October 2, 2014

Schools show testing gains Middle schools exceed state average in some EOC exam subjects

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

75 CENTS

SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES | VOL. 119, NO. 299

No bond for 3 suspects in teen’s death

The S.C. Department of Education released End of Course Examination results showing that the state had some strong gains at the end of the 2013-14 school year. In Sumter School District alone, results show that middle schools in the district exceeded the state average in multiple subjects including Algebra 1 and English 1.

Alice Drive Middle School’s average score in Algebra 1 was 87.4, 5.3 points higher than the state average, and Furman Middle School students scored an average 82.7 in English 1 compared to the state average of 78.4.

“I am very encouraged that our schools continue to make gains. All of our middle schools surpassed the state average in one or more of the subjects tested while our high schools improved overall from last

year,” said Superintendent Frank Baker. “As a team, we always look for ways to enhance our instructional strategies so our students are college, career and life ready. It is important to note, however, that this begins with our youngest learners, and we will continue to work collaboratively to ensure all students are ready to advance to the next level.”

SEE TESTING, PAGE A7

Picture day for Pee Wee football teams

BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Bond was denied for three teens charged in the death of a Lee Central High School student found dead Tuesday afternoon in the woods of Bishopville.

Oszhane Simon, 17; Markell Fortune, 16; and Darron Fortune, 16, each made first appearances inside a courtroom Wednesday since being charged with murder. A judge declined setting bail for the Bishopville suspects.

Each of their charges stem from the shooting death of 17-year-old Shakez Bracey, SIMON whose body was found by Lee County deputies in a wooded field near a creek about a mile off English Road. Authorities said he was shot once in the head.

News of Bracey’s death and the revelation from investigators that Dontrell Fortune, an 18-year-old Bishopville teen found dead in an SUV along Azalea Road on Saturday, was ID’d as the triggerman in his death has rocked the small Lee County town of about 3,500.

Simon, Dontrell Fortune’s girlfriend, is scheduled to appear in court again Oct. 20.

Bond for the three teens was denied one day after four other Bishopville teens’ bail was denied. Those four suspects were charged in Dontrell Fortune’s shooting death in what investigators described as retaliation for Fortune allegedly killing Bracey on Friday.

DEATHS, B4 Christine A. Tomlin Margie V. Brunson Maynard S. Dorr Sr.

Lucy Copeland Peggy Lewis Shakez Bracey

Hootie and the Blowfish drummer to share story of recovery on Oct. 10

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com

WEATHER, A12 GRAB YOUR SHADES Mostly sunny and pleasant today; mainly clear and humid tonight HIGH 86, LOW 61

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MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Lee County Pee Wee football teams gather to have team photos taken at the old Bishopville High School on Wednesday.

Bishopville residents continue to participate in community events despite a recent string of shooting deaths that have rocked the small town.

.com

A celebrity is coming to a Sumter church soon to share his story of how Jesus Christ helped him overcome addiction.

Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, drummer for Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform and speak at Celebrate Recovery on Saturday, Oct. 11, at INSIDE Salt & Light Church, 360 MillWe’ve got er Road. more on “We think it’s religion news an opportunity to starting on page A8. reach some people we normally wouldn’t,” said John Sellar, member of the faithfocused, 12-step program. “We know there are always people out there, and by bringing out this guy from Hootie and the Blowfish, maybe they take that step toward recovery themselves. He had the

rock-star lifestyle, but something was missing. He needed to fill a void as well. He had and has it all, but he still needed to find the answer for himself.”

Sonefeld first learned of Celebrate Recovery about two years ago.

“I was first invited in 2012 to come speak and perform at a group,” he said. “I didn’t have any knowledge of it before SONEFELD that even though I’d been in a 12-step program for seven years at the time.”

Since then, he’s been willing to share with various Celebrate Recovery groups.

“I guess my spiritual gift, if I have one, is singing about God,” Sonefeld said. “It took me a long time to see that and to listen to it.

Now that I’ve found it, I feel called to give it back, to give it to others.

It’s a great place to sing about God and to testify about His amazing healing power in my particular life.”

A member of the Sumter group heard Sonefeld speak at a Celebrate Recovery in Florence, and he gave Sonefeld a card with Sellar’s contact information on it. Two days later, his manager contacted Sellar.

“That was a month ago,” Sellar said. “We stress so much that we think our stories are so unique, and to the individual they certainly are, but the root cause to drinking too much or stepping out on your spouse, all those things, we’re all looking for answers. Jim proves to me that it doesn’t matter who you are, you’re not alone in this thing.

We’re no different than anybody else from a rock star to the guy on the corner. We’re pretty much the

SEE SONEFELD, PAGE A7

Military, civic leaders converge at Shaw forum

BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Officials and community leaders from municipalities across the Southeast got together at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter on Tuesday for the Ninth Air Force Civic Leader Forum.

The two-day event served as a meet and greet for leaders in cities and towns where each of the Ninth Air Force’s combat facilities are based. That included public officials and community leaders from several towns across Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina installations. The Ninth Air Force headquarters, along with the Third

Army, is located on Shaw Air Force Base here in Sumter.

“The intent was to bring civic leaders together from all the installations in Ninth Air Force so that they can learn from each other the best practices, the ways and means that they take care of airmen at those installations, and learn from each other in the process,” said Col. Scott Caine, vice commander of the Ninth Air Force. “The real bottom line for us is that we want the communities that our airmen live in to understand the challenges that our airmen go through and be better prepared to focus on those challenges and to help our airmen.”

Caine said Air Force leaders educated civic officials about the chal-

lenges the military branch faces at its Southeastern bases in the nation. The hope was that leaders from each of the municipalities interact and talk about their experiences to provide feedback to military commanders.

“That’s the other great part of this is that they start talking to each other and sharing ideas of how to take care of our airmen and how to take care of our Air Force so that we can better be prepared to deliver the combat power that we’re challenged with as an armed force,” MATT BRUCE / THE SUMTER ITEM Caine said.

Maj. Gen. H.D. Polumbo Jr., commander of the Ninth The forum, which began with a reception Monday evening, sprouted Air Force, speaks to a room full of civic leaders from

SEE SHAW, PAGE A7

across the Southeast during a forum at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter on Tuesday morning.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: pressrelease@theitem.com

LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

3 plead guilty in scheme to defraud air base Three men have pleaded guilty as part of a scheme to defraud Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter through construction contracts.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles said Wednesday that James Autry Clemens of Johnston, Larry Baker of Cameron and Steven Crandall of Salisbury, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.

Nettles said Clemens has also pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Prosecutors said the men inflated costs of construction projects by submitting invoices that falsely claimed additional workers and resources were used to complete construction jobs on the base, then split the payments among themselves.

The men will be sentenced later.

Baker and Crandall face possible 10-year sentences, while Clemens faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Sumter man charged with exposing victims to HIV Montie Ray Davis, 44, of 512 Robney Drive, was arrested Friday and charged with exposing another person to HIV. A woman reported she had sex with the suspect in July. She was tested earlier this month after learning he was possibly infected. A second charge was filed Wednesday after another woman said she had unproDAVIS tected sex with the suspect without knowing he could be infected.

According to South Carolina law, a person found in violation is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years.

Davis was convicted of the same offense in 2005.

125 pounds of pills turned over to officials Sumter Police Department collected 85 pounds of pills Saturday, said Tonyia McGirt, public information officer, and Sumter County Sheriff’s Office collected 40 pounds of unused medication, according to reports. The pills were turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to be destroyed.

Both agencies participated in National Prescription Drug TakeBack Day, a nationwide campaign sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration during which local law-enforcement agencies partner with the federal drug unit to collect expired, unneeded or unwanted prescription drugs.

The goal is to reduce the risk of drug abuse by promoting the removal of unused controlled substances from medicine cabinets.

Specified pill take backs occur twice a year, and in April, the police department collected a record 150 pounds of pills.

Unused or expired pills can be dropped off on weekdays at the Law Enforcement Center, 107 E. Hampton Ave., during normal business hours throughout the year.

Willow Drive students selling bracelets for March of Dimes

BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com This week Willow Drive Elementary started a unique initiative for March of Dimes, selling bracelets that will be students’ tickets to see a performance by the Lakewood High School band. The bracelets are $3 each, and the Lakewood band will visit Willow Drive on Friday, Oct. 10, to march and perform in the playground and give the students a small concert performance.

Kindergarten teacher Linn Richardson said several of the faculty got together to discuss what they could do to raise money for March of Dimes this year — one of many fundraisers the school is involved in, including Pennies for Patients, the Heart Walk and Relay for Life.

“Several members of our faculty and staff are personally tied to March of Dimes from their own personal experience, so it’s really coming from the

RAYTEVIA EVANS / THE SUMTER ITEM

Willow Drive Elementary School students are participating in a fundraiser for March of Dimes where people can purchase purple bracelets for $3 and use them as tickets to see a short performance by the Lakewood High School band when the band visits Willow Drive on Friday, Oct. 10. heart,” Richardson said.

“So we thought, ‘It’s the March of Dimes; why not a march?’”

Richardson said they were lucky enough to have LHS band director Ray Francis’ wife, Debra Francis, as a teacher at Willow Drive, so they were able to

partner with the band and organize a mini-concert for the students. The teachers are using the fundraiser as a learning experience for students as well. Richardson said teachers have talked to the students about healthy babies.

“The children are learning about this because we want to put it in a way they understand,” Richardson said. “So we’re explaining to them that we want mamas to be pregnant as long as they need to be so they can have strong, healthy babies.”

The school will also have classroom competitions where a child who wishes to donate a dollar will get credit for his or her classroom, and the child will be given a card to display on the classroom door in the hall. The class that raises the most money will receive a party.

Throughout the district, multiple schools normally participate in different fundraisers each academic year. Many of the schools will organize different fundraisers for March of Dimes this year.

One of the biggest fundraisers in the district is Relay for Life, in which all schools participate every year.

Artist talk, reception at USC Sumter

LEARN MORE To see more of artist Fran Gardner’s work, visit www. frangardner.homestead.com or contact her at fgardner@ mailbox.sc.edu.

USC Sumter has five art galleries on campus that are open to the public. Visit www.uscsumter.edu for more information on current and upcoming displays or contact Professor Cara-lin Getty, USC Sumter’s director of galleries and curator of exhibits at (803) 938-3727.

FROM STAFF REPORTS Artist Fran Gardner’s “Laws of Variation” is the featured exhibition in the University of South Carolina’s University Gallery through Nov. 24. Gardner will present an artist lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, in the gallery. A reception will follow.

A native South Carolinian, Fran Gardner lives and works in the communities of Heath Springs and Lancaster, not far from her birthplace, Hartsville. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Columbia College and a master of fine arts degree from Vermont College of Norwich University.

She is professor of art and art history at the University of South Carolina Lancaster, where she teaches a variety of studio courses, art history, appreciation and art education.

Her work has been exhibited regionally and nationally and published in Fiberarts and Needle Arts magazines and in the books Expressive Drawing by Steve Aimone, Crafting Personal Shrines by Carol Owen and

PHOTO PROVIDED

Fran Gardner, seen with some of her work, will present an artist talk at the University of South Carolina Sumter’s University Gallery on Friday, Oct. 10. The public is invited to the free event.

Gardner’s work can be seen in the gallery located in the Anderson Library through Nov. 24.

The Art of Textiles by Mary Schoeser.

“Petroglyphs, architecture, graffiti — examples of our collective human urge to leave an imprint.

These relics are a historical record with a tenacious

existence. Think the caves of Lascaux, the pyramids and the surfaces of train cars,” Gardner said.

She has received many awards in competitive exhibits both statewide and nationally. In addition, she

has exhibited at numerous art centers and museums across the United States. A career highlight was the invitation to be a National Park Artist-In-Residence at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico in 2012. While in residence, she produced 30 8-by-8-inch pieces to be installed permanently in the Visitor Center. A piece focused on the excavated architectural structures of the ancient Chacoans, an archaeological feature of the park.

“My work speaks to this human urge for mark leaving, referring to that enduring historical record while simultaneously becoming a part of it. The materials, not rock, brick or steel but rather fabric, thread and paint, translate into an intimate and ephemeral account of my perception of our shared history, present and future.”

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Metal Ammo Can CHARGES Karon Durant, 22, of Bishopville, was arrested Monday and charged with possession of stolen property after Sumter County deputies found her in the eighth block of East Brewington Road about 10:15 a.m. Monday inside a 2001 Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen from Lee County.

Eric Muldrow, 41, was charged with his fourth offense of driving under the influence after a traffic stop late Monday night near North Main Street and Lafayette Drive.

Eric Dwayne Yarborough, 41, of 4225 Zachary Road, was charged with resisting arrest after an incident about 8:22 p.m. Monday in the 2000 block of U.S. 521. Deputies responded to reports of a shoplifter and found two suspects walking from the business parking lot who fit the description given by the owner. The two fled, and the suspect was caught. He continued to resist, so the deputy deployed a Taser, according to the report.

Nolis Lionell Boyd, 24, of 369 Seminole Road, was arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence and possession of cocaine after an incident between 2:20 and 3:41 a.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of Rogers Avenue. Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call and found the suspect on a woman’s back when they arrived. A witness said he had choked her and tried to drag her out the front door. While securing the home, the deputies found a white substance on a mirror in the master bedroom’s bathroom with the suspect’s identification near it.

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2 arrested, 1 sought in home burglary Sumter police have arrested two men and are looking for one other suspected in the burglary of a Boulevard Road home on Sept. 26.

Dontel Rasheen Times, 19, of 101-A Somerset St., Dalzell, is wanted for burglary, second degree, and conspiracy.

William Shied Pollard, 18, of Mayesville, was TIMES arrested and charged with burglary, second degree, and conspiracy. He remains in SumterLee Regional Detention Center pending bond.

Nineteen-year-old Anquan Cummings, of 713 Ravenel St., reportedly turned himself in to Sumter Police Department on Wednesday.

Police responded to a home in the 500 block of Boulevard Road on Sept. 26 after two men were seen entering the home between 11 and 11:30 a.m.

Pollard was arrested shortly afterward when he was found in a field near the burglarized home.

Reports indicate two TV sets, a laptop computer, jewelry and other items valued at $2,700 were taken from the home.

Detectives said Cummings was out on bond for a burglary in the county since being released on probation for a burglary last year.

Times also has an attempted murder charge in the county and was out on bond at the time of the burglary.

Anyone with information related to the suspect’s whereabouts or the break-in should call Sumter Police Department at (803) 436-2700. Information can also be given anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (803) 4362718 or 1-888-CRIME-SC. A cash reward may be available for information leading to an arrest.

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THE SUMTER ITEM

Vigil will promote mental health awareness

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

mote the awareness of mental illness and mental health during the past year. In previous years, the award has gone to the sheriff’s office, Lynn Melton and several others.”

The Rev. Thomas Burke of St. Anne Catholic Church will give the invocation and the benediction.

During the candle lighting, Harmon said, the group will join in singing “This Little Light of Mine,” and “seven different one-sentence readings will be given.”

After the vigil, refreshments will be served inside the Mental Health Center, 215 N. Magnolia St., on the corner of Lafayette Drive and Calhoun Street.

NAMI Sumter also sponsors two support groups, Journey to Recovery for individuals with mental illness and Journey of Hope for family mem-

NAMI SUMTER CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

In observance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, Oct. 5-11, NAMI Sumter will hold its 18th Annual Candlelight Vigil at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Mental Health Center Recovery Garden. NAMI Sumter is one of only 13 chapters of the National Alliance for Mental Illness in South Carolina.

Organizer Fred Harmon said the event is held annually in honor and support of family members and mental health professionals in the Sumter area. The theme for the event is “We’ve Only Just Begun.”

Ramelle Coker, behavioral health counselor at Sumter Family Health Center, will be speaking on the topic “Mental illness, suicide and what we

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Mental Health Center Recovery Garden, 215 N. Magnolia St. CONTACT: (803) 905-5620

can do.”

Harmon said Sumter County Council Chairman Larry Blanding will read a proclamation from council officially making Oct. 5-11 Mental Illness Awareness Week in Sumter.

During the vigil, Harmon said, “We will have soloist Virginia Wincoop sing ‘He Lives’, and we will present the Davis D. Moise Award, which goes annually to the group or individual who has done the most to pro-

bers and friends. During the free and confidential group meetings, Harmon said, people learn from others’ experiences, share coping strategies and offer each other encouragement and understanding. Both groups meet at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive, on the corner of Poinsett and Yeadon drives.

