October 5, 2014

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Clemson, USC look to rebound in conference play B1 SATURDAY FUN

Flexing metallic muscle for fans Caffeine and Gasoline show downtown is a hit for locals SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014

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New police station, fire HQ would serve Sumter if 2nd penny tax passes BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories examining $75 million worth of new construction needs in Sumter County, as identified in the proposal for a renewed penny sales tax. Sumter County voters will be asked to approve the tax in November, and funds raised by the tax, should it pass, will go toward a series of building, infrastructure and other projects throughout the county.

Cotton cut from crops supported by USDA

The proposed Penny for Progress tax is aiming to fill a major need for emergency services in Sumter, with a $5 million police station and $5.6 million fire station headquarters nearing the top of the list of projects. In conjunction with the $10 million E911 Emergency Services facility that would also be funded by the penny tax if it’s renewed in November, leaders from both the fire and police departments are optimistic about the future of first responders in the city.

JOE KEPLER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter Fire Chief Karl Ford shows the initial plans for the possible new police and fire station headquarters recently. The two buildings would share the same plot of land behind the Walgreens at North LaSEE EMERGENCY, PAGE A9 fayette Drive and East Calhoun Street if the penny tax renewal passes.

ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Because of new farm bill, those qualified for payments can apply BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com With the implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill, cotton will no longer be a supported crop, and cotton farmers have until Tuesday to contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency if they wish to receive Cotton Transition Program payments, said FSA County Executive Director Jim Montgomery. He said the agency is seeking to get all farmers who qualify for the payments to apply. “If they are not sure whether they applied or not, please call,” Montgomery said. The USDA mailed a letter to all farmers currently getting support from the federal government outlining what steps farmers need to take as the provisions of the new farm bill take effect. In the letters, farmers were given information about their farms’ crop history, base acreage and yields. “If the information is both complete and accurate,” the letter says, “farmers do not need to take any immediate action.” However, the letter instructs farmers that if they determine that any data is “incorrect, incomplete or missing,” they must contact the office in their county with “verifiable documentation” within 60 days of receipt of the letter. David DeWitt, Clemson Extension agronomist, said farmers should take the opportunity to update their base acreage and crop yield information.

SEE FARM BILL, PAGE A9

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PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter horse Tail-A-Blaze is blessed at the Church of the Holy Cross in Stateburg on Saturday morning by Pastor Mike Ridgill. Ridgill blessed about a dozen pets during the annual ceremony meant to honor St. Francis of Assisi, who loved animals.

Creatures big and small blessed, too BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com

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Ridgill blesses Wolf the German shepherd on Saturday at the event.

n unusual crowd gathered outside Church of the Holy Cross on North Kings Highway in Stateburg on Saturday morning. It was not your typical group of worshippers; it sounds more like the setup to an odd joke. Fourteen dogs, two cats and a retired thoroughbred race horse came with their owners to the church to be sprinkled with holy water as part of the annual Blessing of the Animals. Father Michael Ridgill, rector of the church, said the

DEATHS, A15 John E. Dowe Gertrude Alice Page Ida Mae Walker Christine Tomlin Houston W. Grant Shirley Wilson

Shakez Bracey Marie Sweat Mary Arbuckle Nora Wood Rakeem McDonald Jr. Charles Wells

blessing is “a recognition of creation” and honors the symbiotic and interdependent relationship between humans and animals of all shapes and sizes. Ridgill has been a priest for 11 years, serving communities in Myrtle Beach, Hartsville and now Sumter. “Everywhere I go, we’ve been doing a blessing of the animals, and it’s always joyful and a lot of fun,” Ridgill said. “In many ways, they show us unconditional love and, gosh, don’t we need that? It’s just a wonderful event.”

SEE BLESSING, PAGE A10

WEATHER, A16

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5 SECTIONS, 42 PAGES VOL. 119, NO. 302

Cool this morning but sunny throughout the day; clear and moonlit tonight HIGH 68, LOW 47

Business D1 Classifieds D4 Comics E1

Lotteries A16 Opinion A14 Television E3


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