabs 3rd straight speedway win

BY EDDIE LITAKER Special To The Sumter Item

BY CODY TRUETT Special To The Sumter Item

SEE SPEEDWAY, PAGE B4

SEE TSA, PAGE B3

SEE GAMECOCKS, PAGE B3

Barons earn 8-4 win in title series opener

LOCAL RACING

Shannon Munn continued to dominate the Super Street division at Sumter Speedway, picking up his third straight victory on Saturday.

As the green flag dropped to start the Super Street feature, Munn jumped into the lead with Robbie Disher in tow. Munn opened up a little gap between himself and Disher as the race stayed green.

As the laps wound down, Disher began to close the gap and pressure Munn for the lead.

Munn slipped high in the exit of Turn 4 and Disher dove to the inside, looking to take over the top spot. Munn held him off and regained control of the race.

Munn cruised on to the win with Disher second and Adam Hill third. Greg Murphy was fourth, Ken Appleton fifth, Chris Sturkie sixth, Steven Bartlette seventh, Justin Timmons eighth,

The Sumter High School baseball team is still alive in defense of its 4A state title, beating South Aiken 4-3 in eight innings on Monday in Aiken in an elimination game in the lower state tournament.

Now the Gamecocks, 14-13 on the season, face another elimination game on SHUMAKE the road today. They will travel to Myrtle Beach to take on Carolina Forest in a 7 p.m. contest.

Carolina Forest is 20-10 after losing to Wando 2-1 on Monday in a winners bracket contest.

The Panthers beat SHS 4-3 in the first game of the lower state.

Wando, 22-8, will be waiting on the winner between Sumter and Carolina Forest. The championship round will be played on Friday in Mt. Pleasant with Wando having to be beaten twice.

In the victory over South Aiken, the Gamecocks scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to force extra innings and pushed across the winning run in the top of the eighth.

There were two outs in the eighth when Reese Hankins drew a walk from South Aiken relief pitcher Josh Kiser. A single by Brandon Spittle moved courtesy runner Hampton Rowe to second.

Tradd James hit a sharp grounder to Thoroughbreds third baseman Alex Mills, who fielded the ball and had to make a throw on the run. First baseman Hunter Groomes couldn’t come up with the throw and it got far enough way from him to let Rowe score.

Sumter looked to have scored the winning run after it had scored the tying run. As pinch runner Edison Aldridge scored from third base on Jordan Holladay’s groundout, Javon Martin moved to third on Holladay’s grounder. It looked as though he scored when the ball squirted away from Thoroughbreds catcher Owen Griffith on a pitch to Chris Crawford. However, the run was negated when the home plate umpire ruled

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Wilson Hall starting pitcher Chase Belk throws during Tuesday’s 8-4 victory over Northwood Academy at Baron Field in the SCISA 3A state baseball championship series opener.

Wilson Hall took a 1-0 lead in the SCISA 3A baseball state championship series with an 8-4 victory over Northwood Academy on Tuesday at Baron Field.

The win gives the Barons, the defending state champion, a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series. Game 2 is set for today in North Charleston.

Wilson Hall trailed 1-0 as rain began to fall in the bottom of the first. Northwood’s run came after two errors on the infield, with Garrett Jarrell reaching on a McLendon Sears miscue at shortstop and advancing to second as Micah Devaux drawing a walk from Chase Belk. Jarrell was thrown out at third on the front end of a double steal before a Dawson Price throwing error from third put Kris Collins on base and plated Devaux from second.

The game was delayed as the first inning ended with Wilson Hall still trailing.

Sears smacked the first pitch

from Northwood starter Collins into left field for a single, took second on a Robert James sacrifice bunt and stole third just after Price flew out to deep left. The inning ended with Sam Watford looking at a third strike.

The Barons took a 2-1 lead in the second on an error, a Walker Patrick single, three walks and an RBI single from Robert James.

The Chargers tied the score in the top of the third before Patrick smacked a 2-run double in the third to put Wilson Hall up 4-2. The lead stretched to 7-2 in the fourth after a Sears triple, James RBI single, suicide squeeze from Sam Watford, a walk and an RBI double from Ballard.

Northwood scored once in the fifth but left runners stranded at second and third as Belk struck out Hunt McLeod and Alex Barros to end the threat.

The game was moved to Sumter after it was determined that Northwood’s field was unplayable after heavy rain on Monday.

B2

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD

NBA ROUNDUP

SPRINT CUP LEADERS

TV, RADIO TODAY

11 a.m. – Women’s Professional Golf: Ladies European Tour Buick Open Final Round from Shanghai (GOLF).

2:30 p.m. – International Soccer: UEFA Champions League Semifinal Second Leg Match – Juventus vs. Real Madrid (FOX SPORTS 1).

3:30 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Boston at Oakland or Washington at Arizona (MLB NETWORK).

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

7 p.m. – Women’s Amateur Golf: U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship Semifinal and Championship Matches from Bandon, Ore. (FOX SPORTS 1).

7 p.m. – Major League Baseball: Atlanta at Cincinnati (SPORTSOUTH, WPUB-FM 102.7).

7:30 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoffs Semifinal Series Game Seven – Washington at New York Rangers (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. – Major League Baseball: New York Mets at Chicago Cubs (ESPN).

8 p.m. – Major League Soccer: Orlando at D.C. (ESPN2).

8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Eastern Conference Playoffs Semifinal Series Game Five – Washington at Atlanta (TNT).

10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Western Conference Playoffs Semifinal Series Game Five – Memphis at Golden State (TNT).

11:30 p.m. – Amateur Wrestling: U.S. Open Championships from Cleveland (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

1 a.m. – IRL Racing: Indy Lights Series Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 and Race 2 from Indianapolis (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cleveland forward LeBron James, center, is double-teamed by Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, left, and Joakim Noah during the Cavaliers’ 106-101 victory on Tuesday in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series in Cleveland.

MLB STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

LeBron leads Cavs past Bulls 106-101

EAST DIVISION

CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 38 points, Kyrie Irving added 25 and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on for a 106-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their testy Eastern Conference semifinal.

Showing no ill effects from a sprained left ankle, James, who added 12 rebounds, six assists and didn’t have a turnover in 41 minutes, ensured the Cavs will again play at home this season.

They can wrap up the best-of-seven series with a win in Game 6 on Thursday night back at United Center in Chicago, where the teams exchanged buzzer-beating victories last weekend.

The drama wasn’t quite as high in Game 5, but it was close and it was intense.

Jimmy Butler scored 29 and Mike Dunleavy 19 for Chicago. Derrick Rose scored 16, 12 in the first quarter, but shot just 2 of 15 in the final three quarters.

The Cavs led by 17 with 6:09 left and then had to hold off a furious comeback by the Bulls, who got within 101-99 on Butler’s 3-pointer with 1:18 left.

Cleveland, though, got a huge offensive rebound by Iman Shumpert before Irving, playing on a sprained right foot and sore left knee, made four free throws in the final 17 seconds.

The Bulls were missing big man Pau Gasol, who sat out his second straight

game with a strained left hamstring and didn’t sound confident before Game 5 that he’d be ready

by Thursday.

They also played the final 10:25 without Taj Gibson, ejected for kicking Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova. Gibson shoved Dellavedova to the floor and then kicked the scrappy backup, who angered the Bulls forward by clamping his legs around Gibson’s. Players on both teams exchanged shoves and pushes before the officials got things under control.

The Cavs were sparked by the incident and opened a 90-73 lead before the Bulls came charging back.

Dunleavy scored six points in an 11-0 run that got Chicago back in it before the Cavs gained their composure and closed it out.

WARRIORS 104 GRIZZLIES 84

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stephen Curry scored 21 of his 33 points by halftime, and Golden State snapped its 2-game skid Monday night by routing Memphis 101-84 to tie the Western Conference semifinal at 2-2.

Draymond Green had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors while Klay Thompson had 15 points, Harrison Barnes 12 and Andre Iguodala 11.

Marc Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis while Zach Randolph had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Conley finished with 10 points and

seven assists but was 4 of 15 from the field. Memphis pulled its starters with 3:00 left.

HAWKS 106 WIZARDS 101

WASHINGTON — Jeff Teague scored 26 points, including a key 3-pointer, to lead Atlanta and even the second-round series at 2-2.

Al Horford had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Paul Millsap added 19 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Bradley Beal had a career playoff-high 34 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Pierce had 22 points, including five of Washington’s 12 3-pointers.

PELICANS FIRE HEAD COACH WILLIAMS METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Monty Williams on Tuesday, parting ways with a coach who had a strong relationship with the franchise’s marquee player, Anthony Davis.

The decision came only weeks after owner Tom Benson congratulated Williams and the entire basketball operations staff for “a job well done’’ after a season in which New Orleans qualified for its first playoff berth since 2011.

Williams has an overall record of 173-221, with two playoff appearances since landing his first heading coaching job with the Pelicans in 2010.

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

W 21 17 16 15 14

L 12 16 17 17 16

Pct .636 .515 .485 .469 .467

GB – 4 5 5 1/2 5 1/2

W 20 19 18 12 11

L 12 13 14 17 19

Pct .625 .594 .563 .414 .367

GB – 1 2 6 1/2 8

W 20 15 14 14 12

L 12 17 17 18 22

Pct .625 .469 .452 .438 .353

GB – 5 5 1/2 6 9

MONDAY’S GAMES

Baltimore 5, Toronto 2 N.Y. Yankees 11, Tampa Bay 5 Milwaukee 10, Chicago White Sox 7 Texas 8, Kansas City 2 Boston 5, Oakland 4, 11 innings

TUESDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Toronto at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Detroit, 7:08 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

Boston at Oakland, 10:05 p.m.

Colorado at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

San Diego at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Boston (Miley 1-4) at Oakland (Gray 4-0), 3:35 p.m.

St. Louis (Lackey 2-1) at Cleveland (Kluber 0-5), 6:10 p.m.

Toronto (Aa.Sanchez 3-2) at Baltimore (Mi.Gonzalez 3-2), 7:05 p.m.

Minnesota (Nolasco 2-1) at Detroit (Lobstein 3-2), 7:08 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Warren 2-1) at Tampa Bay (Karns 2-1), 7:10 p.m.

Kansas City (Ventura 2-2) at Texas (Gallardo 2-5), 8:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Quintana 1-3) at Milwaukee (Nelson 1-3), 8:10 p.m.

San Francisco (T.Hudson 1-3) at Houston (Oberholtzer 0-0), 8:10 p.m.

Colorado (Lyles 2-3) at L.A. Angels (Santiago 2-2), 10:05 p.m.

San Diego (Shields 4-0) at Seattle (T. Walker 1-3), 10:10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:08 p.m.

Kansas City at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

Toronto at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

Boston at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION New York Washington Atlanta Miami Philadelphia CENTRAL DIVISION St. Louis Chicago Pittsburgh Cincinnati Milwaukee WEST DIVISION Los Angeles San Diego San Francisco Arizona Colorado

W 20 18 15 15 11

L 12 15 17 18 22

Pct .625 .545 .469 .455 .333

GB – 2 1/2 5 5 1/2 9 1/2

W 22 16 16 15 12

L 9 15 16 17 21

Pct .710 .516 .500 .469 .364

GB – 6 6 1/2 7 1/2 11

W 21 17 16 14 11

L 10 16 16 17 17

Pct .677 .515 .500 .452 .393

GB – 5 5 1/2 7 8 1/2

MONDAY’S GAMES

From wire reports

SPORTS ITEMS

Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 3 Atlanta 2, Cincinnati 1 Milwaukee 10, Chicago White Sox 7 Chicago Cubs 4, N.Y. Mets 3 Washington 11, Arizona 1 L.A. Dodgers 5, Miami 3

TUESDAY’S GAMES

NFLPA: Judge correct in siding with Peterson ST. LOUIS — The NFL Players Association has submitted its written argument to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in opposition to the now-expired suspension of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

The NFL asked the appeals court in its initial filing April 8 to overturn U.S. District Judge David Doty, on the grounds he didn’t have authority to usurp a case the league argued should be limited to a labor dispute with the union and under the umbrella of the collective bargaining agreement.

In its brief to the court of appeals, the NFLPA wrote that Doty’s decision was “unassailably correct’’ in rejecting Hender-

AMERICAN LEAGUE

son’s decision, which “lacks the hallmarks of an honest judgment.’’

FISHER: EX-IRISH QB GOLSON VISITS FSU AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher says he has met with Everett Golson about the possibility of the former Notre Dame quarterback transferring to the Seminoles.

