IN SPORTS: USC men and women open up NCAA Tournament play B1 CLASSIFIEDS Delinquent Taxes B7-B9 Master of Equity B11-B15 FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Court-martial to wrap up today Both sides rest in sentencing trial of former Shaw vice commander BY ADRIENNE SARVIS ment of Defense’s Defense Comput- Uder testified that six five devices previously discussed [email protected] er Forensics Laboratory Computer devices were seized from during the court-martial. Forensic Analyst Steve Uder back Jones’ residence but Uder also testified that words asso- Both the trial and defense counsels to the witness stand Thursday to only five contained evi- ciated with child pornography were rested their cases during the court- testify about images of child eroti- dence of child pornogra- found in a catalog of terms typed on martial of Col. William R. Jones, for- ca that were found on devices phy, a chargeable of- the keyboard of the iPhone 4, Jones’ mer vice commander of the 20th seized from Jones’ residence on JONES fense. personal cellphone, that was seized. Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Feb. 11, 2016. He said he recovered He said some of the words were Base, after a final review of evidence Lt. Col. Brett Landry of the trial more than 19,000 images typed once and others were typed and the testimony of character wit- counsel said that Uder would testify of child erotica from an external multiple times. nesses at Shaw Air Force Base on about erotica images after the de- USB hard drive. Uder said as he understands the Thursday. fense counsel mentioned the images Uder described child erotica as im- technology, the logged terms have Jones pleaded guilty to knowingly during trial on Wednesday. There is ages of female minors wearing re- to be typed into the phone, but he possessing pornographic images of no sentence for child erotica but the vealing clothes that older women could not determine if the terms minors between July 2015 and Febru- testimony will indicate that Jones in- could be expected to wear. ary 2016. tentionally sought photos of chil- He said tens-of-thousands of imag- The trial counsel brought Depart- dren, he said. es of child erotica were found on all SEE COURT-MARTIAL, PAGE A13 Creating a Fresh off the farm A pile of fresh vege- tables adorned the smoother table at The Farm Store booth at the Sumter Rotary Club’s operation Farm to Table event Thursday evening at the Sumter County Civic Center as store District’s finance owner Mike Del- committee will now linger serves food samples to attend- get monthly reports ees. The annual event raises money for Coins for Al- BY BRUCE MILLS zheimer’s Research, [email protected] 4-H, Sumter United Ministries and the In an effort to more effec- Warm Heart Fund at tively monitor Sumter School Shaw Air Force Base. District’s financial perfor- mance, the finance committee JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM of its board of trustees will start to receive monthly finan- cial reports at its next meeting in April, the school board chairman said. In turn, the school board will MCGHANEY also likely start receiving month- ly financial re- ports. Currently, the board re- ceives quarterly financial re- ports. Finance committee mem- bers reached consensus on the matter Thursday at their regu- lar monthly meeting, and Sumter School Board Chair- man the Rev. Daryl McGhaney Faith, traditions infuse St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah confirmed it after the meeting at the district office, 1345 Wil- son Hall Road. SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — 1,000 of the Savannah’s Cath- “This will give the commit- There were no green beers olic faithful fill the pews for tee more oversight of the dis- or gaudy T-shirts when Sa- Mass at the Cathedral of St. trict’s finances,” McGhaney vannah first celebrated St. John the Baptist. said. Patrick’s Day, just a solemn Parishioners are typically The board’s finance commit- procession of immigrants waiting outside for the doors tee consists of three board seeking to honor their Irish to open an hour before the 8 members — McGhaney, John- roots more than 3,800 miles a.m. church service honor- ny Hilton and Lucille McQuil- from their homeland. ing St. Patrick, who is credit- la — and four independent, Many things have changed ed with bringing Christiani- local business owners. These in the nearly two centuries ty to Ireland. After Mass, include Ben Griffith of State since Georgia’s oldest city they scramble to spots along Farm Insurance; William Byrd held its inaugural St. Pat- the parade route — which of William Levan Byrd, CPA, rick’s Day parade