Trained facilitators are present at each group.

“At the same time in another classroom at St. John,” Harmon said, “Ramelle conducts a Survivors of Suicide support group.”

All three groups are open to anyone with a need, he said, at no charge. For more information about the 18th Annual NAMI Sumter Candlelight Vigil or the support groups, call Fred Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

Community center officially opens its doors The grand opening and ribbon cutting for the Catchall-Shaw Community Center, 2680 Peach Orchard Road, attracted a full house Monday. Attendees listened to speeches by community leaders and had the opportunity to enjoy refreshments.

JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sole-searching group will collect shoes

Soles4Souls will be collecting new and used shoes in Sumter during the month of October.

The organization will accept any brand and any style of shoe, with the goal of getting them to those in need in the U.S. and abroad.

BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com The nonprofit organization Soles4Souls will be collecting new and used shoes during October. The group’s mission is to take those donations and get them to those in need, both in the U.S. and worldwide. Its goal for the month, across seven collection centers, is to collect 30,000 pairs of shoes.

For those interested in donating, the group is accepting all brands and styles of shoes, from sandals to boots to high heels. All shoes must be donated in pairs secured

COURTESY OF SOLES4SOULS / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM

to each another. Donations will be accepted at Manning Early Childhood Center, 2759 Raccoon Road, Manning, and in Sumter at Scott Will Toyota, 2542 Broad St.; Simpson Hardware, 40 W. Wesmark Blvd.; Dayelynn Spa and Becky’s Boutique, 1165 N. Guignard Drive; Brown’s Furniture, 31 W. Wesmark Blvd.; N Salon, 721 Bultman Drive; and Miss Libby’s School of Dance, 155 W. Wesmark Blvd.

Since the group’s inception in 2006, it has provided services in 127 countries around the world. The current campaign is part of its “Home-

town Challenge,” where employees in the organization were tasked with starting individual movements in their hometowns. Events/outreach coordinator Tiffany Johnson, a native of Paxville, and her friend Crystal Kirlis of Sumter have brought the campaign to the area.

Tax receipts are available for those donating shoes, and tax-deductible money donations will also be accepted.

Money collected will not count toward the group’s 30,000-shoe goal but does provide a pair of shoes to someone in need. For more information, visit Soles4Souls.org.

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Sister: U.S. Ebola patient said he came from Liberia

BY DAVID WARREN and LAURAN NEERGARD The Associated Press

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE NEW CASE

DALLAS — The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States told relatives that he notified health care workers the first time he went to the hospital that he was visiting the U.S. from Liberia, the man’s sister said Wednesday.

Mai Wureh told The Associated Press that her brother, Thomas Eric Duncan, went to a Dallas emergency room on Friday and was sent home with antibiotics. He returned two days later after his condition worsened and was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Mark Lester confirmed Wednesday that a nurse asked Duncan on his first visit whether he had been in an area affected by the Ebola outbreak that has killed thousands in West Africa, but that “information was not fully communicated throughout the whole team.”

A nine-member group of federal health officials was tracking anyone who had close contact with the man.

The team from the Centers for Disease Control is in Dallas to work with local and state health agencies to ensure that those people are watched every day for 21 days.

“If anyone develops fever, we’ll immediately isolate them to stop the chain of transmission,” Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, said in an interview.

Duncan has been in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital since Sunday. He was listed in serious but stable condition Wednesday.

Ebola is thought to have sickened more than 6,500 people in West Africa, and more than 3,000 deaths have been linked to the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

Three members of the ambulance crew that transported the man to the

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

An ambulance pulls into the Dallas Fire Rescue station 37 in Dallas on Wednesday. Three EMTs from this location are under a 21-day quarantine after a patient they transported tested positive for Ebola. hospital have tested negative for the virus and are restricted to their homes while their conditions are observed.

Duncan was vomiting when the ambulance got to the hospital, Dallas city spokeswoman Sana Syed said.

A handful of schoolchildren who had contact with him are also being monitored at their homes, Texas Gov. Rick Perry told reporters.

The ambulance crew is among 12 to 18 people being monitored after exposure to the man. Some are members of his family, but not all, Syed said.

Ebola symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting and bleeding, and can appear as long as 21 days after exposure to the virus. The disease is not contagious until symptoms begin, and it takes close contact with bodily fluids to spread.

Officials said there are no other sus-

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pected cases in Texas, but the diagnosis sent chills through the area’s West African community, whose leaders urged caution to prevent spreading the virus.

The man left Liberia on Sept. 19, arrived the next day to visit relatives and started feeling ill four or five days later, Frieden said.

Stanley Gaye, president of the Liberian Community Association of Dallas-Fort Worth, said the 10,000-strong Liberian population in North Texas is skeptical of the CDC’s assurances because Ebola has ravaged their country.

“We’ve been telling people to try to stay away from social gatherings,” Gaye said Tuesday at a community meeting.

The CDC has not advised that people avoid large gatherings in this country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have warned for months that someone infected with Ebola could unknowingly carry the virus to this country, and there is word now that it has happened: A traveler in a Dallas hospital became the first patient diagnosed in the U.S. “There is no doubt in my mind that we will stop it here,” CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said in Atlanta on Tuesday.

Some questions and answers about the case: Q: How is Ebola diagnosed?

A: Some of the symptoms of Ebola are similar to other ailments, so doctors do a blood test to confirm an infection. Frieden said tests done early may miss the virus.

“Even in the initial phases of illness, when they’ve got a fever, the most sensitive tests in the world don’t detect it because there’s so little virus,” he said.

Q: So who’s at risk?

A: Texas health officials already have begun tracking down close contacts of the patient, thought to be mostly the relatives the man stayed with after he returned to the U.S. Officials will check them for symptoms every day for 21 days. Frieden said only about a handful of people are thought to have been exposed.

Q: Could Ebola have spread on the airplane?

A: No, Frieden said, because the man wasn’t sick then. The CDC said there is no need to monitor anyone else on those flights and didn’t reveal flight information.

Q: Will the patient stay in Dallas?

A: Frieden said there’s no need to transfer the man to one of those special isolation units that have gotten so much attention for treating four American aid workers who caught Ebola while volunteering in West Africa. Most hospitals can follow the necessary infection control for Ebola, Frieden said, and the Dallas hospital said it was “well prepared” to safely treat this case.

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NATION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM From left to right, serial killers “Boston Strangler” Albert DeSalvo, Jeffrey Dahmer and Son of Sam killer David Berkowitz are seen. Studies show that most serial killers start their lives as sociopaths by torturing or killing pets. The FBI announced this month it would make animal cruelty a Group A felony with its own category, the same way crimes such as homicide, arson and assault are listed in the agency’s Uniform Crime Report Program.

AP FILE PHOTOS

FBI turns animal cruelty into top-tier felony

BY SUE MANNING The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Young people who torture and kill animals are prone to violence against people later in life if it goes unchecked, studies have shown. A new federal category for animal cruelty crimes will help root out those pet abusers before their behavior worsens and give a boost to prosecutions, an animal welfare group says.

For years, the FBI has filed animal abuse under the label “other” along with a variety of lesser crimes, making cruelty hard to find, hard to count and hard to track. The bureau announced this month that it would make animal cruelty a Group A felony with its own category — the same way crimes such as

homicide, arson and assault are listed.

“It will help get better sentences, sway juries and make for better plea bargains,” said Madeline Bernstein, president and CEO of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles and a former New York prosecutor.

The category also will help identify young offenders, and a defendant might realize “if he gets help now, he won’t turn into Jeffrey Dahmer,” she said.

Law enforcement agencies will have to report incidents and arrests in four areas: simple or gross neglect; intentional abuse and torture; organized abuse, including dogfighting and cockfighting; and animal sexual abuse, the FBI said in a statement. The bureau didn’t answer ques-

FBI studies show that serial killers such as Dahmer impaled the heads of dogs, frogs and cats on sticks; David Berkowitz, known as the “Son of Sam,” poisoned his mother’s parakeet; and Albert DeSalvo, aka the “Boston Strangler,” trapped cats and dogs in wooden crates and killed them by shooting arrows through the boxes.

It will take time and money to update FBI and law enforcement databases nationwide, revise manuals and send out guidelines, Thompson said, so there won’t be any data collected until January 2016. After that, it will take several months before there are numbers to analyze.

The new animal cruelty statistics will allow police and counselors to work with children who show early

FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS

Secret Service chief resigns after breach

signs of trouble, Bernstein said.

The FBI’s category will track crimes nationwide and is bound to give animal cruelty laws in all 50 states more clout.

Many states are seeing more of those convicted of animal cruelty being sentenced to prison, in marked contrast to years past.

Whether talking about state laws or the FBI change, it is clear “that regardless of whether people care about how animals are treated, people — like legislators and judges — care about humans, and they can’t deny the data,” said Natasha Dolezal, director of the animal law program in the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

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NATION BRIEF WASHINGTON — Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned Wednesday, a day after bitingly critical questioning by Congress about a White House security breach.

There had been increasing calls for her departure during the day.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said she offered her resignation, and he accepted it.

Pierson will be replaced

by Joseph Clancy, a former special agent in charge of the president’s protective detail who retired in 2011.

Pierson has been with the agency for 30 years.

She was widely criticized during and after her testimony Tuesday.

Pierson took over the embattled agency last year after embarrassing incidents involving misconduct by officers and agents, including the 2012 Colombia prostitution scandal.

tions beyond a short statement.

“The immediate benefit is it will be in front of law enforcement every month when they have to do their crime reports,” said John Thompson, interim executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association who worked to get the new animal cruelty category instituted. “That’s something we have never seen.”

Officers will start to see the data are facts and “not just somebody saying the ‘Son of Sam’ killed animals before he went to human victims and 70-some percent of the school shooters abused animals prior to doing their acts before people,” said Thompson, a retired assistant sheriff from Prince George’s County, Maryland.

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TESTING FROM PAGE A1 According to the results, 58,750 students in the state were tested in Algebra 1, and the average score was 82.1 with 26 percent of the students scoring between 77 and 84.

In English 1, 56,315 students were tested in the state with an average score of 78.4.

Overall score increases for South Carolina were 0.5 of a point in biology and English, 1.5 points in algebra and 2.2 points in U.S. History. The state saw a huge increase in the percentage of students receiving a grade of ‘A’ across all four subjects: algebra by 6.7 percentage points, U.S. History by 5.4 points, English by 2.7 points and biology by 2.3 points. According to the scores, students also im-

SONEFELD FROM PAGE A1 same at the end of the day. We’re human beings trying to find answers.”

Sonefeld agreed.

“I hope they leave with inspiration and hope that no matter where their journey has brought them, no matter the pain and suffering, whatever their story, there is absolutely a solution out there through Christ,” he said. “I really want to invite everybody, not just those involved in a church or already in some sort of recovery program. I want to invite anybody who is just curious how God works in this world. I’m just another humble example of the

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

SHAW FROM PAGE A1

proved in all six subgroups in all four subject areas. State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais credits those improvements to the collaboration between schools, districts and the South Carolina Department of Education.

“I am pleased to announce that South Carolina students achieved increased scores on end-of-course exams across all four subject areas tested,” said Zais in a recent statement. “Our students should be commended for their hard work, along with their parents and teachers who provided critical support.”

End-of-exam scores count for 20 percent of a student’s grade in South Carolina. For more details on recent scores, visit the S.C. Department of Education website at https://ed.sc.gov/.

into several discussion groups Tuesday where civic officials talked about some of the issues, challenges and strengths they note in their national defense. The day progressed through a series of presentations and ended with a dinner at Swan Lake Visitors Center on Tuesday night.

One of the issues that was raised by Ninth Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. H.D. “Jake” Polumbo Jr. on Tuesday morning was the impact of congressional votes to shrink the budget for national defense in recent years. Many officials questioned how the cuts affect combat readiness as military branches are forced to downsize their forces.

Polumbo said he’s seen the draw down take place right before his eyes as the tally of airmen in the Ninth Air Force has dwindled by nearly 2,000 since he took the reins in May 2013. Commanders at other Ninth Air Force sites suggested such dwindling numbers, combined with an increase in responsibilities, is starting to wear down some of the airmen as they are sent to several deployments back to back.

“Without that break at home

strength of God. “I want to invite the Hootie fans, too. It’s part of my story, my journey through the ups and downs in life, that includes all the good times in Hootie and the Blowfish.

Come out, too, and hear the good word.”

Celebrate Recovery usually has a meal at 6 p.m. A donation of $5 is requested.

The meeting where Sonefeld will perform and speak will start at 7 p.m., Sellar said, and a small group discussion follows about 8 p.m.

Sonefeld will have his two Christian rock CDs for sale, and he will be available for autographs.

For more information, contact Sellar at johnsellar10@yahoo.com.

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A7

to get some training time, re-fit and get some family time, we are seeing some morale and retention issues that are really starting to ripple across the course,” said Col. Kevin Huyck, a wing commander at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

About 35 people sat in for the Tuesday morning summit.

Former Sumter mayor and Military Affairs Chairman Steve Creech was among the civic leaders on hand. He questioned how the Air Force would be able to keep up with the increased workload as it loses forces. Polumbo urged public officials to express their feelings to national leaders.

“I have concern about how much mission we’re being assigned. It’s not my job to say the numbers are too small, but it is my job to say you might not be able to assign us to as many combat missions as you want to do,” he said.

“You don’t want your nation’s Air Force to end up with a two- or three-year period where we have to try and recover from pushing them too hard. Because you can project that discussion into our Congress and to our leaders to say, ‘We don’t want to break this Air Force.’”

Sheheen calls for Confederate flag to come down

BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press COLUMBIA — Democratic candidate for governor Vincent Sheheen tried to shake up the governor’s race in South Carolina on Wednesday, calling for the removal of the Confederate flag that flies on a pole in front of the Statehouse.

Sheheen, who is lagging in the polls, is the most promi-

nent political voice to call for the removal of the flag — a somewhat quixotic attempt that would need a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate at a time when few others in the state are publicly demanding it.

The two-thirds vote requirement was included in a compromise 14 years ago that moved the flag from atop the Capitol dome to a place just a few feet south of a monument

honoring Confederate soldiers on one of the state’s busiest streets.

The state senator from Camden has proposed replacing the Confederate flag at its new location with an American flag. The American and South Carolina flags still fly over the Statehouse.

“I want South Carolina to be celebrated not as the state that left America, but as the

best state in America,” Sheheen said.

The candidate’s announcement came the same day a poll from Winthrop University found about 44 percent of likely South Carolina voters supported Republican Gov. Nikki Haley’s re-election bid, compared to 34 percent backing Sheheen. The Democrat has hammered the incumbent as being corrupt and incompetent but has struggled to get

traction in a rematch of a race Haley won by more than 4 percentage points in 2010.

Sheheen said his timing isn’t political, however, but generational. He said the 2000 compromise was fine at the time but looks less and less progressive as time moves on.

“We’re never going to move toward the future if we keep looking always to the past,” Sheheen said. “We’re stuck in a rut in South Carolina.”

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A8

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

THE SUMTER ITEM

RELIGION Call: (803) 774-1250 | E-mail: jade@theitem.com

Those spiritual clichés we use still convey meaningful truth

I

recently watched a documentary that, at least as a side story, contrasted the lives of spiritually minded families with those without religious affiliation. As I listened to the ping-ponging discourse about which way was superior, I noticed something: We spiritual people can sound like a bunch of crazies when we try to explain what we believe.

It doesn’t take much time to understand that the catalog of faith-based vernacular contains some pretty weird phrases, especially to those who don’t come from a faith-based background. Our highly symbolic rhetoric can be confusing and, perhaps, misleading if you haven’t been in church all your life. As an experiment, I tried to listen as someone who had no previous understanding of the clichés and phrases that often plague Christian dialogue.

For example, a television preacher used the phrase “Holy Ghost” several times. Wait, what? I thought most religious people didn’t believe in ghosts.

One Christian blogger I frequently read touted the advantages to being “on fire for God.” OK, if I wasn’t fa-

miliar with that phrase, I could probably infer what he was getting at. Then came the lyrics of those time-honored hymns. Not only is being “washed in the blood of the lamb” an unsettling suggestion, but it also sounds like the stuff of a horror movie script.

It’s not easy to explain one’s faith without using the language either written in sacred texts or handed down by those who originally Faith Matters taught us to believe.

While I think it is exJAMIE H. tremely important to WILSON find the conversational tools to adequately convey our faith, I hope we don’t stop using one word that I think perfectly describes the conversion experience.

