September 2, 2015

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40 blighted properties torn down More vacant and dilapidated ones on the chopping block, city officials say

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com It has been a great year in terms of removing vacant and blighted properties, George McGregor, director of Sumter Planning Department, informed Sumter City Council during Tuesday’s meeting.

A total of 40 vacant and dilapidated properties have been demolished so far this year, he said.

McGregor said 25 properties have been demolished through codes enforcement demolition, and 15 other properties have been demolished through the Sumter Pride program.

Five or six other properties could be

demolished by the end of the year.

McGregor said the planning department considered council’s approval of amendments to the property maintenance code as a go ahead to move forward with blight removal around the city. Since the beginning of the year, the city has been seeking new measures to reduce the number of unin-

habitable properties in the city.

In late April, council approved amendments to the city’s property maintenance code to include information for a vacant property registry and regulations regarding demolitions.

According to the amendments, any

SEE CITY, PAGE A5

Battle of the Badges blood drive back for 4th year Vote for your favorite first responders by the pint

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com The fourth annual Battle of the Badges Donor Week is underway as local first responders and community members stop by the American Red Cross Donation Center in Sumter to donate blood.

Sumter Fire Department Battalion Chief Joey Duggan said the friendly competition between Sumter’s local first responders started a few years ago as a way to give back to the community. The blood drive competition is sponsored

by Sumter Police Department, Sumter County Emergency Medical Services, Sumter Fire Department, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and SumterLee Detention Center.

Duggan said the American Red Cross is always looking for donations this time of year after the “deadly days of summer” when there are a higher number of injuries during vacation travel.

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Collection Specialist Sharon Williams draws blood from Battalion Chief Joey Dollard on Tuesday afternoon at the Sumter Red Cross. The fire station, police department, Emergency Medical Services, the sheriff’s office and the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention center are competing SEE BADGES, PAGE A6 between Monday and Friday to see which entity can donate the most blood.

Taking another look at criminal domestic violence Governor’s task force issues 50 solutions

BY SEANNA ADCOX The Associated Press COLUMBIA — A task force’s recommendations for combating domestic violence in South Carolina include training more 911 operators, improving documentation of the crime scene and increasing the number of shelters statewide.

Many of the 50 recommendations issued Monday involve uniformly training law enforcement officers statewide on how to investigate domestic violence cases.

Gov. Nikki Haley, who created the group by executive order in January, said there’s a lot of work to do on recommendations that would seem to be common

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sense. She said she was shocked, for example, that officers often don’t interview children at the scene or even document they were witnesses.

Many officers don’t interview the victim separately, allowing nonverbal intimidation from the abuser.

Roughly one in five law enforcement agencies don’t even require officers to file a report on a domestic violence call, according to the group’s findings.

Prosecutors reported that while photographs are important in getting a conviction, officers had failed to take a photo of the victim in 40 percent of their domestic violence cases. Sixty percent had no photo of the crime scene.

Haley called it a “kick in the gut” to learn that not all 911 operators are trained on handling domestic violence calls.

The Criminal Justice Academy offers a twoweek course for 911 operators. But it costs $700 per person, and many smaller agencies simply can’t afford the school, said Department of Public Safety Director Leroy Smith.

“If they don’t know the right questions to ask, the officer doesn’t know what he’s walking into,” Haley said.

Nationwide, South Carolina consistently ranks among the worst per capita in women killed by men.

But the extent of the

SEE TASK FORCE, PAGE A6

Sumter already practices some suggestions, resources still needed

BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Most local officials have had little time to study Gov. Nikki Haley’s Domestic Violence Task Force Phase II Report, but Third Judicial Circuit Prosecutor Ernest “Chip” Finney III hailed it as a significant effort to deal with one of the Palmetto State’s most significant problems.

“I appreciate the leadership of the governor and taking on this task because we certainly are aware that the problem has increased in severity over the last several years,” he said.

Third Judicial Circuit Assistant Prosecutor Margaret Held is a member of the task force’s Criminal Justice Division Prosecutors Working Group and has helped shape some of the task force’s recommendations. She said the task

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Kyrie Ty-Shawn Moses Sidney Williams Jack E. Hyatt Jr. Cleborn E. Duke Jr.

In an emergency, call 911 Sumter Police Department Victim Assistance Unit: (803) 436-2703, (803) 436-2780 or (803) 436-2781 Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Unit: (803) 436-2129 or (803) 436-2044 Third Circuit Solicitor Victim Services: (803) 436-2191 YWCA Domestic Violence Hotline: (803) 775-2763

force is trying to refine some of the changes made when the Legislature passed a domestic violence reform law this past session that is now in effect One of task force’s recommendations is that domestic violence

SEE SUMTER, PAGE A6

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

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

‘My Community And Me’ enters 20th year

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com With little local history and culture taught in the schools, a program that has been providing information on the broad range of local career and volunteer opportunities will take much of that knowledge to Sumter’s elementary schools.

Launched 20 years ago by Sumter Volunteers, the program titled “My Community and Me” targets all fourthgrade students whose schools, public or private, choose to participate, said Executive Director Jo Anne Morris.

She describes My Community and Me as “a unique hands-on learning experience about the community, its history, services and the roles of citizen volunteers,” adding, “the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship in Sumter County have been taught through tours, lessons and demonstrations. (The students) have also encountered outstanding community role models who have provided a broad range of future career choices.”

The program was started to provide an enriching summer

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

JoAnne Morris, standing second from right, executive director of Sumter Volunteers, explains the “My Communtiy and Me” program to 4th-graders at an area school during a past presentation. Representatives from various community businesses, charitable and other organizations, education, media, government programs and other segments of the community circled the students and took turns explaining how their jobs support the Sumter area. experience to about 30 at-risk Lemira School Camp students. Adult role models and high school students accompanied the students on seven weekly field trips throughout the community. Successful at helping the students learn more about their community, the program was repeated the following year and eventually was incorporated into the curriculum for 32 Willow Drive Elementary School students

STATE BRIEF

in Rosanne DuRant’s fourthgrade class.

“For the 18,200-plus students involved to date, it has been a ‘different’ and exciting adventure in learning,” Morris said.

For many years since, the program has taken the form of what Morris calls “community circles.” She solicits volunteers from different segments of Sumter, among them law enforcement, city and county

government, education, religion, media, military, business and industry, arts, agriculture, recreation, volunteerism, charities, health and others.

There is even a section on “good manners.” Each volunteer then provides a brief summary of what his or her field does.

In addition, Sumter Volunteers provides each fourthgrader a special notebook with information on those topics and local history, with illustrations by artists in the community, including Ray Davenport, Sylvester Hickmon, Ashley Lareau, Kim Schneider and others.

“It’s interactive,” Morris said, “so the students can follow along with the speakers.”

There are questions, fill-inthe-blanks exercises and even a song written by Morris to reinforce the importance of community.

Because the first regular inschool My Community and Me program took place at Willow Drive Elementary School, the community circles begin there each year. Morris said volunteers are needed to visit the 13 schools participating this year. Call her at (803) 7757423 for more information.

MY COMMUNITY AND ME SCHEDULE • Tuesday, Sept. 15, 9:30 a.m.

Willow Drive Elementary • Thursday, Sept. 17, 1 p.m.

Alice Drive Elementary • Friday, Sept. 18, 9:30 a.m.

Wilson Hall Lower School • Monday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m. - St. Anne School (Parish Hall) • Wednesday, Sept. 23, 9:30 a.m. Millwood Elementary • Monday, Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m.

Lemira Elementary • Wednesday, Sept. 30, 9:30 a.m. Kingsbury Elementary • Thursday, Oct. 1, 1 p.m.

Delaine Elementary • Friday, Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m.

Thomas Sumter Academy • Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9:30 a.m.

Pocalla Springs Elementary • Wednesday, Oct. 7, 9:30 a.m.

Cherryvale Elementary • Tuesday, Oct. 13, 9:30 a.m.

Manchester Elementary • Wednesday, Oct. 14, 9:30 a.m. R.E. Davis. Elementary

It’s a teddy bear picnic

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wilson Hall kindergarten students Sallie Duvall, Bailey Flemming and Carson Wilsey enjoy the annual Teddy Bear Picnic at the start of the school year. Each student brought his or her favorite stuffed animal to school, and while the students were having their lessons, the animals “escaped” from the classroom. Once the escape was discovered, the students set off on a trek throughout the campus to find their lost animals, culminating in a picnic once everyone was reunited. The special day gave the kindergarten students the opportunity to tour all of the buildings on campus and discover where their special classes, such as computer science and art, are located.

House Ethics: Harrell improperly paid lawyers COLUMBIA — The House Ethics Committee says former Speaker Bobby Harrell improperly paid his attorneys with campaign money and must pay nearly $113,500.

The committee voted Tuesday to require Harrell to pay the state’s general fund within 30 days. The committee normally requires offenders to reimburse their campaign fund, but Harrell emptied his account under his plea deal.

Ethics Committee Chairman Kenny Bingham says the payments would have been permissible if Harrell had been cleared of wrongdoing. But Bingham says a 2013 committee opinion shows why the conviction made it improper.

That opinion cautions against using campaign cash in personal misconduct cases.

Harrell says Tuesday’s vote violated his due process rights because he had no notice of the meeting.

Harrell resigned last October after pleading guilty to six campaign finance violations.

CORRECTIONS If you see a statement in error, contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or pressrelease@theitem.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pinkney Foundation to host community unity event FROM STAFF REPORTS The Bill Pinkney Foundation invites the public to participate in its Community Unity and Service Day on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Bill Pinkney Park, 3605 Bill Pinkney Highway in Dalzell. The event is a registered National Day of Service PINKNEY event commemorating the 14th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. This is one of a series of official Bill Pinkney 90th Birthday Remembrance events.

All area public entities, organiza-

tions, churches, schools and individuals are asked to commit to giving genuine service to any desired worthwhile cause on Friday, Sept. 11, in advance by registering the activity with the foundation at www.originaldrifters.com, and to join the event at Bill Pinkney Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday for a picnic, games, special program recognition and music.

“The specific foundation focus will be to improve the condition of the park,” said foundation vice president Eartha Pinkney-Johnson. “We hope everyone will help us honor my father’s memory in that way. We want everybody to pitch in and restore the

pride everyone felt on Pinkney Park Dedication day in 1996.”

The Bill Pinkney Foundation has been very active, and its goals are to remain visible and viable. Sumter City Council co-sponsored Bill Pinkney Remembrance Day, the inaugural event, on Aug. 16.

Pickney was one of the original members of The Drifters and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

For more information about the event, contact The Bill Pinkney Foundation by calling (803) 614-0413 or email earthapinkney@yahoo.com. The foundation’s website is www.originaldrifters.com.

HOW TO REACH US IS YOUR PAPER MISSING? ARE YOU GOING ON VACATION? 20 N. Magnolia St., Sumter, S.C. 29150 (803) 774-1200 Jack Osteen Editor and Publisher jack@theitem.com (803) 774-1238 Rick Carpenter Managing Editor rick@theitem.com (803) 774-1201 Waverly Williams Sales Manager waverly@theitem.com (803) 774-1237

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Study: College students prefer pot to cigarettes

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS More U.S. college students are making a habit of using marijuana, which has supplanted cigarettes as the smoke-able substance of choice among undergraduates who light up regularly, a study released Tuesday found.

Just under 6 percent of the full-time students surveyed by University of Michigan researchers for the annual “Monitoring the Future” study reported using pot either every day or at least 20 times in the previous 30 days.

By contrast, 5 percent of respondents identified themselves as heavy cigarette smokers, a steep decline from the 19 percent who said they smoked daily in 1999.

The findings suggest that teenagers and young adults have absorbed public health warnings about the dangers of cigarettes but increasingly regard marijuana as benign or carrying few risks, lead investigator Lloyd Johnston said.

“It’s clear that for the past seven or eight years, there has been an increase in marijuana use among the nation’s college students,” Johnston said.

“And this largely parallels an

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Medical marijuana clone plants are seen at a medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland, California. University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research reported on Tuesday that college students’ habitual use of marijuana has outpaced that of cigarettes and extreme binge drinking for the first time since the annual “Monitoring the Future” report began to be published in 1980. increase we have been seeing among high school seniors.”

University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research has

surveyed a nationally representative sample of full-time college students about their drug and alcohol use every

year since 1980.

The percentage of daily and near-daily pot users from the 2014 survey was the highest

ever recorded and marked the first time that regular weed consumption outpaced habitual cigarette use, the study states.

Twenty-one percent of the college students surveyed said they had used marijuana at least once during the previous month, and 34 percent said they had used it in the past year.

The survey also showed that fewer students are abusing alcohol. Just 5 percent of respondents said they had engaged in extreme binge drinking — defined by the researchers as having had 15 or more drinks in a row at least once in the previous two weeks.

The number of students reporting they had used cocaine in the previous year increased from 2.7 percent in 2013 to 4.4 percent in 2014. Johnston called the increase statistically significant, but he said it was too soon to know if the drug was actually making a comeback on college campuses.

Parents sending their children to college this fall can take comfort in another of the survey’s findings, Johnston said: Half of the survey respondents said they had not used any illicit drugs in the past year.

Obese at 50? Midlife weight may affect when Alzheimer’s hits WASHINGTON (AP) — One more reason to watch the waistline: New research says people’s weight in middle age may influence not just whether they go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease, but when.

Obesity in midlife has long been suspected of increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look and reported Tuesday that being overweight or obese at age 50 may affect the age, years later, when Alzheimer’s strikes. Among those who eventually got sick, more midlife pounds meant an earlier onset of disease.

It will take larger studies to prove if the flip side is true — that keeping trim during middle age might stall later-in-life Alzheimer’s. But it probably won’t hurt.

“Maintaining a healthy BMI at midlife is likely to have long-lasting protective effects,” said Dr. Madhav Thambisetty of NIH’s National Institute on Aging, who led the

study reported in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

About 5 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s, a number expected to more than double by 2050, barring a medical breakthrough, as the population ages.

Alzheimer’s starts quietly ravaging the brain more than a decade before symptoms appear. With a cure so far elusive, researchers are hunting ways to at least delay the disease, and lifestyle changes are among the possible options.

To explore obesity’s effects, Thambisetty’s team turned to the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, one of the longest-running projects to track what happens to healthy people as they get older. They checked the records of nearly 1,400 participants who had undergone regular cognitive testing every year or two for about 14 years; 142 of them developed Alzheimer’s.

The researchers checked how much those Alzheimer’s patients weighed when they

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were 50 and still cognitively healthy. They tracked BMI, or body mass index, a measure of weight to height. Every step up on the BMI chart predicted that when Alzheimer’s eventually struck, it would be 6½ months sooner.

In other words, among this group of Alzheimer’s patients, someone who had been obese — a BMI of 30 — during middle age on average had their dementia strike about a year earlier than someone whose midlife BMI was 28, in the overweight range, Thambisetty explained.

The threshold for being overweight is a BMI of 25.

The Alzheimer’s study didn’t track whether the patients’ BMI fluctuated before or after age 50. There’s no way to know if losing pounds after that age made a difference in dementia risk, although a healthy weight is recommended for many other reasons.

Some of the Baltimore Longitudinal study participants underwent brain scans during life and autopsies at death.

Those tests found people with higher midlife BMIs also had more of the brain-clogging

hallmarks of Alzheimer’s years later, even if they didn’t develop dementia.

Tuesday’s study adds to previous research linking midlife obesity to a risk of Alzheimer’s, but it’s the first to also find those brain changes, a clue important to examine further, said Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association, who wasn’t involved in the work.

Meanwhile, the Alzheimer’s group has long recommended a healthy weight: “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” Snyder noted.

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Pope: Priests in Holy Year can absolve ‘sin of abortion’

BY FRANCES D’EMILIO The Associated Press VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis declared on Tuesday he is allowing all priests in the church’s upcoming Year of Mercy to absolve women of the “sin of abortion” if they repent with a “contrite heart,” saying he is acutely aware some feel they have no choice but to abort.

Reflecting his papacy’s central theme of mercy, Francis said in a letter published by the Vatican that he has met many women bearing “the scar of this agonizing” decision to abort. He said God’s forgiveness cannot be denied to those who repent, and therefore he is THE ASSOCIATED PRESS giving all priests the power to Pope Francis arrives to attend a prayer on the occasion of the World absolve the sin in the Holy Year Day of the Creation’s care in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Tues- of Mercy, which runs Dec. 8, day. He is allowing all priests in the church’s upcoming Year of Mercy 2015 until Nov. 20, 2016. to absolve women of the “sin of abortion.”

The church views abortion

as such a grave sin that, until now, a Catholic woman who wanted to repent for an abortion could not simply go to her local parish priest. Instead, her diocese’s bishop needed to delegate a priest expert at dealing with such confessions, to hear the woman’s confession, or reserved for himself the decision on whether to absolve such women. Essentially Francis is making it possible for women to bypass this formalized process in the approaching special Year of Mercy.

In the United States, which the pope will visit on a pilgrimage this month, many bishops already allow priests to absolve women who have had abortions, while in some dioceses, bishops have reserved the decision for themselves, said the Rev. James Martin, editor-atlarge of the Jesuit magazine America.

The pope’s directive on Tuesday “reminds priests of the need for mercy, and it also takes a very pastoral tone toward woman who have had an abortion,” Martin said.

In his letter, Francis made clear he isn’t downplaying the gravity of abortion for the church, which essentially views abortion as equivalent to murder. Instead, he applied his vision of mercy to what is an intensely personal, often anguished choice for women.

“The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness, as if not realizing the extreme harm that such an act entails,” Francis wrote in a letter to a Vatican official promoting the church’s evangelization efforts.

“Many others on the other hand, although experiencing this moment as a defeat, believe that they have no other option.”

Federal judge orders Kentucky clerk and her staff to court MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — A county clerk who invoked “God’s authority” as she defied the U.S. Supreme Court yet again on gay marriage Tuesday refused to resign after a federal judge summoned her to explain why she should not be held in contempt.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis turned away several gay and lesbian couples who sought marriage licenses — some for a fifth time — even though the Supreme Court turned away her last-ditch appeal the night before.

“To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God’s definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience. It is not a light issue for me. It is a Heaven or Hell decision,” she said through her lawyers. “I was elected by the people to serve as the County Clerk. I intend to continue to serve the people of Rowan County, but I cannot violate my conscience.”

For David Moore and David Ermold, it was their third rejection at the court-

DAVIS

house. Davis, facing the couples and a packed crowd of reporters and activists, told them to leave.

“We’re not leaving until we have a license,” Ermold responded.

“Then you’re going to have a long day,” Davis re-

plied.

Davis then retreated into her inner office, where closed blinds sheltered her from the cameras and rival demonstra-

tions outside.

“Praise the Lord!” her supporters shouted. “Stand your ground!”

Other activists yelled “Do your job!”

They called Davis a bigot and said the government is not a theocracy.

The sheriff moved everyone to the courthouse lawn, where each side tried to out-do the other with chanting, hymn-singing and sign-waving. Davis stopped issuing all marriage licenses in June after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across the nation.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CDBG APPLICATION TOWN OF MAYESVILLE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, at 6:00 p.m., the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments (SLRCOG), on behalf of the Town of Mayesville, will hold a Public Hearing at the TOWN HALL MAYESVILLE, SC. This Public Hearing concerns an Application to be submitted to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Community Grants Program, on or about September 14, 2015, for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The Town of Mayesville is requesting a Grant of up to $500,000 to carry out the following activities: The Town of Mayesville proposes to demolish approximately 13 dilapidated structures and initiate a Neighborhood Watch within the Emma Wilson District Neighborhood.

This project, if funded, is to be carried out with Federal funds provided through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), which will be made available to the Applicant through the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Community Grants Program.

This Public Hearing and the matters to be discussed are subject to the provisions of the Town of Mayesville’s Citizen Participation Plan developed in anticipation of participating in the State of South Carolina’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, providing for the participation of the citizens of the Town of Mayesville in the planning and implementation of community and economic development projects which will involve CDBG funds. The Citizen Participation Plan and the Application are available for review at the Santee-Lynches RCOG offices, 2525 Corporate Way, Sumter, SC. and the Town Hall, Mayesville, SC, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Persons with questions or comments concerning the Public Hearing or the Citizen Participation Plan may contact, Jenna Brown, Community Analyst, Santee-Lynches RCOG, (803) 774-1379.

The Town of Mayesville does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability in the admission of, access to, or treatment regarding employment in its Federally-assisted programs or activities.

Randolph Anderson, Mayor, Town of Mayesville, (803) 453-5919 has been designated to coordinate compliance with the non-discrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s regulations.

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2 responses to Baltimore violence While community leaders offer enrichment for children, police prepare for war BALTIMORE (AP) — There are only three rules at the Kids Safe Zone: Sign in, clean up after yourself and read for 15 minutes before playing with the toys stacked around the space, a converted laundromat in West Baltimore.

Ericka Alston — who launched the center in the poor, crime-riddled neighborhood in response to the violence that followed the death of Freddie Gray — said she considered different rules: no fighting, no cursing, no violence.

But she thought better of it.

“I said to myself: ‘If we don’t post those things, they won’t think about those things,’” Alston said. “We hug them. We say positive things to them.

We let them know how special they are. That’s what’s missing from their home. We made a decision to be the village.”

It has been a bloody summer in cities across the country. Milwaukee surpassed its 2014 homicide total by midJuly. The nation’s capital reached that milestone last week.

And in nearby Baltimore — where the spike in killing has combined with unrest over a national spate of deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police — an especially daunting challenge has emerged, and produced two very different responses.

In April, officers arrested Gray, a 25-year-old black man, just blocks from where the Kids Safe Zone now stands. He suffered a critical spine injury in the police transport van and died seven days later.

