Do you know today’s top baby names?
A9
BUSINESS
Time to float your boat Marshall’s Marine aims to fulfill your boating needs D1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
$1.50
SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016
IN PANORAMA: Find your drink at Friday’s Microwbrew
C1
16 candidates gather in Lee County NAACP forum focuses on education, jobs BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Sixteen candidates came together at the Lee County NAACP forum for candidates running for local, state and na-
tional positions in the 2016 elections. Each candidate had two minutes to introduce himself or herself and give his or her background. Questions were then read aloud by a moderator, directed to a specific candidate. Each
candidate had two minutes to respond to the specific questions. The most popular topics at the forum seemed to be the local school system and jobs. The most crowded field of candi-
‘Prove them wrong’
dates in the race is the State House of Representatives, District 50 seat, which will be left vacant by retiring Rep. Grady Brown, D-Bishopville, the longest serving member of South Carolina House of Representatives. On the question of unemployment
SEE FORUM, PAGE A11
2 jazz bands set to share Patriot Hall BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com Sumter Community Concert Band Jazz Band and the Sumter High School Jazz Band continue their tradition Tuesday of presenting a joint concert to end the concert season and the school year. Admission is free. They’ll share the stage of Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St., beginning at 7 p.m. for a concert that mixes big band, classic, modern and contemporary jazz. The curtains will open to the sounds of the SCCB Jazz Band’s theme song, Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” and continue with a program of familiar
tunes from the Big Band Era through the hot jazz period and into more contemporary sounds. Miller, a favorite of the band, will also be represented by “A String of Pearls,” composed by Jerry Gray. “It’s the classic arrangement,” said jazz band director and spokesman Rick Mitchum, “and it has a trumpet solo by Robert Berry.” The band will continue with the theme from the TV show “Hawaii Five-0” by Morton Stevens, transcribed and arranged by the band’s Emmett Anglin, who also plays trumpet with the group.
SEE BANDS, PAGE A11
KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM
A sampling of some of the fresh produce available from Dorr Farms is seen Saturday at the farmers market located at the Sumter Fair Grounds.
KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM
Cellis Driffin tries to convince his godson, Joie Pressley, 5, to take a selfie with him before Morris College’s Baccalaureate Commencement Convocation on Saturday morning at Sumter County Civic Center.
Clyburn tells Morris graduates to follow dreams BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com U.S. Rep. James “Jim” E. Clyburn, D-S.C., the thirdranking Democrat in the House of Representatives and a Sumter native, gave the commencement address at Morris College’s graduation
ceremony on Saturday. The event, held at Sumter County Civic Center, included the graduation of 102 students from the four-year, private, historically black college. Clyburn spoke on his humble beginnings growing up in Sumter. He also spoke on how both of his parents attended Morris College. His mother,
Almeta Clyburn, a beautician, graduated in 1953, his father, Enos Lloyd Clyburn, a fundamentalist pastor, however, did not receive a degree from the college during his lifetime. Morris College conferred Clyburn’s father the degree in 1998, 20 years after his death.
CONTACT US
DEATHS, A11
VISIT US ONLINE AT
the
.com
Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1237 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News and Sports: 774-1226
SEE MORRIS, PAGE A13
Marcelene McDaniel Heitkemper Sandra S. Pearson Lucy Enter Genise Law Armani C. McKnight Dorothy Hall
Get fresh, local produce at local farmers market BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com It’s spring time, and that means an opportunity to buy fresh, local produce. Dorr Farms, of Gable, Sumter County, is selling dozens of fruits and vegetables and honey at an indoor farmers market at the county fairgrounds on
West Liberty Street. The building, owned by American Legion Post 15, gets most of its business during the summer months of June and July, said Marie Dorr, co-owner of Dorr Farms, with her husband, Maynard Dorr Jr. Dorr Farms is the only
SEE MARKET, PAGE A13
WEATHER, A14
INSIDE
A WARM MOTHER’S DAY
5 SECTIONS, 38 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 171
Partly sunny today and partly cloudy tonight. HIGH 89, LOW 64
Classifieds D4 Comics E1 Education C2 Opinion A12
Outdoors D3 Reflections C4 Stocks D2 Television E3
TOO BUSY FOR SOCIAL?
HIRE A PRO!
Because of the advanced targeting options, social media advertising Build proactively targets relevant users your business! before they even begin their search. City Centre Downtown Find out how at the seminar
DIGITAL
May 18th & 19th
kkatie ti welch l h shaw h katie@theirisagency.com
ffor more info, contact