It’s been used for centuries to describe the rescue from damnation. It has rung from the mouths of preachers and laymen alike to sum up the conversion from sinner to saint.

It has been carried on the lips of the early-circuit riding ministers who

‘I am saved. From hopelessness, from ultimate consequence, from a life without knowing the truth. ... My foundation isn’t in the opinions of others but in knowing that I am saved.’ brought messages of faith to communities across this nation. It’s the monosyllabic word that faith communities have used for hundreds of years to label the redeemed among them: saved.

I think no word more adequately or succinctly describes the condition of someone who has found the truth in his or her faith.

So often the word and its meaning are maligned by religion critics and excused as religious hokum by those who don’t believe. Some in the faith

Church Directory Adventist

Too Much Information

Sumter Seventh-Day Adventist 103 N Pike West 775-4455 Pastor Harry Robinson Sat. Sch: 9:15 am, Worship: 11:00 am Tues Bible Study 7 pm www.sumter22.adventistchurchconnect.org

Church of the Holy Cross 335 North Kings Hwy (Hwy 261 N) 803-494-8101 Father Michael E. Ridgill, C.F.S.B. Sunday School 9:00 am Mass 10:00 am

E

mail! Voicemail! Texting! Social Networking! Because our world is increasingly frantic, we need all the help we can get. We need to regain some control. In both mundane and significant matters, ask God to take control, for, “…to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8.6) The peace and strength you receive from Him will bring some order into your life. Pray with Him this week at your house of worship; the time you spend in God’s House will be returned in good measure.

Mon. - Thurs. Chapel 9 am Morning Prayer Wed. Chapel 11:00 qm - Bible Study 12 pm Mass

Baptist - Independent Baptist - Missionary Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church 803 S Harvin St. * 775-4032 Marion H Newton, Pastor Sunday Worship: 7:45 & 10:45 am Sunday Youth Service: 10:45 am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm Salem Missionary Baptist Church 320 West Fulton Street 803-775-8054 Rev. Lei Ferguson Washington Sun. School 9:00 am Praise Worship 9:55 am Worship 10:00 am

Photo Credit Istockphoto.com/deucee_

Proverbs 11.1-31

Proverbs 12.1-28

Weekly Scripture Reading Proverbs Psalm Psalm 16.1-33 7 9

Psalm 10

Psalm 11

Scriptures Selected by the American Bible Society

©2014, Keister-Williams Newspaper Services, P.O. Box 8187, Charlottesville, VA 22906, www.kwnews.com

Sun School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am Sun Evening Worship 6:00 pm Wed Mid Week Service 7:00 pm

Baptist - Southern Grace Baptist Church 219 W Calhoun St * 778-6417 Dr. Stephen Williams S.S. 9:45 am; Worship 11:00 am Evening Worship/Bible Study 6:30 pm Wed. Prayer Meeting 6:30 pm Wed. Bible Study: 6:30 pm Hickory Road Baptist Church 1245 Cherryvale Dr 803-494-8281 Dr. Ron Taylor Pastor Sunday School 9:45 am Worship 10:55 am Long Branch Baptist Church 2535 Peach Orchard Rd. Dalzell 499-1838 www.longbranch_baptist.com Rev. Brian Benenhaley

Shaw Heights Baptist Church 2030 Peach Orchard Rd 499-4997 Rev. Robert White Pastor Sunday School: 9:45 am Sunday Worship:11 am & 6 pm

Catholic - Roman

The Catholic Community of Sumter, St. Anne Site 216 E Liberty St • 803-773-3524 Fr. Thomas Burke, C.S.S.R. Weekend Masses: Sat Vigil 5 pm Sun. 7:30, 9:00 and 11:30 am Mass

Plaza Church of Christ 1402 Camden Hwy. • 905-3163 Stewart Schnur cell 361-8449 Sunday School: 10 am Sunday Worship: 11 am & 6 pm Wed. Bible Class: 7 pm

St James Lutheran Church 1137 Alice Dr, Sumter 773-2260 / www.stjamessumter.org Pastor Keith Getz Sunday Worship: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am

Immanuel Lutheran Church 140 Poinsett Drive • 803-883-1049 Pastor Gary Blobaum Worship Service 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am Wed Bible Class: 7:00 pm

Interdenominational Methodist - United

City of Refuge Church 16 Carolina Ave 938-9066 Barbara & Johnny Davis Sun School 10:00 am Worship 11:15 am Bible Study (Wed.) 7:00 pm www.cityofrefugeministry.com Love Covenant Church 245 Oswego Hwy • 775-7605 Apostle Tommy Fredrick Prophet Angela Frederick Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Thursday Bible Study: 7:00 pm Spiritual Life Christian Center 4672 Broad St. Ext • 968-5771 Pastors Randolph & Minerva Paige Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 pm

Victory Full Gospel Interdenominational Church 601 Pitts Rd • 481-7003 Joann P. Murrill, Pastor Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Youth Bible Study/Respect Monday: 7 pm

Email Jamie H. Wilson at faithmatterssumter@gmail.com.

Lutheran - ELCA Non-Denominational

Church of Christ Lutheran - NALC

Anglican

Cherryvale Baptist Church 1502 Cherryvale Dr. * 494-8655 Edward Bowen Sr. Pastor Sun. School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am & 6:00 pm Wed. Evening Service 7:00 pm

The Catholic Community of Sumter, St. Jude Site 611 W. Oakland Ave • 773-9244 www.stjudesumtersc.org Fr. Charles Michael Donovan, C.S.S.R. Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm Sun. Euch.: 9:00, 11:30 am, 1 pm (Spanish)

community have stopped using the word for fear they might turn another off to spiritual truth.

But how else do you describe a person who has found the truth in a world of lies? How else do you label someone who finds hope in God’s promises? How else can we define the outpouring of hope, peace and love given by the Almighty to one who doesn’t deserve it?

I am saved. From hopelessness, from ultimate consequence, from a life without knowing the truth. I know by claiming the title that I run the risk of marginalizing myself to critics of religious faith not only for believing, but also for using antiquated language to describe a very personal aspect of my spiritual belief; but my foundation isn’t in the opinions of others but in knowing that I am saved.

I hope you are saved, but if you feel you are not, I hope you find a community of believers who will help you translate those spiritual clichés into meaningful faith.

Aldersgate United Methodist 211 Alice Dr • 775-1602 Dr. Webb Belangia, Reverend Traditional Service 9:00 am Sunday School 10:15 am Contemporary 11:15 am

Bethel United Methodist Church 5575 Lodebar Rd • 469-2452 Rev. Jeremy Howell Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 am Sunday School: 10 am www.yourbethel.org BMethodist@ftc-i.net St John United Methodist Church 136 Poinsett Dr * 803-773-8185 www.stjohnumcsumter.com Rev. J. Robert (Bob) Huggins Sunday School 9:45 am Worship 11:00 am Wed. Night Supper/Bible Study 6:30 pm

Christ Community Church(CCC) 525 Oxford St, Sumter 803-934-9718 Sun. Worship 10:00 am (Patriot Hall) First Church of God 1835 Camden Rd • 905-5234 www.sumterfcg.org Ron Bower, Pastor Sunday Worship: 10:30 am Sunday School: 9:30 am

Sumter First Pentecostal Holiness Church 2609 McCrays Mill Rd • 481-8887 S. Paul Howell, Pastor Sunday School: 10:00 am Sunday Worship: 10:45 am & 6:00 pm Wed. Bible Study/Youth Group: 7:00 pm

Presbyterian USA

Greater St. Paul Church 200 Watkins Street 803-778-1355 Sunday School - 10:30 am Worship - 11:30 am Evangelistic Service 7:30 pm Wed. Mid Week Service - 7:30 pm Sumter Bible Church 420 South Pike West, Sumter 803-773-8339 • Pastor Ron Davis Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am & 6:30 pm Wed. Bible Study & Prayer 7:00 pm

Pentecostal

Canty Memorial Church of God in Christ, Ministries 873 Woodcrest St. • 773-6226 Superintendent Eugene Canty, SR. Sunday Prayer: 8:00 am Worship: 9:15 am & 5:00 pm

First Presbyterian Church of Sumter 9 W Calhoun St (at Main St.) (803) 773-3814 • info@fpcsumter.org Interim Pastor Rev. Ray Fancher Sunday School - All Ages 9:30 a.m.

Hospitality/Fellowship 10:10 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Night Program Schedule 4:45 p.m. - Children & Youth 5:00 p.m. Adults 6:30 p.m. Supper (all ages)

Presbyterian Lemira Presbyterian Church 514 Boulevard Rd • 473-5024 Pastor Dan Rowton Sunday School 10:00 am Worship 11:00 am Bible Study 6:00 pm

First United Penecostal Church 14 Plowden Mill Rd • 775-9493 Pastor Theron Smith Sunday Service: 10:00 am & 6:30 pm Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 pm

Trinity United Methodist Church 226 W Liberty St • 773-9393 Rev. Regi Thackston Blended Worship 8:45 am Traditional Worship 11:00 am Sunday School 9:45 am trinityumcsumter.org

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RELIGION

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

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World Communion service on Sunday

Ragnar sits in Cindy Nerheim’s arms as St. James Lutheran Church Pastor Keith Getz performs a blessing at the church’s Blessing of the Animals held last year. The church, located at 1137 Alice Drive, will hold its blessing this year at 2:30 p.m.

Sunday. The Church of the Holy Cross, 335 N. Kings Highway, will hold its Blessing of the Animals at 10 a.m.

Saturday.

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Holy Cross to bless pets Saturday

BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com This Saturday, animals will be blessed on the grounds of Church of the Holy Cross, 335 N. Kings Highway.

“Last year I had about two dozen folks come out for the blessing of the animals, and over the years I have blessed all types of animals from the usual cats, dogs and hamsters to snakes and even WANT TO GO? horses,” said Father Michael WHAT: Blessing of the Ridgill. “Some Animals of God’s creaWHEN: 10 a.m. Saturday tures are less exWHERE: Church of the cited about Holy Cross, 335 N. Kings being touched, Highway and honestly COST: Free, but donations some of his will be accepted for the creatures — Humane Society once I blessed a CONTACT: (803) 494-8101 tarantula — I am less inclined to touch, so I have a little motto that says, ‘the clergy reserves the right to bless from a distance.’”

The event starts at 10 a.m. and is free. Donations will be collected for the Humane Society, though, he said.

For 11 years and while located at several different churches across South Carolina, Ridgill has conducted the Blessing of the

Animals as part of the Feast of St. Francis.

“One of the traditions that is strongly associated with St. Francis is his love of creation and all of God’s creatures,” Ridgill said. “It is the same that we celebrate today, God’s love of all of his creation, great and small, and the stewardship that He entrusts humanity with in its care. We also celebrate the gift of animals to us as faithful companions and often examples of unconditional love. We have a special bond with animals, and our planet and science confirms this symbiotic and interdependent relationship we have with creation. I think it is important that we all be reminded of the stewardship that God has entrusted us with and that we celebrate His creation that God declared ‘good’ and then ‘very good’ after his creation of humanity.”

For the safety of all the animals, it is requested that all pets be on a leash or in a container.

Also, for young children who might not be able to bring their actual pet, Ridgill recommends bringing a stuffed toy.

“We will bless it while praying for their actual pet,” he said. “This has always been a fun event, and we usually try to have some doggy and kitty treats to hand out along with a prayer card. You never know how such a small thing can bless someone, and this festival is one of the ways the church seeks to serve the larger community, not just ourselves.”

For more information, call (803) 494-8101.

For the first time since 2007, Sumter will celebrate World Communion Sunday.

Set to start at 6 p.m. at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St., the event is free and open to the public.

“The Sumter (and) Clarendon cluster of Presbyterian churches joins together for a variety of worship experiences throughout the year — sometimes during Lent, sometimes Holy Week or Pentecost services,” said Josie Holler, a pastor on the planning committee. “The planning teams try to provide rich worship experiences throughout the Liturgical calendar. This year we felt it was the right time for another World Communion service. It is a wonderful way to come together as a denomination and a local community as we seek together what God is calling us all to do right here and right now and seek ways to live out that calling.”

The theme this year is “Living Into Our Higher Calling.”

“We will be serving Communion, open to all,” said Chuck Staggs, pastor at Swan Lake and Fraser Memorial Presbyterian churches. “We will worship God with pastors from all the churches involved; combined adult and youth choirs; two hand bell choirs, (one from) First Presbyterian Church, Sumter, and (one from) Manning Presbyterian Church; Liturgical dancers; drums, violins, guitars, piano and a bagpiper, all to His glory. We are expecting

WANT TO GO? WHAT: World Communion Sunday WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. COST: Free, but an offering will be taken CONTACT: Chuck Staggs at cstaggs@mba-mbs.com

1,000 plus people.”

Seventeen churches from Sumter and Clarendon counties have come together to put on this worship service.

“It is our hope that as we lift up in worship, elements that make us unique through different styles of music and liturgy, we also recognize that we have more in common with each other than we do differences,” Holler said. “As we gather around the Lord’s table, it is our hope that people will recognize that we are not different from Christians on the other side of Sumter County, or the other side of the world for that matter. We are all broken and battered by life, longing to be made whole by the love and grace of Jesus Christ and to deepen that relationship with our Creator.”

Free nursery will be available for parents with children 6 and under.

An offering will be taken up and will go to the Presbyterian Agency for Developmentally Disabled, Holler said. Located in Florence and as the name implies, it is a community-based residential home that benefits adults with disabilities and special needs.

CHURCH NEWS Alice Drive Baptist Church, 1305 Loring Mill Road, announces:

service at 11:30 a.m. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m.

* Friday, Oct. 10 — L2: Learn-Lead Simulcast of Sumter leadership development event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Speaking live will be Lefford Fate, Ryan Avery and Craig Valentine. On the simulcast: John Maxwell, Linda Kaplan Thaler and Tim Sanders.

* Saturday — Youth explosion beginning at 10 a.m. and featuring a bounce house, gospel singing, horseback rides, food and more.

Bible Way Church of Sumter, 1765 Camden Road (U.S. 521), announces:

Goodwill Freewill Baptist Church, 1329 Goodwill Church Road, Manning, announces:

* Saturday — Book release and anniversary concert at 6 p.m. for Elijah Bradford Jr., Purpose Driven, The Valentinos and Epiphany.

On the program: Solotone Mass Choir; Justified; Team Freedom; and many more.

* Sunday, Oct. 12 — Seventh pastoral anniversary celebration of Elder Renel Trevol at 4 p.m. Call Deaconess Ora Nelson at (803) 566-1098 for details.

Calvary Baptist Church, 459 Calvary Church Road, Bishopville, announces: * Saturday — Mid-Carolina singing at 6 p.m. featuring New Life Singers and Cedar Creek Quartet.

Church of Christ at Kingsbury Road, 215 Kingsbury Road, announces: * Sunday-Friday, Oct. 10 — Gospel meeting as follows: 9:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday with dinner from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; and 7:30 nightly Monday-Friday. Joseph Barr will speak.

Church of God of Prophecy, 140 S. Guignard Drive, announces: * Sunday — Anointed Jubilaires 19th anniversary celebration at 5 p.m. featuring the Sumter Violinaires, Deacon Robert Burgess, New Boys, New Hope and more.

Church of the Holy Cross, 335 N. Kings Highway, Stateburg, announces: * Saturday — Blessing of the animals at 10 a.m.

Dalzell United Methodist Church, 3330 Black River Road, Dalzell, announces:

Fellowship Outreach Ministries, 1891 Florence Highway, announces:

Green Bay Missionary Baptist Church, Lynchburg, announces: * Saturday — Dinner theater play “The Summer Uncle Pete Came Home” at Lee Central Middle School, 1800 Wisacky Highway, Bishopville. Tickets are $15. Call Ella M. Laws at (803) 428-8644.

High Hills Missionary Baptist Church, 6750 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, announces: * Sunday — Holy Communion will follow the 10:15 a.m. worship.

Home Branch Baptist Church, 2398 Home Branch Road, Manning, announces: * Sunday — Homecoming. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. followed by 11 a.m. worship. Meal and fellowship to follow. Pastor Terry Green will speak.

House of Judah Worship Center, 3890 White Oak Drive, Davis Station, announces: * Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 8-10, and Sunday, Oct. 12 — Celebration of the pastor’s first anniversary at 7 nightly Wednesday-Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Speakers vary.

8-8:30 a.m. with workshops 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Pastor Dorothy Maple and Evangelist Tonya Mack will serve as morning facilitators.

Prophetess Rose Summers will speak at 6 p.m.