His death spawned protests that gave way to violence and looting, and the city’s homicide rate began to skyrocket.

The police commissioner lost his job, and half a dozen officers were indicted in connection with Gray’s death, but the violence continued. July was the city’s deadliest month in 43 years.

This year has seen 222 homicides so

CITY FROM PAGE A1 residential property that has been vacant for 60 days must be registered with the city.

Registration for the first year is free, but property owners will be charged a fee, ranging from $100 to $1,000, for the following years that the house is vacant.

McGregor said the planning department is in the beginning stages of developing the registry, which will take effect Jan. 1.

City Attorney Eric Shytle said the registry could also help with maintenance code violations by making contacts available to the city.

The amendments regarding demolitions state that a property owner will have 60 days to appeal a demolition order, issued by a building code official, after a notice has been published in the local newspaper.

Aside from amending its property maintenance code, the city received an award of

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Children create with Play-Doh at Kids Safe Zone community center in Baltimore on Aug. 19. The clubhouse, which occupies an abandoned laundromat, opened in June in response to unrest that ripped through the neighborhood’s streets and marked the beginning of the most violent summer the city has seen in more than four decades. far, compared with 211 for all of 2014, with four months to go.

Community leaders such as Alston are mobilizing on the ground, with grassroots efforts to instill lessons of nonviolence.

Across town, in a high-rise conference room downtown, Baltimore police are working on a very different message. Last month, the police department launched the war room, a physical and metaphorical effort to combat the spike in killings.

“We are going to war, and we’re doing it collaboratively,” State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said at a news conference announcing the war room’s formation.

Inside, the war room is lined with monitors blinking with closed-circuit TV footage from around the city. Operation commander Lt. Col. Sean Miller sits at a table in the center of the

$3.4 million from the South Carolina State Housing Authority to acquire and demolition approximately 100 blighted residential properties through the Neighborhood Initiative Program.

The city partnered with Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, which will maintain ownership of each acquired property for three years, in order to receive the award.

McGregor said the department is focusing on 10 properties and hopes to have demolition procurements ready by Oct. 1.

room. He calls roll at 3 p.m. daily, checking in with each federal agency that makes up the task force: the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Secret Service.

The Police Department’s homicide unit, Mosby’s office and other law enforcement agencies also are represented.

In total, Miller said, more than a dozen organizations are involved, and the war room is the sole assignment for about 200 people.

“Everything is on the table,” Miller said. “What used to take weeks or months is now taking days: formulating a plan, operationalizing that plan, and putting cops on the ground to attack it.”

At a recent meeting, an ATF agent

He said the city has a $35,000 cap to acquire, demolish and maintain each property.

Mayor Joe McElveen said the blight removal does more than make the city look better; it also opens up areas for redevelopment.

McGregor said as the city gets into the second year of the NIP process, the city will be able to develop a pattern to determine potential locations for redevelopment.

In other news, Councilman Calvin Hastie said Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority plans to start the

said criminals had robbed a warehouse full of semiautomatic firearms, and those guns were loose on the streets. DEA agents reported that wiretaps were up on the cellphones of two members of drug organizations.

And an FBI agent narrated a web of connections between a recent homicide and other crimes: the victim himself was a suspect in two other unsolved murders, suggesting retaliation as a motive.

In the months since Gray’s death, the city’s systemic dysfunction has been thrown into sharp focus: the pervasive and decades-old problem of economic disparity, lack of job opportunities for young black men, tens of thousands of vacant housing units, and a dearth of resources for disenfranchised children. But the problem of violence has dominated the conversation.

Miller said the majority of violent crime is committed by a handful of high-level criminals — 25 to 30 of whom are identified as “war board targets.” And 238 more people are identified as “top trigger-pullers” — persons of interest in shootings, or those with criminal backgrounds who’ve been shot and may be likely to retaliate, Miller said.

Despite those lists, Miller said the agencies of the war room aren’t “declaring war on anyone.” But, he added, “the mindset of declaring war on the bad guys is something we need to do.”

At the Kids Safe Zone, Alston took issue with the word “war.” She said she worries that combat language could embolden some to “soldier up” and strain the already tenuous relationship between the police and the public.

“Why not ‘peace room?’” Alston said. “The terminology of war incites fight. I think our Police Department and elected officials want the very best for our community, but they can at times be disconnected.”

pilot phase of its Mobile Data Vehicle Location project during the week of Sept. 14. RTA passengers can download the mobile app RouteShout onto

their smart phones or tablets and receive alerts about bus routes and arrival times. He said the software will officially go live the week of Sept. 21.

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LOCAL | STATE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

TASK FORCE FROM PAGE A1 state’s domestic violence problem is unknown.

The task force discovered there’s no uniform reporting system. Some of the recommendations are aimed at

SUMTER FROM PAGE A1 cases always be prosecuted by deputy solicitors or prosecutors, something that is already being done in Sumter, Held said.

South Carolina is one of only four states that allows law enforcement to prosecute domestic violence cases, according to Haley.

Finney said in jurisdictions where law enforcement prosecutes its own cases, it can be a problem to get a conviction.

“Nine times out of 10, the police officer is prosecuting a case against a well-experienced defense lawyer,” Finney said. “But, the domestic violence problem in South Carolina has been so bad, we thought we could have our conviction rate go up if we did not have police prosecuting their own cases.”

He said the state has given solicitors additional money in the last several years to hire more prosecutors.

Held said there is now a special domestic violence court within Summary Court in Sumter.

“I like to keep the domestic violence cases all together,” she said. “We have our own court, and no other cases

supplying reliable numbers.

The Legislature passed a law in June that increased penalties for domestic violence convictions and gave prosecutors more options for punishment. Haley asked her group to come up with systemic, cultural changes to combat the problem.

“We want to make sure anyone from

come unless they are domestic violence related. In other cases, everyone is together in Magistrate Court whether it is disturbing the peace or driving under suspension, and we don’t do that.”

Held said Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark also has a designated detective to handle domestic violence cases, and the sheriff’s office has a similar arrangement.

“We can have somebody in court helping the victims and helping the police officers get prepared and get the cases prosecuted,” she said.

“We have a collaborative approach.”

That helps put Sumter ahead of the curve, Roark said.

“Many of the things in the task force report are already in play,” he said.

The task force report also recommended more victims’ advocates, shelters and safe housing, a point Roark echoed.

He said additional housing support would be a great help to victims of domestic violence as well as law enforcement.

“Many victims have no resources to lift themselves outside of their situation,” he said. “It is something we spend an inordinate amount of time with.”

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a hairdresser to a dentist to a doctor can recognize the signs” and knows what to do with that information, she said.

At least 135 people from dozens of agencies, nonprofits and associations participated in the task force. Once new guidelines are created, Haley said, she’ll create a checklist for sher-

Finney said additional tools to deal with mental health issues would help in the fight against domestic violence.

“South Carolina has been one of the poorest states in terms of dealing with this issue, and I think it falls in line with the reduction in our communities in mental health type resources,” he said. “I think a lot of these cases have a mental health component. People are frustrated; people are depressed; people are stressed out by things that happen on the job or in the community, and they take that home and take it out on family members.”

He said it is important to make sure people in the system get treatment “If a person acts out violently toward a family member or a child, it is something that can be repeated over and over unless we educate that person and give them treatment,” he said.

He said there are some cases that can qualify for a dismissal, but only if the offender completes a treatment program and if the treatment program is available.

“This task force is the first step in seeing how we can go back to solving the problem before it becomes a problem,” he said.

iffs and police chiefs across the state and ask them to sign a letter committing to implement them.

“I think law enforcement is doing all they know to do. We have no uniform processes on what they should be doing,” she said. “They do what we tell them to do. What we need to do now is educate them.”

BADGES FROM PAGE A1 Donors do not have to be affiliated with any of the sponsoring departments, but can choose to vote for an agency when they give blood at the donation center today and Thursday at the Sumter County Library on Friday, he said.

Donations will be taken at the Sumter Donation Center, 1155 N. Guignard Drive, today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Friday, donations will be taken at the Sumter County Library, 111 N. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Duggan said the donor week is like the play-off season before the super bowl on Friday, the last day of donor week.

Although walk-ins are welcome at the local donation center, Duggan encourages donors to schedule an appointment, especially on Friday.

According to a news release from the Red Cross, the department with the most votes will be honored with a commemorative plaque.

Chasity Humphries, Red Cross account manager, said about 175 people donated blood during last year’s

WANT TO SIGN UP? Enter code BattleoftheBadges at redcrossblood.org

competition, and she hopes more donors will come out to support the local departments.

She said the goal on Friday is to collect 58 units and to see more than 60 people donate at the library.

Humphries said she is appreciative of the help from the five departments, especially going into the Labor Day weekend when people may have plans to go out of town.

Humphries said last year’s winners, the fire department, might have a head start as quite a few firefighters made their way to the donation center on Monday, but it’s too early to determine the outcome.

Anyone interested in donating can call the donation center at 803-458-8821 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “BattleBadgesSumter” to make an appointment to donate on Friday.

For more information about the Battle of the Badges contact Joey Duggan at (803) 720-7654 or Chasity Humphries at (843) 992-4808.

NOTICE

The Committee for Responsible Government meets each Monday morning at Shoneys Restaurant 8:00am to 9:00am.

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We discuss the crime and lies that are being perpetrated on our citizens by our local county government.

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The Item newspaper refuses to print committee news as well as letters to the editor.

CHEF’S SALAD Fresh chopped iceberg, topped with tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cucumbers, ham, turkey, bacon and croutons SPINACH SALAD Fresh spinach topped with candied pecans, Bleu cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, tomatoes and bacon SOUTHWEST SALAD Fresh iceberg topped with grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, black beans, corn and tortilla chips ROTISSERIE CHICKEN SALAD Rotisserie Chicken with grapes, candied pecans, celery, house blend spices and mayo.

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

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 H.G. Osteen 1870-1955 Founder, 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 Rick Carpenter Managing Editor

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

COMMENTARY

Why home schooling?

M

any public primary and secondary schools are dangerous places.

The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics show that in 2012, there were about 749,200 violent assaults on students. In the 2011-12 academic year, there were a record 209,800 primary- and secondary-school teachers who reported being physically attacked by a student.

Nationally, an average of 1,175 teachers and staff were physically atWalter tacked, inWilliams cluding being knocked out, each day of that school year.

In Baltimore, each school day in 2010, an average of four teachers and staff were assaulted. Each year, roughly 10 percent of primary- and secondary-school teachers are threatened with bodily harm.

Many public schools not only are dangerous but produce poor educational results. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress for 2013, sometimes called the Nation’s Report Card (http://tinyurl. com/mn6snpf), only 33 percent of white 12th-graders tested proficient in math and 47 percent tested proficient in reading. For black 12th-graders, it was a true tragedy, with only 7 percent testing proficient in math and 16 percent in reading. These grossly disappointing educational results exist despite massive increases in public education spending.

Many parents want a better education and safer schools for their children. The best way to deliver on that desire is to offer parents alternatives to poorly performing and unsafe public schools. Expansion of charter schools is one way to provide choice. The problem is that charter school waiting lists number in the tens of thousands. Another way is giving educational vouchers or tuition tax credits for better-performing and safer schools. But the education establishment fights tooth and nail against any form of school choice.

Another viable alternative increasingly chosen is home schooling. In 1970, there were only 10,000 homeschooled children. In 2012, according to recently released data from the National Center for Education Statistics, there were about 1.77 million children who were being home-schooled (http://tinyurl.com/ooodba7). Parents give a number of reasons for home schooling. Many want a safer environment for their

children — away from violence, alcohol and other drugs, psychological abuse, and improper and unhealthy sexual indoctrination found in public schools. Some want to teach and impart a particular set of values and beliefs to their children.

In terms of academic achievement, home-schoolers beat out their public school counterparts. In reading, language, math, science and social studies, the average home-schooler scores somewhere near the 80th percentile. The average public school student taking these standardized tests scores at the 50th percentile in each subject area. Home-schoolers also tend to score higher than their public school counterparts on college admittance tests, such as the ACT and SAT. Home schooling is not without its critics. Some of it is ludicrous, as shown in an excellent article in City Journal titled “Homeschooling in the City,” by Matthew Hennessey. Stanford University political scientist Rob Reich has called for tighter regulation of home schooling to ensure that “children are exposed to and engaged with ideas, values, and beliefs that are different from those of the parents.” My question to Reich is: Whose ideas and values should children be exposed to? Georgetown University law professor Robin L. West worries that homeschooled children grow up to become right-wing political “soldiers” eager to “undermine, limit, or destroy state functions.” West would like to see home schooling more highly regulated and homeschoolers subjected to mandatory testing and periodic home visits in order “to give the state a window into the quality of home life, and a way to monitor signs of abuse.”

Home-schoolers have a defense against this sort of meddling. The Home School Legal Defense Association is a nonprofit organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children. The National Home Education Research Institute provides educational resources and research for home-schooling parents. Its founder, Dr. Brian D. Ray, recently published “African American Homeschool Parents’ Motivations for Homeschooling and Their Black Children’s Academic Achievement.” His findings are proof that home schooling is effective for not only white youngsters but black youngsters, as well.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. © 2015 creators.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR USAF HOLDS CYBERSECURITY CONTEST FOR STUDENTS As president of the local chapter of the Air Force Association, I would like to make the community aware of a cybersecurity initiative by our association. It is called CyberPatriot and is a nationwide competition between high school and middle school teams. A team is made up of 4-6 students plus a coach (usually a teacher) and a mentor.

There are two divisions, all service which is just for JrROTC and CAP and an Open division which is open to everyone. During the competition period, the team will nor-

COMMENTARY

Can the GOP deal with Iran?

T

en weeks before the first U.S.-Soviet summit ever held in Moscow, in May 1972, North Vietnam, with Soviet-supplied armor and artillery, crossed the DMZ in an all-out offensive to overrun the South.

President Nixon responded with air and naval strikes on the North.

Yet Nixon went to Moscow and signed the first strategic arms agreement of the Cold War. He did not let Sovietbacked aggression against an ally prevent him from Pat signing a Buchanan SALT agreement he believed was in the vital interests of the United States.

Three months earlier, Nixon had gone to Peking to toast Mao Zedong, whose regime was also aiding Hanoi, and which, two decades before, had been killing GIs in the thousands in Korea.

The state is a cold monster, said Gen. De Gaulle.

Which brings us to Iran.

Should we accept a deal, with a regime as abhorrent as the Ayatollah’s, that would deny that regime a nuclear weapon for 10 to 15 years?

For many of the moral arguments against such a deal also applied to the Soviet Union and Mao’s China in the Nixon-Kissinger era.

What are Iran’s crimes against America?

Tehran held 52 U.S. hostages for the last 444 days of the Carter presidency. Iran’s allies in Lebanon were behind the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut where 241 Americans perished. Iran is said to have been behind the terror attack on Khobar Towers in Riyadh in 1996 that killed 19 Americans. Iran provided IEDs to Shiite militias who killed hundreds of Americans in the Iraq war

call me at 316-4610.

BUSH HANSON mally meet once a week. There Air Force Association is also an elementary school Sumter initiative that is not part of the AMERICA IS EMBROILED IN competition. If you are a student (or teacher who can get FULL-SCALE CULTURAL WAR students involved) and are interested in this sort of activity, The Second Civil War is now I encourage you to get with in full swing, not by guns but your school and get a team by political correctness and informed and get Sumter intellectual dishonesty. Through volved with this great initiathe destruction of all classical, tive. You can find out all you Southern symbols, monuneed to know about the proments, flags, language, and gram at www.uscyberpatriot. thought, the entire region is org. There are also some experiencing a final recongreat videos on the program struction. Political threats on YouTube (just type in cyfrom the federal government berpatriot). There were over and political action groups to 2,000 teams nationally in the surrender individualism is competition last year. If you mounting. You are punished if have any questions, please you celebrate Southern heri-

and wounded and maimed many more.

From their side, Iranians say the CIA overthrew a democratic government in Tehran in 1953, and imposed upon them the dictatorship of the Shah for a quarter century. Moreover, the U.S., in the Iran-Iraq war in the Reagan era, helped Iraq’s army target Iranian forces, not only with conventional weapons but poison gas.

There is good cause for bad blood between us.

Yet, compared to Mao’s nuclear-armed China in the madness of the Cultural Revolution in 1972, and Leonid Brezhnev’s USSR, Iran, as a strategic threat to the United States, is not even a 97-pound weakling.

The U.S. economy is 40 times as large as Iran’s, and we spend 40 times as much on defense. We have thousands of nuclear weapons.

Iran has yet to produce an ounce of weapons-grade uranium. Downing Iran’s air force and sinking her surface ships and submarines would be a few weeks’ work for the U.S. Navy and Air Force.

This is not to suggest a war with Iran would be a cakewalk. We could expect Iran’s fleets of fast missile boats to wreak havoc in the Gulf, closing it down to oil tankers, and terrorist attacks on U.S. personnel in Baghdad’s Green Zone, Beirut and perhaps on U.S. soil.

In an all-out U.S.-Iran war, Iran could break apart, with ethnic minorities like Kurds, Azeris and Baluch seeking to get out from under Persian rule, as Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan have all broken down to some degree along tribal and sectarian lines.

That would deepen the disaster for us and the Middle East.

On the other side of the balance sheet, are there major interests that the U.S. and Iran share, places where we can find common ground?

Surely, the first is the avoidance of war, which

tage. All traditional even Christian values are viewed as the enemy of the statists who are now in charge of Washington. They have financially bankrupted the nation and now for the final assault, will destroy any remaining cultural icons they find offensive. As the Isis terrorists destroy all the ancient ruins they conquer, the statists will annihilate any remaining heritage they view as an obstacle to their tyrannical control.

What can traditionalists do to save their culture and their very lives? One, through research and education on western civilization and history, you can create a strong foundation of intellectual defense.

In a sense, you will have to re-

would further destabilize the Mideast, be a disaster for the world economy, and leave Iran a disintegrating wreck. Another common interest is in a secure and open Persian Gulf, where oil can flow freely to the West.

Third, Iran is now a critical ally of a Baghdad regime in whose survival we, too, have a stake. Fourth, Iran is also critical to the survival of the Syrian regime and preventing ISIS and al-Nusra Front from bringing down Bashar Assad and taking Damascus.

We have enemies in common.

Moreover, as the largest Shiite nation in the Middle East, and most populous nation in the Persian Gulf, Iran, absent a ruinous war, is going to become a regional power. When Bush 43 smashed Iran’s great rival, overthrew the regime of Saddam Hussein, then disbanded the Sunni-led Iraqi army, “W’’ guaranteed it.

This month, a Republican Congress will vote to reject the Iranian nuclear deal that Europe, Russia, China and the Gulf Arabs regard as done. While the GOP may muster the votes to reject it, they lack the votes to override an Obama veto of their rejection.

And if and when the GOP goes down to defeat, they ought to ask themselves: Do they wish to accept and enforce the terms that were negotiated? Or do they wish to cry foul, demand a new deal, and start voting new sanctions on Iran that the world will ignore and that will isolate their own country?

How the GOP handles its coming defeat will tell us whether they have learned from the failures of Bush and can now run the country.

To find out more about Patrick Buchanan, visit the Creators Web page at www.creators.com. © 2015 creators.com

educate your children and grandchildren on history and culture values, especially if they attend any public school in America today. Two, communicate your thoughts and concerns with neighbors and friends. Enlightenment can only survive through everyday conversation with likeminded individuals. Use social media to articulate your beliefs. Modern mass media is destructive to individualism as a whole and has been coopted by the statists.

Hope can be found in family, friends, and most of all prayer and a return to our roots and connection with God. JOSEPH C. VALCOURT Sumter

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

LABOR DAY SCHEDULE BANKS — All area banks and credit unions will be Labor Day Schedule: Sept. 2, closed on Monday.

2015 — The following will be closed on MonGOVERNMENT day: federal government offices; state government offices; U.S. Postal Service; City of Sumter offices; Sumter County offices; Clarendon County offices; City of Manning offices; Lee County offices; and City of Bishopville offices.

SCHOOLS — The following will be closed on Monday: Sumter School District; Clarendon School Districts 1, 2 and 3; Robert E. Lee Academy; Lee County Public Schools; St. Anne Catholic School; William Thomas Academy; St. Francis Xavier High School; Clarendon Hall; Sumter Christian School; Thomas Sumter Academy; Laurence Manning Academy; Wilson Hall; Central Carolina Technical College; Morris College; and USC Sumter.

UTILITIES — Farmers Telephone Coop. and Black River Electric Coop. will be closed on Monday.

OTHER — The following will be closed on Monday: Harvin Clarendon County Library; Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce; and Clemson Extension Service.

The Sumter County Library will be closed Saturday through Monday.

All offices of The Sumter Item will be closed on Monday.

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015

AccuWeather® five-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

A t-storm in spots in the p.m.

