IN SPORTS: Laurence Manning football team working toward 2nd state title B1 GIVE A LITTLE BIT
It’s time to lend a helping hand TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014
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Suit no longer involves county
75 cents
Your community is in need, so spread some holiday cheer A4
Hosing down Sumter Mall
Sumter had been on defendants list in wrongful death case BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com A judge this month ruled to dismiss Sumter County from a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a fatal 2012 crash. The motion, filed Monday in Sumter County common pleas court, removed the county from the list of defendants in the case. Sumter County was the lone governing body named in the original June 2013 complaint. The lawsuit also listed the S.C. Department of Transportation and the S.C. Department of Public Safety as defendants. The civil action came little more than a year after Jerome Dennis, a 33-year-old
SEE LAWSUIT, PAGE A9
POST OFFICE TIPS
What do you need for holiday mailing? BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com Beginning this week, the U.S. Postal Service will be delivering packages seven days a week in major cities and high-volume areas through Christmas Day. And with deadlines creeping up to attempt to ensure the expected 15.5 billion cards, letters and packages reach their destinations on time, Harry Spratlin, communications coordinator for Greater South Carolina District, wants people to know their options. “The unique thing about Sumter is the number of alternative sites,” he said. “You have three contract postal units (CPUs) for retail access. Customers can go to a CPU after the PO (post office) closes, because they have longer hours. Of course, there are lots of retail stores and banks that offer stamps on consignment, (and) Sumter is surrounded by small towns in Sumter County that have post offices such as Dalzell, Mayesville, Pinewood, Rembert and Wedgefield.” The tri-county area features nearly 30 post offices or contract postal units. To locate the one closest to you, visit http://1.usa.gov/18I6GF4. “We do our best to keep wait time in line at a minimum this time of year,”
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Despite the rain Monday, Dwayne Hart power washes the bricks at Sumter Mall. William Miller, right, fought occasional high winds and rain while he kept an eye on his co-worker.
YOU CAN HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE
Sheriff ’s office takes nominations for those in need, donations for annual food drive BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is kicking off it’s second-annual Elizabeth Foxworth Helping Hands Food Drive. Named for one of its own who died in December two years ago, it is the perfect way to honor the senior corporal for her unconditional loyalty to both the office and residents of Sumter County, sheriff’s office officials said. “She was always giving of her
time,” said Lt. Petrina Wiley who worked with Foxworth. “She just never stopped and was always looking to see how she could make a positive impact. She was the epitome of teamwork. She was always trying to be a part of the effort here. It didn’t matter which department, she was always around trying to help out.” In the inaugural year, the sheriff’s office collected about 2,900 canned good and nonperishable food items to distribute to 135 families, said Braden Bunch, public in-
DEATHS, B6 The Rev. Sim Smith Ashton Benbow Jr. Mason Mickens Johnnie Mae Harrison Harry Lee B. Conner
Joan King Larry Wilson Maurice Middleton Johnnie D. Williams III
formation officer. Submissions for families in need are being taken now through Dec. 12. Contact Wiley at (803) 436-2026. Donations are being accepted at the sheriff ’s office, 1281 N. Main St., now through Dec. 18. Prepackaged food bags are available for $6.10 at Save-A-Lot, 674 W. Liberty St., but the sheriff ’s office will accept any and all nonperishable food items for this project. For more information, contact Wiley at (803) 436-2026.
WEATHER, A12
INSIDE
GONNA GET CHILLY
2 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 30
Partly sunny, breezy and cooler today; cold tonight HIGH 45, LOW 22
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