Liberty Free Will Baptist Church, 2761 Liberty Church Road, Manning, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — Homecoming services as follows: 10 a.m., old time gospel singing and testimonies; 10:30 a.m., steeple dedication; 11 a.m. worship service; noon, dinner; and 1:30 p.m. Generations for Christ. The Rev. Kenneth Upright will speak.

Manning United Methodist Church, 17 E. Rigby St., Manning, announces: * Through Oct. 31 — The pumpkin patch will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. * Saturday, Nov. 15 — Fall Bazaar 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the church gym.

Mount Glory Baptist Church, 841 N. Main St., announces: * Friday-Sunday — Celebration of the seventh church anniversary as follows: 7 p.m. Friday, the Rev. Sammie Simmons will speak; 10 a.m. Saturday, family fun day featuring food and drinks beginning at 10 a.m.; and 11 a.m. Sunday, the Rev. Dennis will speak.

Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, 7355 Camden Highway, Rembert, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — 17th pastoral appreciation service for Pastor Anthony L. Taylor Sr. Services begin at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Willie Dennis will speak. * Monday, Oct. 13 — Golden Circle workshop. Vickie Williams will speak on Social Security and home repairs.

Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 803 S. Harvin St., announces:

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 325 Fulton St., announces:

* Saturday — Fish fry fundraiser 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Eat in or take out.

Tickets are $7. Menu includes generous portion of fried catfish, French fries, coleslaw and hush puppies. Call (803) 469-0160.

* Sunday, Oct. 26 — Unity Day worship service at 7:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

* Sunday — Evangelist Savitrus McFadden will speak at 6 p.m.

* Sunday-Tuesday, Oct. 7 — Revival at 7 nightly. Speakers as follows: Sunday, the Rev. Dr. Robin Dease; Monday, the Rev. Steve Holler; and Tuesday, the Rev. Jeremy Howell.

* Sunday — Gospel choir anniversary program at 5 p.m.

* Saturday, Oct. 18 — Fourth annual holiday bazaar 9 a.m.-2 p.m. featuring vendors, crafters, silent auction, bake sale, trash and treasure (yard sale — no clothes), and the Rockin’ Faith Café (country cooking — eat in or take out).

Vendors and crafters needed. Call Nikki at (803) 316-1765.

Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 421 S. Main St., announces: * Sunday — Communion worship

Joshua Baptist Church, 5200 Live Oak Road, Dalzell, announces:

Knitting Hearts Ministry, meets at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., announces: * Saturday, Oct. 11 — Knitting Hearts Café will meet 10 a.m.noon. Pam and Darren Tisdale will speak. Visit www.knittingheartsministry.org.

Land Flowing with Milk & Honey Ministry, 1335 Peach Orchard Road, announces: * Saturday, Oct. 18 — Women of Exertion Conference 2014 “Hear the Command.” Registration

* Sunday, Oct. 19 — Deacon / Deaconess anniversary worship at 10:45 a.m.

Mount Zion United Methodist Church, 130 Loring Mill Road, announces: * Friday-Sunday, Oct. 10-12 — 152nd church anniversary celebration as follows: 7 p.m. Friday, one night revival, the Rev. Jake Sanders will speak; 11 a.m. Saturday, fun day featuring food, games and gospel singing; and 4 p.m. Sunday, the Rev. Geneva Stafford will speak.

New Gospel Tones announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — Gospel appreciation program at 5 p.m. On the program: Justified of Sumter; Sumter Violinaires, Spiritual Caravans of Sumter and more.

New Hope AME Church, 18808 Panola Road, Pinewood, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — Pastor appreciation service at 2 p.m. The Rev. Donald Hurston will speak. * Saturday, Oct. 18 — Free health screenings of cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure from 8 to 11 a.m.

New Israel Missionary Baptist Church, 5330 Old Camden Highway, Dalzell, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — The 10th anniversary of the church will be observed at 1 p.m. The Rev. Benny McCants will speak. Dinner will be served.

Newlight Baptist Church, 4390 Moses Dingle Road, Summerton, announces: * Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 6-8 — Revival at 7 nightly. The Rev. Sam Whack Jr. will speak.

Oak Grove UM Church, Bloomville Road, Manning, announces: * Sunday — Homecoming at 11:30 a.m. Dinner will follow service.

Bring a covered dish to share and a lawn chair.

One Step Christian Ministries, 125 S. Nettles St., Bishopville, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — Third church anniversary and pastoral anniversary of Pastor Sheila B. Neal. Services will be held at Dennis Community Center, 410 W. Cedar Lane, Bishopville, as follows: 11:15 a.m., Dr. Myra Pearson will speak; and 3:30 p.m., the Rev. Dr. Aurelia Hill will speak.

Orangehill AME Church, 3035 S. King Highway, Wedgefield, announces: * Saturday, Oct. 18 — One night sing out revival at 4 p.m.

Pinewood Baptist Church, S.C. 261, Pinewood, announces: * Wednesday, Oct. 29 — Community fall festival in the gym 6-8 p.m. for ages birth to 18. There will be games, prizes, food and an old-fashioned country store.

Adult chaperones need to accompany children. Call (803) 452-5373 or visit www.pinewoodbaptist. org.

Providence Baptist Church, 2445 Old Manning Road, announces: * Saturday — Men’s prayer breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Matt Cartledge will speak. Drama night will be held 5-7 p.m. with the Ignite Drama Team.

Quinn Chapel AME Church, 2400 Queen Chapel Road, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 19 — 26th anniversary of the adult choir at 4 p.m.

St. James United Methodist Church, 720 Broad St., announces:

* Friday-Saturday, Oct. 10-11 — Fifth annual community health fair as follows: 7 p.m. Friday, Zumba fitness; 8 a.m. Saturday, “Prayer Walk” followed by health fair exhibits at 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

St. Mark United Methodist Church, 1093 Oswego Highway, announces: * Saturday, Oct. 11 — Domestic violence abuse and awareness program 10 a.m.-noon.

Sumter Free Will Baptist Church, 971 Boulevard Road, announces: * Sunday — Homecoming at 11 a.m. featuring the Sycamore Singers. * Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 6-8 — Revival at 7:30 nightly. The Rev. John New will speak.

Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church, 1130 Granby Lane, Summerton, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 19 — Deacon’s anniversary celebration during 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. Ordination services will also be held at 11 a.m. for Deacon-elect Willie Jackson and Deaconess-elect Linda Jackson.

Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, 155 Wall St., announces: * Sunday, Oct. 19 — 105th church anniversary events: 10 a.m., family and friends worship experience, the Rev. Milton Biggham will speak; and 5 p.m., concert featuring gospel recording artist the Rev. Milton Biggham and the Georgia Mass Chair. * Sunday, Oct. 26 — 105th church anniversary culminating service at 10 a.m.

Union Station AME Church, 945 S. Main St., announces: * Sunday — The Rev. Dr. Jon Black will begin the sermon series “Help Lord, My Money is Funny.”

Sunday school begins at 9 a.m. followed by 10 a.m. worship.

Unity Baptist Church, 4000 U.S. 15 South, announces: * Today-Friday — Communitywide yard sale 7 a.m.-noon each day. Bring your own table and sale items.

Victory Full Gospel Interdenominational Church, 601 Pitts Road, announces: * Sunday, Oct. 12 — Gospel appreciation program to honor the New Gospel Tones of Sumter at 5 p.m.

On the program: Justified; Gospel Jubilee; Voices of Victory Praise Team; and more.

Walker Avenue Church of God, 100 Walker Ave., announces: * Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 15-17 — Revival at 7 nightly. Elder Isaac V. Cropp Jr. will speak.

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Compelling murder mystery ‘Gracepoint’ debuts

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH Can a show be compelling, intelligent, challenging, cinematic and a little pointless all at the same time? The 10-episode series “Gracepoint” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) explores the mystery of a boy’s death in a tightknit tourist town. As the case unfolds, every villager becomes a suspect. Close friendships will dissolve under the heat of scrutiny, and the lust for justice — or just vengeance — will take its toll on the innocent.

If this sounds inviting, it’s because it’s good. And if it sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because “Gracepoint” is the plot of “Broadchurch,” a British series broadcast on BBC America last fall, and easily among the top five series of 2013.

Fox also imports David Tennant from the original. He’s Emmett Carver, the lead detective, a short-tempered outsider with a nine-mile stare, hidden health issues and professional baggage from an earlier botched investigation.

He’s partnered with Detective Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad”), who resents him for taking a job she assumed was hers. She’s also tied into the community.

If the cast of “Gracepoint” is a little more Hollywood than the original, they look more like mere human beings than most American TV fare. The show’s cinematography is also unlike most American TV series.

Whether this brings a whole new audience to this mystery or produces cablelike ratings for an ambitious network production remains to be seen. Oh, and don’t miss Nick Nolte as a town eccentric who falls under suspicion.

• Imagine “How I Met Your Mother” with a little “(500) Days of Summer” thrown in, and you’ve got “A to Z” (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14), a comedy about incurable romantics that will probably appeal only to the same.

Andrew (Ben Feldman, “Mad Men”) so believes in true love connections that he works for an online dating service. He’s struck with Cupid’s arrow when he lays eyes on lawyer Zelda (Cristin Milioti, “How I Met Your Mother”).

The show’s title refers to the 26 episodes that will follow the arc of their relationship. “A” is a charming, if affected, series

on “How to Get Away With Murder” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

• Detectives revisit controversial cases on the new nonfiction series “Dead Again” (10 p.m., A&E, TV-14), from producer Dick Wolf.

SERIES NOTES Maggie strives to conform on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT

ED ARAQUEL / FOX

Beth Solano (Virginia Kull) arrives at a crime scene in “Gracepoint,” premiering at 9 p.m. today on FOX. with two adorable leads who could use some character development with other semi-interesting people among their friends and sidekicks.

• Putting the word “bad” in “Bad Judge” (9 p.m., NBC, TV14) makes it too easy for critics.

It’s terrible.

Kate Walsh stars as Rebecca, a boozy and promiscuous woman who is also a judge, frequently presiding over her court with a bad hangover.

She drives in a van that might have been suitable for an Aerosmith roadie circa 1988 and appears to have based her personal style and behavior on the band’s MTV videos.

If taken to extremes, “Judge” could be amusing, but Rebecca is as compassionate as she is rambunctious, and her socialworker routine merely adds a layer of cloying to this completely unbelievable and aggressively unfunny sitcom.

CULT CHOICE

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

A pair of 18th-century ghosts haunts Abbott and Costello in the 1946 comedy “The Time of their Lives” (10 p.m., TCM).

• The gang discovers a vast conspiracy on “Bones” (8 p.m.

Fox, TV-14).

• Fitz prepares his State of the Union address on “Scandal” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

• Thrift stores offer inspiration on “Project Runway” (9 p.m., Lifetime, TV-PG).

• A vendor disappoints Adam on “Parenthood” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• A tycoon becomes a suspect

TONIGHT’S SEASON PREMIERES • Elena’s sophomore year begins on “The Vampire Diaries” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).

• Black Plague spreads on “Reign” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14).

Ben Steele is booked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) * Martin Short, Camilla Luddington and Ryan Adams appear on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Lynn Sherr is on “The Colbert Report” (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central) * Johnny Galecki, Andre Benjamin and Delta Spirit appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Derek Jeter, James Marsden and 5 Seconds of Summer on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Ellen Pompeo, Norman Reedus, Disclosure and Mary J. Blige are on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC) * Sarah Silverman and John Mulaney visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Craig Ferguson hosts Joe Theismann and Lauren Cohan on “The Late Late Show” (12:35 a.m., CBS).

Copyright 2014, United Feature Syndicate

DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING TO VOTE FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION The Sumter County Voter Registration/Election Office will be open from 9:00am until 12:00 noon Saturday, October 4, 2014 for anyone who needs to Register to Vote or Change their Name or Address.

The deadline for registering to vote for the November 4, General Election is October 4, 2014.

The Voter Registration/Election Office is located on the first floor of the Sumter County Courthouse, Room 114.

436-2310, 436-2311, 436-2312, 436-2313 or 774-3900

THE SUMTER ITEM N.G. Osteen 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, The Item

H.D. Osteen 1904-1987 The Item

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Margaret W. Osteen 1908-1996 The Item Hubert D. Osteen Jr. Chairman & Editor-in-Chief Graham Osteen Co-President Kyle Osteen Co-President Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher Larry Miller CEO

20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, South Carolina 29150 • Founded October 15, 1894

COMMENTARY

Whose war on women?

W

ASHINGTON — It has long been accepted by the conventionally wise that the Republican Party is waging a “war on women.”

Let’s be clear. The war on women is based on just one thing — abortion rights. While it is true that access to abortion has been restricted in several states owing to Republican efforts, it is not true that women as a whole care only or mostly about abortion.

I promise, this isn’t another abortion column, not that the horrific number of abortions performed each year shouldn’t make one’s stomach turn. Instead, extremists on the prochoice left celebrate the “right” to terminate a 20-week-old fetus. Google an image of this stage of fetal development and try to comprehend the glee we witnessed when state Sen. Wendy Davis, now running for governor, beKathleen came the Parker belle du jour upon her successful filibuster to protect that “right” in Texas.

OK, sorry, so I digressed just a little. But it isn’t possible to dissect the alleged war on women without mentioning abortion, since this is the entire content of the war as defined by savvy Democratic operatives. It was an effective strategy in 2012, aided quite a bit by some of the GOP’s lesser lights and looser tongues, not to mention good ol’ sluttalking Rush.

On the latter’s offense, and the silliness of the so-called war in general, I defer to Bill Maher, who recently chastised liberals for their selective outrage regarding women’s rights.

“We hear a lot about the Republican ‘war on women.’ It’s not cool Rush Limbaugh called somebody a slut. OK,” said Maher. “But Saudi women can’t vote, or drive, or hold a job or leave the house without a man. Overwhelming majorities in every Muslim country say a wife is always obliged to obey her husband.

That all seems like a bigger issue than evangelical Christian bakeries refusing to make gay wedding cakes.”

Indeed.

This selective tendency is also apparent when only certain women are deserving of defense in the public arena.

Sarah Palin, whose vice presidency I politely opposed for legitimate reasons that are now widely embraced, has been outrageously abused in the vilest terms — by Maher among others — and left to twist in the wind. Yet Sandra Fluke, whose appeal for insurance coverage of birth control prompted Limbaugh to call her a “slut,” was elevated to martyr status and perhaps a political career.

A more recent example of a war-on-women event occurred in Virginia’s closely watched congressional race between Democrat John Foust and Republican Barbara Comstock.

This time it was a Democratic male attacking a Republican female in, shall we say, the most clueless terms. Lacking facts or finesse, Foust mused to an audience that Comstock

‘Let’s be clear. The war on women is based on just one thing — abortion rights. While it is true that access to abortion has been restricted in several states owing to Republican efforts, it is not true that women as a whole care only or mostly about abortion.’ hadn’t ever held a “real job.”

Meaning, what, that she’s just a mom?

Even if this were so, and it is not, why should Foust get a pass for such an ignorant, sexist remark? Is any Democratic male — even one who manages to insult while pandering — better than any Republican female? In my experience, a woman who can manage a household and juggle the needs of three children while obtaining a law degree from Georgetown University, as Comstock did, can run a corporation or a nation.

Like many working women, Comstock did stay home in the early years to raise her children. She is also whip smart, funny, irreverent and fierce. Her résumé includes such non-cookie-baking activities as serving as a senior aide to Rep. Frank Wolf, whose congressional seat she is pursuing. She currently is serving her third term in the Virginia House of Delegates, where she has advanced legislation to thwart human trafficking and supported several conservative positions related to health care and tax reform.

Yes, she’s conservative. And, yes, she also opposes abortion.

Which is to say, she doesn’t quite count in the national movement to elect more women to public office. When a Comstock ad recently called Foust’s comments “sexist, bizarre, insensitive, ignorant,” the 10th district’s Democratic Party tweeted, “If @barbaracomstock were a man, she’d be down 20 pts w women. Her record & policies are horrible for women.”

No, if Comstock were a man, she wouldn’t have to counter such slander.

Virginia voters who oppose Comstock’s legislative record have a clear alternative. But if they cast their ballots for Foust, they’ll be electing a man whose disrespect toward women and the single job only women can do — mothering — is at least as offensive as Limbaugh’s name-calling.

On the other hand, maybe Foust and Limbaugh cancel each other out — neutralizing the war that never was.