Partly cloudy and humid

Very warm with some sun

Some sun with a thunderstorm

A heavy thunderstorm

A thunderstorm possible

95°

73°

95° / 72°

93° / 71°

86° / 69°

83° / 67°

Chance of rain: 40%

Chance of rain: 10%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 30%

WSW 3-6 mph

SW 3-6 mph

NW 4-8 mph

NNE 4-8 mph

ENE 6-12 mph

ENE 7-14 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaffney 92/67 Spartanburg 92/69

Greenville 93/71

Columbia 95/74

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

IN THE MOUNTAINS

allotted mileage area. ConHillcrest High School Class of tact Debra Canty, chapter 1995 will hold a 20-year class High School of 1995 president, at to DebraCanC2@ reunionHillcrest Friday-Sunday, Sept. Class hold reunion frontier.com or (803) 7754-6, as follows: 8 p.m. Friday, 5792. Add the group to your mixer at Cali Joe’s Lounge; 8 contacts for updated inforp.m. Saturday, class dinner mation on the recorded mesat Willie Sue’s restaurant; sage line at (206) 376-5992. and 3 p.m. Sunday, farewell bowling party at Gamecock McLeod Orthopedic and Spine Lanes. Follow the class page Specialists will host a free lunch on Facebook or call Ranva and learn on hip pain and anGooden at (803) 316-3653. terior hip replacement at noon on Thursday, Sept. 10, Clarendon School District One will conduct free vision, hearing, at Hamptons restaurant. Dr. David Woodbury, orthopaespeech and developmental dic surgeon with McLeod Orscreenings as part of a child thopaedics, will explain find effort to identify stucauses, symptoms and treatdents with special needs. ment for hip pain, focusing Screenings will be held from on the advanced anterior hip 9 a.m. to noon at the Summerton Early Childhood Cen- replacement option. A light lunch will be provided. As ter, 8 South St., Summerton, space is limited, please call on the following Thursdays: (843) 777-2005 to register.

Sept. 10; Oct. 8; Nov. 12; Dec. 10; Jan. 14, 2016; Feb. 11, 2016; The Overcomers Stroke Support March 10, 2016; April 14, 2016; Group will meet at 6 p.m. on and May 12, 2016. Call Sadie Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Williams at (803) 485-2325, Alice Drive Baptist Church liextension 116. brary on the corner of Loring Mill Road and Wise Drive.

The Clarendon County Democratic Party will meet at 7 p.m. Crosswell Community Improveon Thursday, Sept. 3, at Basment Committee will meet sard’s Pond House, 4162 Rev from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, JW Carter Road, Summerton. Sept. 10, at St. John United Methodist Church, 136 PoinThe Campbell Soup friends sett Drive, just off of Lafaylunch group will meet at 11:30 ette Drive. All Crosswell area a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, at residents are invited to atGolden Corral. tend and share their conThe Sumter Chapter of the Nacerns. Email crosswell2015@ tional Federation of the Blind yahoo.com. will meet at 7 p.m. on TuesThe National Council of Negro day, Sept. 8, at Shiloh-RanWomen (NCNW) Sumter dolph Manor. Glenn Givens Branch will meet at 5 p.m. on will speak on “Wills and Friday, Sept. 11, at Morris Dying Without a Will.” Transportation provided within the College.

Sumter 95/73

Aiken 92/69

ON THE COAST

Charleston 90/73

Today: A shower or thunderstorm around.

High 86 to 90.

Thursday: Partly sunny with a shower in spots in the afternoon. High 88 to 92.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Today Hi/Lo/W 92/74/pc 90/70/pc 93/75/s 88/69/pc 88/73/pc 79/64/pc 93/76/t 89/74/s 92/75/t 92/74/s 101/81/pc 71/60/pc 93/75/pc

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest.

356.98 72.78 72.70 97.11

24-hr chg +0.18 -0.02 +0.04 +0.13

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

0.00" 0.00" 0.13" 27.07" 25.88" 33.52"

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 91/73/c 87/68/pc 94/76/pc 87/68/t 88/73/t 77/63/pc 88/75/t 93/74/s 91/75/t 94/75/s 97/77/t 72/58/pc 93/74/pc

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Put more emphasis on expanding your mind and your interests. Don’t get into a dispute with someone when you should be focusing on your own accomplishments. Learn from past experience and refuse to let your emotions take over.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Finish the jobs you’ve left undone. Taking on too much or neglecting one thing in order to do another will lead to dissatisfaction. A verbal agreement and a tight schedule will help you stay on track and out of trouble.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick to what you know and do best. Trying to follow others or live up to someone else’s expectations will be a waste of time. Set your goals and don’t worry about anything except finishing what you start.

Last

New

First

Full

Sep. 5

Sep. 13

Sep. 21

Sep. 27

TIDES

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 1.68 +0.02 19 2.98 -0.20 14 1.77 -0.07 14 1.88 -0.40 80 73.57 +0.13 24 4.74 -2.49

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

Today Hi/Lo/W 88/64/pc 92/71/pc 93/70/t 89/74/t 86/74/pc 90/73/t 94/70/pc 92/73/pc 95/74/pc 94/72/pc 88/71/pc 92/72/pc 93/71/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 88/64/t 93/71/pc 93/70/pc 91/75/pc 86/74/pc 92/74/pc 93/71/pc 92/72/pc 96/73/pc 93/70/pc 90/70/pc 91/71/pc 92/71/pc

AT MYRTLE BEACH

High 12:16 a.m.

12:42 p.m.

1:09 a.m.

1:39 p.m.

Today Thu.

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 93/73/pc Gainesville 89/72/t Gastonia 94/70/pc Goldsboro 93/72/pc Goose Creek 92/73/t Greensboro 91/69/pc Greenville 93/71/pc Hickory 91/69/pc Hilton Head 86/75/t Jacksonville, FL 89/73/t La Grange 94/74/pc Macon 92/71/t Marietta 92/72/pc

Ht. 3.6 3.7 3.4 3.6

Low Ht. 7:04 a.m. -0.6 7:38 p.m. -0.1 7:56 a.m. -0.4 8:36 p.m. 0.2

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 93/72/pc 88/72/t 94/70/pc 92/71/pc 92/73/pc 90/71/pc 93/70/pc 91/69/pc 87/75/pc 89/72/t 94/72/c 92/71/pc 92/71/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 89/63/pc Mt. Pleasant 89/74/t Myrtle Beach 88/74/pc Orangeburg 93/72/t Port Royal 88/74/t Raleigh 91/70/pc Rock Hill 95/69/pc Rockingham 93/69/pc Savannah 89/73/t Spartanburg 92/69/pc Summerville 92/73/t Wilmington 90/72/pc Winston-Salem 91/68/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 89/64/t 91/73/pc 89/74/pc 94/72/pc 90/74/pc 91/70/pc 94/69/pc 93/68/pc 92/74/t 92/69/pc 92/72/pc 90/71/pc 89/70/pc

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

For Comfort You Can Count On, Better Make It Boykin!

803-778-COOL (2665) www.boykinacs.com

TOWN OF LYNCHBURG PLANNING COMMISSION Today, 4 p.m., town hall

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Push your EUGENIA LAST limits. You will impress the people around you if you pick up your pace and present your skills with passion. When opportunity knocks, you have to be ready to open the door and jump into action. Romance is encouraged.

Sunset 7:47 p.m.

Moonset 11:12 a.m.

REGIONAL CITIES

PUBLIC AGENDA

The last word in astrology

Sunrise 6:56 a.m.

Moonrise 10:39 p.m.

RIVER STAGES

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

91° 69° 87° 66° 99° in 1957 54° in 1996

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

Myrtle Beach 88/74

Manning 94/73

Today: Partly sunny. Winds light and variable. Partly cloudy.

Thursday: Partly sunny and warm. Winds north-northwest 3-6 mph.

AROUND TOWN

Florence 93/73

Bishopville 94/72

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Personal improvements and making a point to bring about changes that will boost your confidence should be put into play. Refuse to let anyone put demands on you or your time.

Put your own needs first.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Think big and use your imagination and intuition when making business or domestic decisions. A chance to get ahead will reveal itself if you rely on your knowledge and skills to help you present what you have to offer.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Strive to make personal improvements that will help you look, feel and do your best. Plan a trip or check out new hobbies that fit your current situation.

Implementing a routine that improves your health and wellbeing will pay off.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t be troubled by the changes going on around you. Property investments will turn out better than you anticipated, and so will a relationship that you have with someone special. Good fortune is within your reach. Invest in your future.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your highspirited attitude and keen ability to express yourself will take you far.

Make important changes now in order to set the stage for things to come. Business and pleasure trips will pay off. Romance is highlighted.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your loyalty toward both old and new friends will help you bring them together. You will get the support you need to make positive financial changes and improve the way you live. Something interesting will develop that could improve your love life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make a point to invite friends over for a get-together. A chance to share your concerns or express your intentions will gather interest from others and will help you narrow down your plans. Be sure to finish what you start.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Work and money should be your primary concerns. Making vocational changes will lead to greater stability. You don’t have to give up one position in order to take on another. Spread your talent around and you will advance.

License #M4217

LOTTERY NUMBERS PALMETTO CASH 5 TUESDAY

POWERBALL SATURDAY

4-21-29-32-38 PowerUp: 3

18-21-25-28-29 Powerball: 16 Powerplay: 2

PICK 3 TUESDAY 6-0-8 and 3-8-1

PICK 4 TUESDAY Midday numbers not available at press time. Evening: 1-3-5-6

LUCKY FOR LIFE MONDAY 8-10-16-22-25; Lucky Ball: 14

MEGAMILLIONS TUESDAY Numbers were not available at press time.

SUMTER ANIMAL CONTROL PET OF THE WEEK Harley, a 4-monthold mix of love and playfulness with a dash of goofy, is available for adoption at Sumter Animal Control. This adorable baby boy is yearning for a home with a family, a fenced yard to play in, and his very own special inside place to lay his head. Could you be the one to steal Harley’s heart? An absolute doll, Harley is in kennel 20.

He will be a small / medium sized boy.

Call Sumter Animal Control at (803) 436-2066 to ask about adopting Harley.

SECTION

1 day until kickoff for USC versus UNC

B

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

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

PREP FOOTBALL

Collymore, Rush, Baines, Brayboy earn top honors

BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS justin@theitem.com With perennial all-area running back Ra’Quan Bennett gone, the Manning High School Monarch football team turned the keys to its ground game over to senior tailback Twon Collymore.

Collymore wasn’t expected to be Bennett, but at least for one game, he certainly filled the shoes well.

Actually it was more like a

half.

Playing just a little into the third quarter, Collymore carried the ball only seven times, but rushed for 177 yards and four touchdowns during Manning’s 53-12 victory over Scott’s Branch last Friday.

For his efforts, Collymore has been named The Sumter Item Offensive Player of the Week.

Likewise, C.E. Murray senior middle linebacker Detrel Rush was tabbed as the Defensive

Player of the Week; Sumter High senior offensive tackle Troy Brayboy earned Offensive Lineman of the Week honors and Lake City kick returner Tyshawn Baines was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Week.

The quartet will be honored on Friday at 7:15 a.m. at the Sumter Touchdown Club’s first meeting of the season at the Quality Inn on Broad Street.

There will be a Q & A roundtable with area high school

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

COLLYMORE OFFENSIVE PLAYER

RUSH DEFENSIVE PLAYER

coaches.

Collymore credited his offensive line for his big night, especially with how Scott’s Branch lined up on defense.

“They came out with the plan to stop the run,” Collymore said. “But the offensive line did a great job of opening up holes and really giving me

BRAYBOY

BAINES

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

SPECIAL TEAMS

room to run.”

The big night started from the opening carry when Collymore rushed for about a 27yard touchdown, he said.

“I knew then it might be a pretty good night,” he said. “It gives me a lot of confidence moving forward. Hopefully I

SEE HONORS, PAGE B7

CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Can Tigers be tamed?

Swinney: Team not taking FCS foe lightly

BY PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press

Having Watson on the field -- preferably playing at full speed -- is first and foremost for the Tigers if they hope to achieve or come close to reaching some of their goals. Any time he was behind center last season, Clemson was simply a different team on offense — very explosive and, more importantly, much more confident in whoever was doing what.

Of course, this is the one thing over which the coaching staff has the least amount of control. There are certain

CLEMSON — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is ready to watch his team hit the field, no matter how many questions he might have approaching the opener against FCS opponent Wofford.

SWINNEY Swinney expects his team to be engaged and focused despite not facing a Power 5 opponent to kick things off for the first time in four years.

The Tigers played Auburn at the start of 2012, then Georgia each of the past two seasons.

The coach understands those who believe his team, favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, will throttle the Terriers of the Southern Conference. But he remembers too well the 2011 matchup in which Wofford held the lead midway through the third quarter at Death Valley before losing 35-27.

Clemson has a perfect, 29-0 mark against FCS teams since 1982. Still, Swinney does not want his players taking things for granted.

“Nothing up there says win the opener by four touchdowns,” said Swinney, citing the Tigers posted goals each season. “It says ‘Win the opener.’”

The focus has been strong this camp, tight Jordan Leggett said.

“We always the first game pretty seriously,” said Leggett, a junior. “Even though, it’s like Wofford, they’re still a great team and we’re still going to have difficulties out there.”

If that’s the case, count on more difficulties ahead for the Tigers, who feature a leading

SEE TIGERS, PAGE B5

SEE SWINNEY, PAGE B5

AP FILE PHOTO

There’s only one issue anyone wants to talk about when it comes to the Tigers: Can quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) stay healthy. If he does, the Tigers could have a stellar season and a possible playoff berth not to mention an Atlantic Coast Conference title to boot.

Health, winnable schedule key to Clemson’s success

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com The 2014 football season was not an easy one for the Clemson Tigers. They had a quarterback controversy to start the season and then had to deal with the injury situation surrounding Deshaun Watson when he became the starter.

Yet when all was said and done, Clemson had its fourth straight 10-plus-wins season, its third straight bowl victory and, perhaps most importantly to the Clemson faithful, a victory over archrival South Carolina after suffering through a 5-game losing streak to the Gamecocks.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

North Carolina’s Shakeel Rashad, left, and Jeff Schoettmer will try to help the Tar Heels defense slow down N.C. native Connor Mitch and the Gamecocks on Thursday in Charlotte at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

The optimism is extremely high for the Tigers entering this season, which begins on Saturday when they play host to Football Championship Subdivision school Wofford. With Watson back and Florida State QB Jameis Winston now in the National Football League, many believe Clemson is the preseason pick to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title and perhaps put itself in position to be one of the four teams in the national championship playoffs.

Lofty aspirations, certainly, but if things fall the right way for the Tigers they are certainly doable. Here are five things that need to happen for Clemson to put together a fifth straight strong

season.

1. KEEP WATSON HEALTHY

USC FOOTBALL

QB Mitch ready to prove his worth for USC

BY MANDRALLIUS ROBINSON Greenville News COLUMBIA — After Connor Mitch spoke with the media for a few minutes following Monday’s football practice, University of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier decided his starting MITCH quarterback had talked enough.

“Let’s let Connor Mitch play,” Spurrier said, repeating

what has been his mantra since handing him the keys to the Gamecocks’ offense.

Spurrier has kept his compliments of Mitch to a minimum as he prepares the redshirt sophomore for his first collegiate start.

That’s fine with Mitch, who appears to have become more invested in the position since earning the top job.

“Since the day Coach Spurrier (named Mitch the starter) he has been out here calling plays, being attentive,” said USC running back Brandon

Wilds. “You can see it every day — us jelling together, getting more reps together, practicing together. You can see everything clicking better.”

He has come a long way since the day this past winter Spurrier, appearing at a USC basketball game, called out Mitch for not working out as hard as fellow quarterback candidates Perry Orth and Michael Scarnecchia.

“He’s been a lot more stern out there,” center Will Sport

SEE MITCH, PAGE B5

B2

|

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

SPORTS ITEMS

Olivera joins Braves for final month of season ATLANTA— In what is shaping up as their worst season since 1990, the Atlanta Braves at least have a little something to be excited about in the final month of the season.

Cuban defector Hector Olivera was called up for Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins, looking to show he was worth the steep price the Braves paid to land him just before the deadline for non-waiver trades. The 30-year-old was batting sixth and playing third base in his major league debut at age 30.

Olivera was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a blockbuster, 13-player deal that also included the Marlins. The Braves showed just how much they valued the infielder, giving up starting pitcher Alex Wood, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan, and top prospect Jose Peraza.

The Braves, who have focused on acquiring young pitching during a difficult rebuilding year, believe Olivera can eventually be a key offensive contributor. They tried to sign him before the season after he defected from Cuba, but he wound up going to the Dodgers for a six-year, $62.5 million contract that included a $28 million signing bonus.

CBS TO STREAM SOME NFL GAMES FOR 1ST TIME

NEW YORK — CBS will stream some regular-season NFL games online for the first time.

The network said Tuesday

THE SUMTER ITEM

SCOREBOARD TV, RADIO TODAY

Noon -- Major League Baseball: Miami at Atlanta (SPORTSOUTH).

1 p.m. -- Professional Tennis: U.S. Open Men’s and Women’s SecondRound Matches from Flushing, N.Y. (ESPN).

3:30 p.m. -- WNBA Basketball: Washington at Phoenix (NBA TV).

4 p.m. -- Major League Baseball: New York Yankees at Boston or Los Angeles Angels at Oakland (MLB NETWORK).

6 p.m. -- Professional Tennis: U.S. Open Men’s and Women’s SecondRound Matches from Flushing, N.Y. (ESPN2).

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

8 p.m. -- Major League Baseball: Washington at St. Louis (ESPN).

PREP SCHEDULE TODAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Atlanta rookie Hector Olivera runs to first as he grounds out in his first Major League at bat in the second inning of Tuesday’s game against Miami in Atlanta. The highly-touted Cuban player will join the team for the final month of the season. that the Oct. 4 matchup in London between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins will be streamed.

That kicks off at 9:30 a.m.

Eastern time. The Thanksgiving afternoon game between Carolina and Dallas will also be streamed.

The games will be available for free on laptops, desktops and tablets at CBSSports.com and on televisions through certain connected TV devices.

HAWKS TO RETIRE MUTOMBO’S NO. 55 NEXT SEASON

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks will retire Dikembe Mutombo’s No. 55 next season, about two months after he is enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mutombo, the shot-blocking, finger-wagging center, spent five seasons with the

Hawks. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin says few players matched the impact Mutombo made “as a player, man and humanitarian.”

Mutombo’s number will be retired on Nov. 24, when the Hawks play the Boston Celtics. His hall of fame enshrinement is set for Sept. 11.

UCLA CB ADAMS SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY BY TEAM

LOS ANGELES — UCLA suspended cornerback Ishmael Adams indefinitely on Tuesday following his arrest last weekend on suspicion of felony robbery.

Coach Jim Mora announced the suspension after practice on campus for the 13th-ranked Bruins, who open their season Saturday at the Rose Bowl against Virginia.

From wire reports

AREA ROUNDUP

Thomas Sumter Academy’s varsity girls tennis team edged Ben Lippen 5-4 on Tuesday at Palmetto Tennis Center with a pair of doubles victories at the end.

On Monday, TSA earned an 8-1 victory over Robert E. Lee Academy.

TUESDAY SINGLES 1 – Eckstrom (BL) defeated B. Jenkins 6-1, 6-2.

2 – Kistler (TSA) defeated Mitchell 7-5, 0-6, 10-8.

3 – Meetze (BL) defeated St. Syr 6-3, 6-0.

4 – Murphy (BL) defeated Vise 6-0, 6-2.

5 – Townsend (TSA) defeated Rew 6-1, 7-5.

6 – Moseley (TSA) defeated Hanners 6-4, 6-4.

DOUBLES 1 – B. Jenkins/Kistler (TSA) defeated Eckstrom/Meetze 8-0.

2 – St. Syr/Vise (TSA) defeated Mitchell/Murphy 8-6.

3 – Rew/Hanners (BL) defeated Townsend/Edenfield 8-1.

MONDAY SINGLES 1 – White (REL) defeated B. Jenkins 6-3, 7-5.

2 – Kistler (TSA) defeated Craven 6-1, 6-3.

3 –St. Syr (TSA) defeated Kriven 6-4, 6-1.

4 – Mouzon (TSA) defeated R. Dinkins 6-0, 6-1.

5 – Townsend (TSA) defeated Estep 6-0, 6-1.

6 – Moseley (TSA) defeated Smith 6-0, 6-1.

DOUBLES 1 – B. Jenkins/Kistler (TSA) defeated White/Craven 8-5.

2 – St. Syr/Edenfield (TSA) defeated Wheeler/Atkinson 8-0.

3 –Townsend/Mouzon (TSA) defeated Ewing/E. Dinkins 8-0.

CAROLINA ACADEMY 7 LAURENCE MANNING 2

Laurence Manning Academy lost to Carolina Academy 7-2 on Monday at Palmetto Tennis Center.

SINGLES 1 – Hannah Weaver (CA) defeated Mason Ham 6-1, 6-0.

2 – Amanda Newman (LMA) defeated Margaret Matthews 6-4, 7-5.

3 – Elizabeth Askins (CA) defeated Mackenzie Ham 6-0, 6-2.

4 – Grace Weaver (CA) defeated Kaela Johnson 6-2, 6-0.

5 – Taylor Graham (CA) defeated Allie Johnson 6-1, 6-1.

6 – Bonnie Tanner (CA) defeated Corie Walton 6-0, 6-2.

DOUBLES 1 – H. Weaver/ Matthews (CA) defeated Mas. Ham/ Newman 8-1.

2 – Askins/G. Weaver (CA) defeated Mac. Ham/K. Johnson 8-2.

3 – A. Johnson/Walton LMA) defeated Graham/Tanner 9-8(11-9).

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL IRMO 3 SUMTER 0 IRMO – The Sumter High School varsity volleyball team was swept by Irmo on Tuesday at the Yellow Jackets gymnasium 3-0.

Game scores were 25-14, 25-18 and 25-13 in favor of Irmo.

Aubrey Rickard led the Lady Gamecocks with three kills and four assists. McLean Achziger added two kills and McKenzie Michelson had three assists.

THOMAS SUMTER 3 BEN LIPPEN 2

COLUMBIA – Thomas Sumter Academy pulled out a 3-2 victory over Ben Lippen on Monday at the BL gymnasium.

The Lady Generals won by the scores of 25-18, 23-25, 25-18, 17-25, 15-8.

Ashley Cookey-gam had 15 kills and Haley Hawkins added 10 to lead TSA. Sydney Daniel had 10 assists, three aces and one kill, Josie Reed had 15 assists and one kill and Bree Stoddard had six blocks and four kills.

