ENTERTAINMENT: A superhero CPA in Affleck’s ‘The Accountant’ A5 Put all Storm Debris on curb for PICK-UP by FEMA Contractors. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016
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Students charged in email threats
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Food bank gives food to more than 100
BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Three 13-year-old Hillcrest Middle School students face multiple charges for allegedly sending vulgar and threatening emails to multiple teachers, Sumter School District Superintendent Frank Baker and Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis in late September. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, a picture of BAKER an automatic weapon was included in emails threatening to shoot at the school as well as shoot the superintendent and the sheriff. Other emails included sexually explicit messages that were sent to several teachers. The emails, sent through the DENNIS school’s email system, contained the identity of one of the students who later identified two classmates during
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Sheriff ’s office wears pink for breast cancer awareness BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Throughout October, Sumter residents may notice a subtle change to county officers’ uniforms — the addition of the color pink. In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, personnel at Sumter County Sheriff’s Office are wearing pink shirts and ties, and officers are wearing pink T-shirts under their patrol uniforms. Maj. Allen Dailey said personnel have been showing their support for breast cancer awareness by wearing pink with their attire for about six years. But this is the first time officers have been authorized to wear pink T-shirts under their uniforms, he said. Sheriff Anthony Dennis said he authorized the change because there are multiple
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PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM
Minister Ron Combs and Kenneth McEachern move a load of fresh grapes from Harvest Hope Food Bank to be distributed to the people of Summerton on Friday afternoon. Harvest Hope delivered bread, fresh fruit, water and food boxes to be handed out by Creating Miracles, Life Changing Corp.
Harvest Hope donations help Summerton residents BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com SUMMERTON — More than 100 Summerton residents and their families benefited from a donation of nonperishable food items from Harvest Hope Food Bank’s emergency food pantry on Friday. Food bank employees have packed items to feed thousands of South Carolinians who were displaced or are without power in the Pee Dee area after Hurricane Matthew, according to a news release from the organization. On Friday, the organization’s truck delivered 100 boxes of food items such as ready-to-eat meats, peanut butter, jelly, chips, soups and bread. “We’ve delivered boxes of food to four counties today and are planning to do more deliveries next week,” said Carl Goodson, agency
relations specialist with the organization who was in Summerton on Friday. The boxes were unloaded and sorted out at Holy Temple of Jesus Christ, 2 3rd St. in Summerton. The food bank’s emergency food pantry came to Summerton because of the effort of Carol Blanding Combs, activity director for Creating Miracles, Life Changing Corp., a new nonprofit organization in Summerton. Combs said she contacted the organization after seeing the need in Summerton. Many residents were without power for days, losing all of the food in their refrigerators and freezers, she said. “I’m all about helping the community as much as I can,” she said. “I love helping people; it’s a ministry for me.”
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Domestic violence survivor, ex-wife of D.C. sniper slated to speak at YWCA luncheon BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com Mildred D. Muhammed, exwife of the “D.C. sniper,” John A. Muhammed, will be the keynote speaker at The YWCA of the Upper Lowlands’ survivors’ luncheon at the James E. Clyburn Intermodal Transportation
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Center pavilion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. John Muhammed and his partner killed at least 10 people in the District of Columbia area during three weeks in a “rampage” that law enforcement said was part of a plot to kill his wife in order to regain custody of his children. Muhammed is an award-win-
Mildred Muhammed, the ex-wife of D.C. sniper John Muhammed, who killed 10 people in three weeks, will be the keynote speaker at Thursday’s YWCA Survivors’ and Advocate Appreciation Luncheon.
ning speaker for the U.S. Department of State, a certified consultant with the Office on Victims of Crime, a CNN contributor and a domestic abuse survivor, advocate, trainer and educator. As a victim who became a survivor, she will promote in her
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DEATHS, A7 Lucinda G. Moody William H. Stevenson Jr. Sarah G. Jones Africa L. Ford Beulah Lee D. Reid Betty M. Wilson
Tom Taylor, of Harvest Hope Food Bank, unloads goods from the group’s truck as Minister Ron Combs transports the food boxes to be distributed by Creating Miracles, Life Changing Corp. on Friday in Summerton.
Maurice Benbow Mary W. Portee Madeline L. Lawson Ruth G. Snyder Eddie Dennis
WEATHER, A8
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LOVELY SATURDAY
2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES VOL. 122, NO. 1
Partly sunny and beautiful today; partly cloudy tonight HIGH 76, LOW 55
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