Fisher told reporters Tuesday that Golson visited Florida State’s Tallahassee campus on Monday. He would not promise playing time to Golson and that it was up to the player if he wanted to join FSU. CARDINALS 8 INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND — Lance

Lynn pitched six scoreless innings and Matt Holliday had four RBI, including a 3-run homer, to lead St. Louis past Cleveland 8-3.

RAYS 4 YANKEES 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Evan Longoria hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly during a 2-run eighth inning and Tampa Bay rallied late to beat the New York Yankees 4-2.

BLUE JAYS 10 ORIOLES 2

BALTIMORE — Edwin Encarnacion homered twice and had three RBI, Mark Buehrle threw six innings of 4-hit ball and Toronto defeated Baltimore 10-2.

From wire reports

St. Louis at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

Washington at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

Colorado at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

Miami at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

San Diego at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Washington (G.Gonzalez 3-2) at Arizona (Hellickson 1-3), 3:40 p.m.

St. Louis (Lackey 2-1) at Cleveland (Kluber 0-5), 6:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Liriano 1-2) at Philadelphia (Hamels 2-3), 7:05 p.m.

Atlanta (Stults 1-3) at Cincinnati (R. Iglesias 0-0), 7:10 p.m.

Miami (Cosart 1-3) at L.A. Dodgers (Frias 3-0), 7:50 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Harvey 5-1) at Chicago Cubs (Hammel 3-1), 8:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Quintana 1-3) at Milwaukee (Nelson 1-3), 8:10 p.m.

San Francisco (T.Hudson 1-3) at Houston (Oberholtzer 0-0), 8:10 p.m.

Colorado (Lyles 2-3) at L.A. Angels (Santiago 2-2), 10:05 p.m.

San Diego (Shields 4-0) at Seattle (T. Walker 1-3), 10:10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

San Francisco at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.

Colorado at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

Washington at San Diego, 10:10 p.m.

NASCAR

By The Associated Press

Through May 9 Points 1, Kevin Harvick, 437. 2, Martin Truex Jr., 391. 3, Jimmie Johnson, 389. 4, Joey Logano, 375. 5, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 360. 6, Brad Keselowski, 343. 7, Matt Kenseth, 331. 8, Jamie McMurray, 328. 9, Jeff Gordon, 317. 10, Kasey Kahne, 313.

11, Aric Almirola, 312. 12, Paul Menard, 306. 13, Ryan Newman, 305. 14, Kurt Busch, 292. 15, Denny Hamlin, 284. 16, Clint Bowyer, 272. 17, Danica Patrick, 270. 18, Carl Edwards, 265. 19, AJ Allmendinger, 259. 20, Casey Mears, 242.

Money 1, Kevin Harvick, $3,759,107. 2, Joey Logano, $3,296,388. 3, Jimmie Johnson, $2,880,442. 4, Dale Earnhardt Jr., $2,489,260. 5, Jeff Gordon, $2,145,466.

6, Brad Keselowski, $2,101,831. 7, Matt Kenseth, $2,058,966. 8, Martin Truex Jr., $1,963,993. 9, Denny Hamlin, $1,903,568.

10, Ryan Newman, $1,871,893.

11, Jamie McMurray, $1,799,986. 12, Clint Bowyer, $1,746,663. 13, Aric Almirola, $1,736,556. 14, Trevor Bayne, $1,677,945.

15, Austin Dillon, $1,670,599. 16, Greg Biffle, $1,668,772.

17, David Ragan, $1,666,370. 18, Casey Mears, $1,638,342. 19, AJ Allmendinger, $1,580,904. 20, Kasey Kahne, $1,577,864.

NBA PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago 2, Cleveland 2 May 4: Chicago 99, Cleveland 92 May 6: Cleveland 106, Chicago 91 May 8: Chicago 99, Cleveland 96 May 10: Cleveland 86, Chicago 84 Tuesday: Chicago at Cleveland (late) Thursday: Cleveland at Chicago, 8 p.m. x-Sunday: Chicago at Cleveland, TBD Washington 2, Atlanta 2 May 3: Washington 104, Atlanta 98 May 5: Atlanta 106, Washington 90 May 9: Washington 103, Atlanta 101 Monday: Atlanta 106, Washington 101 Today: Washington at Atlanta, 8 p.m.

Friday: Atlanta at Washington, 7 p.m. x-May 18: Washington at Atlanta, 8 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

L.A. Clippers 3, Houston 1 May 4: L.A. Clippers 117, Houston 101 May 6: Houston 115, L.A. Clippers 109 May 8: L.A. Clippers 124, Houston 99 May 10: L.A. Clippers 128, Houston 95 Tuesday: L.A. Clippers at Houston (late) x-Thursday: Houston at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. x-Sunday: L.A. Clippers at Houston, TBD Memphis 2, Golden State 2 May 3: Golden State 101, Memphis 86 May 5: Memphis 97, Golden State 90 May 9: Memphis 99, Golden State 89 Monday: Golden State 101, Memphis 84 Today: Memphis at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

Friday: Golden State at Memphis, 9:30 p.m. x-Sunday: Memphis at Golden State, TBD

NHL STANDINGS SECOND ROUND (Best-of-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Washington 3, N.Y. Rangers 3 April 30: Washington 2, N.Y. Rangers 1 May 2: N.Y. Rangers 3, Washington 2 May 4: Washington 1, N.Y. Rangers 0 May 6: Washington 2, N.Y. Rangers 1 May 8: N.Y. Rangers 2, Washington 1, OT May 10: N.Y. Rangers 4, Washington 3 Today: Washington at N.Y. Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Tampa Bay 3, Montreal 2 May 1: Tampa Bay 2, Montreal 1, 2OT May 3: Tampa Bay 6, Montreal 2 May 6: Tampa Bay 2, Montreal 1 May 7: Montreal 6, Tampa Bay 2 May 9: Montreal 2, Tampa Bay 1 Tuesday: Montreal at Tampa Bay (late) x-Thursday: Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago 4, Minnesota 0 May 1: Chicago 4, Minnesota 3 May 3: Chicago 4, Minnesota 1 May 5: Chicago 1, Minnesota 0 May 7: Chicago 4, Minnesota 3 Anaheim 4, Calgary 1 April 30: Anaheim 6, Calgary 1 May 3: Anaheim 3, Calgary 0 May 5: Calgary 4, Anaheim 3, OT May 8: Anaheim 4, Calgary 2 May 10: Anaheim 3, Calgary 2, OT

TRANSACTIONS

By The Associated Press BASEBALL

American League HOUSTON ASTROS _ Optioned RHP Asher Wojciechowski to Fresno (PCL).

Reinstated RHP Luke Gregorson from the family medical emergency list.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS _ Optioned RHP Yohan Pino to Omaha (PCL). Recalled RHP Aaron Brooks from Omaha.

MINNESOTA TWINS _ Placed OF Shane Robinson on the family emergency list.

Recalled OF Aaron Hicks from Rochester (IL).

National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS _ Optioned RHP Evan Marshall to Reno (PCL).

CINCINNATI REDS _ Released RHP Kevin Gregg for assignment.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS _ Optioned OF Chris Heisey to Oklahoma City (PCL).

Recalled RHP Mike Bolsinger from Oklahoma City.

MIAMI MARLINS _ Assigned INF Reid Brignac outright to New Orleans (PCL).

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES _ Optioned 3B Cody Asche to Lehigh Valley (IL).

American AssociationAMARILLO THUNDERHEADS _ Signed RHP Matt Larkins.

GRAND PRAIRIE AIR HOGS _ Traded C Tim Quinn to New Jersey (Can-Am) for a player to be named.

Can-Am League ROCKLAND BOULDERS _ Signed C Marcus Nidiffer, RHP Alex Gouin, OF Stefen Henderson and INF Blake Barber. Released C Mike Fischer.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association MILWAUKEE BUCKS _ Named Suki Hobson senior strength and rehabilitation specialist.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS _ Fired coach Monty Williams.

FOOTBALL

National Football League CLEVELAND BROWNS _ Signed DL Xavier Cooper and FB Malcolm Johnson.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS _ Signed LB Dante Fowler Jr. to a four-year contract.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS _ Signed FB Manasseh Garner; OL Charles Sweeton; LS Andrew East; TE James O’Shaughnessy; Cs Mitch Morse and Garrett Frye; DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches and David Irving; CBs De’Vante Bausby and Justin Cox; WRs Kenny Cook, Tello Luckett and Da’Ron Brown; and LBs Ramik Wilson, D.J. Alexander, Sage Harold and Justin March.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS _ Signed OL Brandon Scherff.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League EDMONTON OILERS _ Signed C Eetu Laurikainen to a two-year, entry-level contract.

American Hockey League MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS _ Signed G Brandon Whitney.

COLLEGE

ANGELO STATE _ Named James Reid interim athletic director.

ASSUMPTION _ Announced the retirement of softball coach Ralph DeLucia.

INDIANA _ Suspended men’s basketball F Devin Davis from all team activities.

TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN _ Named Vinicius Baigan assistant volleyball coach.

UALR _ Named Steve Wiedower women’s assistant basketball coach.

PREP SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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B3

EC baseball disqualified for overuse of pitcher

BY LOU BEZJAK Morning News East Clarendon’s baseball season has come to an end sooner than expected.

The Wolverines were disqualified from the Class A lower state playoffs, a day after their 2-1, 11-inning victory over Bamberg-Ehrhardt in an elimination game, because one of their pitchers went over the innings limit in a three-day span.

Jared Hair pitched 1 1/3 in Saturday’s loss against Latta and then nine innings Monday against B-E. He was brought in after Ryan Knowlton had to leave Monday’s game early with an injury in the first inning Hair had the game-winning double in the 11th for EC. South Carolina High School League rules state pitchers can only throw 10 innings in a three-day span.

East Clarendon was in-

formed of the infraction Tuesday morning, and coach Jason Cook told his team later in the COOK afternoon.

“I knew Jared was right at 10 innings that’s why we took him out but I forgot about 1/3 inning he threw,” Cook said.

“It’s nobody’s fault but mine I normally stay on top of things like this and it cost us. There

is nobody to blame but me.

“I just hate it for my guys because they played their hearts out. I hate it for my 12 seniors, the school and the community.”

With EC’s disqualification, Bamberg-Ehrhardt is back in the playoffs and will travel to the loser of Tuesday’s HannahPamplico at Latta’s winner’s bracket game Wednesday.

“It’s a second chance for us,” B-E coach Tracey Fleming said. “Hopefully we’ll use

it as a second chance to win a couple more games.”

East Clarendon finishes the season at 15-7. The Wolverines won the Region 7-A title and went 3-0 in capturing the District VII championship.

East Clarendon was ranked as high as No. 2 in South Carolina Baseball Coaches poll this season and began the postseason ranked No. 3.

— The Times and Democrat contributed to this report.

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Wilson Hall’s Danielle deHoll (2) slides past Thomas Sumter Academy catcher Emily Nevels, left, during the Lady Barons’ 8-3 loss on Tuesday at Patriot Park SportsPlex during the SCISA 3A state softball championship series.

TSA FROM PAGE B1 again they came out and struck and they’re scrappy and well-coached,” he added.

“Then trying to keep our bats down is difficult; our bats stayed consistent. I don’t care who’s pitching on the mound, when you’re up there and you’re aggressive and you have the confidence that we have right now, it’s tough.”

The Lady Barons, who finished as state runner-ups with a 22-8 record, were held to six hits and scored three unearned runs against TSA senior pitcher Emily DeMonte.

“I’m just really thrilled that we got here again,” Wilson Hall head coach Teresa Alexander said. “The fact that you can say the word “again” in itself is a really special thing. Forget the word again, we actually get to say the word a third time and that’s unreal. And that’s just credit to the girls, that there were moments our season should’ve ended, but they just kept fighting and refused to quit.

“There is no other group of girls that I think would’ve had the ability to do what they did,” she said. “I don’t know that we’re always the most talented team on the softball field, but there is not a team in 3A that we didn’t beat.”

Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, Wilson Hall got some clutch hitting of its own as Drake Ives hit a 2-out RBI single, cutting the deficit to two runs.

Ives and Danielle deHoll led WH with two hits each and Hannah Jordan scored two of

MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Thomas Sumter Academy’s Kayla Chappell, second from left, hugs Sara Jackson (19) after the Lady Generals defeated Wilson Hall 8-3 on Tuesday at Patriot Park SportsPlex to win the SCISA 3A state championship. the team’s three runs.