ROBERT E. LEE 3 CALHOUN 0

ST. MATTHEWS – Robert E. Lee Academy improved to 13-3 with a 3-0 victory over Calhoun Academy on Monday at the CA gymnasium.

REL won by the scores of 25-12, 25-23, 25-9.

Reagan Griffin led the Lady Cavaliers with eight aces and three digs. Ivy Watts had three kills and four assists.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 SCHEDULE

By The Associated Press

THURSDAY

No. 16 Georgia Tech vs. Alcorn State, 7:30 p.m.

No. 2 TCU at Minnesota, 9 p.m.

No. 22 Arizona vs. UTSA, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY

No. 4 Baylor at SMU, 7 p.m.

No. 5 Michigan St. at Western Michigan, 7 p.m.

No. 23 Boise State vs. Washington, 10:15 p.m.

VARSITY GIRLS GOLF SUMTER 226 West Florence edged Sumter by two strokes on Tuesday at Beech Creek Golf Club.

Kathleen Kirlis led the Lady Gamecocks with a 52 followed by Brice Flowers with a 56.

JUNIOR VARSITY VOLLEYBALL SUMTER 2 IRMO 1 IRMO – Sumter won a decisive third game against Irmo on Tuesday to claim a 2-1 victory at the Irmo gymnasium and improve to 3-0 on the year.

Game scores were 25-19, 17-25 and 15-2.

The Lady Gamecocks will host Spring Valley today at 6 p.m.

ROBERT E. LEE 2 CALHOUN 0

ST. MATTHEWS – Robert E. Lee Academy improved to 4-1 with a 2-0 victory over Calhoun Academy on Monday at the CA gymnasium.

REL won by the scores of 25-5, 25-9.

Sarah Abbot Kirven led the Lady Cavaliers with eight service aces and three assists. Emmie McCutchen had six aces and two kills.

THOMAS SUMTER 2 BEN LIPPEN 0

COLUMBIA – Thomas Sumter Academy defeated Ben Lippen 2-0 on Monday at the BL gymnasium.

TSA won by the scores 25-11, 25-23.

The Lady Generals were led by Maddie Carter with five assists and four aces. Diamond Gibson had three assists, three kills and four aces and Lindsay Daniel had four kills.

Atlanta at Washington, 7:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 7:20 p.m.

San Francisco at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers at San Diego, 10:10 p.m.

NASCAR

By The Associated Press

Sprint Cup Leaders Through Aug. 22 1, Kevin Harvick, 908. 2, Joey Logano, 865. 3, Dale Earnhardt Jr., 819. 4, Brad Keselowski, 793. 5, Jimmie Johnson, 792. 6, Martin Truex Jr., 771. 7, Matt Kenseth, 753. 8, Kurt Busch, 713. 9, Denny Hamlin, 712. 10, Jamie McMurray, 696. 11, Ryan Newman, 683. 12, Paul Menard, 674. 13, Jeff Gordon, 672.

14, Carl Edwards, 666. 15, Clint Bowyer, 655. 16, Aric Almirola, 620. 17, Kasey Kahne, 618. 18, Greg Biffle, 572. 19, Austin Dillon, 564. 20, Kyle Larson, 551.

Money 1, Kevin Harvick, $6,668,896. 2, Joey Logano, $5,914,657. 3, Jimmie Johnson, $5,190,830. 4, Denny Hamlin, $4,703,742.

5, Dale Earnhardt Jr., $4,478,495. 6, Matt Kenseth, $4,353,609. 7, Brad Keselowski, $4,311,664. 8, Jeff Gordon, $4,157,894. 9, Martin Truex Jr., $3,856,946. 10, Clint Bowyer, $3,800,307.

11, Ryan Newman, $3,722,353. 12, Greg Biffle, $3,680,251. 13, Jamie McMurray, $3,586,554.

14, Aric Almirola, $3,555,769. 15, Austin Dillon, $3,487,532.

16, Trevor Bayne, $3,419,245. 17, AJ Allmendinger, $3,285,284. 18, David Ragan, $3,229,117. 19, Kyle Larson, $3,212,039. 20, Kurt Busch, $3,175,406.

SATURDAY

No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 20 Wisconsin at Arlington, Texas, 8 p.m.

No. 6 Auburn vs. Louisville at Atlanta, 3:30 p.m.

No. 7 Oregon vs. Eastern Washington, 8 p.m.

No. 8 Southern Cal vs. Arkansas State, 11 p.m.

No. 9 Georgia vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Noon No. 10 Florida State vs. Texas State, 8 p.m.

No. 11 Notre Dame vs. Texas, 7:30 p.m.

No. 12 Clemson vs. Wofford, 12:30 p.m.

No. 13 UCLA vs. Virginia, 3:30 p.m.

No. 14 LSU vs. McNeese State, 7:30 p.m.

No. 15 Arizona State vs. Texas A&M at Houston, 7 p.m.

No. 17 Mississippi vs. UT-Martin, Noon No. 18 Arkansas vs. UTEP, 3:30 p.m.

No. 19 Oklahoma vs. Akron, 7 p.m.

No. 21 Stanford at Northwestern, Noon No. 24 Missouri vs. Southeast Missouri, 4 p.m.

No. 25 Tennessee vs. Bowling Green at Nashville, Tenn., 4 p.m.

No. 1 Ohio State at Virginia Tech, 8 p.m.

MLB STANDINGS

By The Associated Press EAST DIVISION L 57 58 66 68 70

Pct .565 .554 .496 .481 .466

GB – 11/2 9 11 13

L 50 63 66 68 70

Pct .615 .515 .492 .473 .462

GB – 13 16 181/2 20

L 59 62 66 71 74

Pct .553 .523 .496 .462 .439

GB – 4 71/2 12 15

MONDAY’S GAMES

Cincinnati Baltimore Cleveland Pittsburgh WEST Denver Kansas City San Diego Oakland

L 1 1 1 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .667 .667 .333

PF 78 54 61 53

PA 54 62 63 67

W 2 1 1 1

L 1 2 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .333 .333 .333

PF 60 45 52 61

PA 37 73 65 79

W 2 1 1 1

L 1 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .333 .333 .250

PF 55 60 58 67

PA 45 98 38 99

W 3 3 2 1

L 0 0 1 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 1.000 .667 .333

PF 55 82 54 53

PA 42 42 42 53

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

W 3 3 1 0

L 0 0 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF 1.000 115 1.000 72 .333 50 .000 27

PA 53 47 63 68

W 2 1 1 0

L 1 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .333 .333 .000

PF 72 62 48 64

PA 71 67 68 83

W 4 2 2 1

L 0 1 1 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .667 .667 .333

PF 88 60 62 67

PA 45 42 41 74

W 1 1 1 0

L 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .333 .333 .333 .000

PF 68 45 49 31

PA 79 48 51 69

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Buffalo 43, Pittsburgh 19 Minnesota 28, Dallas 14 Cleveland 31, Tampa Bay 7 Miami 13, Atlanta 9 N.Y. Jets 28, N.Y. Giants 18 Cincinnati 21, Chicago 10 Washington 31, Baltimore 13 Seattle 16, San Diego 15 Philadelphia 39, Green Bay 26 Indianapolis 24, St. Louis 14 Denver 19, San Francisco 12

SUNDAY’S GAMES

TODAY’S GAMES

L.A. Angels (Heaney 5-2) at Oakland (S.Gray 12-6), 3:35 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Tanaka 10-6) at Boston (Owens 2-1), 4:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay (E.Ramirez 10-5) at Baltimore (Gausman 2-6), 7:05 p.m.

Cleveland (Bauer 10-10) at Toronto (Dickey 9-10), 7:07 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Rodon 6-5) at Minnesota (Milone 6-4), 8:10 p.m.

Detroit (Wolf 0-2) at Kansas City (Ventura 9-7), 8:10 p.m.

Seattle (T.Walker 10-7) at Houston (Kazmir 7-9), 8:10 p.m.

Texas (Hamels 2-1) at San Diego (Kennedy 8-12), 10:10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

W 73 66 54 53 52

L 58 64 77 79 80

Pct .557 .508 .412 .402 .394

GB – 61/2 19 201/2 211/2

W 85 79 74 55 54

L 46 50 56 75 76

Pct .649 .612 .569 .423 .415

GB – 5 101/2 291/2 301/2

W 73 69 64 63 53

L 57 62 67 68 76

Pct .562 .527 .489 .481 .411

GB – 41/2 91/2 101/2 191/2

MONDAY’S GAMES

Miami 4, Atlanta 0 N.Y. Mets 3, Philadelphia 1 Cincinnati 13, Chicago Cubs 6 St. Louis 8, Washington 5 Colorado 5, Arizona 4 L.A. Dodgers 5, San Francisco 4, 14 innings San Diego 7, Texas 0

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Houston 27, New Orleans 13 Arizona 30, Oakland 23

THURSDAY

New Orleans at Green Bay, 7 p.m.

Baltimore at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Jets, 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Miami, 7 p.m.

Jacksonville at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Carolina at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Buffalo at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at New England, 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Tennessee, 8 p.m.

Cleveland at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Houston at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Kansas City at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Arizona at Denver, 9 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 10 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 10 p.m.

WNBA STANDINGS

By The Associated Press

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION

Los Angeles San Francisco San Diego Arizona Colorado

Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Tennessee NORTH

W 2 2 2 1

New England 17, Carolina 16 Kansas City 34, Tennessee 10 Detroit 22, Jacksonville 17

Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

Cleveland at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

Seattle at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

L.A. Angels at Oakland, 10:05 p.m.

Texas at San Diego, 10:10 p.m.

St. Louis Pittsburgh Chicago Milwaukee Cincinnati WEST DIVISION

Buffalo New England N.Y. Jets Miami SOUTH

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 3 Cleveland 4, Toronto 2 Boston 4, N.Y. Yankees 3 Houston 8, Seattle 3 Oakland 11, L.A. Angels 5 San Diego 7, Texas 0

New York Washington Atlanta Miami Philadelphia CENTRAL DIVISION

AMERICAN CONFERENCE EAST

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

AMERICAN LEAGUE W Toronto 74 New York 72 Tampa Bay 65 Baltimore 63 Boston 61 CENTRAL DIVISION W Kansas City 80 Minnesota 67 Cleveland 64 Chicago 61 Detroit 60 WEST DIVISION W Houston 73 Texas 68 Los Angeles 65 Seattle 61 Oakland 58

NFL PRESEASON

By The Associated Press

EAST

TUESDAY’S GAMES

WEST FLORENCE 224

TODAY’S GAMES

Miami (Conley 2-1) at Atlanta (Undecided), 12:10 p.m.

Cincinnati (R.Iglesias 3-6) at Chicago Cubs (Hammel 7-6), 2:20 p.m.

Philadelphia (Nola 5-1) at N.Y. Mets (Harvey 11-7), 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Locke 7-8) at Milwaukee (Z.Davies 0-0), 8:10 p.m.

Washington (Scherzer 11-11) at St. Louis (Wacha 15-4), 8:15 p.m.

Arizona (Ch.Anderson 6-5) at Colorado (J.Gray 0-0), 8:40 p.m.

San Francisco (Leake 9-6) at L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 11-6), 10:10 p.m.

Texas (Hamels 2-1) at San Diego (Kennedy 8-12), 10:10 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Varsity Girls Tennis Wilson Hall at Carolina, 4 p.m.

Robert E. Lee at Pee Dee, 3:30 p.m.

Varsity and JV Girls Tennis Williamsburg at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m.

Junior Varsity Girls Tennis Carolina at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m.

Pee Dee at Robert E. Lee, 3:30 p.m.

Varsity Volleyball Camden, Spring Valley at Sumter, 5:30 p.m.

Varsity and JV Volleyball Andrews at East Clarendon, 5:30 p.m.

Wilson Hall at Robert E. Lee, 4 p.m.

Williamsburg at Laurence Manning, 4 p.m.

Junior Varsity Volleyball Spring Valley at Sumter, 6 p.m.

MONDAY

TSA tennis wins pair of matches against Ben Lippen, Robert E. Lee

Arizona at Colorado, 3:10 p.m., 1st game Miami at Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.

Washington at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 8:40 p.m., 2nd game San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

Texas at San Diego, 10:10 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE x-New York x-Chicago Indiana Washington Connecticut Atlanta

W 20 18 17 16 13 12

L 8 12 12 12 17 17

Pct .714 .600 .586 .571 .433 .414

WESTERN CONFERENCE

W x-Minnesota 20 x-Phoenix 17 x-Tulsa 15 Los Angeles 12 Seattle 9 San Antonio 7 x-clinched playoff

L Pct 10 .667 13 .567 14 .517 18 .400 20 .310 23 .233 spot

GB – 3 31/2 4 8 81/2 GB – 3 41/2 8 101/2 13

MONDAY’S GAMES

No games scheduled

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Atlanta at New York, 7 p.m.

Connecticut at Indiana, 7 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Washington at Phoenix, 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Chicago at New York, 7 p.m.

Tulsa at Seattle, 10 p.m.

Washington at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

|

B3

AREA SCOREBOARD GOLF CHURCHES’ CHALLENGE WINNERS

A team from Calvary Church of the Nazarene won the Christian Golfers’ Association 16th Annual Churches’ Challenge golf tournament on Aug. 15 at Sunset Country Club.

Members of the team from Calvary were Mike Larkins, Colin Floyd, Travis Howard.

The second-place team from Grant Hill Baptist Church was made up of L.B. Johnson, Bernice Johnson, Jimmy Rembert and Rev. Clifton Witherspoon. The third-place team from Crosspoint Baptist Church included Ryan Peters, Deron McCormick, John Dollard, and Tripp Baker.

9-HOLE SCRAMBLE

The 9-hole Scramble event hosted by The Links at Lakewood will be held every Thursday beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The cost is $25 per player and includes prizes and dinner. The cost is $12 for those attending just the dinner.

To sign up, call the pro shop at (803) 481-5700 up to 5 p.m. the day of the event.

FOOTBALL MIDDLE SCHOOL SCRIMMAGE

A series of scrimmages featuring several of the Sumter Middle School Conference football teams will be held on Saturday at Donald L. Crolley Memorial Stadium in Dalzell beginning at 9 a.m.

There will be scrimmages going on simultaneously at ei-

PHOTO PROVIDED

A team from Calvary Church of the Nazarene won the 16th Annual CGA Churches’ Challenge golf tournament on Aug. 15 at Sunset Country Club. Standing from left to right are Sumter CGA chapter treasurer Gene DuCom, Calvary team members Travis Howard, Chuck Brown, Pastor Arthur Sharpe, Colin Floyd and Mike Larkins chapter vice president Bob Billheimer. ther end of the field. The final scrimmages are scheduled to begin at 1:40 p.m.

The entry fee is $3 per person

Schedule: 9 a.m. -- Mayewood vs. Johnson; Hillcrest vs. Manning 9:35 a.m. -- Bates vs. Lee Central; Ebenezer vs. Williams 10:10 a.m. -- Lake City vs. Chestnut Oaks; Alice Drive vs. Darlington 10:45 a.m. -- Bates vs. Williams; Ebenezer vs. Johnson 11:20 a.m. -- Mayewood vs. Manning; Hillcrest vs. Lee Central 11:55 a.m. -- Lake City vs. Alice Drive; Chestnut Oaks vs. Darlington 12:30 p.m. -- Lee Central vs.

Mayewood; Ebenezer vs. Hillcrest 1:05 p.m. -- Johnson vs. Chestnut Oaks; Bates vs. Darlington 1:40 p.m. -- Lake City vs. Manning; Alice Drive vs. Williams

SUMTER TOUCHDOWN CLUB

The Sumter Touchdown club presented by FTC is accepting members as it prepares for the start of its weekly breakfast meetings on Friday.

The club will meet for 12 weeks through Friday, Nov. 29. Each meeting will feature a buffet breakfast, the recognition of The Sumter Item Players of the Week, a weekly devotional, a Pick ‘Em Contest, the Coaches Corner and a guest speaker.

Membership is $100 and sponsorship levels start at

$200.

Meetings will be held each Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at The Quality Inn on Broad Street.

For more information, go to www.sumtertdclub.com or call Lee Glaze at (803) 968-0773 or Talmadge Tobias at (803) 4914573 for more information.

ROAD RACING FORREST RAY 5K

The 10th Annual Forrest Ray 5K will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The race will begin at the

Sumter County Library at 111 North Harvin Street. Proceeds from the race will go support the Sumter County Library.

Race day registration will begin at 7 a.m. with the race starting at 8.

The registration cost prior to the race is $20 while race day registration is $25.

Runners can visit www. strictlyrunning.com, the Sumter Family YMCA or any Sumter County Library location to register.

For more information, call (803) 773-7273 or visit www. sumtercountylibrary.com.

BRAVES BASEBALL

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Miller’s hard-luck streak reaches 19 starts minus a win

Atlanta starting pitcher Shelby Miller suffered his 19th consecutive defeat on Tuesday as the Braves failed to score in a 4-0 loss to Miami.

BY GEORGE HENRY The Associated Press ATLANTA — Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez says he’s never seen anything like Shelby Miller’s tough run of luck as a starting pitcher.

“The only thing I can explain is the way Shelby has behaved through all this, the way he’s gone out and battled through everything we’ve asked him to do, and he doesn’t flinch,” Gonzalez said.

“I hope that continues.”

Martin Prado and Justin Bour each had an RBI double in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins extended Miller’s winless streak to 19 starts with a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Miller, an All-Star with a sparkling 2.56 ERA, began the night with the worst support in the majors, and the Braves, losers in six straight and 13 of 14, stayed true to form.

Beginning the night with the worst average (.227) in the NL with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break, Atlanta has scored two runs or less in 20 of Miller’s 27 starts.

“Honestly I don’t know where all those stats sit,” Miller said. “I’m reading a book (pitching coach) Roger (McDowell) gave me. It’s all about how stats and all that stuff (don’t) really reflect on how you perform. You can make a good pitch and give up a hit. You want to be the best you can be, but it’s all about going out there and competing. The stats are a benefit on the side.”

Miller (5-12) gave up six hits and struck out seven in seven innings.

After getting blown out by an aggregate 38-11 score in a three-game series sweep by the New York Yankees, the Braves’ offense was no match for journeyman Chris Narveson, a journeyman making his second start since 2012.

Narveson (2-1) allowed two hits, two walks and struck

‘Honestly I don’t know where all those stats sit.’

SHELBY MILLER On his 19-start winless streak, the longest in the majors out three in 5 1-3 innings. He left the game with a blister on his left middle index finger.

Miller’s 19-start streak is the longest in the majors this year and an in-season Atlanta record. Carl Morton has the longest franchise streak at 22 starts from Sept. 10, 1975-July 18, 1976.

Miller, pitching on his usual five days’ rest, was moved up one day in the rotation when Mike Foltynewicz was scratched three hours before the game with viral symptoms.

The Marlins went up 1-0 in the second on Cole Gillespie’s second homer. Prado and Bour drove in runs against Matt Marksbury. Peter Moylan gave up Christian Yelich’s RBI single in the ninth.

Miller pitched out of a jam in fifth. J.T. Realmuto singled, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Christian Bethancourt’s throwing error, but Miller struck out the next three batters he faced.

Miller is 0-11 with a 3.13 ERA since beating the Marlins 6-0 on May 17.

“He’s a great pitcher,” Narveson said. “He’s having tough luck. You feel for him, the sting of starts that he’s had. I always thought he had really good stuff. He’ll get through it, I know that.”

Atlanta’s disastrous weekend against the Yankees was its worst three-game series since Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine lineup scored 35 runs against the Braves in 1977.

Memorial Day

On September 13th we want to provide an opportunity for pet owners to memorialize their faithful friend.

only!

10

$

00

Huckleberry & Sippi Friends for 6 years.

Now together again.

Owners: Alice Bessinger & Mary Cockerill DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 • 12PM

Name ______________________________________ Phone ________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ City ____________________________ State ____________ Zip _____________ Pet’s name _________________________________________________________ Owner’s Name _____________________________________________________ Message (limit 12 words) ___________________________________________________ Payment must accompany order: Total $ ______________ ❐ Check ❐ Visa ❐ Mastercard _______ If paying with credit card: Card No.______________________ Exp. date_________________ Signature _______________________________________________________________________

20 N. Magnolia Street • Sumter, SC

803-774-1231 www.theitem.com

B4

|

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

U.S. OPEN

Halep, Wozniacki avoid early upset bug PPO alum Loeb falls in 1st round

BY RACHEL COHEN The Associated Press NEW YORK — Caroline Wozniacki crashed John Isner’s post-match news conference, needling her good friend for arriving late to his interview session and delaying the start of hers.

The fourth-seeded Wozniacki was in quite a hurry Tuesday, when she needed just 67 minutes to win at the U.S. Open against an opponent making her Grand Slam debut. Those sorts of lopsided victories have been rare among the top women so far in the first round.

Of the first 25 seeded players to take the court, nine lost. Half of the top 10 women are already out, counting third-seeded Maria Sharapova’s withdrawal because of injury.

This comes in a year when the main spectacle is whether Serena Williams can complete the first Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988. Less than two days into the tournament, fewer and fewer top rivals stand in her way.

Even with Wozniacki in the audience, Isner stated the obvious about the women’s field.

“Caroline’s got as good a shot as anyone. Obviously Serena is the favorite,” the 13th-seeded American said after his own straight-set win.

Sixth-seeded Lucie Safarova, who pushed Williams to three sets in the French Open final, was upset by 37thranked Lesia Tsurenko earlier Tuesday. She said after losing 6-4, 6-1 that she was bothered by a strained abdominal muscle on her right side that she hurt in losing the New Haven final Saturday.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Caroline Wozniacki, left, greets former Palmetto Pro Open and NCAA Division I champion Jamie Loeb after winning their first round match 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday at the U.S. Open in New York.

