October 19, 2014

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USC rolls past Furman; Clemson holds off Boston College B1 BUSINESS

‘Living fossils’ at Dalzell farm D1 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2014

| Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894

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Projects could help people ‘get up and move’ Penny tax would be used to revamp 2 Pinewood parks BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories examining $75 million worth of new construction needs in

Sumter County, as identified in the proposal for a renewed penny sales tax. Sumter County voters will be asked to approve the tax in November, and funds raised by the tax, should it pass, will go toward a series of building, infrastructure and other projects throughout the county. When Jack Spann looks around the open field just off West Fulton Street

at Ball Park Road, he sees potential. He sees a field where he himself once played football with his friends, where area schools would have football and track practice. These days, those goal posts are rusted away, the track encircling the field is nothing more than a vague imprint in the grass, and the modest wooden bleachers have been reclaimed by the surrounding tree line. But there is potential.

Spann and fellow members of Pinewood Town Council are hoping to give residents of their small town a place to be proud of with a proposed penny sales tax project that would build Pinewood a “Sports & Wellness Complex and Recreation Center.” The project would take the 9-acre plot of land and create a multi-sports field,

SEE PINEWOOD, PAGE A11

Family trio takes on triathlon Patriarch, now-retired judge oldest at event BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com

I

n the crisp, fresh air Saturday morning, retired 3rd Circuit Judge

David McInnis was one of more than 130 people registered and ready to go for the TriSumter Triathlon. Standing outside of City of Sumter Aquatics Center before the start of the event, McInnis — known as “Pap” to his loved ones — said his only goal was to finish. Of all the participants, Pap was the oldest registered for the triathlon at age 80, according to Peggy Kubala with the center and coach of the local swim team the Sumter Stealths. But that didn’t matter. Pap swims a mile each day and was on the swim and diving team in college, so his age was just a number on Saturday, and his opponents — walking up to shake his hand in admiration — were honored to compete with him. Considering Pap received some adequate help from two other generations of McInnis men, he fared well against his opponents and got out of the pool with pride and with

PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

cheers from the crowd. He later told his son Dave that he thought he did well because he passed more people than those who passed him. “One more lap, and I would have shown them how to float face down,” Pap said afterward jokingly. The McInnis family watched Saturday morning as athletes from all across South Carolina and out of state came together to compete in the event that has taken place in the Sumter

Dave McInnis gives his father, Pap McInnis, some encouragement before he begins the first leg of the TriSumter Triathlon at City of Sumter Aquatics Center on Saturday morning. The two teamed up with Dave McInnis’ son and Pap’s grandson, David McInnis, to complete the triathlon, with Dave running the 5K portion. David McInnis, 18, rides his bike during the second leg of the triathlon on Saturday. He was the thirdgeneration McInnis in the race.

SEE TRIATHLON, PAGE A11

Sumter Democrats get voters excited about election BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com The Sumter County Democratic Party hosted a rally Saturday evening to get local Democrats amped up for the upcoming election. The organiza-

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tion hosted the rally along with a fish fry at Sumter County Cultural Center in historic downtown Sumter. With more than 500 people on the organization’s mailing list, Sumter County Democratic Party’s Allen Bailey said the purpose of the event was to get

people pumped up and remind them to tell their neighbors, friends and everyone they know to vote in two weeks. “Nov. 4 is right around the corner. We want to get people excited and hopefully get more people to volunteer as well,” Bailey said.

DEATHS, A11 Edward Dingle Patricia A. Williams Betty J. Alston Dotsy R. Parnell

Annie L. Hilton Keels Leilar E. Briggs Gertrude W. Dozier Ruby L. Prescott

With hundreds of faithful voters in the audience, the Sumter County Democratic Party welcomed candidates running for various elected positions including lieutenant governor

SEE VOTERS, PAGE A6

WEATHER, A12

INSIDE

A LITTLE COOLER

5 SECTIONS, 40 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 5

Mostly sunny but not as warm today; mainly clear and chilly tonight HIGH 71, LOW 44

Business D1 Classifieds D3 Comics E1

Lotteries A12 Opinion A10 Television E3


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