TSA sophomore Logan Morris, who led the team with three hits, set the tone offensively. Morris scored every time she got on base and the rest of top four hitters followed suit as they combined to go 7-for-12 with eight runs, two walks and three runs batted in.

“I just know I have a lot of good teammates behind me and if I do my job I’m going to

get knocked in,” Morris said.

She doubled to lead off the seventh and eventually came around to score on a 2-out, bases-loaded walk to freshman Josie Reed. Senior Emily Nevels put the game away with a 2-run single, making it a 5-run advantage and sealing a TSA win.

DeMonte did the rest on the mound. She struck out nine and allowed three runs, none of them earned.

AREA ROUNDUP

CH softball forces decisive 3rd game SUMMERTON — Clarendon Hall defeated Colleton Prep 12-4 on Tuesday at the CH field to force a deciding game in the SCISA 1A softball state championship series.

The Lady Saints and CP

will play for the title today at 5 p.m. at the Orangeburg Prep field.

Clarendon Hall, which improved to 17-5 on the season, was led by Shannon Corbett.

She went 4-for-5 with two doubles.

Aubrey Johnson was 2-for-4 with a home run.

Delaney Peeler, Gracyn Royce, Brittany Pack and Jordan Carter each had two hits.

Royce picked up the victory for CH.

“Winning the state last year was big, and it was the first one in school history and we knew we may not get another chance to win again,” Nevels said. “Hitting was a struggle with me today, I was thinking too much because Holly (Scott) is one of my best friends and is really close. You know, bases loaded, top of the seventh in my last high school game; it happened at the right time and I trusted in what ev-

GAMECOCKS FROM PAGE B1 that Crawford interfered with Griffith’s ability to field the ball and was called out.

The call ended the inning, but set off the Sumter players, coaches and fans – all of them voicing great disapproval. Crawford — also Sumter’s starting pitcher —

eryone was telling me, and I did what I was taught to do and knocked in the runs.”

TSA took an early 1-0 lead as Carmen Silvester hit a sacrifice fly to score Morris, but it only took the Lady Barons two batters to respond and take the lead.

After Jordan led off the inning with a single to centerfield, deHoll hit a slap bunt right in front of the plate, but Haley Hawkins rushed her throw to first and two runs scored on a 3-base error.

The Lady Generals made the most of a WH miscue in the third to retake the lead.

WH’s Scott and the Barons should’ve been out of the inning, but instead TSA took advantage of late 2-out hitting and scored four runs on five hits and one error in the top of the third to take a 5-2 lead.

After getting the first two outs, Logan Morris and Emily DeMonte singled consecutively. Silvester hit a fly ball to right field that was in between outfielder Liza Lowder and second baseman Betsy Cunningham, but neither took charge and two runs scored on the play.

“I don’t know if it was the game-changing moment,” Alexander said. “I think it evened up the score or even put them up one, but that doesn’t make the game out of reach. That early in the ball game that mistake wasn’t a game-changing moment as far as making the final decision on the outcome of the game.”

The next batter, Hawkins, delivered a RBI double then Reed reached on an error at shortstop, allowing Hawkins to score on the play and give TSA a 3-run lead.

was ejected along with a fan.

“We’re still alive. We’ll go to Carolina Forest on Wednesday and try to stay alive,” Sumter head coach Brooks Shumake told the Aiken Standard. “The umpire said it doesn’t matter if it’s accidental contact, the batter has to make an effort to get out of the way. So it was the right call.”

South Aiken finished with a 16-12 record.

B4

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

PRO FOOTBALL

AUTO RACING

Kyle Busch to return at this weekend’s All-Star race

BY JENNA FRYER The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The NFL investigator said on Tuesday that he found direct evidence New England quarterback Tom Brady, center, knew Patriots employees were deflating footballs. Brady was suspended by the NFL for four games on Monday.

NFL investigator says direct evidence found against Brady

BY RACHEL COHEN The Associated Press NEW YORK — The lawyer who investigated the New England Patriots insisted Tuesday that he found direct, not just circumstantial, evidence to show quarterback Tom Brady knew team employees were deflating footballs.

Miffed by criticism from Brady’s agent, Ted Wells decided to take the unusual step of holding a conference call with reporters, a day after the NFL suspended the Super Bowl MVP for the season’s first four games based on the report.

Wells said his findings would have been strong enough to convince a jury under the “preponderance of evidence’’ standard, which is used in many civil cases.

Wells released his report last Wednesday, asserting it was “more probable than not’’ that Brady “was at

least generally aware’’ of plans by two team employees to prepare the balls to his liking, below the leaguemandated minimum of 12.5 pounds per square inch.

His voice frequently rising Tuesday, Wells testily rebutted assertions from Don Yee, Brady’s agent, questioning Wells’ independence because his firm does other business with the NFL. “What drove the decision in this report is one thing: It was the evidence,’’ Wells said. “I could not ethically ignore the import and relevancy of those text messages and the other evidence.’’

Wells specifically mentioned two series of text exchanges between officials’ locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski. In one, McNally referred to himself as “the Deflator’’ and joked about going to ESPN. In another, Jastremski mentioned speaking to

Brady the previous night, saying the quarterback knew McNally was stressed out by needing to deflate the balls.

“That is not circumstantial evidence,’’ Wells said.

“That is two of the participants in a scheme discussing what has taken place.’’

On Thursday, Yee had called Wells’ report “a significant and terrible disappointment,’’ suggesting that it “reached a conclusion first, and then determined so-called facts later.’’

Along with denying any bias, Wells derided the idea that the NFL wanted the investigation to implicate a quarterback he described as “one of the most popular, iconic players in the league.’’

“That does not make sense,’’ Wells said. “It’s a ridiculous allegation.’’

Wells has conducted several other high-profile sports investigations in recent years, including the

NFL report on the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal.

To Yee’s assertion that he omitted key statements from Brady, Wells challenged the agent to release his full transcript of the interview.

“Nothing, I guarantee you, in his notes would make any difference in my decision,’’ he said.

He also disputed Yee’s characterization of the investigation as a “sting,’’ noting that NFL officials initially didn’t take the Colts’ complaints seriously during January’s AFC Championship game.

The Patriots wound up routing Indianapolis 45-7 that day, then went on to beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl 28-24 for Brady’s fourth title. In the quarterback’s only public comments since the report’s release, he said that the scandal hasn’t taken away from the team’s accomplishments.

PRO BASEBALL

MLB pumps up ball security in wake of Deflategate scandal and penalties

BY BEN WALKER The Associated Press NEW YORK — Even before Tom Brady was penalized, Major League Baseball boosted its prevent defense.

As part of a new security plan this season to further safeguard game balls, an MLB representative now watches them get carried by a clubhouse assistant from the umpires’ room to the field.

And if the supply of eight dozen or so runs low during a game, an MLB security person is sent to retrieve more.

In the past, a ball boy or ball girl did those jobs alone.

“We can’t deflate ‘em,’’ Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said Sunday.

“It’s precautionary, I guess.’’

MLB said many changes in the pumped-up policy for ball security and storage were discussed by equipment managers last December at the winter meetings. That was more than a month before Brady and the New England Patriots were accused of deflating footballs in the AFC champion-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Major League Baseball has pumped up security for its game balls this season.

An MLB representative now watches the baseballs while a clubhouse assistant carries them from the umpires’ room to the field. ship game.

MLB said it was aware of the Patriots’ situation as it put the procedures into effect on opening day at every stadium.

As for any copycat in the majors,

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell joked that it was unlikely.

“Baseballs are solid,’’ he said.

There have been plenty of pitchers who have tried to doctor balls, with mixed results.

CHARLOTTE — Less than three months after suffering serious injuries when he crashed into a concrete wall at Daytona, Kyle Busch will return to racing in NASCAR’s All-Star race this weekend following a rapid recovery his doctors called remarkable.

Busch will run in Saturday night’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has been sidelined since a Feb. 21 crash in the Xfinity Series opener in KYLE BUSCH which he broke his right leg and left foot in an accident that spurred safety reviews throughout NASCAR. “I don’t know that anybody would have expected the All-Star Race would have been a place for me to come back when we were laying down in the hospital bed in Daytona and even in Charlotte just days after the accident,’’ Busch said Tuesday, noting that specialist Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina was surprised at the fast recovery.

“One of the things I remember hearing from Dr. Anderson ... was that it’s just been a remarkable timeframe in which I’ve been able to make as much progress as I have, as quickly as I have.’’

Busch credited therapy sessions that sometimes spanned six hours for being able to heal ahead of schedule. His accident late in the race one day before the Daytona 500, left him with a rod in his right leg and plates and screws in his left foot.

He missed 11 races because of his injuries, which were more severe because he hit a wall that lacked an energy-absorbing SAFER barrier at 90 mph. Busch has said his car left the racing surface and headed toward the wall at 176 mph, and even though he was able to slow it, he knew the impact was likely going to break one leg.

Although Busch removed his right foot from the brake pedal, the impact with the wall was so hard, both his helmet and chest slammed into his steering wheel.

Busch said the throttle stop was pushed back closer to him and smacked his right leg, breaking it.

Busch’s No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing was driven by Matt Crafton at Daytona, then David Ragan for nine events and 18-year-old Erik Jones drove it Saturday night at Kansas.

SPEEDWAY FROM PAGE B1 Jerry Knight ninth and Joey Ayers 10th.

Landon Jeffreys added another win in the Extreme-4 division, leading flag to flag. Luke Wilson, who rolled his car down the Turn 4 banking in the heat race, rebounded for a solid second-place finish and picked up the Danny’s Trophy Shop Hard Charger Award. David Rourk Jr. was third with Chelsea L’Huillier fourth, Travis Poole fifth and John Ledwell sixth.

Matt Lawson picked up another win in the Crate Late Model division, leading flag to flag for his second win on the season. Kale Green was second. Walter Anderson picked up his second win in a row in the Stock V8 division, holding off a strong charge from David Duke on his way to the checkered flag. Duke came home second with Timmy Kimsey third.

Bubba Kolb held off a late challenge from Jason Hodge to pick up his first win of the season in the Stock-4 division.

Hodge settled for a close second with Ashley McHenry third, Gray Thompson fourth and Taylor Geddings fifth.

Disher continued to show his dominance in the Street Stock division, picking up another win.

Adam Hill powered his Chevy to a strong second-place finish with William Disher third and Grant Hill fourth. Bartlette was fifth and JJ McKenzie was sixth.

The season will continue on Saturday with racing in all divisions. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7. Grandstand passes are $10 for adults and pit passes are $20. Active duty military will be admitted to the grandstands free of charge with military identification.

RECRUITING

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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B5

Robert Morris basketball standout transferring to Clemson

M

arcquise Reed, a 6-foot-4-inch guard announced on Monday he will continue his basketball career at Clemson.

Reed is leaving Robert Morris after one season when he averaged 15 points per game and was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year.

He took official visits to Clemson, Southern California, Massachusetts and Tulsa. The Clemson visit was last weekend and he took a couple of days to think through his decision.

The Tigers pursued him with a lot of effort and that paid off in the end.

“It was just how aggressive (assistant) Coach (Richie) Riley and head Coach (Brad) Brownell dealt with me,” Reed said in explaining his choice. “It’s (in) one of the top conferences (Atlantic Coast Conference) so it’s a new challenge for myself, so if I’m competing with guys like that it will be easier when I go to the next level.

And location. My family wanted to see me play.”

Reed is one of two transfer guards the Tigers will have starting in the 2016-17 season as Shelton Mitchell is coming in from Vanderbilt. So, Reed foresees a lot of future success for Tiger basketball.

“It’s a bright future for us,” he said. “I think we’ve got the talent to play with anybody and be a tournament team, a national power.

They’ve got some good pieces and I think I was the last part.”

Reed will have to sit out next season and he will use the time off to work on several aspects of his game.

“I’m going to focus on putting on a couple of more pounds of muscle and getting stronger,” Reed said.

“I’m going to improve my 3-point shot off the dribble and off screens and tighten up my ball handling and decision making.”

Reed’s commitment brings Clemson to the NCAA maximum of 13 scholarship players for this coming season.

Eric Cobb, a 6-10 player from Jacksonville, Fla., will take one more official visit this coming weekend, most likely to UMass, before making his decision by Monday, his head coach said on Sunday. Cobb made an official visit to the University of South Carolina week before last and his head coach, Nick Myles, said Cobb spoke positively about the experience.