Like Wozniacki, secondseeded Simona Halep had no trouble, moving on in 47 minutes on a hot, humid day when Marina Erakovic retired in the second set. Halep was leading 6-2, 3-0.

Wozniacki, last year’s U.S. Open runner-up to Williams, beat NCAA champion Jamie Loeb 6-2, 6-0. The 20-year-old Loeb earned a wild card into the draw by winning the college title as a sophomore at North Carolina.

Just four seeded women lost in the first round last year. Since the tournament started seeding 32 players in

2000, the largest number of women’s seeds to fall in the opening round was 10 in 2012.

On the men’s side, secondseeded Roger Federer routed Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in a brisk 77 minutes. The 34th-ranked Mayer had given the 17-time Grand Slam champion trouble in their only previous meeting, when Federer saved five match points to win in three sets in Shanghai last year.

“I actually wasn’t so confident yesterday and today,” he said. “I just felt like maybe could be one of those matches I just couldn’t see it com-

ing. So thankfully I took this match extremely serious. I thought at times almost I was taking it a bit too serious. I got that lucky in Shanghai, so that’s why it was just creeping around in my mind that maybe today was going to be a bad day.”

American Donald Young rallied from down two sets and a break to stun 11th-seeded Gilles Simon. The 68thranked Young won 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in 3 hours, 34 minutes with a packed Court 17 urging him on.

The 26-year-old Young’s career has been one of ex-

tremes, a one-time teen prodigy who has stumbled through some long losing streaks as a pro. He reached his second ATP final at Delray Beach in February, dropped nine straight tour-level matches from March through August, and then upset sixth-ranked Tomas Berdych in Montreal this month.

Young had never before come back to win after losing the first two sets.

Simon had been 5-0 against Young. The Frenchman lost in the opening round for the first time in nine appearances at Flushing Meadows.

PRO FOOTBALL

Jaguars owner Khan wants to continue playing in London until 2030

BY MARK LONG The Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars want to be London’s team for the foreseeable future.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan said Tuesday he expects to sign a longterm deal to continue playing annually in KHAN London. If Khan gets his way, it will be a 14year commitment.

Speaking at a kickoff luncheon inside EverBank Stadium, Khan said he’s “optimistic, obviously, that we’ll have a renewal on (London) and it will go for a long time.”

Khan then added that he would like to see the contract extended until 2030.

The Jaguars are entering the third year of a four-year deal to play one game annually at Wimbley Stadium.

“It’s been probably the No. 1 element to stabilizing the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Khan said. “Hard to believe it’s over, the four-year deal now.

But I think it’s a critical part of our franchise to be able to play games there, get the recognition, build the fan base and get sponsors.”

The Jaguars say their annual trip to London — one of 10 home games — accounts for 15 percent of the franchise’s local revenue.

“For us, London and Jacksonville is great, almost a marriage made in heaven for us,” Khan said. “I would expect the NFL would maybe look at other areas, other markets to develop. But we want to have a focus, and Jacksonville supplemented with London is our focus.”

Khan said there are no plans for Jacksonville to play more than one game in London and he doesn’t want to play at any venue other than Wimbley Stadium.

He also expects the NFL to play no more than five games a year in London.

“It’s my guess, but I think that’s probably what they’ll end up with,” Khan said. “Looking at the market, we spent obviously three years studying it. So that’s my best guess.

It’s pretty much my assessment, but I think most people agree with that.”

The kickoff luncheon provided several other news items: •Khan released details of a plan to build a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility near EverBank Stadium.

Khan said bids for the project are being reviewed and renderings should be done in a few weeks. He estimated the project would cost around $30 million, which would mostly come out of his pocket. Even though the stadium is publicly owned, there’s an amendment in the lease that affords Khan and the Jaguars the right to develop the land.

Khan wants a multi-use facility that “should be taking the stadium and kind of extending it with hopefully a cool, iconic, architectural structure.”

•Coach Gus Bradley offered his strongest statement yet on the team’s rebuilding project. Having gone 7-25 in Bradley’s first two years, he said the Jaguars are poised to compete in the AFC South. Jacksonville has built mostly through the draft, but also committed about $180 million in free agency in the spring.

“We had a team meeting when we initially started training camp and we talked, ‘Our objective is to build a team that owns the AFC South,’” Bradley said. “And that means yearin and year-out, we’re owning the AFC and the South division. That was our mindset. We told them, ‘We’re building to have a team.’ And I said, ‘This year, we built the team.

It’s built and it’s time,’ and our players need to have that mentality.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Carolina’s Jarrett Boykin (15) was one of many cuts made by the Panthers on Tuesday in order to trim the roster down to 75 players. That list also including cornerback Melvin White.

Panthers cut WR Boykin, CB White to trim roster to 75

BY STEVE REED The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers waived wide receiver Jarrett Boykin and waived-injured former starting cornerback Melvin White on Tuesday.

The team also waived safety Robert Lester, defensive tackle Kenny Horsley and wide receiver De’Andre Presley, and waived-injured defensive tackle Micanor Regis. Also, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was placed on injured reserve as the team reached the 75-player roster limit.

Boykin was signed earlier this offseason as a free agent after spending three years with the Green Bay Packers. His best season came in 2013 when he caught 49 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns, but was released by the Packers after catching just three passes in 2014.

White had started 17 games over the past two seasons for Carolina and had 83 tackles, 11 pass breakups and three interceptions.

The Panthers boasted about their

depth at wide receiver throughout the offseason, but that core has dwindled. Benjamin and Stephen Hill both tore ACLs during training camp and Boykin, despite leading all wide receivers with 91 yards on nine receptions in the preseason, didn’t show the consistency.

The Panthers traded on Monday with Seattle to acquire for Kevin Norwood, a fourth-round pick in 2014 who caught nine passes last season.

Carolina’s receivers have been plagued by several drops the last two preseason games, but Newton said he isn’t allowing it to affect his approach to the game.

“Those are things I can’t worry about,” Newton said. “It doesn’t affect me one bit. I want guys who are ready to come in and play and I think (Norwood) is ready to come in and do that. This is a production league. We’re all getting critiqued and watched each and every day.”

Carolina’s first-team offense has scored 20 points — two touchdowns and two field goals — in 15 possessions.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

|

B5

Chanticleers heading to Sun Belt in 2016 Football to join conference in 2017 season FROM STAFF & WIRE REPORTS Coastal Carolina University has accepted an invitation to become the 12th football-playing member of the Sun Belt Conference and in doing so will move its football program up to the Football Bowl Subdivision by 2018.

Coastal Carolina, which is in Conway, will join the Sun Belt in all sports except football beginning with the 2016-17 academic year.

This will be the Chanticleers’ final season in the Big South Conference, which is an NCAA Division I conference like the Sun Belt in all sports except for football. The Big South is a Football Championship Subdivision conference.

“What a remarkable day for Chanticleer Athletics and a testament to the decades of success by our student-athletes and programs,” said CCU Director of Athletics Matt Hogue during a press conference on Tuesday. “NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision membership and the tradition of the Sun Belt Conference will present new opportunities for our athletics program to help

MITCH FROM PAGE B1 said. “He yells at us to get lined up correctly. He’s definitely taken more ownership of the offense.”

Athletics is in Mitch’s family, with quarterback being the main calling.

His father played quarterback at Syracuse; his brother did the same at Maryland.

The gene appears to have been passed down to Mitch,

AP FILE PHOTO

Coastal Carolina is making the move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2016 with the football team scheduled to move up by 2017. The Chanticleers will not be eligible for a bowl that first year, however. showcase the tremendous impact being forged by our university. By this invitation, we have been recognized for our excellence on and off the field.

All Chanticleers past and present I’m sure will take great pride in this historic announcement.”

During the 2017 football season, Coastal Carolina will com-

pete in the Sun Belt, but will not be eligible for a bowl until the following season, when the Sun Belt will have 12 full FBS members, divided into East and West divisions of six teams each.

The newest Sun Belt member also will move forward immediately with plans to upgrade Brooks Stadium to meet FBS

standards, expanding capacity to around 20,000 seats.

“The move into FBS, which is the absolute highest level of collegiate competition, will increase the University’s visibility and brand recognition,” said Athletic Committee Chairman Gene Spivey. “It will change how CCU is followed. We’ll receive far greater media cover-

age, and our program will be promoted at a much higher level.”

The Sun Belt has 11 members, including Texas-Arlington and Arkansas-Little Rock, which do not compete in FBS. The Sun Belt’s 11 football schools include football-only members Idaho and New Mexico State.

who was a highly decorated and recruited quarterback at Wakefield High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“It just kind of molded in my brain,” Mitch said of the position. “Going out with my brother in pads — I feel like my dad was more of the mechanics and my brother was more of the mental part of the game.”

While the statistics of the three candidates were similar

both in the spring and in preseason, Mitch appeared to be the best of the group. Though, as Spurrier frequently reminds, he has plenty of room for improvement.

“He throws a beautiful pass, a catchable ball,” Spurrier said Thursday during his radio call-in show. “But he has to make his mind work every play.

“Playing quarterback is not just throwing the ball. You

have to know where and how to throw it.”

Mitch believes he is making progress and concedes to visualizing the moment he steps on the field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to play North Carolina, which is virtually right down the street from his home.

That chance happened before he won the job, when he watched a Carolina Panthers playoff game last winter from

the stands.

“I kind of took the stadium in and said, ‘Oh, we’re going to be playing there soon,’ ” Mitch said. “That’s kind of a cool thing.”

With the opener just around the corner, Mitch is ready to get on the field.

“There are no nerves, just excitement,” he said. “I still have the mindset I had coming into fall camp, to get better each and every day.”

pus.

He had one question: “Why do we play them if we don’t even have to?” he recalled Tuesday.

The Terriers run an optionbased attack Clemson typically sees just once a year in the regular season against Georgia Tech. A problem for the Tigers is they are breaking in several new starters along the defensive line and linebackers after six of them from last year’s No. 1 ranked college defense finished their careers.

Defensive end Vic Beasley and linebacker Stephone Anthony

were each selected in the first round of last spring’s NFL draft.

Venables knows his new guys will want to make a very big impression as quickly as they can — something which feeds into the hands of Wofford’s relentless offense.

“We’re going to challenge our guys not to do too much,” Venables said.

Swinney said he won’t slow down the offense with Watson, who suffered injuries to his shoulder in the spring of 2014, then to his hand and knee during the season last

fall. Watson comes off ACL surgery on his left knee and is anxious to show people he can stay on the field.

Watson’s rehabilitation went off without problems and the 6-foot-2 sophomore has had no problems in camp.

“I feel really good and I am excited about Saturday,” Watson said.

The Tigers are only one of three teams in the country who have won 10 or more games the past four seasons.

Swinney believes they can take another step forward this fall.

Tigers are going to win the ACC and make a national playoff push, it can’t be any worse than 7-1. After the first six games, Clemson goes on the road against Miami and North Carolina State, games it should be favored in, but games that can be wild cards with the up-and-down nature of those two programs.

positions, this may sound like an odd key. However, former offensive coordinator Chad Morris has moved on to take the head job at Southern Methodist, and the Tigers have co-OCs in Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott.

This isn’t to suggest that there will be friction between Scott and Elliott, but no matter how things have gone in practice, there is still a case of things having to fall in to place as to who does what

when the games start.

Also, it’s not like they’re taking over for someone who was ineffective at his job.

Quite to the contrary, so that could lead to Scott and Elliott trying to put their own stamps on the offense, and that could take some time.

If they’re smart though, they’ll keep the 6-inch shovel pass from Watson to an in-motion Artavis Scott in the arsenal. It worked quite well against USC.

SWINNEY FROM PAGE B1 Heisman Trophy contender in Deshaun Watson and a potent offense looking to supplant Florida State as ACC champion.

“Are we elite?” Swinney said. “We haven’t proved that yet. We’re a team that’s got a shot and that’s all you can ask.”

Swinney said there was not much he and the coaches at to say the past few seasons to get players ready for the opener against strong Southeastern

Conference opponents. The Tigers defeated Auburn 26-19 in the Georgia Dome three years ago before splitting the series with Georgia — Clemson winning at home in 2013 before the Bulldogs and Todd Gurley ran past the Tigers last year.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, starting his fourth season in charge of the Tigers defense, heard about last Wofford meeting soon after arriving on cam-

TIGERS FROM PAGE B1 things you can do to lessen the chance of injury, but it’s still football and contact is going to happen Keeping the sophomore on the field last season was a difficult chore. Watson missed four full games and most of two others with a broken hand and what turned out to be a torn knee ligament. He played the USC game with the torn ligament and hobbled off the field twice.

2. KEEP 2-DEEP DEFENSE ON FIELD EARLY

This is important because Clemson is so young on defense with only three starters returning from last season’s top-ranked defense. With the first two games at home against Wofford and Appalachian State, the possibility exists the Tigers could have a big offensive game in both contests. Usually in games that are blowouts, the tendency is to let a lot of people play, but defensive coordinator Brent Venables needs to get as many repetitions as possible for the key performers on his young defense.

They need experience from those two games to hopefully be rounding into form when Clemson travels to Louisville on Sept. 17 and follows that

with three home games against Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Boston College.

3. DON’T FORGET GALLMAN

Running back Wayne Gallman really came on at the end of last season, piling up 191 yards rushing against South Carolina. He had three 100yard rushing games and finished with 769 yards on 161 carries.

While the Tigers will still have a pass-oriented offense with Mike Williams and Artavis Scott back at wide receiver, they need to give Gallman a heaping helping of carries to balance out the offense and make sure he is ready when the passing game might be off a bit.

4. NO WORSE THAN 7-1 FOR FSU

After having to go down to Tallahassee for the third game of the season last year, Clemson doesn’t get the Seminoles in Death Valley until Nov. 7, the ninth game of the season. This would be one of the seasons where you would seemingly like to play FSU early on as it breaks in a new quarterback, but the schedule was drawn up long before those circumstances were known.

All of that being said, if the

5. GAINING AN OFFENSIVE IDENTITY

With all of the talent returning at the offensive skill

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

The City of Sumter is an Entitlement Community. This Entitlement status affords the City the opportunity of receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds on an annual basis. The purpose of the funds is to improve the neighborhoods and make life more livable for residents; especially those whose income falls within the HUD Income Limits and are considered low-moderate-income citizens. Citizens’ participation is a requirement. The City of Sumter will satisfy this requirement by holding public meetings prior to preparing the upcoming Annual Action Plan. The schedule for these meetings follows: •Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 6:00pm, North Hope Center, 904 N. Main St. •Thursday, September 17, 2015, 6:00pm, South Hope Center, 1125 S. Lafayette Dr. •Thursday, September 24, 2015, 6:00pm, S. Sumter Resource Center, 337 Manning Ave. •Monday, September 28, 2015, 6:00pm, Birnie Hope Center, 210 S. Purdy St. •Public Hearing, Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 6:00pm, Council Chambers 4th floor, Opera House, 21 North Main Street Citizens are invited to come out and participate in these community meetings in preparation of the City of Sumter, Community Development Department fiscal year budget process for the period April 1, 2016-March 31, 2017. Entry to all meeting places is handicapped accessible. Hearing impaired or deaf persons may call 774-1649 for assistance. Persons needing an interpreter may call the same number for assistance.

Joseph T. McElveen, Jr. Mayor

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE SUMTER ITEM

Panthers starting Vols trying to live up to over with Narduzzi heightened expectations

BY WILL GRAVES The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — James Conner had his doubts about Pat Narduzzi. They were unavoidable.

New coach. New system.

New way of doing things.

The reigning ACC Player of the Year had grown pretty comfortable in former coach Paul Chryst’s run-heavy system. And now CONNER here was a newcomer, in charge for the first time in his career, ready to revamp a program that seemed reNARDUZZI vamped out.

“I was a little iffy,” Conner said. “Coach Chryst’s system worked great for me.”

Then Narduzzi started talking. During one of his first meetings with the Panthers after taking over for Chryst last winter, Narduzzi put together a presentation that highlighted just how close Pitt was to a breakthrough following a fourth straight season of finishing either 6-7 or 7-6.

“He showed us our stats and what could have been,” Conner said. “He was like: ‘Guys you are right there.’

He installed that determination in us, the realization that we can achieve big things.”

And do it quickly.

The longtime Michigan State defensive coordinator and part-time handyman is no stranger to rebuilding projects. As far as the Panthers go, however, he figures the foundation is already set after inheriting one of the youngest rosters in the country. Narduzzi’s main goal this fall to convince a group that includes Conner — who set a school record with 26 total touchdowns — and wide receiver Tyler Boyd that Pitt is not tethered to the mediocrity that has defined Pitt for the better part of three decades “We just need to do our job and do it the right way,” Narduzzi said. “I’m not worried about the past. I’m worried about the future. Where are we going tomorrow?”

The Panthers hope to go up in an ACC Coastal Division that has had four different champions in the last four years. To get there they will rely heavily on Conner and Boyd, as good a running back/wideout duo as there is in the country.

“There’s different styles of getting them the ball, but we’re going to get them the ball,” offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said.

It will be the quickest path to respectability. Here are some of the obstacles the Panthers will face along the way: TOUGH START

Narduzzi will begin his tenure the same way Chryst did: against Youngstown State. The Panthers lost to the Penguins decisively four years ago. This time, Youngstown State brings in head coach Bo Pelini, who is trying to revive his career after flaming out at Nebraska. Pitt then plays five of its next six games on the road, including games at Akron and Iowa, both of which beat the Panthers at Heinz Field to thwart early season momentum after a 3-0 start.

DISCIPLINE MATTERS

Narduzzi faced his first real challenge during the offseason when Boyd and defensive lineman Rori Blair were both pulled over for DUI and subsequently suspended for the opener.

While Narduzzi developed a reputation as a player’s coach at Michigan State, he learned limits from his father Bill, who coached at Youngstown State and elsewhere.

“If curfew is at 11, don’t come home at 11:01,” Narduzzi said.

DEFENSIVE OVERHAUL

Michigan State’s revival under head coach Mark Dantonio began with Narduzzi creating an aggressive, physical defense that became one of the nation’s best. He hopes to recreate that success at Pitt, where defensive coordinator Josh Conklin will be in charge with more than a little input from his boss. The Panthers ranked a respectable 34th in yards allowed in 2014 but created just 14 turnovers, tied for 113th in the FBS.

BY STEVE MEGARGEE The Associated Press KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The timing may be right for Tennessee to reclaim its status as a Southeastern Conference contender.

Tennessee has restocked its talent base and has ended a string of four straight losing seasons just as many of its SEC East Division rivals have entered a state of transition. That combination has led to questions about whether the Volunteers can challenge for their first division title since 2007. A preseason poll of SEC media has Tennessee finishing second in the East, behind Georgia.

The Vols can’t help but hear about the heightened expectations from fans eager to see this storied program return to relevance after a prolonged slump. But they vow not to get distracted by preseason prognostications suggesting Tennessee’s on the rise.

“We’re not getting bigheaded,” senior safety Brian Randolph said.

“We’re not coming out thinking that we already won the SEC East. We’re just working hard and just trying to stay focused and not listen to all the clutter.”

Tennessee raised plenty of optimism by winning four of its lasts five games, including a 45-28 rout of Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl.

The surge coincided with Joshua Dobbs’ emergence as the Vols’ starting quarterback.

Vols coach Butch Jones has upgraded the roster by signing two straight recruiting classes rated among the nation’s top five by multiple services. The Vols played the most true freshmen of any Football Bowl Subdivision program last season and likely will give featured roles to plenty of newcomers again this season.

“We still have a lot of true freshmen that are in the mix to play,” Jones said.

“And we know that being in this conference, looking at the teams that have had success... they’ve been junior- and senior-dominated football teams.”

AP FILE PHOTO

Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs is one of the few veteran and SEC quarterbacks returning. He hopes to help the Volunteers reach the high expectations placed upon this year’s squad.

Some things to know about Tennessee.

CAPABLE AT QUARTERBACK

For the first time in Jones’ three-year tenure, Tennessee isn’t having a preseason quarterback competition. There’s no doubt the job belongs to Dobbs,. Tennessee went 4-1 in the five games Dobbs started after a torn labrum sidelined Justin Worley, who has since completed his eligibility. During a season in which most SEC teams have quarterback questions, Dobbs’ presence gives Tennessee an edge on its league rivals.

POTENT PASS RUSHERS

Senior linebacker/defensive end Curt Maggitt and sophomore end Derek Barnett give Tennessee one of the nation’s most productive pass-rushing tandems.

Barnett had 20 ½ tackles for loss and 10 sacks last season. Maggitt had 15 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. The defensive line should be even deeper this fall due to the arrival of heralded recruits Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle at tackle and Kyle Phillips at end.

MORE PLAYMAKERS

Tennessee returns all seven players who caught at least 20 passes or accumulated at least 200 yards receiving last season. The ad-

dition of junior-college transfer Alvin Kamara, who began his college career at Alabama, also should add some diversity to Tennessee’s rushing attack. Kamara will team up in the backfield with Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd, who rushed for 899 yards as a freshman last season.

QUESTIONS ON THE LINE

Tennessee won’t contend in the SEC unless it gets better production from its offensive line. The Vols gave up an SEC-high 43 sacks last season. The Vols will be more experienced on the line this season, but they already got some bad news at this spot with a training-camp injury to senior guard Marcus Jackson that likely will knock him out for the entire season.

STAFF CHANGE

Mike DeBord takes over as offensive coordinator for Mike Bajakian, now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterbacks coach. Jones was an offensive coordinator on DeBord’s Central Michigan staff from 200103. DeBord has a long resume that includes two stints as Michigan’s offensive coordinator, but he hasn’t coached in the college ranks since 2007 and hasn’t coached at all since 2012. His arrival won’t result in any major scheme changes.