Kathleen Parker’s email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. © 2014, Washington Post Writers Group

COMMENTARY

Barack Obama, outside agitator

I

n his U.N. address, President Obama listed a parade of horrors afflicting our world: “Russian aggression in Europe,” “terrorism in Syria and Iraq,” rapes and beheadings by ISIL, alQaida, Boko Haram.

And, of course, the Ferguson Police Department.

That’s right. The president could not speak of war, terrorism and genocide without dragging in the incident in a St. Louis suburb where a white cop shot and killed a black teenager: “In a summer marked by instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the world also took notice of the small American city of Ferguson, Missouri — where a young man was killed, and a community was divided.”

What, other than its racial aspect, can explain why Obama is so hung up on Ferguson? At the Congressional Black Caucus dinner Saturday, he was back stoking the embers.

“Too many young men of color feel targeted by law enforcement, guilty of walking while black or Patrick driving while black — Buchanan judged by stereotypes that fuel fear and resentment and hopelessness.”

Obama is here implying that Michael Brown was profiled, judged “guilty of walking while black,” when shot and killed.

But that is false, and Barack Obama knows it is false.

Brown had just knocked over a convenience store after collaring the clerk and was walking in the middle of the main street in Ferguson, blocking traffic, when officer Darren Wilson confronted him.

Did Wilson shoot Brown in a racist rage?

Or did Wilson, face battered and eye socket smashed in a fight with the 290-pound, 6’4” Brown, empty his gun in self-defense?

We do not know. And neither does Barack Obama.

For weeks, a grand jury in St. Louis County has been hearing testimony, trying to sort it out. But by implying the shooting was done for racial reasons, that Brown may have been “targeted” for “walking while black,” Obama is stoking the fires of racial resentment.

Why is he parroting a party line about America that he knows is more myth than truth? White cops are not the great lurking danger, nor the leading cause of violent death, of black teenagers and men.

The statistics on the ugliest forms of racial violence in America — interracial assaults, rapes, murders — reveal that such crimes are overwhelmingly black-onwhite.

Obama said that “young men of color” are too often “judged by stereotypes.” But behind those stereotypes are FBI statistics that show that black males between 16 and 36, two percent of the U.S. population,

commit a vastly disproportionate share of all violent crimes.

Where are the stats to sustain Obama’s stereotype of cops?

And what did the Ferguson police do to deserve to be invoked as exemplars of what is wrong with law enforcement in America, while the Ferguson protesters get a presidential pass?

Since Michael Brown was shot in early August, rocks and Molotov cocktails have been thrown at Ferguson cops, stores have been looted and smashed, police have been cursed and threatened, and a mob tried to shut down I-70 at rush hour.

And what are the outrages perpetrated

by Ferguson’s cops?

After a riot in Ferguson, the next night St. Louis County cops showed up in riot gear, helmets and body armor, with an MRAP. Now some Ferguson cops are wearing wristbands reading, “I am Darren Wilson,” to show solidarity with their fellow cop who is in hiding for fear of his life.

This set off Eric Holder’s minions in the civil rights division at Justice, whence one Christy Lopez fired off a letter to the Ferguson police chief saying the bracelets “upset and agitated people.”

So what. If police baiters can raise hell in solidarity with Brown, cannot cops peacefully wear wristbands in solidarity with Wilson?

Last week, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson released a video, apologizing to Brown’s parents for their son’s death and for not moving the teenager’s body from the street for four hours.

Unartful, perhaps, yet it seemed sincere.

The response: The Ferguson mob cursed the chief and Brown’s father brushed him off saying, “an apology would be when Darren Wilson has handcuffs, (is) processed, and charged with murder.”

Understandably, this is what Michael Brown’s father wants. And this is what the protesters demand. But that is not the way the law works in America, where crowds get the indictments and convictions they demand under a threat of civil disobedience or violence.

Saturday night, a Ferguson cop was shot in an incident unrelated to August. But Chief Jackson and State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson have told the Washington Post their officers have been repeatedly threatened and, since August, have come under gunfire.

If a St. Louis officer is wounded or killed in revenge for Brown, President Obama will deserve a full share of the moral responsibility.

It is time he started acting like a president of all the people and dropped this role of outside agitator.

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of the new book “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.” © 2014 creators.com

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letter to letters@theitem.com, drop it off at The Sumter Item office, 20 N. Magnolia St., or mail it to The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29151, along with the writer’s full name, address and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Letters that exceed 350 words will be cut accordingly in the print edition, but available in their entirety at www.theitem.com/opinion/letters_to_editor.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

AROUND TOWN McCreight. To attend, conThe 18th Annual Mental Illness tact Caris Healthcare at (803) Awareness Week Candlelight Help promote mental illness awareness 774-8400 with the name of Vigil will be held at 6:30 p.m. your deceased love one. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Santee-Wateree Mental Health The Sumter Benedict Alumni Center, 218 N. Magnolia St., Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Sumter. The event is held Monday, Oct. 6, at the North each year to promote mental HOPE Center. Call Shirley M. illness awareness and to Blassingame at (803) 506honor family members and 4019. mental health professionals.

The Stroke Survivors Support The event is free and all are Group will meet at 6 p.m. on welcome. Refreshments will be provided immediately fol- Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Alice Drive Baptist Church library, lowing. For details, call Fred 1305 Loring Mill Road at Wise Harmon at (803) 905-5620.

Drive. Call Wayne Hunter at The Shepherd’s Center will offer (803) 464-3003 or (803) 464free public information classes 7865.

11-11:50 a.m. each Thursday through Nov. 13 at 24 Council The Mayesville Area Community Coalition will sponsor its sevSt. On the schedule: Oct. 2, enth breast cancer walk on Fall Lawn Care and Pest PreSaturday, Oct. 11. Sign up vention; Oct. 9, Self Defense for Women; Oct. 16, Genealo- will begin at 7:30 a.m. at St. gy: Research and record your Mark UME Church of Mayesville and the walk will be family history using the along Mary McLeod Bethune computer; Oct. 23, Veterans Nature Trail, which is a 3 talk about their war experimile distance. A short proences; Oct. 30, Crime Scene gram and free brunch will Investigation (CSI); Nov. 6, follow the walk. T-shirts will Healthy Aging: The imporbe available for purchase. tance of good nutrition and Call Margie Jefferson at (803) movement in promoting healthy living as we age; and 453-5441 or (803) 453-6078.

The Devine Sistas of PrettyGirlNov. 13, Peace of Mind sRock will hold a “Pink Heel through Meditation.

Walk / Charity Ride” in obserClarendon School District One vance of breast cancer will conduct free vision, hearawareness month on Saturing, speech and developmental day, Oct. 11. Registration for screenings as part of a child the charity ride will begin at find effort to identify stu10 a.m. with kick stands up dents with special needs. at 11 a.m. at High Rollers Screenings will be held from Club House. Cost is $10 per 9 a.m. to noon at the Summerton Early Childhood Cen- rider or $15 with passenger.

Ride ends at Patriot Parkter on the following Thursdays: Oct. 9; Nov. 13; Dec. 11; way. Registration for the pink heel walk will begin at Jan. 8, 2015; Feb. 12, 2015; 11 a.m. with walk beginning March 12, 2015; April 9, 2015; at 11 a.m. at Patriot Parkway. and May 14, 2015. For more All donations accepted. Reinformation, call Sadie Wilfreshments will be served. liams or Audrey Walters at (803) 485-2325, extension 221. Call (803) 406-5917 or (803) 406-9621.

The Clarendon County Democratic Party will meet today at The Sumter Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind the Manning Restaurant, 476 will meet at 7 p.m. on TuesN. Brooks St., Manning. Dinday, Oct. 14, at Shiloh-Ranner will be served at 6:30 dolph Manor, 125 W. p.m. and the meeting will Bartlette St. October is begin at 7 p.m.

“Meet the Blind and Blind Mayewood High School Class of Awareness Month” and Oct. 1976 will hold an important 15 is “White Cane Safety meeting at 10 a.m. on SaturDay.” Transportation providday, Oct. 4, at Mayewood ed within coverage area.

Middle School. All classContact Debra Canty at Debmates are urged to attend. raCanC2@frontier.com or at Contact Icybell Lowery at (803) 775-5792.

(803) 983-4157 or Melvin Richardson at (803) 983-5559. The Sumter Combat Veterans Group will meet at 10 a.m. on The Campbell Soup friends Friday, Oct. 17, at the South lunch group will meet at 11:30 HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lafaya.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at ette Drive.

Golden Corral.

Enjoy Dog Day at Patriot Park The PetteBell (Pioneer Dress) from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, former employees will meet at Oct. 21, brought to you by noon on Monday, Oct. 6, at Sumter Stormwater SoluGolden Corral. Call (803) 495- tions in partnership with 2117 or (803) 775-2008.

Sumter County Public Works and the Sumter County RecCaris Healthcare will hold its reation Department. Celesemi-annual memorial service brate the installation of four at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6, new pet waste stations to at Elmore-Hill-McCreight Fuhelp park visitors pick up neral Home. This service is to honor all hospice patients after their pets. Bring your furry friend dressed in his or of Caris Healthcare as well her favorite Halloween outfit as all clients of Elmore-Hill(optional) to enter the cosMcCreight who died in the tume contest. Free items will previous 12 months. This include pet bandanas, Frisevent is open to the public bees, water bottles, etc. For and anyone who has lost a more information, contact loved one in the previous 12 Jolie Brown at (803) 773-5561 months, even if the loved or jolie2@clemson.edu. one was not served by Caris Healthcare or Elmore-Hill-

The last word ARIES (March 21-April 19): in astrology Ease into EUGENIA LAST whatever you do. Don’t voice your opinion if you think it might hinder whatever situation you face. Impulsive action will end up working against you. Focus on expanding your skills and growing your assets.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may feel like getting away from the hustle and bustle, but look for hidden costs before you sign up for a trip or outing that can break your budget. Simplicity and moderation will help keep your life running smoothly.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Participate, get involved and try to make a difference. Fixing up your surroundings and hosting a party will encourage you to be a better person mentally, emotionally and physically. Love is highlighted.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Emotional matters will surface.

Either pay off or collect on old debts. Address situations that are bringing you down and do your best to cut corners wherever possible if it helps you feel less stressed. Discipline is the key to a better lifestyle.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Engage in something that interests or entertains you. Get out of the house and away from any negativity you’ve been living with.

Physical activity will do you good and bring you in contact with someone special. Romance will improve your personal life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You can call the shots and take control of your interests. Get involved in events that will connect you to interesting people. Don’t give in to someone who is putting demands on you or using emotional tactics

to take advantage of others.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Question your current personal situation.

Don’t make abrupt changes just because someone wants you to.

Protect your health and financial position. Refrain from letting anyone disrupt your home environment. Ask for assistance, and you will receive help.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A workrelated situation is likely to escalate into something bigger than you anticipated. Be ready to counter any situation that has the potential to backfire or become a moneypit.

Your intuition is strong and can help you make a wise choice.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ve got a good handle on what will work and what won’t, but if you allow emotions to take over, you’ll lose sight of your goal.

Changes to your domestic situation look promising. Money is heading your way.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2014

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Mainly clear and humid

Turning cloudy

Decreasing clouds; not as warm

Beautiful with plenty of sun

Mostly sunny and pleasant

86°

61°

84° / 63°

72° / 46°

68° / 49°

75° / 54°

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 25%

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 10%

Winds: SW 3-6 mph

Winds: S 3-6 mph

Winds: S 6-12 mph

Winds: W 8-16 mph

Winds: W 4-8 mph

Winds: SW 6-12 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 84/61 Spartanburg 85/62

Greenville 83/62

Columbia 88/62

Temperatures shown on map are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Sumter 86/61

IN THE MOUNTAINS Aiken 87/60

ON THE COAST

Charleston 86/65

Today: Mostly sunny. High 82 to 86.

Friday: Clouds and sun; showers and thunderstorms at night. High 81 to 85.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 85/69/s 77/59/t 91/62/t 76/64/pc 90/72/pc 96/67/s 88/76/t 68/56/pc 87/71/pc 74/57/pc 91/65/s 87/62/s 78/62/pc

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

356.62 75.53 75.41 96.98

24-hr chg -0.02 -0.02 +0.04 -0.20

Sunrise 7:17 a.m.

Moonrise 2:54 p.m.

RIVER STAGES River Black River Congaree River Lynches River Saluda River Up. Santee River Wateree River

0.00" 0.00" 0.13" 30.62" 40.74" 37.37"

NATIONAL CITIES City Atlanta Chicago Dallas Detroit Houston Los Angeles New Orleans New York Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix San Francisco Wash., DC

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

86° 58° 79° 56° 92° in 1986 39° in 1967

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest.

Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 77/54/t 62/39/sh 82/52/s 73/44/t 84/59/pc 99/69/s 87/63/t 71/59/pc 89/72/t 74/63/pc 95/68/s 87/61/s 77/65/c

Myrtle Beach 83/66

Manning 87/62

Today: Sunny to partly cloudy and delightful. Winds south 3-6 mph.

Friday: A thunderstorm. Winds southsouthwest 6-12 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 85/62

Bishopville 86/61

Flood 7 a.m. stage yest.

12 4.79 19 3.28 14 4.26 14 2.22 80 76.53 24 8.27

Sunset 7:05 p.m.

Moonset 12:46 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Oct. 8

Oct. 15

Oct. 23

Oct. 30

TIDES

24-hr chg +0.16 -0.07 -1.04 +0.10 +0.04 +1.19

AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Fri.

High 3:15 a.m.

4:08 p.m.

4:24 a.m.

5:15 p.m.

Ht. 3.0 3.4 3.1 3.5

Low 10:16 a.m.

11:13 p.m.

11:25 a.m.

---

Ht. 0.5 0.6 0.4 ---

REGIONAL CITIES City Asheville Athens Augusta Beaufort Cape Hatteras Charleston Charlotte Clemson Columbia Darlington Elizabeth City Elizabethtown Fayetteville

Today Hi/Lo/W 80/61/s 85/65/s 86/61/s 86/66/s 74/62/pc 86/65/s 84/61/s 85/66/s 88/62/s 86/60/s 77/60/pc 83/61/pc 84/61/pc

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 71/50/t 77/54/t 83/59/t 85/66/pc 75/66/pc 85/66/pc 77/57/t 76/58/t 83/62/t 83/65/pc 77/67/pc 82/66/pc 82/66/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 85/62/s Gainesville 84/68/pc Gastonia 84/61/pc Goldsboro 83/63/pc Goose Creek 85/64/s Greensboro 82/62/pc Greenville 83/62/s Hickory 82/60/pc Hilton Head 82/67/s Jacksonville, FL 83/67/s La Grange 87/71/s Macon 86/66/s Marietta 84/67/s

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 84/66/pc 86/68/t 76/57/t 82/67/pc 85/66/pc 79/56/t 75/55/t 74/53/t 80/64/pc 85/67/t 82/55/t 81/56/t 76/52/t

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 84/59/s Mt. Pleasant 84/66/s Myrtle Beach 83/66/s Orangeburg 85/61/s Port Royal 84/67/s Raleigh 82/62/pc Rock Hill 84/60/s Rockingham 85/60/s Savannah 86/66/s Spartanburg 85/62/s Summerville 83/69/s Wilmington 83/63/pc Winston-Salem 82/61/pc

Fri. Hi/Lo/W 74/55/t 84/67/pc 82/67/pc 84/62/pc 83/66/pc 81/62/pc 77/58/t 83/63/pc 84/65/t 76/56/t 82/67/pc 82/66/pc 79/56/t

Weather(W): s–sunny, pc–partly cloudy, c–cloudy, sh–showers, t–thunderstorms, r–rain, sf–snow flurries, sn–snow, i–ice

g

r

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LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 WEDNESDAY

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY

2-4-16-23-33 PowerUp: 2

3-16-52-54-61 Megaball: 6 Megaplier: 5

PICK 3 WEDNESDAY

PICK 4 WEDNESDAY

4-9-2 and 8-8-4

1-7-0-6 and 0-0-3-0

POWERBALL numbers were unavailable at press time.

PICTURES FROM THE PUBLIC Nancy Byer comments on her photo submission, “These hibiscus were the most gorgeous color and I couldn’t resist taking a picture of them. It’s a shame that they only bloom for one day!”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Hide your emotions, stay composed and listen carefully to what everyone around you says. Don’t let impulse take over when it’s best to sit and wait until you have a better understanding of what’s going on.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of personal business. If you leave your affairs in someone else’s hands, you’ll be disappointed. A health matter or physical improvement you want to make can be taken care of successfully.

Love is on the rise.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Consider your attributes and dreams, and go after your goals.