“He really liked it and enjoyed it,” Myles said. “He thinks (USC head) Coach (Frank) Martin is going to be somebody to push him and develop his game. And he liked the campus and said it felt like home.”

Cobb also has visited Seton Hall unofficially. Cobb attends a prep school in Baltimore and has been focusing on his academics. He has one more week of classes and then final exams.

Myles said he spoke last week with Martin and assistant Matt Figger and he likes the Gamecocks’ chances with Cobb at this point.

“I feel good about South Carolina and they are definitely at the top of his list,” Myles said. Cobb originally committed to Kansas State without ever visiting Manhattan, Kan. He decommitted from the Wildcats in April.

Tookie Brown, a 5-10 point guardof Madison, Ga., reportedly visited USC late last week. Neither Brown nor his coach have been available for comment. Brown signed with Mississippi State in November, but pulled out of that after the coaching change.

He is also looking at Mississippi and Alabama. He was the 3A player of the year in Georgia last season.

Tevin Mack, a 6-6 player from Dreher High School in Columbia, made an unofficial visit to Texas over the weekend and will have a decision this week. He also

made a recent unofficial visit to Georgia. The other schools he’s been hearing from on a regular basis are Clemson, Kansas, UCLA, West Virginia and North Carolina. His mother, Paula Mack, said they’ve not heard from USC in a couple of weeks, but they never dropped the Gamecocks from consideration.

James Bourne, a 6-8 forward, is transferring from Winthrop to College of Charleston for his final season. Bourne played in 92 games with 51 starts for the Eagles, averaging 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Other signees for Cougars head coach Earl Grant are F Jarrell Brantley (6-7, 235) of Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts and Columbia; G Payton Hulsey, (6-5, 210) of Eastern Florida State Junior College; G Marquise Pointer (6-0, 180) of Jonesboro, Ark., and G Grant Riller (6-3, 165) of Ocoee, Fla. Also, 6-2 G Brevin Galloway of T.L. Hanna High in Anderson committed to Charleston for the ‘16 class.

Anders Bowman, a 6-2 player, is transferring after two seasons at South Dakota State to Winthrop where he will reunite with his brother, Bjorn Broman, who signed in November with the Eagles.

Bowman scored over 5,100 points in his high school career and led the nation in scoring as a high school junior and senior, averaging 43 points and 41 points, respectively.

By the way, Bowman led the nation in scoring last season at 49.6 points per game.

USC offered ‘16 recruit 6-9 Edrice Adebayo of Washington, N.C. He has several other major offers.

FOOTBALL CLEMSON Clemson has turned its recruiting efforts full throttle to the ‘16 and ‘17 classes, but head coach Dabo Swinney still has room for one more piece to the ‘15 class in wide receiver Denzel Johnson of A.C. Flora High in Columbia, and Tuesday is the day Johnson is expecting to sign with the Tigers.

That’s the day his final grades are to be posted, and if the grade point average and test scores match up appropriately under NCAA guidelines, Johnson’s will be on his way to Clemson.

“Oh yeah,” Johnson said when asked if he were confident about making the grades. “Ninety-five” percent sure he added.

Johnson still has final exams to take this week and they will factor into the final grades, and Johnson said he’s studying hard and feels confident about doing well.

Georgia Southern was by the school last week and its WR coach told him they still have a scholarship for him.

He’s also hearing from South Carolina State and UMass.

USC last contacted Johnson about three weeks ago and said he still had a grayshirt offer if he qualified, but Johnson said he’s not interested in going that route.

Johnson said if he somehow comes up short of qualifying he will go to a JC. Johnson had 69 catches for 910 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and played in the Touchstone Energy NorthSouth All-Star Game. He also is a safety and had 60 tackles with two interceptions and eight passes broken up.

Johnson said Clemson hasn’t told him definitely which position he would play.

Linebacker Tre Lamar of Roswell, Ga., recently completed his first round of visits to all five of his favorite schools when he went to Auburn for the spring game on April 18. Lamar had previously visited Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Alabama. Those five remain his

top schools and he will try to visit each again this summer.

He’s looking at being at Clemson Phil Kornblut again for the All-In BarRECRUITING beque in CORNER July. So far during this spring evaluation period, recruiters from Clemson, Alabama and Stanford have been in to see him.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables was in to see Lamar two weeks ago.

“We were just talking about getting back up there and this time really getting to see the engineering part of the education at Clemson,” Lamar said. “Really just being able to see the entire student atmosphere there and getting a complete feel, just talking about a lot of things.”

Lamar said Clemson, Alabama and Auburn are recruiting him the hardest at this point. He plans to take official visits in the fall and is looking at making a decision during his season or soon afterward. There is no individual leader at this point.

Defensive end Chidi Okonya of Riverdale, Ga., will announce his decision on Friday following his spring game. He has narrowed his list to Clemson, Duke, Tennessee, Stanford and Ole Miss.

Clemson target offensive lineman Jack DeFoor of Calhoun, Ga., was offered by Tennessee. He recently visited Ole Miss. Defensive back Gregory Ross of Oxon Hill, Md., was offered by Clemson Clemson offered ‘17 prospects DE Ryan Johnson of Mobile, Ala., OL Blake Vinson of Ocala, Fla., DE Jonathon MacCollister of Orlando, Fla., and LB Eric Crosby of Virginia Beach, Va.

CLEMSON AND USC OL John Simpson of Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston visited Clemson earlier this month for a chance to get some one-onone time with the Tiger coaches. Mission accomplished.

“I planned on going there to spend more time with the coaches,” Simpson said. “All my top schools, I just want to go back and spend more time with the coaches to see who they really are outside of football. I hung out with (cooffensive coordinator) Coach (Tony) Elliott and some with (OL) Coach (Robbie) Caldwell and (co-OC) Jeff Scott. I got to FaceTime with Coach Swinney. He was in North Carolina for a baseball game with one of his kids, I guess.”

After this visit, Simpson said he’s basically focusing on Clemson, USC and UGA, and he plans to get back to see USC and UGA as well. He doesn’t have dates set for either visit, but said they will take place sometime soon.

Simpson said since he just visited Clemson, he would put the Tigers in front of the other two though he said that’s subject to change as he makes the other visits.

Simpson said he will make his decision “sometime sooner than later. I don’t know exactly sure when I’m going to do it.” However, he is eyeing sometime this summer for his decision.

DE Emmanuel Walker of Lake Marion High in Santee now has offers from Penn State, UGA, UNC, Wake Forest, Western Carolina, Georgia Southern, Charleston Southern and Troy, according to his head coach, Chris Carter. Clemson recruiter Marion Hobby was through the school and wants Walker to come to camp. USC also wants him at its Showcase Camp in June.

UGA likes him and North Carolina State and Miami

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are close to offering. Michigan and Eastern Michigan also have called.

Defensive lineman Jabari Ellis of Lake Marion has offers from Miami, WCU, Georgia Southern and S.C. State, according to Carter. Clemson and USC have talked with him about coming to camp.

USC Tight end Naseir Upshur of Philadelphia has seen his offer list grow to more than 40 this spring, but at this point 13 schools stand out the most to him and one of those is USC. Upshur has long been a target of Gamecock recruiter GA Mangus. He visited USC twice last year, once in the summer and for the UGA game in the fall.

Along with the Gamecocks, Upshur has Arizona State, Southern Cal, Temple, Miami, Alabama, PSU, Maryland, FSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers and Wisconsin on his top list.

Upshur is now seeing recruiters coming through his school and Mangus was one of them.

“I’m trying to get a visit down there next month with my parents,” Upshur said.

“Obviously, I’m real high on South Carolina. My close friend, (running back) David Williams plays there so they are always going to be around. I really want to get a visit with my parents. It’s important that my mom gets to visit the school.”

Upshur said he’s not planning a final decision until National Signing Day in February of ‘16. He wants to take his five officials this fall and is already set to visit Arizona State the third weekend in September. No clear favorite has emerged.

“I don’t really have a No. 1 school basically,” Upshur said. “I don’t want to rush anything. I’m high on a couple of schools but that’s about it.”

USC, Southern Cal, Arizona State, Temple, Maryland, Alabama and Miami are the ones he’s strongest on right now and Upshur said he talks with those school practically every day.

Last season, Upshur had 22 catches for 640 yards and 11 TDs. TE Jordan Giberti of Gainesville, Fla., was offered last year by USC and visited for the junior day in late January. Since then, the Gamecocks have been at the front of his list. Four months later, nothing has changed between Giberti and the Gamecocks.

“You can tell they want me,” Giberti said. “ You can definitely tell they have deep interest and it goes vice versa, too. South Carolina being that program in the SEC (Southeastern Conference), I have to take them seriously. They are definitely one of my top candidates.”

Giberti has other offers from Army, Georgia Southern, Utah and Ohio, and he said Army would be the second school on his list right now, but he’s still considering the other offering schools as well. This spring Giberti has visited Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern, and he plans to visit USC again this summer and again in the fall for a game. Giberti is angling toward a decision later this spring or maybe early summer.

DB Baylen Buchanan (6-0, 188) of Suwanee, Ga., is drawing interest from USC, and after talking with Mangus, he plans on visiting with the hopes of landing a scholarship. He currently is a Louisville commitment and also holds offers from UGA, GT, Indiana, Iowa State, WF, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Mercer, Samford and Texas State.

“South Carolina wants me to come on campus and spend some time up there,” Buchanan said. “I plan on

getting up there soon. I’m looking forward to getting there. Before they offer, they have to see me in the spring.

He’s (Mangus) going to get down and watch me and check me out and get me up on campus and we’ll see where it goes. Hopefully they will offer soon. I just like South Carolina and their defense.” Buchanan has visited Louisville and UGA and, along with USC, he also plans to visit UF, Texas A&M, Tennessee, NCSU, UNC and others this summer.

Last season at cornerback, Buchanan had 32 tackles and one INT. “Teams just don’t want to throw my way,” he said.

DL Naquan Jones of Evanston, Ill., plans to announce on June 5. He is down to USC, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and PSU. He visited USC earlier this year.

USC ‘14 signee DL Dante Sawyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he has successfully completed his 2-year stay at East Mississippi JC and will be eligible to transfer to USC later this month.

Sawyer was one of the top players in Georgia in ‘13 and enrolled early in the JC after determining he would not qualify. He was able to get his 2-year degree in 14 months.

USC commitment WR Kyle Davis of Decatur, Ga., added an offer from Ohio State.

USC offered DL Aaron Thompson Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and OL Jakori Savage of Bay Minette, Ala. RB D’Andre Swift of Philadelphia, WR Robert Beal Jr. of Norcross, Ga., and OL Isaiah Wilson of Brooklyn, N.Y., all ’17 prospects, were offered by USC. USC offered ‘18 DB Asante Samuel Jr. of Fort Lauderdale.

OTHERS Kansas State and GT offered OL Drew Wilson, ‘17 prospect LB DaJohn Bamberg and athlete Jamari Dunbar of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High, and Alabama offered Dunbar and ‘17 prospect DB Savalas Cann.

Conway High quarterback Drayton Arnold was offered

by Old Dominion and DB Nick McCloud of South Pointe High in Rock Hill picked up an offer from S.C. State.

Saluda High OL Cortez Herrin picked up an offer from East Carolina, according to his head coach, Stewart Young. UNC, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Louisville have been in to check in on him. WR Jamarion Mathis visited Coastal Carolina and is also getting interest from WCU, Louisville and App State.

WR Malik Grate of Pendleton High recently committed to WF.

BASEBALL USC head coach Chad Holbrook continues to add to his ‘15 recruiting class, and he has again dipped into the JC ranks.

Outfielder Dom ThompsonWilliams (6-0, 185) of Iowa Western JC announced a commitment to the Gamecocks last week. He reportedly had several other SEC offers.

Thompson-Williams is a sophomore from Sioux City, Iowa, who was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a high school senior. He was a 3-time all-state performer in baseball and was also an all-state football player.

This season, ThompsonWilliams is hitting .405 with three home runs and 38 runs batted in for a team that is 46-5 on the season. Last season, when his team won the national JC championship, he hit .407 with five HRs. Thompson-Williams gives USC 18 in its ‘15 class, including three JC players.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

HORSE RACING

USC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Barbaro’s owners back at Preakness

BY GARY B. GRAVES The Associated Press Roy and Gretchen Jackson are heading back to the Preakness as owners for the first time since Barbaro’s fateful trip to Pimlico nine years ago.