Cavaliers have sense of urgency, look to finish stronger in 2015

BY HANK KURZ JR. The Associated Press CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.— The word that might have been spoken most during Virginia’s offseason and training camp workouts: Finish.

The Cavaliers were tied or leading three times in the fourth quarter last season in games they wound up losing, turning what could have been a winning season that ended in a bowl game into a LONDON 5-7 finish. It was their third consecutive losing season and there is a sense of urgency to turn the program around.

If not, coach Mike London’s sixth season could be his last in Charlottesville.

“We’ve had many issues over the years but this is one issue that I feel has not been attacked: finishing,” senior defensive tackle and co-captain David Dean said. “I believe this year, it has to change. We continue to reiterate this message: Finish in the weight room, finish in practice, finish in runs, whatever the case may be, and not just finishing to finish, but finishing with the energy you brought into the workout, and with the same focus.”

London, with a 23-38 overall record and eight wins in 32 Atlantic Coast Conference games, will once again lead his team against one of the most difficult schedules in the

country. He likes the determination the Cavaliers have displayed through the summer and early fall practice.

“We all have a chip on our shoulders, the sense of urgency to get the season underway and play, play games and perform. We have an older group,” London said, noting there are 16 players in their final season. “That’s a group that wants to perform well.

They want to embrace the challenges. ... Our mindset is a can-do mindset.”

For the third consecutive season, Virginia will debut a new starting quarterback in its opener.

Matt Johns started three games last season when Greyson Lambert was injured, and when Johns won the job in the spring, Lambert transferred, leaving Johns as the only quarterback on the roster with significant game experience.

Johns will operate behind Virginia’s deepest offensive line in several seasons, but will be without transfer wide receiver T.J. Thorpe for much of the season. The former North Carolina player, expected to be a playmaker, broke his right clavicle in mid-August scrimmage and will miss 10 weeks.

Some other things to watch with the Cavaliers this season:

name, and finally should get a chance to show what he can do as the featured back. Mizzell’s hold on the top spot is not yet certain, however, as former walk-on Daniel Hamm has also won the praise of the coaching staff. Transfer Albert Reid from Maryland’s downhill running style is what the coaches are looking to see.

er’s third college team — he started at Texas and then transferred to Arizona. Cutler announced his intention to transfer after last season, but changed his mind when Lambert left for Georgia. Neither Brewer nor Cutler has thrown a pass in a college football game.

to become a leader at linebacker and to call signals, but the sophomore had just 15 tackles last season, and fellow new linebacker Zach Bradshaw, a junior, had just seven. Their performances will be critical in a defense that funnels plays in their direction.

FILLING THE GAPS

THE GAUNTLET

QUARTERBACK

After leading tackler Quin Blanding, the next five leading stoppers on last season’s defense — and players who accounted for 27 of Virginia’s 34 sacks — have moved on.

Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta expects Micah Kiser

Once again, the Cavaliers are faced with trying to make major inroads against a very ambitious slate. They open at UCLA and will host Notre Dame and Boise State, all before the calendar turns to October.

Keeping Johns healthy has to be a top priority with transfer Connor Brewer and redshirt freshman Corwin Cutler vying for the backup job. The Cavaliers are Brew-

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The Sumter Item appreciates your patronage. However, these photos need to be claimed and picked up from the Classified Department no later than October 5, 2015. After this date The Sumter Item will discard all unclaimed photos.

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE

Junior running back Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell arrived three years ago as a fivestar recruit with a nice nick-

The Item will not be responsible for any photos unclaimed after this date.

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

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B7

Overton decision to come early next year

W

ide receiver Diondre Overton of Greensboro, N.C., won’t make his college decision anytime soon.

Overton said he plans to wait until the Semper-Fidelis All American Game on Jan. 3 of 2016 to reveal his choice.

Overton still has a top five of Clemson, Tennessee, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Nebraska, but those five won’t necessarily get his official visits.

“I’m looking for some other offers before deciding on those,” Overton said. “Alabama has been in touch, but I’m not sure about an offer.” Overton has decided on unofficial visits for games and will go to Tennessee for the Oklahoma game on Sept. 12 along with stops at Clemson, UNC and NCSU. Overton said he actually has an idea, kind of, about where he wants to go, but he’s not ready to disclose a favorite.

Defensive back Tony Butler of Lakewood, Ohio, has cut his list to Clemson, Arizona State and West Virginia and has set his announcement date for Oct. 5.

Butler visited Clemson and WVU unofficially this summer.

He will take an official visit to Arizona State either on Sept. 13 or Sept. 25. That will be his only visit between now and his decision.

Butler has remained in regular contact with Clemson since his visit in late July following his decommitment from Pittsburgh. Once he commits he will be finished with recruiting, though if he chooses Clemson or WVU he will take an official visit to that school. And he said there currently is no leader among the final three.

Clemson will get an official visit from defensive lineman David Marshall of Thomaston, Ga. He also will set dates with Auburn, Mississippi, Alabama and Miami.

DL Dexter Lawrence of Wake Forest, N.C., and his brother, ‘18 running back Devon Lawrence, visited Clemson on Saturday along with their mother.

Dexter Lawrence is one of the top recruits in the country with 21 offers, including Ohio State and Alabama and many other Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference programs. Devon Lawrence is getting the strongest push early on from UNC and NCSU. Clemson target defensive end Tony Clayton of Vienna, Ga., was offered by Virginia Tech last week, his 40th offer.

Former Clemson commitment LB Rahshaun Smith of Bradenton, Fla., has set visits with Auburn on Nov. 14, Maryland on Dec. 4 and Clemson on Dec. 11.

his short list, but said it’s been weeks since he was last contacted

by Elliott. He is now down to Michigan, Phil Kornblut Florida State, Auburn, VT, RECRUITING Georgia and CORNER Tennessee.

USC commitment DB JJ Givens of Mechanicsville, Va., plans to take other official visits to Clemson, Arizona State, Ole Miss and Penn State.

Linebacker Vosean Joseph of Miami remains a Florida commitment, but USC continues to recruit him hard and he continues to listen. Joseph is looking at an official visit with the Gamecocks the weekend of Oct. 10 when they play host to Louisiana State. He also plans to take an official visit to UF and right now those are the only two trips he’s planning though he’s also talking with Notre Dame, Louisville and South Florida.

Joseph camped at USC this summer and got the chance then to talk with LB coach Kirk Botkin about the linebacker situation with the Gamecocks moving forward, and he continues to get a strong message from Botkin.

“Coach Botkin is telling me he wants to come me and (codefensive coordinator) Coach (Lorenzo) Ward said they want me to come and replace Skai Moore because he might be leaving,” Joseph said. “My commitment to Florida is good, but it’s not like it was before.

The recruiting process is getting more open and I’m trying to make a decision for the rest of my life.”

However, the process is for Joseph is between USC and Florida at this point. He’s focused on those two, and said

he’ll probably go to National Signing Day before making a decision.

DE Jordan Woods of Orlando, Fla., has scheduled official visits to Tennessee on Oct. 10, Miami on Oct. 17, USC on Jan. 15 and WVU on Jan. 22. He’s also looking hard at UF. WR Kelvin Harmon of Palmyra, N.J., appears to be set with his recruiting process from now until his announcement day on Oct. 1. He has two official visits set, NCSU on Sept. 12 and USC on Sept. 26. At this point, he’s not sure he’ll set any others. He will go to Temple for the PSU game on Saturday.

Harmon did visit Rutgers earlier this month.

USC is still recruiting tight end Jordan Giberti of Gainesville, Fla. He was verbally offered by USC last year and recruiter Steve Spurrier Jr. has told him USC wants to review some of his early game film before making an official, committable offer. Giberti said he plans to visit USC unofficially for the UF game though he might come in earlier as well.

The Gators also are showing interest in him and want to see his early-season work. Some of his other offers are Florida International, Utah, Georgia Southern, Ohio, Army, South Alabama and Buffalo. He does not have a favorite at this point.

LB TJ Brunson of Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, who is coming off hip surgery, wants to show those recruiters holding back offers until they see him perform that he’s back to being the LB who had 237 tackles over the last two seasons. One of those schools now showing interest is ND and he will take an unofficial visit there on Saturday.

He has been a Louisville commitment since mid July and still considers himself

Seventh Woods, the 6-foot-2inch guard from Hammond School in Columbia, has set his official visit to Georgetown for Sept. 13, according to Hoyas. com. He also plans to set officials with USC, UNC and UF. Clemson is no longer an option for 6-6 Jalen Johnson of Durham, N.C., after the Tigers took a commitment from his AAU teammate Scott Spencer.

Johnson has moved on and has scheduled his first official visit to UF on Saturday. He also has in-home visits set up with Tennessee, Providence and ECU and USC also is keeping in touch.

defense. He’s probably going to be matched up against the other team’s top receiver so we count on him to shut down a big part of the other team’s offense as well.”

Rush did just that for C.E. Murray during its 51-20 victory over Lincoln. The school carries the nickname of War Eagles, but after the first two games of the season, Ballhawks might be more appropriate.

After picking off just three passes all of last season, CEM has seven through two games this year – including two by Rush against Lincoln.

“He only had one all of last year, so he’s already well ahead of his pace,” War Eagles head coach Brian Smith said. “He also had a pass

breakup, so he had a shot at three interceptions which would have been rare for a middle linebacker. He did a great job of reading the quarterback’s eyes and adjusting to the ball.

Rush finished with eight tackles and the two picks – one of which he returned 78 yards to the 2-yard line to fall just short of a score.

“I think the thing that stood out the most was his aggressiveness,” Smith said. “He was just flying around to the ball and making plays. He was always in the right place at the right time.”

That carried over to the offensive side of the ball as well.

Rush caught two passes for 53 yards at tight end and had a 40-yard touchdown reception plus a 2-point conversion catch as well.

While Rush and company

were busy picking off passes, Brayboy was part of an SHS line that paved the way for three separate running backs to amass at least 100 yards rushing during the Gamecocks’ 49-20 victory over rival Crestwood.

Brayboy, the right tackle, graded out the highest at 82 percent and had four knockdown blocks in helping the Gamecocks chew up 335 yards on the ground.

“We were very physical offensively and (Brayboy) was obviously a big part of that,” SHS head coach Mark Barnes said. “He was dominant at the line of scrimmage and he also did a great job of pulling and turning up the field when we ran it to (his) opposite side.”

Perhaps no one had a better all-around game than Baines during Lake City’s 49-28 victory over Lakewood. The Pan-

thers junior shined on special teams the most with three kickoff returns totaling 126 and one touchdown.

On offense, he rushed for 94 yards and three scores and also threw a 71-yard touchdown pass.

“He’s a very dynamic player for us,” Lake City head coach Terrell Fleming said. “The only reason we don’t use him on defense is because he’s so valuable to us on offense and on special teams.

“His explosiveness is incredible. He’s able to make something out of nothing. He can turn it on at any moment.

He broke one last week and almost ran back another for a touchdown. It’s something we kind of saw flashes of last year when he came up from the JV squad, but he’s really grown into that role this year.”

LAWRENCE COARD

TIEASH J. DANTZLER

charge of arrangements.

JACK E. HYATT JR.

Lawrence Coard, 71, husband of Jessie Lee Coard, died on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning.

Born on March 6, 1944, in Clarendon County, he was a son of the late Willeane Coard.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. at 12 Annie Tindal Road, Apartment 2A, Summerton.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Summerton Funeral Home LLC, (803) 4853755.

Tieash Johnson Dantzler, of Charlotte, North Carolina, died on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, at Norvant Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte.

She was a daughter of Mary (Portia) Chavis.

The family will receive friends at the home of her sister, Elise Chavis, 231 Gibbons St., Sumter.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Sumter Funeral Service Inc.

will be in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of his mother, 117 Engleside St., Apartment A. 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) 7759386.

USC

Offensive lineman Pete Leota of Asheville, N.C., has narrowed his decision to the University of South Carolina and VT, eliminating UNC from the equation. His plan now is to visit VT for the Ohio State game on Saturday and USC for the Kentucky game on Sept. 14.

Soon after that trip to Columbia he plans to make his decision.

At this point, USC remains the leader as has been the case since he attended the Showcase Camp in July. He said the USC visit will be unofficial, but he might make the VT visit an official one. Leota said he’s in touch with USC OL coach Shawn Elliott regularly on Twitter and he’s also been talking with recruiter Deke Adams.

“I’m looking for the coaches that will get me to the NFL,” Leota said. “I’m looking for a family environment. I’m looking for a school with a great environment.”

USC is no longer involved with OL Landon Dickerson of Hickory, N.C. He had USC on

HONORS FROM PAGE B1 can have the same momentum going into next game.”

Collymore’s vision and quickness were also keys to his big night, Manning head coach Tony Felder said.

“Once he got past the initial line into the secondary, he sort of did his thing and was able to make some big runs,” Felder said. “I think at least one of the scores was over 50 yards, so he was able to hit the holes hard and go.”

Aside from averaging 25 yards a carry, Collymore was also used as a decoy and that led to some other explosive plays, Felder said.

“It opened some other things up for us, using him as a decoy,” he said. “But he had a tremendous night. Not only on offense, but he played well on

OTHERS

committed, but he does want to see what else might come his way.

“I’m still pretty solid, but if anything else happens this season, and it’s worth my time, I’ll look at the program,” Brunson said. “My recruiting hasn’t been one of my main concerns.

I’ll worry about it after the season.”

Brunson plans to take official visits to Louisville and Purdue.

He does remain in touch with USC and hears from Botkin on a regular basis. “He’s telling me the same stuff, that he wants me to still be around,” said Brunson, who plans to take in USC home games against UK, LSU and Clemson.

He’s not planning on an official visit with USC because he wants to take those to schools out of the area.

Brunson’s other offers include NCSU, Georgia Southern, UNC, East Carolina and Appalachian State.

Former USC signee DB Octavis Johnson, who was expected to enroll at Fork Union Prep in Virginia, instead has enrolled at Gulf Coast Mississippi Junior College. That means he won’t be available to USC, or any other team, until ‘17.

BASKETBALL

OBITUARIES

VERLIN WINGATE Verlin Deloris Richburg Wingate, 83, widow of Benjamin Wingate, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, at the home of her daughter.

Services will be announced

by Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, (803) 7759386.

LEANNE L. WRIGHT BISHOPVILLE — Leanne L. Wright entered eternal rest on Aug. 29, 2015, at KershawHealth Medical Center, Camden.

The family is receiving friends at the residence, 411 W. Inwood St., Bethune.

Visitation will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Catoe Chapel COGIC, Bethune, with the pastor, Elder James Lee, officiating. Interment will follow in Catoe Chapel Cemetery.

Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville, is in

KYRIE TY-SHAWN MOSES MANNING — Infant Kyrie Ty-Shawn Moses died on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia.

He was born on Feb. 24, 2015, in Richland County, a son of Anthony Moses and Casey Hilton.

The family is receiving friends at the home of his grandparents, the Rev. Elton and Ruby Nell Hilton, 5031 Liberty Church Road, Manning.

These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.

SIDNEY WILLIAMS Sidney Williams, 53, died on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, at Providence Hospital, Columbia.

Born on Sept. 19, 1961, in Darlington County, he was a son of Willie and Annie Mae McMillon Williams.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 84 Bethune Park Drive, Mayesville.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.

Jack “Jason” Edward Hyatt Jr., 42, husband of Karen Finucan Hyatt, died on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at Providence Hospital in Columbia.

Born in Sumter, he was a son of Teresa Kay Outlaw Hyatt and the late Jack Edward Hyatt Sr. Mr. Hyatt was the owner and operator of Gold Rush Jewelry. He was an academic honor graduate of Sumter High School, where he played soccer. He also played soccer for PARD and was a former P-15 baseball player. He was formerly in an active pool league with his late father.

Surviving are his wife of Blythewood; one son, Jack Edward Hyatt III of Thomasville, North Carolina; his mother of Sumter; one brother, Keith Hyatt of Sumter; one sister, Alicia Kyra Jordan of Sumter; three stepsons, Cameron Burke, Dylan Burke and Bryson Burke, all of Blythewood; one niece, Saibryn Hyatt; and three nephews, Kelsey Hyatt, Kaleb Hunter and Coleman Hyatt.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday in the chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with Dr. David Richardson officiating. Burial

CLEBORN E. DUKE JR. MANNING — Cleborn Earold Duke Jr., 65, husband of Dorothy Ross Duke, died on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Services will be announced

by Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, (803) 435-2179. www. stephensfuneralhome.org

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Purvis's seamless & leafless gutters, windows & vinyl siding. Pressure washing & free estimates. call 803-825-7443.

JAC Home Improvements 24 Hr Service. We beat everyone's prices, Free Estimates Licensed & Bonded 850-316-7980 Professional Remodelers Home maintenance, ceramic tile, roofing, siding & windows doors, etc. Lic. & Ins. (Cell) 803-459-4773

H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904

Lawn Service Got Termites/ Moisture Problems!

Call Grassbusters 803-983-4539 Licensed/ Insured

Legal Service Attorney Timothy L. Griffith 803-607-9087, 360 W. Wesmark.

Criminal, Family, Accident, Injury

Roofing All Types of Roofing & Repairs All work guaranteed. 30 yrs exp. SC lic.

Virgil Bickley 803-316-4734.

Tree Service Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

STATE TREE SERVICE Worker's Comp & General liability insurance. Top quality service, lowest prices. 803-494-5175 or 803-491-5154 www.statetree.net NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal, trimming & stump grinding. Lic/Ins 803-316-0128 A Notch Above Tree Care Full quality service low rates, lic./ins., free est BBB accredited 983-9721

MERCHANDISE Garage, Yard & Estate Sales 44 Riley St. Estate Sale. Sat. 7-?, Antiques, furn., linens, kitchen & baby items, appl., clothes, tools, office equip. & supplies, games.

Farm Products

Palmetto Farm Supply OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 8AM - 6PM

DEER CORN 50 LB. BAG

599 PER BAG

Help Wanted Full-Time Dental Assistant who is caring, compassionate and loves working with kids! Must be experienced and team-oriented, for a fun loving, fast-paced pediatric dental office.

Excellent pay for Dental experience.

Fax resume to 803-934-9943.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Looking for a full time sales manager.

Two years experience required. Also looking for part time desk clerk.

Please apply in person at 2645 Broad St., Sumter.

Salesman for busy car lot. Sales experience required. Salary negotiable. Apply in person at 1282 N Lafayette Dr, Sumter. No phone calls, please.

Child care providers needed (PT&Sub) for local daycare. Prefer experience with children. Must be HS graduate & dedicated worker.

Send resume to P 373 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

Help Wanted Part-Time Experienced Waiter & Hostess needed for Mariachi's of Manning.

Call between 8 am - 5 pm for an interview (803)413-2503 Thomas Sumter Academy, in Rembert, SC is seeking applicants for part-time school bus drivers for our Camden and Eastover routes.

Requirements are: a CDL license with P&S Endorsement, Department of Transportation Physical and a copy of your driving record for the last ten years. If you currently do not have a CDL License and have a good driving record, we will train.

Please send this information along with a resume to: Susan.hux@thomassumter.org.

HOUSEHOLD ASSIST. Shaw area. $8/hr. 6-12 hrs./month to help with home cleaning, sorting, organiz. etc. Call: 499-4499, 8 am -11 am, 12:30 - 2 pm or 8-11pm.

2 rooms for rent. Seymour Rd near Shaw. Please call for more info 803-467-9490

Rooms for Rent

335 Broad Street • Sumter, SC

803-775-1204

HOUSE FOR RENT 4525 Patriot Parkway 2BR/1BA, LR, dining room, C/H/A, gas stove. 303-520-8756 Lg 3BR 2BA Double garage, like new condition, up scale appl. located in very attractive subdivision, 5 minutes from WalMart and Shaw.

Rent with option to purchase $1000 a month. Call 803-840-7633

Land For Sale. 11 acres. Old River Rd, Clarendon County.

Please call 803-468-0011

RECREATION

Boats / Motors

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES

11:30 a.m. the day before for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday edition.

9:30 a.m. Friday for Saturday’s edition 11:30 a.m. Friday for Sunday’s edition.

We will be happy to change your ad if an error is made; however we are not responsible for errors after the first run day. We shall not be liable for any loss or expense that results from the printing or omission of an advertisement.

We reserve the right to edit, refuse or cancel any ad at any time.

Legal Notice Lexington, Richland, and Sumter Counties, SC. The licensed agency currently participates in both the Medicaid and Medicare Programs.

The estimated capital cost of the project is $1,000.

The anticipated date of filing of the application is within 20 days of this notice or around 09/14/15.

The contact person for this project is Bruce K. Duncan, who may be reached at 100 Vine Street, 12th Floor, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.

615/890-2020 SUMTER'S OWN STORAGE WAR!!!

On Saturday, Sept. 5th, Storage Plus located at 830 South Pike West, will auction off the contents of approximately 10 storage units. Each unit to be sold separately, NO RESERVE. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., bidding to begin at 10:00 a.m. A 10% buyers fee will be added to winning bid. Winner MUST pay in cash at the close of the auction. A "clean out" fee will be collected with payment, when unit is completely cleaned, deposit will be refunded.

More details will be provided upon registration. IN THE EVENT OF HEAVY RAIN, the auction will be rescheduled.

Beer & Wine License Notice Of Application

1996 GTI Yellow SeaDoo; 1999 GTI Purple SeaDoo. Dual trailer included.

Call 803-236-7077.

TRANSPORTATION

Large 2 br apt. incl water. $400 dep/rent. 4 Br house $1250 dep/rent. 803-468-1900

Autos For Sale

House for rent or sale. 522 James St. Bishopville. 4 br, 2 ba, carport, fireplace, 1/2 ac. lot. $450 mo.