Get your strategy set and put your clear-cut methods to work.

Financial, legal and medical matters can be dealt with successfully. You will instinctively know what move to make.

HAVE YOU TAKEN PICTURES OF INTERESTING, EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL OR HISTORICAL PLACES? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Sumter Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandrah@theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150. Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please.

SECTION

Royals 29-year playoff drought answered with win B4

Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

B

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

PREP SWIMMING

Strong in small numbers SHS swim team expects strong finish despite size of team

BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS justin@theitem.com The Sumter High School varsity coed swim team is small in size, but big on talent.

And head coach Kathy Kirkhart expects that to hold true for Saturday’s Region VI-4A meet which begins at 8 a.m. at Francis Marion University in Florence.

“We’re going to struggle on (team) points simply because swimming is a lot like track – you score points by competing in a lot of different events with multiple swimmers,” Kirkhart said. “But the kids I have going in are going to place very well when they swim.”

Among the dozen swimmers Sumter will take to the region meet, Kirkhart expects more than a few top finishes, she said.

“I don’t think we have the numbers to finish first overall, but somewhere under that is a possibility,” she said.

“We’ve done that before, but I’m expecting to see some top finishes and hoping for some more automatic state qualifying times as well.”

The top 30 times in individual events and the top 20 times in relay events automatically qualify for the state meet, and the Gamecocks already have a handful heading to the Oct. 11 event at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Seventh-grader Abby Hoshour has already punched her ticket in the 100-yard backstroke, Kirkhart said, and could easily place first at

PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH/ THE SUMTER ITEM

Jasmine Brunson, above, and Woods White, below, swim in a freestyle race for Sumter during a meet last week at the Sumter Aquatics Center.

The Gamecocks swim team will be small in numbers, but expects to finish strong at the Region VI-4A meet on Saturday at 8 a.m. at Francis Marion University in Florence. region. Haley Stewart, a sophomore, has qualified for state in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events and has the potential to win both on Saturday.

Finally, Tabitha Simonson, also a sophomore, has qualified for state in both the 500 free and 200 individual medley events and is a favorite to win both at the region meet.

Hoshour is also a second off of automatically qualifying in the 100 butterfly event.

“We’ve got a number of swimmers who are in the

water twice a day working on getting their times down,” Kirkhart said. “We’ve also got some built-in rest time this week that should get them ready for (Saturday).”

Kirkhart is also looking for Sumter’s girls relay teams to shave some time off and qualify with three of them right on the edge. Hoshour is the lead on the medley, 200 and 400 free relays. Stewart is the anchor in the 200 and 400 and swims the fly portion of the

SEE SWIM, PAGE B3

PREP FOOTBALL

Crestwood views region play as new beginning

Wilson Hall will try to remember not to forget

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com

Every week, the Wilson Hall football team prepares with the same theme: worry about going 1-0 and let the rest take care of itself.

This week, Barons head coach Bruce Lane added an additional theme — Don’t forget to remember.

While it may sound like a puzLANE zle or even a piece of advice for life, it will serve the Barons as a reminder of what happened two seasons ago when they traveled to Columbia to face Cardinal Newman on its homecoming night.

“That can be used in many facets of our life, but particularly in this case it’s not to forget to remember what hap-

The Crestwood High School varsity football team has yet to capture a victory this season, but on Friday it will have the same record as its foe, Darlington.

At least the same record in Region VI-3A. The Knights, 0-5 open Region play at home at Donald L. Crolley Memorial Stadium against 4-1 Darlington.

“It’s a conference game, the first one, and so you definitely want to start the conference at 1-0 and that’s our plan,” Crestwood firstyear head coach Roosevelt Nelson said. “It’s a 1-game season and this is the most

SEE KNIGHTS, PAGE B3

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Lake City quarterback Davonte Turner is tackled by Crestwood’s Chase Rogers during the Knights’ 26-20 loss at Donald L. Crolley Memorial Stadium last Friday. The Knights will look for their first win of the season when they open region play against Darlington on Friday.

BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER michaelc@theitem.com

pened two years ago when we didn’t go over there completely ready to play football,” Lane said of Wilson Hall’s 39-37 loss.

The Barons are 4-1 overall this season and 2-1 in SCISA 3A play. The Cardinals are 0-6 and 0-5, but Lane said his team doesn’t need to lose its focus.

“They’re still searching for an identity,” Lane said of CN. “I think they’re dangerous in the fact that they’re looking for a win. We have to really be prepared to play football, and we can’t look past them toward anything else. That’s always a concern.”

Last week, the Cardinals were blanked 45-0 at the hands of Laurence Manning Academy. Their offense is averaging just one score per game, while the defense is allowing 29.8

SEE BARONS, PAGE B3

USC FOOTBALL

Message to Carolina defense this week is to start faster, finish stronger

BY DAVID CARAVIELLO Post and Courier COLUMBIA — For three and a half quarters, it almost looked as if Jadeveon Clowney and Co. were back in Gamecock garb. They forced 10 punts — five straight going into halftime, and five straight

coming out. They allowed only two of 16 third-down conversion attempts. They gave up just one BOTKIN touchdown, that on a short field after failing to convert a fourth-and-1.

And then what happened?

“I don’t really know what happened,” said South Carolina linebackers coach Kirk Botkin. “I don’t know if we relaxed a little, let human nature take over, but we shouldn’t have. We’ve got to start faster, and finish stronger.”

That’s the message this week, after USC allowed Missouri to score touchdowns on its final two drives and steal a 21-20 victory in a game where the Gamecocks led by 13 with 7:25 to play. That collapse in the final minutes overshadowed what was easily the best defensive effort by South Car-

olina this season, one where the Gamecocks’ beleaguered pass rush and young secondary combined to completely stymie the Tigers — until the very end.

Now South Carolina (3-2, 2-2 SEC) is left to take solace in

SEE CAROLINA, PAGE B3

B2

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SPORTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

SCOREBOARD TV, RADIO TODAY

8 a.m. -- Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Alfred Dunhill Links Championship First Round from St. Andrews, Angus and Kingsbarns, Scotland (GOLF).

Noon -- International Soccer: Europa League Match from Krasnador, Russia -- Everton vs. Krasnador (FOX SPORTS 1).

3 p.m. -- International Soccer: Europa League Match from London -- Besiktas vs. Tottenham (FOX SPORTS 1).

3 p.m. -- Exhibition Golf: Big Break Invitational Day Three from Greensboro, Ga. (GOLF).

5:30 p.m. -- Major League Baseball: American League Playoffs Division Series Game One -- Detroit at Baltimore (TBS).

5:30 p.m. -- High School Football: Sumter Touchdown Club Meeting (FTC NOW 26).

6:05 p.m. -- Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240).

7 p.m. -- College Football: Central Florida at Houston (ESPN).

7 p.m. -- College Football: Florida Atlantic at Florida International (FOX SPORTSOUTH).

7 p.m. -- Women’s College Soccer: Kentucky at Missouri (SEC NETWORK).

7 p.m. -- High School Football: Lake City at Crestwood (FTC NOW 26).

7:30 p.m. -- College Football: Alabama State at Alcorn State (ESPNU).

8 p.m. -- College Football: Benedict at Miles (CBS SPORTS NETWORK).

8 p.m. -- Major League Soccer: Chicago at Philadelphia (ESPN2).

8:25 p.m. -- NFL Football: Minnesota at Green Bay (WLTX 19, NFL NETWORK, WNKT-FM 107.5).

9 p.m. -- Women’s College Volleyball: San Francisco at Brigham Young (BYUTV).

9 p.m. -- Major League Baseball: American League Playoffs Division Series Game One -- Kansas City at Los Angeles Angels (TBS).

10:30 p.m. -- College Football: Arizona at Oregon (ESPN).

11 p.m. -- LPGA Golf: Reignwood LPGA Classic Second Round from Beijing (GOLF).

1 a.m. -- Formula One Racing: Japanese Grand Prix Practice from Suzuka, Japan (NBC SPORTS NETWORK).

4 a.m. -- International Soccer: Europa League Match from Glasgow, Scotland -- Dinamo Jagreb vs. Celtic FC (FOX SPORTS 1).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

Junior Varsity Football Crestwood at Darlington, 6 p.m.

Lakewood at Manning, 6:30 p.m.

Lee Central at Andrews, 6 p.m.

Laurence Manning at Hammond, 7 p.m.

Andrew Jackson Academy at Clarendon Hall, 6:30 p.m.

B Team Football Westwood at Sumter, 6 p.m.

Laurence Manning at Hammond, 5 p.m.

Middle School Football Florence Christian at Thomas Sumter, 6 p.m.

Williamsburg at Robert E. Lee, 6:30 p.m.

Varsity Girls Golf Sumter at Spring Valley (at Woodlands Country Club), TBA Varsity Girls Tennis Sumter at South Florence, TBA Manning at Hartsville, 5:30 p.m.

Wilson Hall at Thomas Sumter,3:304 p.m.

Laurence Manning at Orangeburg Prep, 3:30 p.m.

Varsity Volleyball Lakewood at Crestwood, 6 p.m.

Varsity and JV Volleyball Socastee at Sumter, 6 p.m.

Lake City at East Clarendon, 5:30 p.m.

Wilson Hall at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m.

Thomas Sumter at Orangeburg Prep, 4 p.m.

Andrew Jackson Academy at Clarendon Hall, 5 p.m.

B Team Volleyball Hammond at Robert E. Lee, 4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Varsity Football Darlington at Crestwood, 7:30 p.m.

Manning at Lakewood, 7:30 p.m.

Andrews at Lee Central, 7:30 p.m.

East Clarendon at Timmonsville, 7:30 p.m.

Gray Collegiate at Scott’s Branch, 7:30 p.m.

Wilson Hall at Cardinal Newman, 7:30 p.m.

Hammond at Laurence Manning, 7:30 p.m.

Thomas Sumter at Florence Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Clarendon Hall at Greenwood Christian, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

Varsity Cross Country Sumter in Darlington Carnival, TBA Varsity Swimming Sumter in Region VI-4A Meet at Francis Marion University in Florence, 8 a.m.

Wilson Hall, Thomas Sumter in SCISA State Meet (at Augusta Aquatics Center in Augusta, Ga.), TBA

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

By The Associated Press TODAY

SOUTH FAU (2-3) at FIU (2-3), 7 p.m.

Alabama St. (4-1) at Alcorn St. (4-1), 7:30 p.m.

SOUTHWEST UCF (1-2) at Houston (2-2), 7 p.m.

FAR WEST Arizona (4-0) at Oregon (4-0), 10:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

EAST Lafayette (2-2) at Fordham (4-1), 6:30 p.m.

Louisville (4-1) at Syracuse (2-2), 7 p.m.

FAR WEST San Diego St. (2-2) at Fresno St. (2-3), 10 p.m.

Utah St. (2-2) at BYU (4-0), 10:15 p.m.

SATURDAY

EAST Ball St. (1-3) at Army (1-3), Noon Harvard (2-0) at Georgetown (2-3), Noon Princeton (1-1) at Columbia (0-2), 12:30 p.m.

Yale (2-0) at Cornell (0-2), 12:30 p.m.

Villanova (3-1) at Maine (2-2), 12:30 p.m.

Bucknell (4-0) at Bryant (3-1), 1 p.m.

Holy Cross (2-3) at Colgate (2-2), 1 p.m.

West Liberty (2-2) at Duquesne (2-2), 1 p.m.

Brown (0-2) at Rhode Island (0-4), 1 p.m.

Penn (0-2) at Dartmouth (1-1), 1:30 p.m.

Monmouth (NJ) (3-1) at Robert Morris (0-4), 3 p.m.

Stony Brook (1-4) at Towson (2-3), 3 p.m.

Sacred Heart (3-1) at Delaware (3-1), 3:30 p.m.

Kansas (2-2) at West Virginia (2-2), 4 p.m.

James Madison (2-3) at Albany (NY) (4-0), 6 p.m.

Alderson-Broaddus (3-1) at Wagner (1-3), 6 p.m.

Michigan (2-3) at Rutgers (4-1), 7 p.m.

SOUTH SMU (0-4) at East Carolina (3-1)), Noon Marshall (4-0) at Old Dominion (3-2)), Noon Ohio St. (3-1) at Maryland (4-1), Noon Southern Miss. (2-3) at Middle Ten-

nessee (3-2), Noon Texas A&M (5-0) at Mississippi St. (40), Noon Florida (2-1) at Tennessee (2-2), Noon Virginia Tech (3-2) at North Carolina (2-2), 12:30 p.m.

Dayton (2-1) at Davidson (1-4), 1 p.m.

Drake (2-2) at Jacksonville (3-1), 1 p.m.

Campbell (1-3) at Morehead St. (2-2), 1 p.m.

New Hampshire (3-1) at Elon (1-3), 1:30 p.m.

Charlotte (3-2) at Gardner-Webb (23), 1:30 p.m.

The Citadel (1-3) at Wofford (2-2), 1:30 p.m.

Howard (1-4) at NC Central (1-3), 2 p.m.

W. Carolina (3-1) at Presbyterian (22), 2 p.m.

Norfolk St. (1-4) at Savannah St. (0-4), 2 p.m.

Grambling St. (2-3) at Alabama A&M (1-4), 3 p.m.

Mercer (4-1) at Samford (2-2), 3 p.m.

NC State (4-1) at Clemson (2-2), 3:30 p.m.

Wake Forest (2-3) at Florida St. (4-0), 3:30 p.m.

Alabama (4-0) at Mississippi (4-0), 3:30 p.m.

NC A&T (4-1) vs. SC State (3-2) at Atlanta, 3:30 p.m.

Delaware St. (1-4) at Bethune-Cookman (3-1), 4 p.m.

VMI (1-4) at Chattanooga (2-2), 4 p.m.

Vanderbilt (1-4) at Georgia (3-1), 4 p.m.

UT-Martin (1-4) at Jacksonville St. (31), 4 p.m.

Northwestern St. (2-2) at SE Louisiana (3-2), 4 p.m.

Morgan St. (2-3) at Florida A&M (0-4), 5 p.m.

South Alabama (2-2) at Appalachian St. (1-3), 6 p.m.

Butler (2-2) at Stetson (2-2), 6 p.m.

Ark.-Pine Bluff (1-3) at Southern U. (2-3), 6:30 p.m.

LSU (4-1) at Auburn (4-0), 7 p.m.

E. Kentucky (4-0) at Austin Peay (0-4), 7 p.m.

Coastal Carolina (5-0) at Furman (23), 7 p.m.

Prairie View (0-4) at Jackson St. (3-2), 7 p.m.

Richmond (2-2) at Liberty (3-2), 7 p.m.

UTEP (2-2) at Louisiana Tech (2-3), 7 p.m.

Georgia St. (1-3) at Louisiana-Lafayette (1-3), 7 p.m.

Nicholls St. (0-5) at McNeese St. (2-1), 7 p.m.

UAB (2-2) at W. Kentucky (2-2), 7 p.m.

Miami (3-2) at Georgia Tech (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

South Carolina (3-2) at Kentucky (31), 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh (3-2) at Virginia (3-2), 7:30 p.m.

Murray St. (1-3) at Tennessee Tech (1-3), 8 p.m.

MIDWEST Purdue (2-3) at Illinois (3-2), Noon Marist (0-5) at Valparaiso (1-3), 1 p.m.

E. Michigan (1-3) at Akron (2-2), 2 p.m.

Tennessee St. (4-1) at SE Missouri (32), 2 p.m.

North Texas (2-2) at Indiana (2-2), 2:30 p.m.

UMass (0-5) at Miami (Ohio) (0-5), 2:30 p.m.

Montana (3-2) at North Dakota (2-3), 2:30 p.m.

S. Dakota St. (3-1) at Illinois St. (3-0), 3 p.m.

N. Iowa (2-2) at Indiana St. (3-1), 3 p.m.

Youngstown St. (3-1) at Missouri St. (3-1), 3 p.m.

NASCAR

By The Associated Press

THE SUMTER ITEM

AREA ROUNDUP

Lady Generals hand WH first region loss Thomas Sumter Academy’s varsity volleyball team defeated Wilson Hall 3-2 on Tuesday at Nash Student Center.

The Lady Generals, who improved to 11-2 overall and 4-1 in SCISA Region II-3A, won by the scores of 21-25, 25-21, 27-25, 10-25, 15-7.

Sydney Daniel led TSA with 33 assists and 18 service points, Anita Cookey-gam had 11 kills, 27 points and six aces, while Sarah Moore had 17 kills. Taylor Knudson had 18 points and seven blocks.