They’re heading to Baltimore with their latest entry, Divining Rod. Barbaro captured a nation’s attention after winning the Kentucky Derby when he tragically broke down at the start of the second Triple Crown race and bravely fought to recover from the devastating leg injury. Barbaro was euthanized eight months later and people still remind the couple of how much the fallen champion

meant to them.

“It’s hard to explain how much interest is there nine years later,’’ Jackson said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

“There are still a lot of people who loved him and follow the whole thing.

“You sort of have two choices: you can sit and dwell on it, and that really doesn’t accomplish anything. We just chose to move on and go on to new things.

We still think about him.’’

Divining Rod is the latest

example of how the Jacksons have moved forward.

The colt enters Saturday’s 140th Preakness with two wins in five starts.

American Pharoah is the likely favorite after his Derby victory, but Divining Rod could be the sentimental choice because the Jacksons owned the beloved Barbaro.

“I don’t expect too many hopes to be pinned on Divining Rod, but it certainly brings the Barbaro situation up,’’ Roy Jackson said.

“He’s a different horse and a different kind of horse.

Some people probably have interest — not because he’s related to Barbaro or anything, but because of ownership.’’

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson, right, and Alaina Coates will have new roles this season when they move from the bench into the starting lineup for the Gamecocks, who will be looking for a second straight Final Four berth.

Coates, Wilson ready to step into starting 5

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press COLUMBIA — A’ja Wilson and Alaina Coates were South Carolina’s high-scoring duo off the bench in the women’s team’s first-ever Final Four season. Now, both are preparing to make an even bigger impact on the Gamecocks next season, this time as starters.

The 6-foot-5 Wilson and 6-4 Coates were the second and third leading scorers for South Carolina, which won a second straight Southeastern Conference title and won a school-record 34 games before losing to Notre Dame in the national semifinals last month.

The two are ready for larger roles next season in chasing a national championship.

“It’s something that we have and we just have to put into the system,’’ Wilson said. “And that’s what we’re going to do.’’

Wilson and Coates were front and center for South Carolina, even if they were rarely in the starting lineup. Wilson, who came in as the country’s top college prospect, made only one start early in the season.

Coates, who won a share of the SEC 6th player of the year as a freshman in 2014, started five games as a sophomore.

Head coach Dawn Staley went with five juniors or seniors in the starting lineup and called on her bench to wear out opponents and break open close games. While the strategy worked, it came under pressure as the season went on.

Better opponents locked down on South Carolina’s less productive starters to open

early leads. At the NCAA’s Greensboro Regional, the Gamecocks fell behind North Carolina and Florida State by double digits before rallying to victory each time.

South Carolina trailed Final Four opponent Notre Dame by 12 points in the second half and could not dig its way back in a 66-65 loss.

Staley has said she needs more consistent scoring earlier in games. Wilson and Coates are more than willing to provide it.

Wilson earned SEC freshman of the year honors, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds and leading the Gamecocks with 65 blocks. Coates was a second-team all-SEC pick with 11 points and 7.9 rebounds a game.

“We played the role we were asked and that worked out great,’’ Coates said.

Coates said no one’s role for next season has been determined. She’s confident, though, she can thrive as the starting center or power forward next fall.

“Regardless of what’s going on, I’ll be prepared,’’ Coates said.

Wilson and Coates take another step in that direction this week. The two post players along with teammate, 2-time SEC player of the year Tiffany Mitchell, are off to Colorado Springs, Colorado for tryout camps for national teams.

Wilson and Coates believe the trials will keep them sharp and focused on basketball. Should they make U.S. teams, they’ll use the experience to jump start another strong South Carolina season.

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PRO GOLF

GOLF NOTES

Fowler’s game catching up to quality of person

Bubble watch now begins for summer Opens

BY DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rickie Fowler walked into a restaurant wearing a beanie pulled down over his ears. The look was not unusual for someone his age.

It was the location. He was in the tropical warmth of Hawaii.

All eyes were on him — especially the young people — when he removed his cap and all that hair spilled out.

After dinner, he stopped by to chat with a PGA Tour rules official and was introduced to the others at the table, including a teenage girl. Too shy to ask for a photo, the girl tweeted about her chance meeting. Moments later, her eyes widened as she stared at her phone.

Fowler had replied to her tweet.

He had another fan for life. There are countless others.

Gestures like that have endeared Fowler to so many fans even as he was accumulating so few victories.

Winning was a long time coming for the 26-year-old Californian, and he bagged a big one last week at The Players Championship. It was his second PGA Tour win in 137 starts as a pro, so there is still some catching up to do. The manner in which he won — no one had ever gone birdie-eaglebirdie-birdie over the final four holes on the TPC Sawgrass — will make one victory feel like five. It brought instant credibility when he sorely needed it.

“It’s only going to help move me forward,’’ Fowler said after his playoff win over Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia. “This will definitely give me momentum going into the U.S. Open and making me feel confident about being in this situation and taking care of business.’’

But that’s Rickie Fowler on the golf course.

He’s been a superstar off the course for the last six years, and there was nothing overrated about that.

“Fun, energetic, a great talent. He’s got a loving side, a caring side,’’ said Bubba Watson, who found a loyal friend in Fowler. “He’s got every quality you’d want. You can say any nice word, and he is truly that person. And very few people go through life like that.’’

Fowler was blessed with so many ingredients for stardom.

His amateur career included a 3-1 record on one of the best U.S. Walker

BY DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The U.S. Open is a month before the British Open.

Qualifying through the world ranking is in a different order.

The British Open takes the top 50 in the world ranking that is published after next week, and with two tournaments left, a few players have some work to do.

That starts with Luke Donald, who has qualified for every Open Championship since 2002 (he missed in 2008 with an injury).

Donald is No. 60 in the world ranking and plays next week in the BMW PGA Championship.

Ben Martin, who missed the playoff at the TPC Sawgrass by one shot, moved up to No. 51 this week. He is playing in the Wells Fargo Championship.

As for the U.S. Open, the cutoff to reach the top 60 and earn an exemption is May 25, which is after the two Texas events on the PGA Tour, and after the Irish Open on the European Tour schedule. Kevin Kisner has lost in playoffs twice in the past month, though that at least moved him to No. 66 and within range.

THOMAS TURNAROUND Justin Thomas is averaging right at 300 yards a drive in his rookie year on the PGA Tour.

But he wasn’t always this long a hitter. Far from it.

“He would call from an AJGA tournament and I’d say, ‘What’s the number?’ And he’d say it was six,’’ said his father, Mike Thomas, a former PGA of America director and the longtime pro at Harmony Landing outside Louisville, Kentucky.

“That was the number of holes he couldn’t reach.’’

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rickie Fowler took a big step toward becoming a star at the Players Championship with an unprecedented performance, at least on the golf course. He’s been a star for years off the course, and there was nothing overrated about that.

Cup teams in recent years (six players from that 2007 team have won on the PGA Tour). His lost in a playoff in his second PGA Tour event as a pro, easily got his card through Q-school and became the only American to play in the Ryder Cup as a rookie.

And he had style.

His endorsement with Puma made

him a colorful figure — orange on Sunday — with those flat-bill hats.

They became as popular as the swoosh, filling a void when Tiger Woods was missing chunks of time.

Fowler brought an X Games personality to the button-down sport of golf with his background riding motorbikes.

DIFFERENT ROADS On the same day that Rickie Fowler won The Players Championship and its $1.8 million prize, Rhys Davies of Wales won a Challenge Tour event in Turkey. It was his first victory in more than five years.

Davies’ previous win was the Hassan Trophy, when he rallied to beat Louis Oosthuizen. That was in 2010, when he climbed as high as No. 44 in the world.

OBITUARIES TORIANO A. TONEY Services for Toriano Adrelle “Tory” Toney will occur at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Mt. Pleasant AME Church, 1800 Vista Lane, Lynchburg, with the Rev. Ernest Brown officiating.

He will be placed in the church for viewing at 2 p.m. until the hour of service.

Public viewing will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Palmer Memorial Chapel, TONEY 304 S. Main St. Mr. Toney was a son of Dorothy H. Toney and the late Hazel Toney Jr. He entered into eternal rest on Sunday, May 10, 2015, at his residence.

Mr. Toney was a 1998 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. He also attended Claflin University in Orangeburg.

He worked in the sales department of Home Depot in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mr. Toney was preceded in death by his sister, Lakeysha Toney; and his father, Hazel Toney Jr. Surviving are his devoted mother, Dorothy Toney; five children; a brother, Hazel Maurice Toney; a special and loving friend, Alicia Rouse; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Memories and tributes may be left on his tribute page found at www.PalmerMemorialChapel.com.

ERVIN LESANE JR. Ervin Lesane Jr. was born on April 6, 1963, a son of Wilhelmina Lesane and the late Ervin Lesane Sr. He departed this life on Friday, May 8,

2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

“Man,” as he was affectionately called, was educated in the public schools of Sumter County. He was self-employed in cleaning and lawn care service. Ervin was a member of the Spiritual Wiseman and Company for more than 10 years, playing the drums and singing. He was an avid repairman and his hobbies included fixing bicycles and fishing.

He leaves to cherish his memories: his mother, Wilhelmina Lesane of the home; three sisters, Silver (Anthony) Sturdivant of Sumter, Rosa Peterson of North Carolina and Juanita Bradley (Rufus Brunson); his companion, Francine St. John of the home; special nephew, Earl Bradley Jr. of Sumter; two nieces, Frankisha Ragin and Laquinda Ragin, both of Sumter; four aunts, Lucille Wilson of North Carolina, Hattie (Tom) Montgomery, Virginia Johnson and Mary Ellen Dinkins, all of Mayesville; one uncle, Sam (Luphylis) McFadden of Sumter; one special caregiver, Minister Deloris White of Sumter; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death his father, Ervin Lesane Sr.; two brothers; two sisters; and his grandparents.

Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary.

Mr. Lesane will be placed in the church at noon on Thursday for viewing until the hour of service.

Funeral services will be

held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 421 S. Main St., Sumter, with the pastor, the Rev. Doris R. Bright, officiating.

Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park.

The family will be receiving friends at the home, 331 Pear St., Sumter.

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

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

FLOSSIE MAE WAY Flossie Mae Way, 83, wife of Humzie Way, entered into eternal rest on Monday, May 11, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

She was born on April 16, 1932, in Sumter.

The family will receive visitors at the home, 1201 Old Pocallo Road, Sumter.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

by Community Funeral Home of Sumter.

GENEVA W. HAIR Geneva Wilson Hair, 58, widow of Raymond Hair, entered into eternal rest on Monday, May 11, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

She was born on Jan. 28, 1957, in Sumter, to the late Willis and Gladys Butler Wilson.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the home, 814 Boulevard Road, Sumter.

Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced

by Community Funeral Home of Sumter.

ROBERT A. BROWN JR. Robert Ashley Brown Jr., 82, husband of Ann Aurelia Pritchard Brown, died on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.

Services will be announced

by Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, (803) 435-2179. www. stephensfuneralhome.org

MICHAEL E. GARDNER Michael E. Gardner, 65, husband of Kathryn Riles Gardner, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, he was a son of the late Leonard I. and Jewell Atkins Gardner. Mike was a member of New Start Community Church of the Nazarene and the Mill Creek Hunting Club.

He retired as a sergeant from Sumter City and County Law Enforcement after more than 26 years of service. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather.

Survivors include his best friend and wife of 29 years, Kathryn; a son, Michael J. Gardner (Shelby) of Sumter; three daughters, Tia Burchfield (Jerry), Robyn Grimsley (Brandon) and Natalye Rooks (Adam), all of Sumter; six grandchildren, Samantha Horne (Matt), Lyndi Gardner, Aubrey Grimsley, Dalton Burchfield, Jake Gardner and Corey Grimsley; two greatgrandchildren, Lucy Horne and Lucas Horne; three brothers; and a sister.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with

the Rev. Dale Turner officiating. Burial will be in New Start Community Church of the Nazarene cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of Sumter City and County Law Enforcement.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home of his daughter, Robyn Grimsley, 70 Planters Drive.

Memorials may be made to New Start Community Church of the Nazarene, 4686 J.W. Rhames Road, Manning, SC 29102.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the second floor staff of Tuomey Healthcare System, special nurses, Erica and Tonie; the staff of Duke University Medical Center, Dr. A. Przybyla and Dr. Tim Wilson.