803-929-0577

Back to School Specials Small cars start at $1900 $$$ Price is Right Auto Sales 3210 Broad St 803-494-4275

HOUSES AND TRAILERS FOR LEASE TO OWN OR RENT. CALL 803-468-5710 OR 803-229-2814

Notice is hereby given that Packs Landing, LLC intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license permit that will allow the sale ON and OFF premises consumption of Beer & Wine at 9890 Packs Landing Rd. Pinewood, SC 29125. To object to the issuance of this permit / license, written protest must be postmarked no later than September 18, 2015. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the same county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protests must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ABL, P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214-0907; or Faxed to: (803) 896-0110.

Nice 2BR 1BA home. Safe neighborhood. Reasonable. No pets. Sec. 8 OK. Close to Shaw. 803-983-0043

Abandon Vehicle / Boat Abandoned Vehicle Notice: The following vehicle was abandoned at J&T Customizing, 4390 Questria Drive, Sumter, SC 29154-8315. Described as a 2005 Chrysler, VIN #2C4GM684X5R454363. Total Due for storage is $3,750.00 as of April 14, 2015. Owner is asked to call 803-720-7058. If not claimed in 30 days. it will be turned over to the Magistrate's Office for public sale.

Summons & Notice SUMMONS AND NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 2015-CP-43-1816 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER Roshell D. Dunham, Plaintiff, -vSaritha Dachepalli, Defendant.

TO THE DEFENDANT: Dachepalli

Saritha

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint for damages in an automobile accident, the original of which has been filed in the office of the Clerk of Court for Sumter County, on the 3rd day of August, 2015, a copy of which will be delivered to you upon request; and to serve a copy of your answer to the said complaint upon the undersigned attorney for the Plaintiff, John D. Clark at the Clark Law Firm L.L.C., at Post Office Drawer 880, 22 E. Liberty Street, Sumter, South Carolina 29151-0880, within thirty (30) days following the date of service upon you, exclusive of the day of such service, and if you fail to answer the complaint within the time stated, Plaintiff will move for an Order declaring you, the Defendant in default on the ground that Defendant failed to timely answer or otherwise submit responsive pleadings to the Complaint filed with this Court on August 3, 2015. In addition, the Plaintiff will seek the relief requested in the Complaint previously filed in this matter.

John D. Clark, Esquire Attorney for Plaintiff 22 East Liberty Street P.O. Drawer 880 Sumter, SC 29151

Spacious 3BR 2 11⁄4 BA 1868 sq. ft. $1100 a month. Call Walton Property Management at 803-469-9828.

Mobile Home Rentals

STATEBURG COURTYARD

LEGAL NOTICES

2 & 3 BRs 803-494-4015

Fall Special(Dalzell) MHP 2BR 1BA, washer, dryer, sewer & garbage P/U. No Pets. $355/mo + $355/dep. Mark 803-565-7947.

Apply on-line only; not accepting applications or phone calls. Please send resumes to dayprogrampostion@yahoo.com

Land & Lots for Sale

Unfurnished Homes

Medical Help Wanted

LIMIT 20 BAGS PER DAY

DW (Dalzell) 5BR 3BA for sale by owner. 50K neg. Call 850-728-8332

Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette.

775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Oaklawn MHP: 2 BR M.H.'s, water /sewer/garbage pk-up incl'd. RV parking avail. Call 803-494-8350

LPN or Registered Nurse position available for adult day program located in Manning, SC with work hours Monday - Friday 6:45 am to 3:30 pm.

Activity Coordinator position available for adult day program located in Manning, SC with work hours Monday - Friday 6:45 am to 3:30 pm.

CNA positions available for adult day program located in Manning, SC with work hours Monday - Friday 6:45 am to 3:30 pm.

Clerical/Administrative Assistant position available for adult day program located in Manning, SC part-time.

Mobile Home with Lots

Unfurnished Apartments

PT delivery person/floral assistant. Must have proof of clean driving record. Some Saturdays.

Apply at The Daisy Shop, inside Piggly Wiggly, 343 Pinewood Rd. No phone calls please.

Doctors Office: Hiring CMA's, CNAs, PHLEB, formally trained med asst.'s. Fax resume to 803-774-7009

TIRED OF RENTING? We help customers with past credit problems and low credit scores achieve their dreams of home ownership? We have 2,3, & 4 bedroom homes. Call 843-389-4215 AND also visit our Face Book Page (M&M Mobile Homes)

Rental to Share

Rooms for rent in spacious home.

Call 803-404-4662 for details

Home Improvements

$

LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 & $3

Manufactured Housing

Work Wanted

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 02, 2015

3 BR & 2BR, No pets, Scenic Lake MHP, call 9am-5pm 803-499-1500

14 x 60, 3Br Industrial Park area.

No Pets. $350/mo & $350 sec dep.

803-481-0365

REAL ESTATE Real Estate Wanted I buy homes. Repairs needed ok.

Call 803-972-0900

Legal Notice NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE OF NEED This is to provide official notice to the S. C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and all interested parties, in accordance with Regulation No.61-15, Section 201, 2012, that NHC HomeCare-Midlands owned by NHC HomeCare-South Carolina, LLC intends to file an application for a Certificate of Need for the: Addition of Sumter County to the existing licensed home health agency known as NHC HomeCare-Midlands to serve the residents of Sumter County. The applicants licensed home care office is to be located in leased office space at 3229 Sunset Boulevard, Suite N, West Columbia SC. The existing home care license currently serves the residents of Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw,

1 Bedroom Apartments for 62 YEARS AND OLDER •Refrigerator •Central Heat & Air •Community Room •Coin Operated •Handicap •Range Laundry Room Accessible •Blinds •Emergency Call •Carpet •Ceiling Fans System **Rent Based On 30% of Adjusted Income** **Utility Allowance Given**

Southview 60 Hilliard Drive • Sumter, S.C. 29150 For application or information, please call

803-934-1449 TTY 800-735-8583

CONTRACTOR WANTED!

• WEDGEFIELD & WEDGEFIELD ROAD AREAS

ROUTE OPEN IN Horatio/Stateburg GREAT FOR PERSON LOOKING FOR EXTRA INCOME $700+ PER MONTH If you have good, dependable transportation and a phone in your home, apply in person at:

NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED. Must have RELIABLE transportation and a phone in your home.

6 Days a week

CALL HARRY PRINGLE AT 774-1257 or come in to fill out an application

Circulation Department 20 N. Magnolia Street Sumter, SC 29150 or call (803) 774-1216

20 N. Magnolia Street Sumter, SC 29150

Mayo’s Summer Clearance Sale!

Spring & Summer Sports Coats

50% Off - Reg. Price

Linen & Seer Sucker Suits Sizes 36-46 $99.95 Sizes 48-60 $109.95

If your suits aren’t becoming to you, It’s a good time to be coming to Mayo’s!

Wesmark Plaza • 773-2262 • Mon-Sat 10-7 • www.MayosDiscountSuits.com

SECTION

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

Go whole hog at Backyard Jamboree!

Barbecue bash benefits Sumter Senior Services

BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

F

all, perhaps the most popular season in the South for cook-

ing whole hog barbecue and enjoying outdoor parties, is approaching rapidly, and Sumter Senior Services is taking advantage of the cooler weather for its 11th Annual Backyard Jamboree. The event will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Heath Pavilion at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens on Friday, Sept. 11.

“This is one of our three major fundraisers of the year,” said Janice Williams, SSS’ director of RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Program). “It’s always a lot of fun, and it helps us provide services for our senior citizens in Sumter.”

The food is a major part of the Jamboree, and the pitmasters are back with their signature styles of whole hog barbecue, as well as several other dishes, all cooked on a grill.

“Jonathan Teseniar will cook his hog Williamsburg style, a little bit spicy,” Williams said, “and Chip Bracalente and Charles Bostic will cook a milder Lowcountry Williamsburg style.”

She added that the SSS board “requested hash and rice this year, so we’ll have that, too.”

Those who prefer barbecue chicken to pork can enjoy Gary Elmore’s special wings as well as grilled sausages.

Larry Matthews will be back, too, with his hot dogs and hamburgers, complete with all the fixin’s — chili, cole

slaw, baked beans and all the condiments.

A variety of desserts will be served, along with the much anticipated red velvet cupcakes baked by the Red Hat Ladies.

“Water and soft drinks are included in the ticket price, and wine and beer, including microbrews, will be available for purchase at a very reasonable price,” Williams said.

It’s not a real jamboree without a live band, she said.

“We’ve got Vicki Parnell and the Front Porch Junkies,” she said. “They do a variety of music, including some country rock that’s always been very popular at our jamborees.”

The band plays often around Sumter and the Grand Strand and always draws a big crowd, and the Heath Pavilion has a good floor for dancing.

“We have our special auction again this year, too,” Williams said. “The way it works is you get 20 tickets for $10, and you ‘bid’ on the prize you want by dropping as many of the tickets as you like into the box by that prize. You can buy as many tickets as you want, and you can spread them out among the prizes or just put all of them in one or two or more boxes. A ticket will be drawn from each box to determine the winners.”

She listed some of the prizes that will be up for bids.

“So far, we have gift certificates from several salons and tickets to Derby Day, the Doc Severinsen concert at the Opera House, Dollywood, Riverbanks Zoo, Sip and Stroll, Brookgreen Gardens, the Alabama Theatre at the beach and the World of Coca-Cola® in Atlanta,” she said. “And they’re still coming in.”

A special feature at this year’s Jamboree will be the sale of Christmas cards designed by the late Rose Metz.

An accomplished, nationally

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Front Porch Junkies, a popular rock and variety band, will provide the music for the Sept. 11 Backyard Jamboree sponsored by Sumter Senior Services.

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Different styles of whole hog barbecue are among the items on the menu at Sumter Senior Services’ Annual Jamboree. This year’s event will also feature chicken wings, sausage, hot dogs, burgers and all the trimmings, plus side dishes and desserts. It will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, at the Heath Pavilion off Garden Street in Swan Lake-Iris Gardens. recognized artist, Metz was the first local artist to donate a painting and allow Sumter Senior Services to reproduce it on high-quality Christmas cards. Each card sells for $5 and is used to pay for a balanced meal for a frail elderly person. Purchasers can send them to friends with the donation made in their names. The cards sold out almost immediately when they were first printed seven years ago, Williams said.

“It’s a good way to honor your friends at Christmas and help our needy elderly citizens at the same time,” she said. “We provide more than 100,000 meals each year for clients, and they make a big difference.

“There are so many consequences for the elderly with poor nutrition. Our meals are planned by a dietitian — that’s required by state law — and have more calories and nutrients for things like strong bones and muscles. If older people can stay healthy, stay on their feet and stay in their own homes, they stay out of the hospital and nursing homes, which in turn saves money for taxpayers.”

Sumter Senior Services’ 11th Annual Backyard Jamboree will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, at Swan Lake’s Heath Pavilion off Garden Street. Tickets are $25 for adults; $20 for seniors 65 and older; $15 for children 6 to 12; and free for children under 6. They can be purchased online at www.backyardjamboree.org, by calling (803) 773-5508.

A private, non-profit organization, Sumter Senior Services has been the primary provider of services for senior citizens in Sumter County for 47 years. Part of a statewide network of service providers

PHOTO PROVIDED

Christmas cards designed by the late artist Rose Metz will be on sale at the Backyard Jamboree and Sumter Senior Services. The cards wish the purchasers’ friends and family a Merry Christmas, but also honor them by making a donation for Meals on Wheels through SSS. who work under the direction of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Aging, SSS actively promotes the social, mental and physical welfare of older adults in the Sumter area through a variety of programs and services that include:

• Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) • Group Dining in Senior Center • Transportation • Recreation and Leisure Activities • Health/Wellness Programs • Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs

Who says there’s nothing to do? Check out September events

I

f we can make it for just three weeks longer, our long hot summer will come to an Out & About official end.

At 4:21 a.m.

A guide to on Sept. 23, arts & leisure autumn will arrive. Fall is IVY MOORE also the official start to the arts season in Sumter, but thankfully, we’ve had the Fourth Fridays series in Downtown Sumter, there’s always art on the walls of the Sumter County Gallery of Art and Gallery135 at Patriot Hall, and Sumter Little Theatre not only offered a Cabaret night in June and the very special “Eric & Friends” in July, it opened its 2015-16 season Aug. 13 with the comedy “Tuna Does Vegas.”

Fourth Fridays has entertained us with music on Main Street, as well.

From now through Christmas, when arts groups take a short break, there will be music, dance, visual art, theater and special events to keep us busy and happy. And they’ll start up again in January.

In addition to Sumter Senior Services’ Backyard Jamboree (see the story on this page), September alone boasts numerous events. On the morning of Sept. 12, the day following the Jamboree, the Downtown Farmers Market will host Taste of the South, which will feature members of the South Carolina Specialty Foods Association offering samples of their products produced right here in the state.

If you find something you like, you’ll be able to buy it.

Of course, vegetables and other locally produced items will be available, as well.

Sumter’s celebration of National Anthem Day, coordinated by Furman Middle School music teacher Linda Beck, will show off the talents of Sumter public school students on Thursday, Sept. 10. It’s a chance to hear speakers from Shaw Air Force Base and local officials, honor veterans and friends and family in the military and hear the inspiring words penned by Francis Scott Key in the aftermath of U.S. military’s successful defense of Fort McHenry, Maryland on Sept. 14, 1814.

The Sumter Opera House opens its 2015-16 season on

Sunday, Sept. 13, with a 3 p.m. concert by Doc Severinsen and his big band, and presents two shows by Choo Choo Soul on Saturday, Sept. 26. Choo Choo Soul is a very popular children’s act featured on the Disney Channel — just ask a kid.

Sumter Green’s Fall Feast, one of the most anticipated events each year, is set for Thursday, Sept. 17, at USC Sumter’s Nettles Building. To go along with the football theme this year, signature sponsor FTC will have large, flat screen TVs mounted on the outside wall of the building airing the Clemson at Louisville game. It’s a like a tailgate party without having to make food, since Fall Feast has the greatest “buffet” you’ll encounter in Sumter.

Get your tickets at Swan Lake Visitors Center or Danny’s Trophy Shop before the day of the event, and you’ll save $10 and help Sumter Green keep Sumter beautiful. Call (803) 436-2640 for information.

Oktoberfest comes early to Sumter. It’s on Saturday, Sept.

19 this year in downtown Sumter. German food and beer, wine, music and more are highlights. Get your tickets online at http://oktoberfestsumter.com/tickets/ or call (803) 436-2640. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Sumter United Ministries.

And mark your calendars for the Sumter County Fair, which starts Sept. 29 with a lot of surprises for kids and adults. Tickets go on sale soon.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Beer-brined pork chiops with Barbecued Onions

A little care, a little brine can produce stellar pork chops

BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press

L

et’s face it, a cookout on Labor Day, that bittersweet

farewell to summer, tends to attract the hedonistic hordes. Your challenge as host is to come up with something that’s simple to prepare, but not boring. These pork chops do the job splendidly.

Once upon a time pork chops were pretty rich.

These days they’re lean enough to be marketed as “the other white meat.”

Health-wise, you can’t beat them. Flavor-wise and texture-wise? You’ll have to baby them a little so they don’t dry out. And I find the best bet to ensure that chops turn out moist and toothsome is to brine them before

you cook them.

When meat is brined — that is, when it is marinated in a solution of salt and water — the salt not only deeply penetrates and seasons the meat, it also changes the structure of the meat’s proteins, enabling it to retain liquid during cooking.

Typically, a brine is comprised of salt and water. But here I’ve swapped out the water for beer and further flavored it with fresh rosemary and garlic. The barbecued onions consist of nothing more than onions and barbecue sauce. Just be sure to cook the onions until they’re very brown and soft before adding the barbecue sauce. And try to pick a sauce that’s not too sweet; the onions alone will be plenty sweet after they’ve browned.

As mentioned, you don’t want to overcook the pork.

Well-done pork is a no-no, even if it has been brined.

Until fairly recently, the gov-

ernment recommended cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 F to guarantee the killing of the parasite called trichinosis, which was prevalent in pork. Thankfully, these days health officials say 145 F is plenty hot to get the job done. And that’s a good thing for flavor.

The best way to determine a pork chop’s doneness is to insert an instant thermometer into the side of the chop, not straight down from the top. To get the most accurate reading, be sure the thermometer penetrates the meat a couple inches at least. As soon as the chop reaches 140 F, pull it off the grill and let it rest for 8 minutes before serving it. The meat finishes cooking during this rest. It also gives the meat’s juices time to redistribute.

If you don’t let the chop rest after it cooks, most of its juices will stream out willynilly, leaving a dry pork chop, which is almost as sad as the fact that the days are getting shorter.

BEER-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH BARBECUE ONIONS If you prefer, skip the cheese. It’s a wonderful indulgence, but it’s hardly essential. If you skip it, let the chops cook to 140 F, then pull them off.

Start to finish: 4 hours 45 minutes (45 minutes active) Servings: 4 4 cups dark lager beer (or your favorite beer) Kosher salt 2 tablespoons dried rosemary 6 large garlic cloves, crushed Four 1-inch thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds total) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing the chops 4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions 1/4 cup barbecue sauce Ground black pepper 4 ounces (about 1 cup) coarsely grated sharp cheddar (optional) In a large bowl or gallon zip-close plastic bag, combine the beer, 3 tablespoons of salt, the rosemary and garlic. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the pork chops, then refrigerate, turning the chops every so often, for 4 to 6 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onions and a hefty pinch of salt. Saute until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the barbecue sauce and set aside.

When the chops are almost done marinating, heat one side of the grill to medium, leave the other side off.

Use paper towels to pat the chops dry, then brush them with oil and season with pepper. Grill over the flames until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to the cooler side of the grill and cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 138 F. Top each chop with a quarter of the barbecue onions and a quarter of the cheese. Cover and cook, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the pork to a plate and let it rest, covered, for 8 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving: 470 calories; 200 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 22 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 770 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 38 g protein.

It’s time to get over your unfounded fears of turkey burgers

BY KATIE WORKMAN The Associated Press

I

t really is time for all of us to get over our hesitation about turkey

burgers. I get that people are nervous about turkey burgers being dry and flavorless, but that really isn’t necessary.

Avoiding a dry, tasteless turkey burger — or any type of burger, for that matter — is easy. Start by not overcooking them. Kind of obvious, but true. Get the burgers off the grill as soon as they hit 165 F. And during cooking, never press down on the patties with the spatula. That squeezes out all the delicious juices no matter what meat you are using.

With turkey burgers, it also helps to use a mix of dark and light ground turkey, which adds a bit more fat and flavor.

Ground turkey labeled “93 percent lean” will have enough dark meat mixed in to keep it moist and delicious. I try to avoid 99 percent lean ground turkey, which can produce those tasteless burgers we all fear.

You also can add an ingredient or two to the meat to help keep them juicy, plus lend a boost of flavor. Play around with all kinds of ingredients, from ketchup and mayonnaise to shredded apple and sauteed onions. A touch of olive oil doesn’t hurt either, both as a juiciness enhancer and a flavor booster. In my recipe, the oil is used along with barbecue sauce and the mild heat of chipotles in adobo sauce to add both flavor and moisture.

Chipotles packed in adobo sauce usually come in small cans. I used them pureed in this recipe. Just dump the entire can in a food processor or blender, then puree until smooth. Leftovers can be frozen in small amounts (ice cube trays are handy for this) and kept on hand for future recipes.

If you don’t wish to grill them, the burgers can be cooked in a lightly oiled skillet or under the broiler for roughly the same amount of time.

There is a sauce that goes along with these burgers, but you are welcome to use plain old mustard or ketchup if you prefer. I wish for world peace, and for more people to like turkey burgers. Today I’ll start with turkey burgers.

CHIPOTLE BARBECUE TURKEY BURGERS Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4 For the sauce: 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon pureed chipotles in adobo Kosher salt and ground black pepper For the burgers: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions 1/4 cup barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons pureed chipotles in adobo 1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey Kosher salt and ground black pepper To serve: 4 hamburger buns Sliced red onions Sliced tomatoes Romaine lettuce leaves Heat the grill to medium-high.

To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, chipotles and a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small skillet over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the scallions and saute for about 4 minutes, or until the scallions are softened. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the barbecue sauce, breadcrumbs and pureed chipotles. Stir well, then add the turkey and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Using your hands or a spoon, mix well, but try to handle the meat gently. Form the mixture into 4 patties, pressing slightly to create indentations at the center of each.

Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of 165 F. Place the cooked burgers on the bottom halves of the buns, then top with the sauce and layer on onion, tomato and lettuce.

Nutrition information per serving: 440 calories; 200 calories from fat (45 percent of total calories); 22 g fat (4.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 90 mg cholesterol; 800 mg sodium; 33 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 26 g protein.

Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/

FOOD

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

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Popular foods taking on new hues without artificial dyes

BY CANDICE CHOI AP Food Industry Writer TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Mozzarella cheese at Panera restaurants won’t be as glaringly white. Banana peppers in Subway sandwiches won’t be the same exact shade of yellow.

Trix cereal will have two fewer colors.

Food makers are purging their products of artificial dyes as people increasingly eschew anything in their food they don’t feel is natural. But replicating the vivid colors Americans expect with ingredients like beets and carrots isn’t always easy.

In fact, General Mills couldn’t find good alternatives for the blue and green pieces in Trix, so the company is getting rid of those colors when the cereal is reformulated later this year. The red pieces — which will be colored with radishes and strawberries — will also look different.

“We haven’t been able to get that same vibrant color,” said Kate Gallager, General Mills’ cereal developer.

