LMA student killed in wreck was ‘gentle and genuine’
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‘We won’t have an outbreak’ Infectious disease experts say Ebola won’t spread in U.S. A9
SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014
75 CENTS
Lee joins in prayer after teen slayings
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com Last week was a sobering one for many in Lee County as a sordid saga of violence unfolded that left two Bishopville teens dead and eight others behind bars. The real-life horror story of drugs, murder and retaliation among high schoolers was one Roshanda Pratt thought was reserved for much larger metropolises. But when it happened in her own backyard, the Bishopville native was devastated by the level of violence so close to home. Pratt was one of 100 people on hand Sunday for a prayer gathering at the Tabernacle of Champions church in Bishopville. Pratt, a pastor at the church, organized the community supplication as a call to arms in response to the tragedy. Several school, city, county and clerical officials were on hand for the event. Among them were Lee County Superintendent Wanda Andrews and Bishopville Mayor Alexander Boyd. Also on hand were a handful of students at Lee Central High School, which suspended this weekend’s homecoming festivities in the wake of the shocking trail of violence.
SEE PRAYER, PAGE A11
Court clears way for expansion of gay marriage
MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM
Ella White rides over an obstacle during Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day at Poinsett State Park in Wedgefield on Saturday. The park, along with Midlands SORBA and Continental Tire the Americas, sponsored the annual celebration, which is held worldwide the first Saturday in October. Activities throughout the day included bike safety inspections, off-road riding clinics, a challenge course, group rides, games and a free lunch.
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Free performances: 5:30 p.m. — The Shots (band) 6 and 8 p.m. — Lady Houdini, escape artist 6:30 and 9 p.m. — Lance Gifford, magician 7 and 9:30 p.m. — Barnyard Review 7:30 and 10 p.m. — Rosaire’s Royal Racers (racing pigs) Midnight — Midway closes
See the fair schedule for the rest of the week on page A11.
BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com As always, there will be plenty of food, fun and games at this year’s Sumter County Fair, but the opportunities also include a versatile art show with entries from local youth and adults. Heidi Adler, superintendent for the fair’s art show, said they received more than 600 student entries alone this year. The fair accepted all kinds of art work all last week for the show including paintings, drawings,
DEATHS, B5 and B6 Beth Gutstein Ann Brunson Houston W. Grant Sr. Ethel S. Brody Mary Ellen Arbuckle John H. Horton IV
SEE GAY MARRIAGE, PAGE A11
Youth contribute to art show
SUMTER COUNTY FAIR SCHEDULE $4 general admission Judging: 8:30 a.m. — Poultry and baby animals 10 a.m. — Commercial/educational displays 12:30 p.m. — Flower show 4 p.m. — Judging dairy cattle 5 p.m. — Judging sheep and goat show 6 p.m. — Judging swine 5 p.m. — GATES, MIDWAY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 4 to 10 p.m. — All exhibits on display
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for an immediate expansion of same-sex marriage by unexpectedly and tersely turning away appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay and lesbian unions. The court’s order effectively makes gay marriage legal now in 30 states. Without comment, the justices brought to an end delays in same-sex marriages in five states— Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Chief Justice John Roberts did not say a word about same-sex marriage as he began the court’s new term. Couples in six other states — South Carolina, Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina and West Virginia and Wyoming — should be able to get married in short order. Those states would be bound by the same appellate rulings that were put on hold pending the Supreme Court’s review.
Leila A. Bryant Ezell H. Williams Sara M. Rogers Flossie Littles John M. Ingham Delores I. Green
Barbara McCray Ernest Miller Laquanda Cooper Charles D. Jenkins Geraldine P. Woods
sculptures and ceramics, open media and art pieces of various other genres. “We have 28 different groups and 14 categories for art this year,” said Adler, who is also a teacher at Sumter High School. “Each teacher brought in at least three pieces from their students, and we accepted work all throughout last week.” For the art show competition, Adler said they only accepted original work completed in the last two years that had
SEE ART SHOW, PAGE A11
WEATHER, A14
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2 SECTIONS, 22 PAGES VOL. 119, NO. 303
Partly sunny today; partly cloudy tonight HIGH 81, LOW 62
Classifieds B8 Comics B7 Lotteries A14
Opinion A12 Sports B1 Television A13