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

LEWIS BLYTHER Lewis Blyther entered eternal rest on May 9, 2015, at Pruitt Health Nursing Facility in Estill.

Visitations will be held from 2 until 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday at First United Pentecostal Church, Sumter, with the Rev. Theron Smith, senior pastor, and the Rev. Samuel Graham, eulogist.

Interment will follow in Boone Memorial Garden, Bishopville.

Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville, is in charge of arrangements.

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Garage, Yard & Estate Sales First Church of God 1835 Camden Hwy. Sumter, SC 29153 Sat. May 16th, 7am-12noon

LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

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Lawn / Garden / Nursery CENTIPEDE SOD 80sqft - $20 250 sqft - $50 500 sqft- $95 Call 499-4023 or 499-4717

For Sale or Trade Expert Tech, New & used heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, warranty; Compressor & labor $600.

Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Half price! 4 Cemetery plots in Sumter Cemetery. Call Betty at 803-491-4403 leave message.

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

Guarantee 464-5439 or 469-7311

To our beloved mom Virginia E. Orlando June 26, 1926 - May 13, 2000 Your life was a blessing.

Your memory a treasure.

You are loved beyond words.

Enjoy Frank Sinatra's singing.

Sadly missed by, Elizabeth, Robert, Mary & friends

Looking for something that is more than just a job? Do you like to surround yourself with beautiful things and happy people? Are you a highly motivated and goal oriented person? Are you a Team Player with a competitive spirit? Do you love to make money? If your answer is YES to all of the above questions and you are computer literate, please send resume' to P-409 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151. This position is with a local, well established company who is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of the BBB and the Sumter Chamber of Commerce.

FT / PT Class A CDL Drivers. Must possess haz mat & tanker endorsements & TWIC card. Clean 10 Yr MVR. Applicant must be 23 years of age with at least 2 years driving experience of any kind. Local runs; home daily. Call (803) 473-6553.

Warehouse space 1200, 1500, 2000 SF Available located downtown area. Gated, large parking or outside storage. Call 983-9256 lv msg.

F/T EXPERIENCED Maintenance Technician needed for a busy, mid-size property in Sumter, SC. Drug Free Workplace and Equal Opportunity Employer. CFC and CPO certifications ARE REQUIRED. Must have a valid driver's license, insurance and reliable transportation.

Must be available for night/weekend call duty. Salary commensurate with experience. Pd vacation and Personal/Sick. Benefits include: 100% (employee) paid medical and dental.

Please fax resume to 803-775-3595.

No phone calls please!

Looking for a carpenter experienced in floors, windows, and other rental property maintenance. MUST have valid Drivers License. Submit resume to: M-414 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151.

The #1 Furniture Retail Company in the U.S. is seeking a highly motivated, detailed oriented individual with an outgoing personality for a full-time position to handle Administrative and Customer Service duties.

MUST be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel. College degree preferred but not mandatory. Please send or drop off Resume' to: Open Position, 2850 Broad St., Sumter, SC 29150. INTERVIEWS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted Part-Time

Live in Aide needed in Manning SC Thurs 9am- Sun 9am References Required.

Non Smoker Call 803-478-7434 Housekeeper needed. Permanent position. Exc. work, reliability, punctuality, bckgrnd ck req 803-468-1741

Medical Help Wanted Opening for MT/MLT Multiple positions available for Medical Technologist and/or Medical Lab Technician in a large physician's office laboratory in Sumter, SC. Full and part-time openings available for generalist MT / MLT. Performs routine and special diagnostic procedures requiring technical skill, judgment, and independent decision-making following established standards, policies, and procedures. Performs duties under minimal supervision. Flexible shifts available. Pay DOE. Respond to:325 Broad Street, Ste 100, Sumter, SC 29150 or fax 803-403-9977.

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

775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO 2BR/1BA Duplex conv. to Shaw AFB. Washer and dryer, lawn service included.

Avail.

6/1/15 Call 803-968-5627.

Unfurnished Homes For rent-Newly Renovated 3BR 1BA C/H/A, $650 Mo. 4 br, 1 ba, $700 mo. Call 646-315-3274.

Nice 2BR 1BA home. Safe neighborhood. Reasonable. No pets. Sec. 8 OK. Close to Shaw. 803-983-0043 Ren. 3BR/2BA brick home. All hrdwd, 1,850+ sq ft. $1,050 + dep.

Military dis. 803-968-9019 3 bedroom 3bathroom home for rent in SHS zone. $800.00 a month.

Call 803-458-2771 HOUSE FOR RENT Patriot Parkway 2BR/1BA, LR, den, dining room, C/H/A, gas stove. 303-520-8756

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

3Bd 2Ba MH near Pinewood New carpet & appliances, no pets $500 mth + dep. Call 843-884-0346

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

Homes for Sale 905 Arnaud St 2BR/2BA All appl's, fenced patio, screened porch. $109,900. Great rental investment.

803 464-8354

Manufactured Housing LOW CREDIT SCORE? Been turned down for bad credit? Come try us, we do our own financing. We have 2-3-4 bedroom homes. For more information, call 843-389-4215 AND also visit our Face Book Page (M&M Mobile Homes)

Beer & Wine License Notice Of Application Notice is hereby given that On The Rocks Restaurant Bar & Grill intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license permit that will allow the sale ON premises consumption of Beer, Wine and Liquor at 2390 Broad Street, Sumter, SC 29150. To object to the issuance of this permit / license, written protest must be postmarked no later than May 29, 2015. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the same county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protests must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214; or Faxed to: (803) 896-0110.

Summons & Notice

Land & Lots for Sale

SUMMONS

MIN TO WALMART/SHAW 1 +/acres, paved road, utilities. $12,900.

888-774-5720

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF THE THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT Case Number: 2014-CP-43-1489 LP Number: 2014-LP-43-201

RECREATION

Hunting / Fishing Local Hunting Club needs a few members. Land in Sumter and Clarendon counties. 803-938-2793

TRANSPORTATION

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER Ted M. Johnson Jr., v.

Heirs of Edward James and Lucille James and any unknown individual claiming an interest in or lien upon the real estate described herein, Defendant.

TO: DEFENDANT ABOVE-NAMED

Autos For Sale 2005 Toyota Camry LE $5,500.00 Excellent condition. 803-406-7161

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this matter, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer to the said Complaint on the subscribers at their office, 509 Walnut Street, Post Office Box 610, Camden, South Carolina 29021, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service, and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

THE CAMDEN LAW FIRM, PA Deborah J. Butcher Attorney for Plaintiff 509 Walnut Street Camden, South Carolina 29020 Post Office Box 610 Camden, South Carolina 29021 Telephone: 803.432.7599 S.C. Bar No.: 74029 Facsimile: 803.432.7466 S.C. Bar No.: 74029

2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015 Clean 3BR 2BA MH, suitable for older couple, surrounded by other older couples. $450/mo + $350 Dep No Sect 8. 803-775-0492 lv msg.

2, 3 & 4 Bedroom Trailers for rent, Cherryvale & Dogwood Area $250 & up. (803) 651-9926

Deliver Phone Books Work Your Own Hours, Have Insured Vehicle, Must be at Least 18 yrs old, Valid DL. No Experience Necessary.

1-800-518-1333 x 224 www.deliverthephonebook.com

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

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

Resort Rentals

1 Bedroom Apartments for 62 YEARS AND OLDER •Refrigerator •Central Heat & Air •Community Room •Range •Handicap •Coin Operated •Blinds Accessible Laundry Room •Carpet •Emergency Call •Ceiling Fans System **Rent Based On 30% of Adjusted Income** **Utility Allowance Given** 1390 Granville Court • Sumter, S.C. 29150 For application or information, please call

brick Call

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Bassett Park

Help Wanted Full-Time Looking for experience masons and helpers.

803-464-4479.

COMMUNITY MANAGER needed for apartment community in the Sumter area. This is an exciting yet challenging FT position. If you possess supervisory experience, marketing, written and verbal communication plus computer skills, then we need you on our team. Previous property management experience preferred but not required. Must pass criminal check and drug screening. Our company offers competitive salary and benefits.

Must live within 25 miles of Sumter.

Please fax cover letter and resume to Attn. Ad#31 at 1-888-985-4447 or email jobsearch.2014@outlook.com with Attn. Ad #31 for subject. EOE

Maintenance Tech/Painter needed. Approx. 28/hours/wk to work at elderly apt. community in Sumter. Exper. preferred in the areas of painting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry and appliance repair. Fax resume to 1-803-345-3804 Attn: Personnel.

MERCHANDISE Dennis Adams 7/27/1953 - 05/13/2014 In Memory of a Loved One To Lose someone I loved so much Brings pain beyond belief, There are no words to ease my pain My sadness and my grief, I feel I've lost someone so close So wonderful and dear, I think about your special ways And wish that you were near But although you have left this world You'll stay within my heart Guiding like an angel Even though we are apart For love is everlasting And so are my memoriesYour legacy that's away there To light the way for me.

Love your wife Ruth, Children and Siblings

Miscellaneous Rentals

F/T Experienced cake decorator needed with retail experience. Pls apply in person at the Piggly Wiggly on Pinewood Rd. Septic tank pumping & services. Call Ray Tobias & Company (803) 340-1155.

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

We reserve the right to edit, refuse or cancel any ad at any time.

Trucking Opportunities

Looking for Experienced Supervisor for live hang division at Pilgrims Pride Contact 803-518-2600. M-Fri 10-11AM

Congratulations Shericka Choice Daughter of John Lawson & Doris Choice -Workman on graduating USC Law School with Honors!

From the entire Lawson, Choice -Workman Family.

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

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

Help Wanted Full-Time

Help wanted. Roofers and laborers please apply at Southern Roofing Services, Inc. 785 N. Wise Drive, Sumter, SC Experience not necessary but helpful.

Septic Tank Cleaning

In Memory

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

803-469-8238 TTY 800-735-8583

CONTRACTOR WANTED! For Routes In The

WYBOO PLANTATION WHITE OAK II AREA.

Earn Extra Income If you have good dependable transportation and a phone in your home and a desire to supplement your income,

COME BY & APPLY AT

20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC or Call Harry at (803) 774-1257

SECTION

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

Diverse works In the HeART of Town

Outdoor exhibition back for 2nd year downtown

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

D

owntown seems to be the place to be these days, and

that’s where some of Sumter’s finest artists have chosen to display their work on Saturday. Around two dozen painters, sculptors, pencil and mixed media artists and even a blacksmith will have their works in the outdoor exhibition titled In the HeART of Sumter.

The second annual exhibition curated by Walter McNeil will again be held in the green space on Main Street, directly across from the Sumter Opera House, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Carmela Bryan, executive director of the Sumter County Cultural Commission, the primary sponsor of the event, said In the HeART of Town is again a cooperative effort of the commission, Downtown Sumter, Hastie Law Firm, Imports Ltd. and the Arthenia Bates Millican Foundation. In addition, she said, “the stands for the paintings are being constructed by Sumter Youth Build participants under the direction of Bertie Blanding

PHOTOS PROVIDED

ABOVE: A variety of artworks by local artists working in several different mediums can be seen from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

RIGHT: Metal sculptures, perhaps similar to this one in last year’s show, will once again be included in the In the HeART of Sumter exhibition in the Main Street green space in Downtown Sumter. and C-Wall Lyons.”

The exhibition is “a little larger this year,” Bryan said.

“It was very well attended last year, so we know there’s an interest, and the artists are

glad to have their work made more accessible to everyone.”

The outdoor gallery is intended to do just that, Bryan said. McNeil came up with the idea for the event last spring,

IN THE HEART OF SUMTER PARTICIPATING ARTISTS • Walter McNeil, painting, sculpture • Mira Barton, painting, sculpture • Freddie Bennett, painting. sculpture • Laura Cardello, pottery • Mike Tucker, blacksmith • Sylvester Hickmon Jr., painting, colored pencil drawings • Howard McFadden, sculpture • Edward Hayes, painting • David Sanders, painting, sculpture

• Kayleigh Roberts, painting, sculpture • C-Wall Lyons, painting • Julie Watts, painting • Francie Thomas, stained glass • Kaitie Elmore • Josh Padgett, James Driggers, sculptures • Erin Duffie, paintings • Connie Brennan, mixed media • Davey Robbins, painting • Michelle Collins • Rosetta Davis

citing inspiration from the late jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who created what he called a “universal orchestra” comprising musicians of different ethnic and national backgrounds to bring their experiences to his music.