Watts. The score was set up by a blocked punt by Andre Amaker that Jalen Johnson returned 52 yards.

In overtime, Mayewood, which fell to 3-1, was facing fourth down at the 3-yard line when a hit by Watts caused a fumble that was recovered by Nathan Harris. Jahkeem Mack with a 10-yard TD run to give Chestnut the victory.

SUMTER 3

Bates Middle School defeated Furman 20-6 on Tuesday at Craig Field.

Patrick Moses led the Bates defense with three interceptions along with three tackles.

Marcus Hicks had two quarterback sacks and returned a fumble 35 yards for a score, while Terry Carson had seven tackles.

Robert Lewis rushed for 70 yards and scored a touchdown and Dimone McKnight scored a TD as well.

For Furman, Cody Windham and Amari Martin combined on a 29-yard touchdown pass.

SOUTH FLORENCE 1

FLORENCE — Sumter High School improved to 2-3 in Region VI-4A with a 3-1 victory over South Florence on Tuesday at the SF gymnasium.

The Lady Gamecocks, who are 9-4 on the season, won by the scores of 22-25, 25-10, 25-13, 25-20.

Zuri Smith had four aces and 13 kills for SHS while Aubrey Rickard had 22 assists, Hannah Bettencourt had seven aces and Holly Richardson had five aces.

BATES 20 FURMAN 6

JUNIOR VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

CALHOUN 3 LAURENCE MANNING 1

THOMAS SUMTER 2

ST. MATTHEWS -- Laurence Manning Academy dropped to 1-4 in SCISA Region II-3A with a 3-1 loss to Calhoun Academy on Tuesday at the Calhoun gymnasium.

The Lady Cavaliers won by the scores of 25-18, 25-16, 19-25, 25-21.

Courtney Beatson led LMA with 17 kills and nine blocks. Megan Grams had five kills and 13 service points, while Maia Grams had 16 kills.

WILSON HALL 1 Thomas Sumter Academy improved to 10-2 on the season with a 2-1 victory over Wilson Hall on Tuesday at Nash Student Center.

The Lady Generals won by the scores of 25-17, 19-25, 25-23.

Carmen Silvester had 22 service points and 12 aces for TSA. Diamond Gibson added eight kills and Hannah Dennithorne had seven digs.

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL

LAURENCE MANNING 2

CHESTNUT OAKS 12

CALHOUN 0

MAYEWOOD 6 Chestnut Oaks Middle School beat Mayewood 12-6 in overtime on Tuesday in a battle of unbeaten teams at Viking Stadium.

The Falcons, who improved to 3-0 on the season, tied the game at 6-6 in the first quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run by Eric

ST. MATTHEWS -- Laurence Manning Academy defeated Calhoun Academy 2-0 on Tuesday at the Calhoun gymnasium.

LMA won by the scores of 25-11, 25-18.

Tolley Horton had 12 service points for the Lady Swampcats, while Haleigh Lewis had 10. Brooke Ward and Ashton Rogers both had seven kills.

SPRINT CUP LEADERS

Through Sept. 28 Points 1, Brad Keselowski, 3,000. 2, Jeff Gordon, 3,000. 3, Joey Logano, 3,000. 4, Jimmie Johnson, 3,000. 5, Kevin Harvick, 3,000. 6, Matt Kenseth, 3,000. 7, Denny Hamlin, 3,000. 8, Kyle Busch, 3,000. 9, Ryan Newman, 3,000. 10, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3,000. 11, Carl Edwards, 3,000. 12, Kasey Kahne, 3,000. 13, AJ Allmendinger, 2,077. 14, Kurt Busch, 2,073. 15, Greg Biffle, 2,072. 16, Aric Almirola, 2,061. 17, Kyle Larson, 859.

18, Clint Bowyer, 817. 19, Jamie McMurray, 805. 20, Paul Menard, 781.

Money 1, Brad Keselowski, $6,412,706. 2, Jeff Gordon, $6,029,628. 3, Jimmie Johnson, $5,696,528. 4, Joey Logano, $5,587,043.

5, Kevin Harvick, $5,385,031.

6, Matt Kenseth, $5,377,787. 7, Jamie McMurray, $5,308,170. 8, Dale Earnhardt Jr., $5,290,619. 9, Kyle Busch, $5,138,435.

10, Denny Hamlin, $4,762,553. 11, Greg Biffle, $4,539,799. 12, Austin Dillon, $4,466,759.

13, Clint Bowyer, $4,363,520. 14, Kyle Larson, $4,340,240.

15, Brian Vickers, $4,264,963. 16, Aric Almirola, $4,260,539. 17, Paul Menard, $4,230,456.

18, Carl Edwards, $4,176,917. 19, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., $4,104,795. 20, Marcos Ambrose, $3,920,385.

NFL STANDINGS

By The Associated Press AMERICAN CONFERENCE EAST Buffalo Miami New England N.Y. Jets SOUTH Houston Indianapolis Tennessee Jacksonville NORTH Cincinnati Baltimore Pittsburgh Cleveland WEST San Diego Denver Kansas City Oakland

W 2 2 2 1

L 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .500 .500 .500 .250

PF 79 96 80 79

PA 75 97 90 96

W 3 2 1 0

L 1 2 3 4

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .500 .250 .000

PF 87 136 60 58

PA 67 95 110 152

W 3 3 2 1

L 0 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .750 .500 .333

PF 80 103 97 74

PA 33 60 99 77

W 3 2 2 0

L 1 1 2 4

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .667 .500 .000

PF 102 75 102 51

PA 63 67 79 103

NATIONAL CONFERENCE EAST Philadelphia Dallas N.Y. Giants Washington SOUTH Atlanta Carolina New Orleans Tampa Bay NORTH Detroit Green Bay Minnesota Chicago WEST Arizona Seattle San Francisco St. Louis

W 3 3 2 1

L 1 1 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .750 .500 .250

PF 122 115 103 95

PA 104 86 91 109

W 2 2 1 1

L 2 2 3 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .500 .500 .250 .250

PF 131 73 95 72

PA 113 96 110 119

W 3 2 2 2

L 1 2 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .500 .500 .500

PF 85 92 91 92

PA 62 96 84 100

W 3 2 2 1

L 0 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .667 .500 .333

PF 66 83 88 56

PA 45 66 89 85

TODAY

Minnesota at Green Bay, 8:25 p.m.

SUNDAY

Cleveland at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Houston at Dallas, 1 p.m.

Chicago at Carolina, 1 p.m.

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Baltimore at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Arizona at Denver, 4:05 p.m.

Kansas City at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at San Diego, 4:25 p.m.

Cincinnati at New England, 8:30 p.m.

Open: Miami, Oakland

MONDAY, OCT. 6

Seattle at Washington, 8:30 p.m.

Contenders concerned about Chase cut-off at Talladega

BY JOE MENZER The Associated Press The key to surviving the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, a three-race stretch that begins this Sunday at Kansas Speedway, then rolls into Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 11 and finally ends Oct. 19 at Talladega Superspeedway, is to arrive at Talladega not having to worry about surviving.

So said the Chase drivers interviewed Wednesday at Contender Media Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. None said they relish the idea of arriving at ‘Dega needing to win — or even pull off a strong finish — to avoid being one of the four drivers who will be eliminated from the Chase field after that race.

“My guess is you’ll have probably 10 drivers still concerned about the points – the 12 of us who are left now in the Chase minus two winners at Kansas and Charlotte,” defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said heading into Sunday’s race at Kansas (2 p.m. ET on ESPN). “So in that sense it will still be like a traditional Talladega fall race – white-knuckle racing for the last 50 laps or so. ... I would rather win at Kansas or Charlotte so I don’t have to worry about it.”

Brad Keselowski, who owns a series-high five Sprint Cup wins this season, said he couldn’t agree more.

The Chase field began with 16 drivers, but four were eliminated after the Dover race last Sunday. Each of the 12 Contenders have had their points re-set to 3,000 for the upcoming round.

“For us, we’ve been lucky enough to win races early in the season and then again early in the Chase,” Kesel-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jimmie Johnson, front, races in front of Mike Bliss during Sunday’s AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Johnson finished in third place. owski said. “But now the points are re-set, and if we get behind in the wins or behind in the points, we’ll have to really ramp it up.

“It’s hard to predict what you’re going to see at Talladega with this new format.

I suspect you’re going to see a group of guys lagging back – the guys who have a points cushion or the wins, maybe – but that just means you’re going to see a group of other guys really going for it. So in the end it’ll probably be a typical Talladega race, and that’s why everyone will have to watch.”

Keselowski went on to add that he considers Kansas “almost as much of a wild card as Talladega,” where anything could happen to anybody. And after it’s over, the drivers know only one race remains before possible mayhem on the 2.66-mile superspeedway at Talladega.

“That’s why I think the Charlotte race is potentially the most important race of this bracket and maybe the entire Chase outside of (the season finale at) Homestead. If you go out and win

Charlotte and control your own destiny, that’s going to be huge,” Keselowski said.

NO LUCKY UNDERWEAR FOR LOGANO

A portion of Wednesday’s event at the NASCAR Hall involved drivers answering questions that had been submitted beforehand by fans. One asked drivers about their pre-race routines, to which Joey Logano responded the key is to “just make sure you eat enough.

It’s a long race, so I eat a lot – a lot of pasta, a good Italian meal. ... No crazy, different things. No lucky underwear or anything like that.

That’s just disgusting, so I don’t do that.

The next driver to attempt to answer the question was Matt Kenseth, sitting one seat over from Logano – who prompted Kenseth by saying, “He probably wears lucky underwear.”

Kenseth, whose dry sense of humor in the Sprint Cup garage is legendary, just smiled and replied that no, that wasn’t it at all. “I thought it was weird he wears underwear,” Kenseth deadpanned of Logano.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

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B3

CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Beasley continues to be stellar defensively

BY AARON BRENNER Post and Courier CLEMSON — If Vic Beasley keeps this up during the week, he’s going to get thrown off of Clemson’s football field.

Not for lack of effort. Quite the contrary, actually.

“Sometimes I just want to kick him out of practice.

Makes me lose confidence in my (offensive) tackles,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “I have to remind myself he’s Vic Beasley.”

Beasley might abuse his teammates from Sunday through Friday, but it’s been opposing left tackles feeling embarrassed early in 2014.

Beasley’s grabbed a sack in all four games so far, and his season total of six doubles South Carolina defensive end’s Jade-

veon Clowney’s total in all of 2013.

“Businesslike. Focused. Playing hard. He’s made some huge plays,” Swinney said. “He’s a handful. I’m glad he’s on our team. Doesn’t say a whole lot.

But he’s very conscientious and he’s a great team guy.”

GORE OUT

Clemson’s offensive line depth continues to dwindle.

Junior Joe Gore, who started the first three games but was replaced for uneven performance, had his appendix removed early Wednesday during emergency surgery and will miss at least the Tigers’ next two games.

That leaves Isaiah Battle, Kalon Davis and Eric Mac Lain as the team’s only two healthy tackles who have

played in an ACC game.

Tight end Sam Cooper, who broke a bone in his leg during warmups before the Georgia opener, will make his season debut Saturday and serve as game captain. Receiver Charone Peake will be a game-time decision to play with an injured knee.

SENIOR’S MOMENT

With really only one open position at cornerback available (freshman Mackensie Alexander has locked down his side of the field), senior Garry Peters knew he had to play consistently to fight his way to the top of the depth chart.

Times like the first half against North Carolina last Saturday give defensive coordinator Brent Venables hope he’s got two dependable corners.

KNIGHTS FROM PAGE B1

BARONS FROM PAGE B1 points. Lane said CN is young in spots.

“I think if you watch the film and don’t read the score, you can look at them and see they’re a pretty good football team. They’ve made some mistakes that have hurt them in every game, but they’re very physical and they’re very big,” Lane said.

CN sophomore quarterback Cam Tringali has thrown for 277 yards, completing just 33 of 88 passes with one touchdown against nine interceptions. Senior tailback Walter Napper leads in rushing with 654 yards on 119 carries and two scores. Junior wide receiver Parker Dubois is the top receiving threat with 142 yards on 17 catches.

Defensively, the Barons have played well. They held Clemson commitment E’Mon Reeves, a sophomore running back at Augusta Christian, to 66 yards on 19 carries in a 14-3 victory last week.

Senior linebacker John Wells Baker leads the team with 63 total tackles, including three for loss. He had 16 against Augusta Christian.

Junior Sam Watford has 54 total tackles, while senior Tristan Whitaker has been a sack machine with 16 in just four games.

Lane said his kids are

KEITH GEDAMKE /SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM

Wilson Hall sophomore quarterback McLendon Sears (7) looks for a receiver during the Barons’ 14-3 victory over Augusta Christian last week. Wilson Hall plays Cardinal Newman in Columbia on Friday. real comfortable defensively and have done a real good job of tackling. He would, however, like to see them do a better job of forcing turnovers.

Offensively, Lane thinks his team is right on par with last year’s numbers, both in the passing and running games. Sophomore quarterback McLendon Sears has completed 51 of 65 passes for 748 yards and nine touchdowns to four interceptions. He is the team’s leading rusher with 443 yards and 10 TDs on 63 totes. Junior John Ballard has 283 yards on 44 carries, while Robert James has 178

CAROLINA FROM PAGE B1 an effort that seemed good enough to win the game – and take lessons from a finish that resulted in a stunning loss.

“You play a good game, essentially a good body of work, but when the game is on the line, you have to make those plays,” said secondary coach Grady Brown.

“You have to find a way to make those plays. No getting around it. We had our opportunities to make those

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley (3) is having another strong season for the Tigers. He has six sacks in four games so far this season.

plays, we just didn’t do it.

We’re working to try to be in position to take advantage of those opportunities next time. It would have been great. That’s what we needed. Not just to make a good play, but to make a play when the team needed us to make it. It would have been perfect. It would have put us right where we needed to be.”

Indeed, finishing off Missouri would have marked a

yards and two scores on 30 attempts.

Junior Brent Carraway leads the team in receiving with 202 yards on 13 catches. James isn’t far behind with 198 yards on 10 catches. Ballard is next with 145 yards on 12 catches and Cody Hoover has 113 yards on nine catches.

“We’re an option football team,” Lane said. “We’ll spread out in a 3-step passing game, and we’re going to do those things Friday night as long as we can continue to do those things successfully. I think we’ve shown some proficiencies in both of those areas.”

great leap forward for a defense which has been searching for an identity in the post-Clowney era. Head coach Steve Spurrier was so impressed that he called it “maybe the best defensive game since I’ve been here” until seven minutes remained. Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk, the SEC leader in touchdown passes, was harassed by Gamecock defenders who made a point of trying to get in his face and forcing the six-foot-tall signal-caller to throw over the top of them.

important game this Friday.

We can’t look ahead, we can’t look at the past; it’s just Darlington this Friday and we’re going to try and play a good game.”

Crestwood’s defense has been stellar the last few weeks. The Knights have hurt themselves with turnovers and penalties offensively. In Friday’s 26-20 loss to Lake City, the Knights had four turnovers — two interceptions and two lost fumbles.

“Just going through film study and showing them if there wasn’t a holding penalty here or a turnover here, and look at the big play the other team had that we could’ve scored points,” is what Nelson said he and his coaching staff have been pointing out to the Knights. “We just keep coaching hard and teaching our quarterback to make good decisions with the ball and make sure our receivers stay on their blocks versus holding and just continue to keep coaching and pushing the fundamentals of the game.”

Last week, the Knights allowed minus-9 yards rushing on 29 attempts and gave up 274 yards through the air. Defensive tackle Chris Rembert had a 39-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, while Reggie Davis had a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Rembert finished with 16 tackles, including three for a loss.

The Knights will be without two key players this week on defense. Starting safety and nickel back Diquan Brown has been lost for the season with a neck injury. Starting linebacker Aaron King is also out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

The Falcons offense, which is averaging 255.2 yards per game on the ground and 169.2 through the air, will certainly test the Knights. Senior quarterback Shakeem Thomas has thrown for 846 yards and

three TDs against four interceptions. He’s also rushed for 152 yards on 39 carries and a score.

Trayvon Thomas leads Darlington in rushing with 926 yards on 116 carries, good for an average of 8 yards per carry. He also leads the team with 13 rushing scores.

Tra’Quan Dubose and Melquan Depugh are the top receiving threats for the Falcons. Dubose leads the team with 270 yards on 20 catches.

Depugh has 266 yards on 17 catches with two scores.

