October 28, 2015

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IN SPORTS: Crestwood’s Greene honored after record game

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PANORAMA

Music and more Sumter Opera House announces a variety of acts for spring season C1

SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

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Don’t give in to mosquitoes without a fight selves to some of your blood cells. The bad news is, they are likely to be around long after the Halloween displays have disappeared from stores. Vector Control Director Allen Penland said this week’s rain will keep his crews out of the fields. “That’s three days we are going to lose,” he said. “We can’t spray when it rainy or if it’s windy.” Penland said as soon as the weather improves, the department will return

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com How should you dress for Halloween this year? Maybe as a beekeeper. That would be one way to keep the mosquitoes off. Unfortunately, clouds of the pesky biting insects will be around for Halloween on Saturday. They probably won’t even say “Trick or treat,” before helping them-

to spraying “day and night.” Clemson Extension Agent David DeWitt said we can blame the weather. “With all the water standing around and more coming, that’s obviously perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” he said. “We had all of that water sitting around where it hasn’t been before, and then it just sat there and we had warm weather that’s ideal for mosquitoes.” He said he was hoping the cooler weather would help get rid of the

pests, but all it did was “slow them down.” “They’ll likely be here until we get a good hard freeze,” he said. With the Halloween weekend approaching, numerous church groups and other community organizations have been planning outdoor events, but too many uninvited guests of the bloodsucking kind may frighten people away.

Hot wheels, great cause

SEE MOSQUITOES, PAGE A9

County council to address road repairs, battle mosquitoes BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com

PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Roger Davis and Dre Perry, above, talk about Davis’ 1934 Plymouth dragster during the Caffeine and Gasoline Care and Motorcycle Show on Saturday at Sumter Cut Rate Drug Store and Soda Fountain. Below, Sumter residents check out some of the more than 140 entries in the show. The event also featured live music, and proceeds benefitted the Blinking Buzzards Shrine Unit.

Car show raises money for transportation needs of sick kids BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com A minivan with a jet-powered engine created a ball of fire that lasted for a second as more than 400 spectators gathered to watch. That was just one of the highlights of the Fourth Annual Caffeine and Gasoline Car and Motorcycle Show held Saturday evening in downtown Sumter, said organizer Todd Touchberry. More than 140 cars, ranging from early 1920s models to modern day, were on display in a car show that raised money to help with sick children’s transportation costs to medical facilities. Sumter Cut Rate Drug Store and Soda Foundation presented the event, raising more than $2,000. The money, which benefited The Blinking Buzzards Shrine Unit, a local Shriner’s chapter, will be donated to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 nonprofit medical facilities across North America, Touchberry said. Shriners International is a fraternity “based on Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth” with about 200 chapters in several countries, according to the organization’s website, www.shrinersinternational. org. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a nonprofit organization that provides care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate, ac-

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cording to the website.“It’s rewarding to know that you’ve helped sick children who are in need,” Touchberry said. David Marcella, president of Sumter Cruisers, a car enthusiasts club of about 60 members, said the event was a success. Marcella displayed his 1953 Ford Customline at the event. “The show included a variety of vehicles, good entertainment and great food,” he said. Trophies were awarded in more than 20 categories. Local band Homegrown provided the entertainment. Sumter Cut Rate Drug Store and Soda Foundation stayed open during the evening for the first time in its 80-

year history, serving a limited menu. Touchberry said he was overwhelmed and grateful for the number of participants, which was more than double the amount from last year’s 61 entrants. “We weren’t expecting that many entries, but we’re not complaining,” he said. “We want to make this an even better event next year.” Touchberry organizes several car shows throughout the year in the Sumter area. The next show, the Second Annual Fall 2015 All Ford Show, will be held on Nov. 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 32 S. Main St. Proceeds will benefit several cancer and flood victims. For more information, contact Touchberry at (803) 983-5430.

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DEATHS, B7

Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1237 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News and Sports: 774-1226

John H. Gillison Donna K. Player David Johnson Essie Bowman Magline Singleton Daniel L. Avins Kathleen M. Affronte

Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon said the county is working hard to handle the increase of mosquitoes in the area and is also moving toward permanent repairs following the recent flood. Mixon said the county is receiving multiple calls per day regarding mosquitoes, and the county is doing extra for mosquito control, despite the added cost to the budget. It’s something that needs to be done, he said. Mixon said the best times to spray for mosquitoes is right at sundown, but there are so many of the insects flying around that spraying during the day would also be effective. He said the county manages the vector control department, but both the city and county cover the expenses. Mixon hopes Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the county for the added expenses for vector control, but the state and Department of Health and Environmental Control are the entities that need to determine if spraying for mosquitoes will be added to FEMA-covered relief. He said mosquitoes are pretty much a statewide issue at the moment following the flood. Mixon said areas affected by mosquitoes should alert Sumter County Vector Control should at (803) 774-0044 or (803) 774-0045, he said. And, clogged ditches and drains should be alerted to Sumter County Stormwater Utility at (803) 774-3855. As far as overall recovery and repairs, Mixon said the city and county officials will meet with FEMA representatives Thursday morning to continue reviewing damages in the area. He said the county is applying temporary repairs to roads but could soon receive the green light from FEMA to begin procedures to put permanent repairs in place. Mixon said more than 8,000 county residents have registered for FEMA assistance and more than $8 million has been appropriated to residents. Also, Mixon said S.C. Department of Social Services will be in at the Civic Center at the beginning of November to provide assistance to families through

SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A9

WEATHER, A10

INSIDE

HEAVY STORMS LIKELY

3 SECTIONS, 26 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 12

Humid and wet today with good chance of heavy thunderstorms; partly cloudy and warm tonight. HIGH 79, LOW 60

Classifieds B8 Comics C6 Food C8

Lotteries A10 Opinion A8 Television C7


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