The shift away from artificial dyes represents the latest chapter for food coloring in the U.S., which has had a rocky history. As recently as 1950, the Food and Drug Administration said children became sick after eating an orange Halloween candy that contained a dye. The agency eventually whittled down its list of approved color additives after finding several had caused “serious adverse effects.”

Now, more companies say they are replacing artificial dyes with colors made from fruits, vegetables and spices, which are widely considered “natural,” although the FDA doesn’t classify them that way.

But these present more challenges than artificial dyes.

In addition to costing more, colors from fruits and vegetables can be sensitive to heat and acidity. And since they’re used in higher doses to achieve boldness, tweaks to other parts of recipes may be needed.

Such adjustments can be tricky for companies that manufacture on massive scales.

Still, companies want to court people like Heather Thalwitzer, a 31-year-old homemaker in Melbourne, Florida. Thalwitzer avoids artificial colors because she wants her 6-year-old son to eat quality food and she said red dye has been linked to “mania.”

She has tried alternatives like naturally colored sprinkles from Whole Foods, which her husband thinks taste like fish. But she can get along without such products. One year, she made cupcakes topped with a single blueberry for her son’s birthday.

There are times when Thalwitzer makes exceptions, such as when her son is at a friend’s party.

“I’ll let him have the birthday cake,” she said. “But I’ll cringe.”

ing to color maker Sensient Technologies.

“It’s just one more that might be another crayon in the crayon box,” said Steve Morris, Sensient’s general manager of food colors for North America.

Sensient also developed a “deodorizing process” to remove flavors from ingredients.

That allowed it to introduce an orange for beverages made from paprika.

Morris declined to detail the company’s process. But since the ingredient is not “fundamentally changing the form,” he said the ingredients are still within FDA guidelines of permissible color sources.

Sensient said three-quarters of its new projects for clients in North America involve natural colors. Globally, its sales

of colors — natural and synthetic — comes to about $300 million.

COLORING INSIDE THE LINES There are seven synthetic colors approved for broad use in foods. But these dyes can be mixed to create a wide range of colors. The colors are made by synthesizing raw materials from petroleum, according to the FDA. Synthetic colors still dominate in the U.S., but some cite a study linking them to hyperactivity in children in calling for them to be phased out. Lisa Lefferts at the Center for Science in the Public Interest also says artificial colors can be used in deceptive ways.

“They mask the absence of ingredients,” she said.

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Cherry Berry Blast flavor, for instance, list apple and grape juice concentrates, but no cherries or berries. A synthetic color gives it the appearance of having the latter fruits.

Of course, natural colors also are used to make foods more appealing and send visual signals about the ingredients they contain. Subway says it will stop using a synthetic dye to give its banana peppers, but will maintain their bright yellow look with turmeric.

Some say a switch to natural color sources isn’t yet possible because it might turn off customers, although they’re looking into how to change.

“We have to deliver bold colors and flavors, or people will stop buying,” said Will Papa, chief research and develop-

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ment officer at Hershey, which makes Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers and Reese’s.

Mars, which makes M&M’s and Skittles, said it isn’t yet using the spirulina extract it petitioned to have approved.

Not everyone thinks getting rid of artificial colors hinges on finding exact matches with natural alternatives. Panera is betting people won’t mind that its mozzarella cheese might have a yellowish hue after the removal of titanium dioxide.

For cookies with candy-coated chocolates, the natural colors it is testing are also duller.

Over time, people will get used to the more muted hues of foods with natural ingredients, said Tom Gumpel, Panera’s head baker.

“You have to remove some of your expectations,” he said.

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THE EVOLUTION OF NATURAL Part of the challenge with colors from natural sources is that the range of hues has been limited. Blues, for instance, weren’t widely available the U.S. until 2013. That’s when the FDA approved a petition by candy maker Mars Inc. to use spirulina extract as coloring in gum and candy.

The alga can now also be used in ice creams, drink mixes and other products.

“That was a big thing for us,” said Stefan Hake, CEO of the U.S. division of natural color maker GNT. At the company’s office in Tarrytown, N.Y., Hake demonstrated how to get blue from spirulina by pouring a liquefied version of it through a coffee filter to isolate the right color components.

The approval of spirulina extract also opened up the world of greens, which can be made by mixing blue and yellow. It turns out plants like spinach brown in heat and aren’t ideal for coloring.

Getting approval for a new color source can take years, but it’s one way companies can fill out their palette of natural hues. In coming weeks, an industry group plans to submit a petition to use the carthamus in safflower for yellow, accord-

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

THE SUMTER ITEM

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTS

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY'S SHOE

Scammers sites luretotrusting marks Scammers areon ondating dating sites hoping lure trusting marks DEAR ABBY —

All along I had kept my guard up,

Two others got the "Grandma, please

quest fortell me that it was scam.

DEAR ABBY — I was the I was recently butrecently his request confirmed forconfirmed me that don't my parents, butaI'm in jail the target a it was a scam.

GoogledI the and need bail money" calls.

Googled the Ghana namephone and address, it target of ofa romance scam onWhen a IWhen romance scam Ghana name and address, it came One of the women is childless; the came popular singles website.

After on a popular back "Ghana Scammer."

Abbyback , these“Ghana other Scammer.” told the caller,Abby, "That's these funny. people even provided of theitperson being divorcee people for 15even years, I singles a website. provided photos of the You photos didn't mention when they preAfter being person they pretendedtended to be, along I talked to you two hours ago." to be, along with a cellphone and(The address decided toatry online dating. divorcee for 15 with a cellphone and address that caller hung up on her.) that actually were under the name of the person Minutes after I went online, years, I decided actually were under the name of the It takes courage and trust to open to try online dat- to person oneself up to a stranger you hope they were impersonating. someone asked chat.they were impersonating. ing.

Minutes couple of telltale signs could become love of should your life.be A people couple of telltale signsthe people He said he wasshould aAwidower after I went be aware of: First, if you don't Romance scammers know this can aware of: First, if you don’t talk to them or their with an adult daughter and a online, someone talk to them or their cellphone seems make people vulnerable. According to Dear DearAbby Abby asked to chat. have anear very bad connection, it's liketheto Federal Commission (FTC), cellphone seems have Trade a very bad connection, jeweler by trade,toliving He said he was ly they aren't in the country. Second: this particular type of scammer typiABIGAIL ABIGAIL it’s likely they aren’t intothe country.

Second: If me but returning Florida the a widower with If to you can't meet in person, it's likely cally tries lure potential victims VAN BUREN BUREN VAN can’telse. meet away in person, it’s likely they’re prenext day with ultimate plans to to beyou an adult daughthey're pretending someone from a dating website and comter and a jeweler He told that his email had been municate privately email instant tending to be someone else. Heby told meorthat his relocate to my area.

Heme menby trade, living hacked, and then someone tried to messages. They tend to profess their email had beenlove hacked, and ,then someone tioned he was from from near me but returning to Florida the originally have a conversation his email very quickly and spin elaboratetried next day with ultimate plans to reloasking meon personal questions about tales aboutfrom business over- me to have a conversation hisventures, email asking Germany and had an accent.

We chatted cate to my area. He mentioned he me my seas travel or my family problems that end retirement funds. personal questions about retirement funds.

Google Hangouts, and he sent sweet emails was originally from Germany and Please help me warn others about in requests for money or favors from warn about theseFBI types every much he loved had anmorning accent. Wesaying chatted how on Google their mark.others According to a recent these typesmeetof scams. Please help me Hangouts, and he sent me sweet report, romance scams made up more Loveless of scams. ing me and that it was “our time to have a sec-in Washington emails every morning saying how than 10 percent of the $800 million in Loveless in against Washington ond chance.” much he loved meeting me and that Internet crimes committed DEAR LOVELESS — Gladly! Thank you three chatting but a short, itAfter was "our timeweeks to have of a second Americans last year. foronly writing about your near-miss, chance." phone conversation, he asked Readers, Thank as muchyou as you because people have — Gladly!

DEAR LOVELESS formight writing garbled formany a trusting After three weeks of chatting but been victimized in this way. Phone want to believe the impassioned about your near-miss, because many trusting favor.

He was attending a jewelry show and only a short, garbled phone converappeals, guard your hearts and your and online scams have more than sation, he asked for a favor.

He was supplier bank accounts from these scamproliferated this year;people they appear havetobeen victimized in this way.

Phone needed me to send his diamond money attending aajewelry show and need- it have mers.

Report them to your dating metastasized. and online scams have more than proliferated to pay for shipment.

He made sound urgent ed me to send his diamond supplier website and to FTC.gov. Protect No less than five individuals I this year; they appear toby have metastasized. and gave mefor a name and address in Ghana money to pay a shipment.

He know have been approached by scamyourselves visiting made it sound urgent and gave me a mers trying to lure them into moneyNo less than USA.gov/scams-and-frauds five individuals I know and have been where he could get the best quality diamonds at name and address in Ghana where losing "propositions." Two of them learning how dozens of these scams approached scammers trying to lure the best get price. he could the best quality diaand where to report it if them you were told they were having problemsby work All along hadprice. kept my guard up, but histax remonds at the Ibest have“propositions.” been victimized. with their returns.into (Notmoney-losing true.)

JUMBLE THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

By David L Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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

By Ed Sessa

ACROSS 1 Flier among hangers 5 Hurt 9 Exams for future attys.

14 Alpine feedback 15 Something to chew on 16 Open courtyards 17 Some Broadway theater handouts 19 Green shampoo 20 Raised on one's own ranch, as a horse 21 Pilot-licensing org.

22 Like many senior part-timers 27 Hemingway nickname 31 Yours, in Toulouse 32 Stadium level 33 __ husky 36 PC exit key 38 Tournament advantage 39 With 40Across, toy with a crank ... and what each set of four circled puzzle squares graphically represents 40 See 39-Across 42 D-backs, on scoreboards

9/2/15 43 "Little Red Book" author 45 It's not pretty to look at 46 Certain bond, briefly 48 Tae __ do 50 "The __ lama, he's a priest ... ": Nash 51 Sherry in a Poe title 55 When doubled, a number puzzle 56 "Beatles '65" song 61 Common news hr.

64 Intensely active state 65 Greek storyteller 66 Reject suddenly 67 Field 68 Land maps 69 Ornamental band 70 Socially awkward type DOWN 1 Interlock 2 Nueve menos uno 3 McAn of footwear 4 NHL great Gordie 5 In flames 6 Camping gear company with a lantern in its logo 7 "Wait a minute!"

8 People working for People, briefly 9 Wash gently against 10 Narrow waterway 11 "__ you coming?"

12 Up to, casually 13 Mineo of "Exodus" 18 Air rifle ammo 21 Full of gumption 23 Caviar, e.g.

24 Award often blue 25 Pooh pal 26 Philadelphia university 27 __ party 28 Shakespearean call to arms 29 "Scarface" (1983) star 30 "Try me" 34 "Bette Davis Eyes" singer Carnes

35 Luke and Leia's father 37 Friend of Fidel 41 Spanish "that" 44 Woodland mouser 45 Glossy coats 47 Place to dip a quill 49 Piglet of children's books 52 Holiday hires 53 35-Down, as a Sith lord 54 Rusted, perhaps 57 Setting of Camus' "The Plague" 58 Many a retired racehorse 59 At any time 60 Spent time with Time 61 Gentle touch 62 Oft-smoked fish 63 DOD intel arm 64 Drinks at IHOP

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

9/2/15

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Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty Wahlburgers (N) Donnie Loves (:31) Lachey’s Bar (:02) Duck Dynasty: Glory is the Re- (:01) Duck DyHitched Wedding ceremony. (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) (HD) Jenny (N) (HD) (N) (HD) ward of Mallard (HD) nasty (HD) 180 (5:30) The Day the Earth Stood Still Terminator Salvation (‘09, Action) aaa Christian Bale. Rebels battling killer robots must Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (‘03, Science Fiction) aac Arnold (‘08) aac Keanu Reeves. (HD) determine if a cyborg is an ally or an enemy. (HD) Schwarzenegger. Cyborg protects Earth’s future leader. (HD) 100 The Last Alaskans (HD) Alaska: The Last Frontier (HD) (:01) Alaskan Bush People (HD) (:02) Ice Lake Rebels (HD) Alaska: The Last Frontier (HD) Alaskan (HD) All About the Benjamins (‘02, Comedy) aac Ice Cube. A bounty hunter and con man put Husbands of Hol- Punk’d (HD) Punk’d Hip-hop Punk’d (HD) Wendy Williams 162 (5:00) National Security (‘03) their differences aside to catch criminals. lywood singers. (HD) Show (HD) Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles: Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles: Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles (:15) Mil lion Dol lar List ing San (:15) Mil lion Dol lar List ing Los An geles: Seller’s 181 Circling the Waters Crossroads $13 million.

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Smart, well-written ‘Mr. Robot’ wraps up 1st season

BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH I feel like we’ve been here before. Last Wednesday the USA network postponed the season finale of “Mr. Robot” (10 p.m., USA, TV-14) because they felt that some of its scenes might be traumatic for viewers to see on the same day that news coverage was filled with reports of two Roanoke, Virginia, journalists being assassinated on air by a former colleague.

Will viewers be any less traumatized tonight? Would it have been any more or less insensitive to air this finale episode a week before the shocking murders? Worse, will this rescheduling taint “Mr. Robot,” a smart, well-written paranoid thriller, by associating it with a horrific murder?

Television airs a great number of police procedurals, crime thrillers and gangster dramas with varying degrees of violence. At the same time, we live in a society where we can expect roughly 30,000 gunrelated fatalities a year. If you do the math, that means an approximate average of 82 gun deaths per day. Each day.

Every day.

Do shows like “Mr. Robot” contribute to that gun violence? Japan, South Korea and Great Britain are free societies and major importers of American entertainment. In addition, some Japanese and Korean entertainment is considered far gorier than our own. The British all but invented the murder mystery. A quaint popular TV series like “Midsomer Murders,” set in a bucolic countryside, averages three or four inventively gruesome murders per episode.

But the level of gun violence in those three countries is a tiny fraction of our own.

“Hannibal” was a beautifully produced series. But it was too sadistic for my tastes. “Criminal Minds” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) often seems both sick and formulaic to me. But I don’t think either series ever inspired real violence.

You can change the channel and you can stop consuming entertainment entirely. But there will still be 82 gun deaths in America today. And tomorrow. And the next day and every day.

The fault, dear readers, lies not on our screens but in our indifference to those grim statistics.

ABC, r, TV-PG) * A couple contemplates betraying loved ones for easy mortgage money on “A Wicked Offer” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) * Dre hopes to expand Junior’s social circle on “Black-ish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14). Death in the family on “Criminal Minds” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT

CHRISTOPHER SAUNDERS / USA NETWORK

Christian Slater stars as Mr. Robot and Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in a scene from tonight’s “Mr. Robot” season finale airing at 10 p.m. on USA. • Gut feelings loom large in the new docu-series “Suspicion” (10 p.m., ID). In the premiere episode, a nurse notices an unusual number of patients dying in her facility. When nobody else seems concerned, she begins her own investigation and reveals a shocking coverup.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Semifinalists receive their verdict on “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

• The top five get their shopping lists on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

• The three-night nature extravaganza “Big Blue Live” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) concludes.

• Kevin gives his sister marching orders on “Kevin From Work” (8:30 p.m., ABC Family, TV-14).

• High-strung real estate brokers grovel for an affluent clientele in the eighth season premiere of the guilty pleasure series “Million Dollar Listings Los Angeles” (9 p.m., Bravo, TV-PG).

• On two episodes of “The Carmichael Show” (NBC, TVPG), health food disagrees with Joe (9 p.m.), Jerrod mentors (9:30 p.m.).

• Alex won’t accept secondbest on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14).

• Contestants affect a Victori-

an take on the Orient on “Steampunk’d” (9 p.m., GSN).

• Molly, J.D. and Ethan take on the hybrid’s foes on “Extant” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

• The top 10 compete on “Last Comic Standing” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

• Neil DeGrasse Tyson tries to relax on “Key & Peele” (10 p.m., Comedy Central, TV-14).

• Robert Carradine and Terrell Owens participate on the season finale of “Celebrity Wife Swap” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

• Bacon-wrapped items are on the menu on “Carnival Cravings with Anthony Anderson” (10 p.m., Food, TV-G).

• The one-hour special “Big Kenny and Family” (10 p.m., TLC) profiles a member of country duo Big & Rich.

CULT CHOICE Stars Ryan O’Neal and Marisa Berenson take a backseat to breathtaking scenery, art direction and cinematography in director Stanley Kubrick’s glorious 1975 adaptation of Thackeray’s novel “Barry Lyndon” (10 p.m., TCM).

SERIES NOTES Tea and sympathy on “The Middle” (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) * Cupid arrives on “America’s Next Top Model” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) * Couples compete on “Home Free” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-

PG) * Playing hooky like Ferris Bueller on “The Goldbergs” (8:30

Matthew Perry, Rose McIver and Shawn Mendes appear on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, r) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Justin Bieber and Salman Rushdie on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Zac Efron, Joe Piscopo, Chris Stapleton and Jimmy Chamberlin visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r) * Cobie Smulders, Judd Apatow, Mark Duplass and Life of Dillon appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS, r).

Copyright 2015, United Feature Syndicate

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Tomatoes get along well with many other ingredients, such as herbs and cheese.

How you can do right by summer’s bounty of luscious, ripe tomatoes

BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press

I

f you’re like me, you believe that a fresh, ripe tomato is one of

the best things about summer. And this tart is an ode to the tomato in season — and a lesson about how to make the most of it.

Let’s start with how to choose the best tomatoes.

First, pick up your candidate, smell the stem and confirm

that it smells strongly like a tomato. Next, figure out if it is juicy by hefting it. You want a heavy tomato; if it’s heavy, it’s juicy.

On the chance that you buy more tomatoes than you plan to eat right away, store the extras on a counter away from the sunlight. Do not put them on a sunny windowsill, which can make them rot. Likewise, don’t put them in the refrigerator, which can kill their flavor if they’re not already ripe and make them mealy after a few days.

If you bought a few tomatoes that weren’t quite ripe and you want to speed up the process, put them in a brown

paper bag with a banana. The ethylene gas given off by both the tomatoes and the banana will do the trick.

Do not seed the tomatoes.

Once upon a time we routinely seeded them, a nod to the French ideal of finesse, which decreed that seeds were crude. Years later, I read a story in Cook’s Illustrated magazine that persuaded me that discarding the seeds is a mistake. Apparently, the seeds and the jelly surrounding them are the most flavorful parts of the tomato. And — bonus! — you save a bunch of prep time when you don’t bother to remove the seeds.

One of the main reasons we love tomatoes in season is because they’re so juicy. That’s great when we eat them raw but not so great when we’re making a tomato pie. How to keep juicy tomatoes from turning that pie into a watery mess? By slicing and salting them ahead of time. The salt delivers a one-two punch, draining the tomato of its excess liquid and concentrating its natural flavors.

Though tomatoes are terrific all by themselves, they also get along famously with a cornucopia of other ingredients, starting with virtually every herb under the sun and moving on to just about

this mixture while it is still hot, spreading the mixture gently with the back of a spoon. Serve the pie hot or at room temperature.

SUMMER’S END TOMATO TART Start to finish: 2 hours 55 minutes (30 minutes active) Servings: 8

Nutrition information per serving: 370 calories; 230 calories from fat (62 percent of total calories); 26 g fat (14 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 60 mg cholesterol; 570 mg sodium; 24 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 9 g protein.

All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough 1 pie dough (recipe below) or 12 ounces store-bought pie dough 1 1/2 pounds large tomatoes Kosher salt 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely minced 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, thyme, chives, tarragon or a mix On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough until 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, easing the dough into the pan and pressing it into the corners.

Trim off any excess dough hanging over the edge. Prick the dough all over with a fork, then chill it for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375 F. Line the pie shell with foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans or rice.

Bake in the lower third of the oven until it is opaque throughout, about 25 minutes.

Carefully remove the weights and foil. Return the shell to the oven and bake until light golden, about an additional 8 minutes. Transfer the tart shell to a rack, and let it cool 15 minutes.

While the tart shell is baking, slice the tomatoes 1/3 inch thick, sprinkle them liberally with salt, then arrange them on a wire rack to drain over the sink or a rimmed baking sheet.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Spread the mustard evenly over the bottom of the tart shell, then sprinkle the

any cheese you care to name.

This recipe calls for Gruyere, but you’re welcome to swap in sharp cheddar, mozzarella or even feta. Point is, feel free to experiment with different herbs and cheeses that melt. Make this recipe your own.

Tomatoes are so meaty and satisfying that I’m sure everyone — even die-hard carnivores — will be happy to see a slice or two of this pie set down for lunch, maybe with a simple green salad on the side. And picnickers take note: This tart happens to be as scrumptious served at room temperature as it is hot right out of the oven.

PIE DOUGH Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes active) Make 1 batch pie dough 1 1/2 cups (6.4 ounces) all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon table salt 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Summer’s End Tomato Tart can be served at room temperature or right out of the oven, making it perfect for picnics.

cheese over it. Pat the tomatoes dry, and arrange them over the cheese in one overlapping layer. Bake on the oven’s middle shelf until the pastry is golden

brown and the tomatoes are very soft, 35 to 40 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic and herbs. Sprinkle the pie with

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and the salt. Add the butter and, working quickly, use your fingertips or a pastry blender to mix the dough until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with the rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ice water evenly over the mixture, and use a fork to gently stir until incorporated.

Gently squeeze a small handful of the dough. It should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn’t, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring 2 or 3 times after each addition until it comes together. Be careful: If you overwork the mixture or add too much water the pastry will be tough.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface. With the heel of your hand, smear in a forward motion on the work surface to help distribute the fat. Gather the smeared dough together and form it, rotating it on the work surface, into a disk.

Wrap the disk in plastic, then chill until firm, at least 1 hour.