The Falcons defense isn’t too shabby either. Darlington has 12.5 quarterback sacks, three interceptions and six fumble recoveries.

“Darlington plays with a tremendous amount of pressure defensively,” Nelson said.

“Their front is very active and they like blitzing, so we definitely have to prepare for that offensively. We need to try to get a lot of hats to the football, try to be physical and play fundamentally sound and be accountable for what we’re doing.”

Nelson said the offense will need to do what it does best, which is run the ball. University of North Carolina verbal commitment Ty’Son Williams, who finished with 112 yards rushing on 27 totes against Lake City, will lead the charge. Sophomore quarterback Tylas Green was just 2-for-10 passing for 38 yards.

“We definitely want to sustain drives; that’s always part of our game plan,” Nelson said. “We definitely want to keep the time of possession in our favor.

“Our offense just needs to keep the ball on the field, and the longer you’re on the field the more success you have because you’re getting first downs and scoring points,” he said. “That’s always our game plan, move the ball and have success on first down.”

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SWIM FROM PAGE B1 medley. Simonson is on all three as well, and swims the breaststroke portion of the medley.

On the boys side, senior Dalton Kirkhart is a half of second off of an automatic qualifying time in the 100 backstroke and less than a second off in the 100 breaststroke. Coach Kirkhart believes her son has a strong shot at first or second in the 50 free and 100 backstroke events at region.

Will Stallings, a junior, is a half a second off in the 100 back event and a second off in the 100 breaststroke as well.

“Just from the very beginning we’ve had a group that comes out and works hard to get better each time out,” coach Kirkhart said.

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Sumter’s Tabitha Simonson swims in a breaststroke event for the Gamecocks during a meet last week at the Sumter Aquatics Center.

“They’re a very easy group to work with and they’re very strong both academi-

cally and athletically.

They’re very dedicated to what they do.”

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

MLB POSTSEASON

Royals return to playoffs in dramatic fashion

BY DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It had been 29 years since the Kansas City Royals had last been to the postseason — nearly three decades spent mostly in baseball’s backwater, a small-market organization on a shoe-string budget trying in vain to compete with the big boys.

On Tuesday night, they returned to the game’s grand stage in dramatic fashion.

Salvador Perez singled home the winning run with two outs in the 12th inning, capping two late comebacks that gave Kansas City a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Oakland Athletics and sent the Royals to a bestof-five Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Royals will meet the AL West champions in the opener on Thursday in Los Angeles.

“We’re going to enjoy this one,” said Eric Hosmer, drenched in champagne, who sparked the final Royals rally with a one-out triple. “We realize we’re playing a team that had the best record in baseball, but it’s a five-game series and anything can happen.”

After Tuesday night, there is no disputing that.

Making their first postseason appearance since winning the 1985 World Series, the Royals fell behind by four runs, only to race back with their speed on the bases — they led the majors with 153 steals this

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez hits a walk-off single to drive in Christian Colon with the winning run in the 12th inning of the Royals’ 9-8 comeback win over Oakland in the AL wild card playoff game on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo. season. Kansas City swiped seven in this one to tie a postseason record shared by the 1907 Chicago Cubs and 1975 Cincinnati Reds, according to STATS. The biggest one came in the 12th.

Hosmer scored the tying run on a high chopper to third by rookie Christian Colon, who reached on the infield single and then stole second with two outs.

Perez, who was 0 for 5 after squandering two late chances to drive in key runs, reached out and pulled a hard one-hopper past diving third baseman Josh Donaldson. Colon scored easily, and the Royals rushed out of the dugout for a mad celebration.

Sitting upstairs in a suite, Royals Hall of Famer George Brett put his hands on his head in near disbelief at the frenzied and jubilant scene

that was unfolding below.

“It was unbelievable,” Perez said.

So unbelievable that the Kansas City Police took to Twitter with a message for folks across the city, and it was hard to believe that anybody disobeyed the request: “We really need everyone to not commit crimes and drive safely right now. We’d like to hear the Royals clinch.”

Royals manager Ned Yost

Tigers hope starters can outdo Orioles bullpen

BY DAVID GINSBURG The Associated Press BALTIMORE — The Detroit Tigers’ starting pitchers in the first three games of the AL Division Series have a combined 329 wins, three Cy Young Awards and 35 games of postseason experience.

Baltimore’s starters carry SHOWALTER less impressive credentials, yet they don’t necessarily have to outpitch their Detroit counterparts for the Orioles to advance.

All they have to do is keep it close, then hand the baseball over to one of the best bullpens in major leagues.

Detroit (90-72) didn’t win as many games as the Ori-

oles (96-66), who ran away with the AL East title to earn home-field advantage in the best-of-five series that begins Thursday. But the AL Central-champion Tigers have been installed as a slight favorite — mainly because of their formidable starting rotation.

Max Scherzer (18-5, 3.15 ERA) starts on Thursday, followed by Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54) and David Price (15-12, 3.26). That also happens to be a list of the last three AL Cy Young winners.

Advantage, Detroit?

“I think we all know what it looks like on paper,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday. “But there’s a lot of things that look a certain way on paper for us that we were able to overcome.”

Orioles right-hander Chris

Tillman (13-6, 3.34 ERA) will make his first foray into the postseason in the opener. Although Showalter declined the announced his starters for Friday and Sunday, they will likely be Wei-Yin Chen (16-6, 3.54) and Miguel Gonzalez (10-9, 3.23), each of whom has pitched in exactly one playoff game.

If playoff experience and Cy Young Awards mean anything, then Detroit has a decent chance to reach the AL Championship Series for a fourth straight year.

“Pitching. That’s what wins ballgames,” Price said.

“If we put up zeroes early, that kind of gives our offense a chance to kind of settle into the game. They know they don’t have to put up a three- or four-spot because we’re down.”

But if a game is close in

By The Associated Press x-if necessary WILD CARD Tuesday: Kansas City 9, Oakland 8, 12 innings Wednesday, Oct. 1: San Francisco (Bumgarner 18-10) at Pittsburgh (Volquez 13-7), late DIVISION SERIES (Best-of-5) American League All AL games televised by TBS Baltimore vs. Detroit Thursday, Oct. 2: Detroit (Scherzer 18-5) at Baltimore (Tillman 13-6), 5:37 p.m.

Friday: Detroit (Verlander 15-12) at Baltimore, 12:07 or 3:07 p.m.

Sunday: Baltimore at Detroit (Price 15-12), 3:45 p.m. x-Monday, Oct. 6: Baltimore at Detroit (Porcello 15-13), TBD x-Wednesday, Oct. 8: Detroit at Baltimore, TBD Los Angeles vs. Kansas City Today: Kansas City (Duffy 9-12) at Los Angeles (Weaver 18-9), 9:07 p.m.

Friday: Kansas City at Los Angeles, 9:37 or 10:07 p.m.

has refused to discuss who he might pitch in the opener against the Angels. The two best bets are vastly different options: Danny Duffy is a young, hard-throwing lefty who plays on passion. Jeremy Guthrie is a cerebral righthander who relies on guile.

For the A’s, it was a stunning and heartbreaking finish.

They had the best record in baseball before collapsing in the second half, and needed a victory on the final day of the regular season just to squeeze into the playoffs.

Oakland had chances to put all that in the past. Instead, the season ended abruptly for a team that has failed over and over again in the postseason.

“It’s a one-game deal. You know coming in that anything can happen,” said Brandon Moss, who drove in five runs with two homers for Oakland.

“I don’t think many of us will go over things in our head very much at all. We may rewatch it but I wouldn’t secondguess anything we did or they did. Both teams went out, put some pressure on the other team, played good baseball.”

Even Yost, who rarely cracks a smile, had to grin after this one.

“That’s the most incredible game I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “Our guys never quit.

We fell behind there in the fifth inning, sixth inning. They kept battling back. They weren’t going to be denied. It was just a great game.”

Sunday: Los Angeles at Kansas City, 7:37 p.m. x-Monday, Oct. 6: Los Angeles at Kansas City, TBD x-Wednesday, Oct. 8: Kansas City at Los Angeles, TBD National League Washington vs. San Francisco-Pittsburgh winner Friday: San Francisco-Pittsburgh winner at Washington (FS1), 12:07 or 3:07 p.m.

Saturday: San Francisco-Pittsburgh winner at Washington (FS1), 5:37 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 6: Washington at San Francisco-Pittsburgh winner (FS1 or MLBN), TBD x-Tuesday, Oct. 7: Washington at San Francisco-Pittsburgh winner (FS1), TBD x-Thursday, Oct. 9: San FranciscoPittsburgh winner at Washington (FS1), TBD Los Angeles vs. St. Louis Friday: St. Louis (Wainwright 20-9) at Los Angeles (Kershaw 21-3) (FS1), 6:37 p.m.

Saturday: St. Louis (Lynn 15-10) at Los Angeles (MLBN), 9:37 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 6: Los Angeles at St. Louis (Lackey 3-3) (FS1 or MLBN), TBD x-Tuesday, Oct. 7: Los Angeles at St. Louis (Miller 10-9) (FS1), TBD x-Thursday Oct. 9: St. Louis at Los Angeles (FS1), TBD

the seventh inning, the Orioles like their chances.

“We’ve got a good bullpen, we have a good starting staff,” said closer Zach Brit-

ton, who finished with 37 saves. “Anytime there’s a close game, we’re confident we can pull it out, and we’ve done that a lot this year.”

Mary Sue Baker (Bobby) of Sumter.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Lydia Copeland Brown; and a brother, James Geddings.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with Maj. Michael Rodgers officiating. Burial will be in Sumter Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home.

Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, 16 Kendrick St., Sumter, SC 29150.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

Sun City, Arizona, and Susan Lewis Nunnery (Jimmy) of Sumter; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Wanda Altman and the Rev. Michael Bowen officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery with the Rev. Walt Phillips and the Rev. Ron Bower officiating.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Elmore-CannonStephens Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Dalzell United Methodist Church, 3330 Black River Road, Dalzell, SC 29040.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements. www.ecsfuneralhome.com

OBITUARIES CHRISTINE A. TOMLIN

lyn Hodkins Dorr. Mr. Dorr was a member of Sumter Baptist Temple. He was a local farmer. He was known for and loved his work at the Farmer’s Market for more than 13 years. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Surviving are two sons, Maynard S. Dorr Jr. (Marie) of Sumter and Michael Otis Dorr of Sumter; a daughter, Debbie R. Pritchard (Jimmy) of Lewisville, North Carolina; one brother, Kenny Dorr (Donna) of Maine; and two grandchildren, Tyler Dorr and Kristen Dorr.

He was preceded in death by a sister, JoAnne Shirley Langley.

MARGIE V. BRUNSON Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at ASHWOOD — Margie Sumter Baptist Temple with Vaughn Brunson, 67, wife of the Rev. Mike Westmoreland Richard H. Brunson, died on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, at her officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park home.

Services will be announced cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Lee Mcby Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematori- Granaghan, Sam Poole, Dennis Schroeder, Merlin Mattum of Sumter. miller, Louie Gentele and Jamey Lisenby.

MAYNARD S. DORR SR. Honorary pallbearers will be Carson Prescott and TherMaynard Shirley Dorr Sr., 74, widower of Francis Wilma on Cook.

The family will receive Flannery Dorr, died on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, at Tu- friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore Hill McCreight Fuomey Regional Medical Cenneral Home and other times ter.

Born in Machias, Maine, he at the home, 1033 Marion Lane. was a son of the late Shirley Memorials may be made to Maynard and Gertrude EveChristine Andrew Tomlin, 56, of 316 South St., wife of Roosevelt Tomlin, entered eternal rest on Tuesday, Sept.

30, 2014, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia.

She was born Sept. 27, 1958, in Sumter, a daughter of J.C. Andrew and the late Cesther Moore Andrews.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home of her daughter, Melissa Reames (Rodney), 116 Carver St. Funeral plans will be announced by Community Funeral Home of Sumter.

WSSC Radio Station, 201 Oswego Highway, Sumter, SC 29153.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals. com.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

LUCY COPELAND DALZELL — Lucy Copeland, 67, wife of Gerald L. Copeland, died on Tuesday, Sept.

30, 2014, at her home.

Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Russell Joseph Geddings and Christine Capell Geddings Sims.

She retired as a social worker for the Salvation Army and was a member of the Salvation Army Church.

Survivors include her husband of Dalzell; two children, Susan Rodgers (Michael) of Mount Airy, North Carolina, and John M. Copeland (Anne) of Pittstown, New Jersey; five grandchildren, Amanda Rodgers, Caleb Rodgers, Hannah Copeland, Cara Copeland and Eden Copeland; and a sister,

PEGGY LEWIS Peggy Lewis, 90, widow of Jesse Harrison Lewis, died on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014, at Covenant Place.

Born in Braintree, England, she was a daughter of the late Albert and Emma Clark. She was a member of Dalzell United Methodist Church and the British Wives Club.

Survivors include three daughters, Juanita Lewis Lane (Randy) of Connelly Springs, North Carolina, Carol Lewis Dobbs (Larry) of

SHAKEZ BRACEY BISHOPVILLE — Shakez Bracey died on or about Sept.

26, 2014, in Lee County.

The family is receiving friends at 52 Circle R Lane, Bishopville.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville.

COMICS

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Medications should be kept under lock and key DEAR ABBY — You missed the chance to communicate a life-ordeath message to your readers when you anDear Abby swered a letter from an ABIGAIL “Ohio GrandVAN BUREN ma.” Your reply understated the importance of storing medications properly and safely.

Why didn’t those meds have safety lids? Putting them in a suitcase is not enough. They should be stored out of reach, preferably secured with a safety lock. Or better yet, the parents should be told you have dangerous substances with you — and ASKED where you

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014

can store them.

Mom of toddler in New Jersey DEAR MOM — I was scolded for not placing more emphasis on the safety issue. However, the question I was asked was, “Are we obligated to help with more of the medical expenses (for the ER visit) because we have already helped (contributed several hundred dollars) and I don’t think it’s our job to teach our grandchild boundaries?” So that was the issue on which I focused. Read on: DEAR ABBY — In 2011, 67,700 toddlers were seen for accidental medication exposure.

Of these, 12,390 required hospitalization. Children 13 to 24 months of age accounted for 68 percent of these visits. In ER visits where information

was obtained, 38 percent involved grandparents’ medications, 31 percent the mother’s medications, 12 percent a sibling’s, 8 percent the father’s and 5 percent an aunt’s or uncle’s medication.

Family members MUST take precautions to keep their meds out of children’s hands. I keep mine under lock and key with the key in my possession whenever I visit my grandchildren.

While I agree with you that children should be taught boundaries and to respect the possessions of others, I believe we have a responsibility to provide a safe environment, especially when we are visiting or when children are visiting us.

The consequences of failing to do that can be tragic.

Pediatrician and Grandmother in Maine

JUMBLE

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Hint 6 Insincere flattery 11 Town in a Hersey title 12 Book before Joel 13 Roadie’s burden 16 Like some ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos 17 Home of the bush ballad 19 Greek letter 20 Take in 22 Hardest to get close to 23 Rocky pinnacle 24 Brit who might lose a stone?

26 __ tape 27 Cicero, for one 29 From the top 31 Half a drink 32 CV component 33 Three sheets to the wind 34 Selassie of Ethiopia 36 Stew base 38 Snake eye?

39 Doctoral candidate’s hurdle 40 Seventhcentury pope 41 Blu-ray

42 43 44 46 49 51 53

54 56 57 58 60 62 63 64 65 66

player ancestor Swindle Sturdy tree Astra or Insignia Salad vegetable DWI-fighting gp.

Genesis “__ Cried”: 1962 hit for Jay and the Americans Prepares (oneself), as for combat Pooch sans papers Diminutive, diminutively Fated Send, in a way Ice cream maker Joseph Bars with character, to some Slower than adagio Act surprised Puts on cargo

DOWN 1 Donated for the benefit of 2 One checking stories 3 Classic music hall song that lent its melody to

the “Howdy Doody” theme 4 Santa __ Mountains 5 Lake Erie city 6 Trading unit 7 Apt challenger of this puzzle’s circled locations 8 Long-eared beast 9 Hit the hay 10 Painter Chagall 13 Unalaska, e.g.

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monkey 30 “No one knows” 33 Enthusiast 35 Yankee suspended for the 2014 season 36 Start of a confession 37 Like family 45 Reminder of a kind 46 Slowing, in scores 47 Certain Muslim 48 Greetings 50 Room with a remote, often 52 Letterman interviewee, say 55 Old Fords 59 Reproductive cells 61 __ culpa