in 1824. passes in front of the church PC; Greg Thompson of Now thousands of tourists steps — before the proces- Thompson Construction from across the U.S. flock to sion begins. Group; and Bobby Anderson Savannah every March 17 For those who don’t want of Green Savannah Nursery. for a sprawling street party THE ASSOCIATED PRESS to face the crowds, the St. District Superintendent Frank that may be the South’s larg- The Reverend Father Patrick O’Brien and Dennis Counihan place a Patrick’s Mass also gets Baker and the district’s Execu- est celebration between wreath at the Celtic Cross during a ceremony on Sunday in Savan- broadcast on TV in Savan- tive Director of Finance Nancy Mardi Gras and Spring nah, Georgia. Many things have changed in the nearly two centu- nah and is streamed live on McMillan are also committee Break. ries since Georgia’s oldest city held its inaugural St. Patrick’s Day the internet. More than members. Still, many of Savannah’s parade in 1824. Now thousands of tourists from across the U.S. 23,000 tuned in to watch last The change will provide the Irish descendants maintain flock to Savannah every March 17 for a sprawling street party that year, said Barbara King, committee the opportunity to St. Patrick’s Day traditions may be one of the South’s largest celebration. spokeswoman for the Dio- address any concerns or ques- that have nothing to do with cese of Savannah. tions with the monthly financial beer-swilling revelry. Here arrives today. es lining the sidewalks and St. Patrick’s Day may be a are some of the (mostly) filling the oak-shaded sober ways Savannah cele- MASS BEFORE MARCHING squares to watch the St. Pat- SEE REPORTS, PAGE A13 brates the Irish holiday that Before they join the mass- rick’s Day parade, roughly SEE SAVANNAH, PAGE A13 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A14 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Margaret B. Drakeford James McIntosh GETTING WARMER 2 SECTIONS, 30 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Daniel McFadden Gregory Witherspoon VOL. 122, NO. 110 Sunny and pleasant. Classifieds: 774-1234 Para Nixon Jacqueline Jenkins Tonight, increasing Classifieds B7 Delivery: 774-1258 James G. Smith Jay Fortune cloudiness. News and Sports: 774-1226 Lorenzo Fullard Bridgett Renee Nero Comics A12 Ashton Q. Benbow Sr. Isabella F. Miller HIGH 64, LOW 45 Opinion A9 Television A10-A11 A2 | FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Lowe’s joins with volunteers to repair homes SLED to help plan BY JIM HILLEY in community service pro- search for area woman [email protected] grams. “Lowe’s pays each of its Sumter County Sheriff An- “It’s nice to help people get employees for eight hours of thony Dennis asked the State back of their feet,” said Max community service work,” Law Enforcement Division to Janssen, a high school stu- Flaherty said. assist in the dent and volunteer with Ray said the volunteers search for World Renew from Ontario, were at the store receiving 80-year-old Bar- Canada. cabinets, lumber and sup- bara Nave, who Janssen, along with sever- plies from Lowe’s. was reported al other young volunteers “Lowe’s is giving us cabi- missing Feb. 13. from Canada, as well as Rob nets that are valued at $800 “Basically, they and Sharon Schelling from and giving us what we are will review what Sioux Center, Iowa, were at buying for free today,” she NAVE has been done so the Lowe’s Home Improve- said. far to make sure ment Center, 1251 Broad St. Ray said by the end of the we haven’t missed anything,” in Sumter Thursday picking week more than 200 volun- said Deputy Ken Bell, public up materials donated by the teers from the U.S., Canada information officer for the home improvement store. and Shaw Air Force Base sheriff’s office. “It never hurts World Renew is one of sev- will have completed repairs to have fresh eyes take a look. eral volunteer groups, which on 72 homes. And they will help us plan our have partnered with the JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM Megan said the repairs next step.” United Way of Sumter, Clar- World Renew volunteers Rob Schelling of Sioux Center, Iowa, and might be air conditioning, a Bell said there is still no evi- endon and Lee Counties’ Canadian students Alissa and Nathaniel Brinkman load lumber do- new roof or a complete re- dence of foul play, and the case Long Term Recovery Group nated by Lowe’s Home Improvement Center into the back of a build. remains a missing persons to help residents whose truck Thursday at the store in Sumter. Davies said the Long Term case. homes were damaged by re- Recovery Group has logged Nave’s pocketbook with her cent disasters.