That is true of the artwork at In the HeART of Sumter, and that combined with the casual atmosphere worked well last year, Bryan said, adding that “Many people who had not been to a formal gallery enjoyed strolling among the artworks, and the artists made sales, as well.

The artists have priced their work very reasonably for this event.”

In addition to the art, there will be live music, and food will be available for purchase.

“We hope people will stroll over from the Downtown

Farmers Market and check out the art,” Bryan said. “It’s in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, and there’s a great variety, including paintings, drawings, sculpture and glass art. We’ve got some repeats from last year, but with all new works, and we’ve got some artists new to the event. Many of them are members of the Sumter Artists Guild. Two of the new artists, Michelle Collins and Rosetta Davis, are (Sumter School District) art teachers.”

If Saturday’s event is as successful as last spring’s, Bryan said, “We will plan to keep it as an annual spring event.”

Admission to Saturday’s 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the HeART of Sumter exhibition is free and open to the public.

Sumter Community Band offers patriotic music, jazz

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

T

he Sumter Community Concert Band will present its final performance of the season at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Sumter High School auditorium. The spring concert, as always, will be a diverse program, selected by Director James H. “Jimmy” Mills.

Rick Mitchum, trumpet player and band spokesman, said there are several patriotic pieces in the program,

including “The StarSpangled Banner,” which always opens the band’s concerts.

“We have a few marches, too, which are always very popular,” he said.

“Emmett Anglin, who plays trumpet with us, has done an arrangement of ‘The American Red Cross March.,’” written in 1919 by Louis J. Pannella.

Henry Fillmore’s “176th USA Field Artillery March,” Peter Wilhousky’s arrangement of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and Bob Lowden’s “Armed

Forces Salute” are among the patriotic numbers.

“Armed Forces Salute” comprises the anthems of each branch of the U.S. military. They are the Army’s “The Caisson Song,” the Air Force’s “The U.S. Air Force,” the Navy’s “Anchors Aweigh,” “The Marines’ Hymn” and the Coast Guard’s “Semper Paratus.”

James Swearingen’s piece titled “The Light Eternal” is a tribute to four World War II chaplains who died saving others as their troop ship sank, helping soldiers

into lifeboats and giving up their own life jackets.

Other patriotic pieces and marches include prolific American composer Jay Bocock’s tribute to the fallen heroes of 9/11 titled “As All the Heavens were a Bell” and the classic “Block M March” by Jerry Bilik.

The “Third Army March,” dedicated to Gen. George S. Patton, has a unique connection to Shaw Air Force Base, which Mills will explain during the concert.

In addition to the patriotic songs and march-

es, the SCCB will offer “A Gershwin Tribute to Love,” Mitchum said.

“It’s a medley that includes ‘S Wonderful’, ‘Love Is Here to Stay’, ‘Embraceable You and ‘They Can’t Take T’hat Away from Me,’” he said.

Another medley on the bill is titled “Bond ...

James Bond,” and features themes from several of the popular Bond movies. They include “Goldfinger,” “Nobody Does It Better,” “Skyfall,” “Live and Let Die” and “The James Bond Theme.”

Mitchum said the band will not rehearse during the summer but will resume its regular 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday practices in the band room at Patriot Hall on Aug. 27. He said the band is always looking for new members who play any instrument, especially percussion and clarinet. Call him at 775-9265 for more information.

Admission is free to the 4 p.m. Sunday spring concert by the Sumter Community Concert Band at Sumter High School.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Sumter Community Concert Band will present its spring concert in the Sumter High School auditorium at 4 p.m. Sunday. On the program are several marches and patriotic tunes, as well as some jazz and a medley titled “Bond ... James Bond.” It’s the band’s final concert of the 2014-15 season, but they’ll begin rehearsals for the 2015-16 season on Aug. 27 in the Patriot Hall bandroom. Musicians interested in joining the band are encouraged to attend then.

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FOOD

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Spicy Peanut Herb Sauce can be prepped up to a day in advance, but don’t add the peanuts until just before serving.

Take carrots to a robust new level B

BY J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor

ROASTED CARROTS WITH PORT RAISINS AND SPICY PEANUT-HERB SAUCE

utter and dill are lovely on roasted carrots, but this

spring I wanted something

a little more... robust.

I came up with a zippy sauce that’s something of a cross between Italian pesto and Argentinian chimichurri, but with a hefty dose of Asian peanut sauce just to make it interesting.

The sauce can be prepped up to a day in advance, but don’t add the peanuts until just before serving. The port-soaked raisins also can be done in advance. Just drain and refrigerate as needed (but they will taste best if you let them come to room temperature before serving).

This sauce also is delicious spooned over roasted or grilled pork or cauliflower.

Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 4 1/3 cup port wine 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 pound medium carrots Olive oil Kosher salt 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Pinch sugar 1/2 cup chopped unsalted (or lightly salted) roasted peanuts Ground black pepper Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the port to a bare simmer. Add the raisins, stir to submerge, then set aside to soak.

Cut each carrot into quarters lengthwise. Pile the carrots onto the prepared baking sheet, then drizzle them with a bit of oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss to coat evenly, then arrange in an even layer. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are just golden and tender.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a blender or food processor combine the basil, parsley, 1/3 cup olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes and sugar. Pulse until the greens and garlic are well chopped, but not pureed. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the peanuts.

When the carrots are done, transfer to a serving dish. Spoon the sauce over them. Drain and discard any excess liquid from the raisins, then sprinkle those over the carrots. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition information per serving: 410 calories; 250 calories from fat (61 percent of total calories); 28 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 22 g sugar; 6 g protein; 360 mg sodium.

Food Babe blogger takes heat over health science

BY LEANNE ITALIE The Associated Press NEW YORK — As truth wars go, Vani Hari of the Food Babe blog has produced a doozy.

The former management consultant turned healthy-living activist has a best-selling book and an army of supporters. And with the help of her fans, she’s led numerous successful online petitions to persuade food industry giants to rid their products of ingredients she deems unacceptable.

What Hari doesn’t have, critics argue, is a background in related sciences or nutrition.

And since starting her Food Babe blog in 2011, she’s made mistakes that have landed her in a feeding frenzy.

“I think she means well, but I wish she would pick more important issues and pay closer attention to the science,” said Marion Nestle, a nutrition, food studies and public health professor at New York University.

Hari certainly isn’t the first food activist without a science background. So why has she become the food revolution figure that so many love to hate?

“Because we’re winning,” Hari said in a recent interview, citing numerous commitments by companies to provide more “clean” and “simple” ingredients, often in response to her campaigns.

The answer from Dr. Steven Novella, a clinical neurologist and assistant professor at Yale University’s school of medicine, is more complicated. The working skeptic — he has a podcast and blogs — is one of Hari’s most vocal foes. “It’s almost like she’s a food terrorist,” he said. “She will target some benign ingredient that has a scary sounding name.

Her criteria is if she can’t pronounce it then it’s scary.”

You bet, said Hari, who

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Food blogger Vani Hari stands among numerous cereal choices in a grocery store in Charlotte, North Carolina.

thinks a host of chemicals and additives used in the U.S. have no business being consumed, and notes that many are not allowed or are strictly limited in Europe and elsewhere.

The heat for Hari, who grew up on processed food, is fairly recent as her presence has grown. She gets nearly 5 million blog readers a month. She also gets death threats. And she’s banned so many people from her streams that they now have their own page on Facebook.

“I really do believe the attacks on me and this movement is a distraction from the need to reform the food system,” Hari said by phone from Charlotte, North Carolina,

where she lives. “My sole purpose is to get people healthier.

Unfortunately, many of the critics out there, their sole purpose is only to criticize.”

Much of the bashing, she said, amounts to “needles in haystacks.” Among errors often cited by detractors are a couple that occurred in her early days. She deleted the posts and later acknowledged the mistakes.

One, from August 2011, had her taking issue with the air on planes being mixed with up to 50 percent nitrogen. She failed to consider that the atmosphere is comprised of 78 percent of the latter.

Another, from July 2012, trashed microwaves as destroy-

ing nutrients in food and producing malformed water crystals. The second notion is based on a bizarre theory by a controversial Japanese researcher who maintains that water crystals turn ugly when exposed to foul language.

“These were before I decided to make this my career. It’s like saying that the New York Times or whoever aren’t allowed to make mistakes. Back then I was blogging as a hobby,” said Hari, who supports some alternative approaches to health and healing.

But even beyond these more egregious examples, Hari’s mainstay tactics include overstating health risks and linking artificial ingredients with their non-edible uses, the latter a particularly effective way of rallying support. Last summer, for example, she took issue with Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors over a foam stabilizer and several other ingredients.

In that post, she referred to propylene glycol, also found in airplane deicing liquid. Other bloggers claimed she meant propylene glycol alginate, an unrelated substance that comes from kelp. Neither were among ingredients in Budweiser and Miller Lite (which the companies posted in response to Hari), though both are allowed

by U.S. regulators.

“What she does over and over again is target a chemical and try to provoke a disgust reflex by talking about what other purposes a chemical is used for or where it’s derived from,” Novella said.

Why do companies cave?

Subway, for instance, removed azodicarbonamide, a chemical in its bread also found in yoga mats. But it’s also found in plenty of other bread products, and is well-studied and safe, says Novella. He theorizes it’s

just easier, to some companies, to make questioned ingredients disappear.

“I think it’s making a returnon-investment kind of evaluation. They figure choice A, explain to the public why this scary sounding chemical is safe or B, just get rid of it,” Novella said.

It was Hari’s railing against “toxic” levels of sugar and a widely used caramel coloring in the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte that helped motivate Yvette d’Entremont in Los Angeles to begin blogging about her at Scibabe.com.

Known as Science Babe (Note, there’s another Science Babe out there), d’Entremont is by far Hari’s most entertaining and trash-talkiest critic.

Under the headline, “The ‘Food Babe’ Blogger is Full of (Expletive),” d’Entremont — who once worked as an analytical chemist for a pesticide company — took after Food Babe earlier this month on Gawker over the seasonal latte.

“She took caramel color level IV and said that it was in (the government’s) carcinogen class 2B. It sounds horrible, but there’s another thing in the cup that is carcinogen class 2B: the coffee, because of the acrylomide from the roasting process,” d’Entremont said.

“Between her egregious abuse of the word ‘toxin’ anytime there’s a chemical she can’t pronounce and asserting that everyone who disagrees with her is a paid shill, it’s hard to pinpoint her biggest sin,” d’Entremont said.

As for sugar in the latte, the average adult would need to down 40 to 50 of them in a sitting to have a toxic dose, counters d’Entremont. “And at that point you would also have a toxic dose of water and caffeine.”

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

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C3

In Alabama, only white sauce will do

BY ELIZABETH KARMEL The Associated Press

W

hen people think barbecue sauce, they usu-

ally think something tomato- or vinegar-based. But today, I want to convince you to consider another breed of barbecue — white.

White barbecue sauce is popular in northern Alabama.

I was first introduced to it years ago by a friend who was surprised I didn’t know what it was. She sent me home with a bottle and instructions to use it on chicken. I will admit that I thought it was an odd concoction until I tried it. It only took one bird and one bottle of that sauce to convert me.

At the heart of white barbecue sauce are four ingredients — mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and black pepper. The folks at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, are credited with popularizing this sauce, dating back to 1925. The beauty of the sauce is that it enhances the flavor of chicken without overpowering or covering it up. The tangy cider vinegar and creamy mayonnaise dress a hot smoked or grilled chicken perfectly.

And if you think about what mayonnaise, salt, pepper and lemon juice does to chicken salad, it all makes good sense!

My version is similar to an old fashioned coleslaw dressing, but with less sugar.

2 cups mayonnaise 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish Juice of 1 lemon In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be made in advance and kept for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce is definitely worth a try.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nutrition information per 1/4 cup: 250 calories; 250 calories from fat (100 percent of total calories); 28 g fat (4.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 0 g protein; 310 mg sodium.

BUTTERFLIED BARBECUE CHICKEN WITH ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, is famous for this unusual white barbecue sauce. It’s so different that folks who aren’t from Alabama sometimes look askance when I mention it. But one taste is all you need to become a believer. In the restaurant, freshly smoked chickens are dunked in this sauce before serving. Pulled chicken doused with this sauce also is very good.

Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes (20 minutes active) Servings: 4 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) Olive oil Kosher salt and ground black pepper Alabama white barbecue sauce (recipe below) Prepare a grill for medium heat, indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the grill and cooking on the other side. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side, then cooking on that side.

Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry. Flip it upside down so the breast is on the cutting board.

Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone so the bone can be removed. Gently but firmly open up the bird a little, then flip it to be breast side up. Break the breastbone by firmly applying pressure and pressing down.

Brush chicken all over with olive oil. Season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill and grill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until beginning to brown.

Turn the chicken over and brush barbecue sauce on the back of the chicken. Grill for 10 minutes. Turn back over (breast side up) and brush sauce on skin. Grill for another 20 to 30 minutes, brushing it twice more with barbecue sauce, until the thigh registers 180 F. Remove the chicken from grill.

Using a clean pastry brush, brush the chicken one more time with sauce, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Nutrition information per quarter of a chicken and 1/4 cup of sauce: 920 calories; 690 calories from fat (75 percent of total calories); 77 g fat (17 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 225 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 53 g protein; 630 mg sodium.

ALABAMA WHITE BARBECUE SAUCE Start to finish: 5 minutes Makes about 3 cups

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

‘Dear Abby’ dinner promises good food, times DEAR ABBY — We have enjoyed an international dinner club with three other couples for many years. BeDear Abby sides an international ABIGAIL theme, we ocVAN BUREN casionally have other theme dinners. The host couple chooses the country and is responsible for the main course. Another couple brings an associated entree, the third couple brings dessert and the fourth couple provides the wine. We rotate responsibilities so we host only once every four months.

We have become close friends over many memorable

THE SUMTER ITEM

meals together, sharing pregnancy announcements, child rearing, graduations, weddings and anniversaries.

I think a “Dear Abby” dinner would be fun to host, and I’d love to plan a meal around your cookbooks. Would you please advise how this avid reader might get copies?

Chef Mike in Canada DEAR CHEF MIKE — I know a Dear Abby dinner party would be enjoyable, because readers have written to tell me they’ve hosted one, and it made for an interesting and fun evening.

The recipes are traditional, easy to read, simple to prepare and delicious.

As I mentioned to a reader from Little Rock who inquired about the booklet, one hostess described decorating her place cards with appliqued hearts

and tiny flowers. She created a centerpiece by making a “bouquet” of envelopes addressed to Dear Abby.

Another woman copied questions from past columns, printed them out and made them into a party game, instructing her guests to supply the answers. She said that after a few glasses of wine, some of the answers they came up with were hilarious, but not suitable for printing in a family newspaper.

My cookbooklet set contains more than 100 tasty recipes. To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $14 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby — Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

My mother used many of these recipes for dinner parties, and so have I.

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

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

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Windows precursor 6 Hard-to-control groups 10 Forensic investigator’s item 14 Advil alternative 15 Pair on a lake 16 Place to slog through 17 “Wait, there’s more ... “ 20 Hullabaloo 21 Barry White genre 22 Dossier cover?

23 “Boy, am I dumb!”

25 Touch the ground 27 “Wait, there’s more ... “ 33 Airline with the MileagePlus frequent flier prog.

34 Ole Miss rival 35 Customs collection 38 Golf lesson subject 40 Charmin layer 42 Black & Decker rival 43 Dapper 46 Gave up for money 49 Irritated state 50 “Wait, there’s more ... “

53 Brainy Simpson 54 Not within walking distance 55 One needing a lift 58 “__ Girl”: 2014 Affleck film 61 Battery terminal sign 65 “Wait, there’s more ... “ 68 D.C. dealers 69 Hawaiian coffee district 70 Put a cap on 71 Eye woe 72 Kiddie-lit dog 73 Stops bleeding DOWN 1 Apple Store array 2 Job opening 3 Prefix with goddess 4 Go to extremes 5 Complete collection 6 Con __: briskly, on scores 7 Iolani Palace site 8 Estracell sponge brand 9 Phishing fig.

10 Does a slow burn 11 Surfing convenience 12 Opera showstopper 13 Gets in the

pool, maybe 18 Milo of the movies 19 She adopted Tigger 24 Top of a scepter, perhaps 26 Part of MoMA 27 Perturbs 28 O.K. Corral gunfighter 29 Toy (with), as an idea 30 Sitter’s challenge 31 Quiz answer 32 Maori carvings 36 Unshakable 37 Cut and run 39 “Don’t make me laugh!”

41 __ Kippur 44 Stone monument 45 UFO fliers, purportedly 47 Career offi-

cer 48 Forensic investigator’s molecule 51 Convertible, in slang 52 Adviser who was a regular “Oprah” guest 55 Enervates 56 Feature of some paneling 57 In a laid-back manner 59 Words of dismay 60 Straightened up 62 Wedding rental 63 Combat group 64 LAPD ranks 66 Puts one’s initials on 67 Pampering, for short

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ABC’s entire Wednesday night lineup renewed

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Fans of ABC’s Wednesday night lineup can rejoice. The entire slate will be back next year. Celebrate while you can because some of these series are showing their age.

Was this the year that “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC) ran out of gas? The episode that took place on Claire’s tablet was inspired, but it says something when technology trumps characters.

This smartly written series has always been brazen about its use of broad stereotypes, but this season, the dynamics between Claire and Phil, Gloria and Jay and Mitchell and Cam began to feel a tad too familiar and predictable. Why else would they introduce trashy new neighbors (Steve Zahn and Andrea Anders)?

At the same time, it’s been fascinating to see how well a cast of very young actors has progressed both individually and as an ensemble. We have literally seen Lily, Manny, Luke, Alex and Haley grow up before our eyes. Casting young performers is always a risk. Who knew that the little baby Mitchell and Cam brought home would grow up to hold her own with her wisecracking parents?

Soap operas can go on forever, but how long can “Nashville” (10 p.m., ABC) improvise on all too similar themes? Juliette’s good girl/bad girl bipolar routine has gone North and South a few too many times. Gunnar continues to make goo-goo eyes for Scarlett, whose speaking voice has degenerated into that of a talking doll with a ludicrously out-of-control hairdo.

And what is it with this show and motherhood? We know that Rayna’s mother was murdered and Juliette’s mother was a hot mess who eventually overdosed. Scarlett’s mother (Deacon’s sister)

on a two-hour “CSI: Cyber” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • A filmmaker’s death attracts the distraction of an amateur detective on “The Mysteries of Laura” (8 p.m., NBC, TV14).

• A kidnapping victim’s snobby parents interfere with his rescue on “Law & Order: SVU” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• A mass murderer shoots up a health club on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• “Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman” (10 p.m., Science) ponders new theories about the reason for human existence.

SERIES NOTES LIANE HENTSCHER / THE CW

Stephen Amell stars as Oliver Queen and Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak in a scene from the season finale of “Arrow” airing at 8 p.m. today on The CW.

makes her feel terrible and Teddy’s life is messed up because his first wife (Rayna) is the mother of somebody else’s (Deacon, again) child and his second wife (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) pretended to be having his baby before she “lost” it and was assassinated by a crazed gunman. Gunnar is bummed because his ex-girlfriend’s outof-wedlock child isn’t his. It’s his dead brother’s! Avery eventually reacted to his own surprise paternity like a grownup, but motherhood has inspired Juliette to act like Juliette on steroids.

Maybe they should just rename this musical soap opera “From Here to Maternity.”

• “Black-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC) may be ending its freshman season, but it’s already reaching back to the future. Last week, “Cosby” star Raven-Sy-

mone made a cameo. This week, Junior shocks Dre with his Republican politics. Just how will that fray their “Family Ties”?

• The acclaimed Irish comedy “Moone Boy” returns for a third and final season exclusively on Hulu. Set in the 1980s, the story involves a young boy and his imaginary friend (Chris O’Dowd, “Girls,” “Family Tree”).

• “Lethal Seas” on “NOVA” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) presents a sobering look at the future. Evidence is growing that the oceans’ ability to absorb man-made carbon dioxide may be reaching its limit. In some areas the ocean’s acidity has grown so extreme that the shells of marine creatures are dissolving.

Other nature documentaries offer less grim news. “Nature” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG,

check local listings) offers stories of nurture as “Animal Childhood” looks at different ways critters raise their offspring all over the world.

A David Attenborough production, the two-part series “Rise of Animals — Triumph of the Vertebrates” (8 p.m. and 9 p.m., Smithsonian) covers millions of years of evolution.

TONIGHT’S SEASON FINALES • A winner emerges on “American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

• Sue’s graduation day feels anything but special on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC).

• Nobody is safe on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

• Barry becomes the school mascot on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC).

• A power outage distracts authorities from a jewel heist

Keeping their word on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) * Dean flies solo on “Supernatural” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT Reza Aslan is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Rob Lowe and Jay Baruchel are on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, r) * Julia Roberts and Ryan Adams appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Matt Dillon, Tatiana Maslany and Will Butler visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * James Marsden and Brandon Flowers appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

CULT CHOICE Denzel Washington, John Goodman and Donald Sutherland star in the 1998 supernatural thriller “Fallen” (8 p.m., Syfy).

Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Master strawberry shortcake with best biscuit recipe

BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press

T

he arrival of local strawberries is a sure sign that warm weather is on its way. So to celebrate, I’m

sharing what I consider the absolute best biscuit recipe I’ve ever encountered.

It was while I was working in Gourmet magazine’s test kitchen during the ’80s that I was put on the quest for the best biscuit. I tested dozens of versions, using a variety of fats and liquids in different proportions — milk, buttermilk, shortening, butter, sour cream, etc. The cream biscuits in this recipe for strawberry shortcakes easily beat out every other option.

An all-American favorite popularized by James Beard, cream biscuits weren’t just the tastiest and most tender of those we tested, they also were the quickest and easiest to make. Also, cream biscuits have fewer ingredients than any other version, because a single ingredient — that would be the cream — provides both the fat and the liquid required to make the biscuit heavenly.

But it isn’t only the ingredients that make these biscuits the best; it’s the technique, too. The key is to mix the dough very little after you’ve added the cream. If you mix too much, you’ll develop gluten (the protein in the dough) and the biscuits will be tough.

The dry ingredients are combined first, then most of the cream is poured in. You’ll need to add more or less cream depending on how long the flour has been stored.

How to determine the right amount? With a little test. Add a bit more than a cup of the cream, mix the dough briefly, then grab a small handful of the dough and squeeze it. If it sticks together, great. If it doesn’t, add more cream until it does.

Now dump the whole rough mess on the counter (and it will look like a mess, but don’t worry), knead it lightly a few times, and watch the dough quickly cohere enough to allow you to roll it out. Shape it into a square, cut the square into six biscuits, then bake.

Wait a minute, you say. Aren’t shortcakes usually round? Indeed they are, but that requires cutting out rounds with a cutter, gathering scraps, working them back into a solid dough (which further develops the gluten), and cutting a few more shortcakes. This second batch will not be as flakey and tender as the first. Plus, the whole process is quicker if you only roll and cut the dough once. That’s why we make it square.

You might also wonder why there’s no sugar in the biscuits. It’s because the strawberries, after being tossed with sugar and left to macerate for an hour, are plenty sweet. And the whipped cream is the perfect finishing touch. They really are wonderful, these biscuits. Try them once and you’ll likely figure out that they’re just as tasty served hot with butter at dinner as they are in these fruit shortcakes.

Start to finish: 2 hours 15 minutes (40 minutes active) Servings: 6 For the biscuits: 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached allpurpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus extra to brush the tops of the biscuits 2 teaspoons sugar For the filling: 2 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered if the strawberries are small, cut into sixths if they are large 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve To make the biscuits, heat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour in enough of the cream to just form a dough. The dough should be shaggy and clumpy, but moistened.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough 2 or 3 times, or just until it comes together. Use your hands to form the dough into a square. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 6-inch square about 3/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 6 equal rectangles, transferring them to the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between them.

Brush each square lightly with cream, then sprinkle each with the sugar. Bake on the oven’s middle shelf until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and zest. Add more or less sugar to taste.

Use a fork or potato masher to lightly press on the strawberries.

Set aside for 1 hour.

To serve, cut the biscuits in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Arrange the flat bottoms on 6 serving plates. Spoon a sixth of the strawberry mixture (including any juices in the bowl) over the biscuit bottom. Top with other half of the biscuit, then spoon whipped cream or ice cream onto the top and serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving: 590 calories; 340 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 38 g fat (23 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 135 mg cholesterol; 59 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 20 g sugar; 8 g protein; 480 mg sodium.