USA TODAY: Death penalty challenges swamp Supreme Court C1 STATE Suspect in killings had list of black churches in car TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A3 Residents Agents experience Christmas collect in the 1800s info on BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY [email protected] Re-enactors and volunteers dem- onstrated how local settlers cele- shooting brated Christmas in the 1800s at Sumter County Museum’s Carolina Backcountry Christmas on Satur- 35-year-old died Saturday day. The event was an opportunity for in officer-involved incident attendees to experience how farm families spent their holidays more BY ADRIENNE SARVIS than 200 years ago, said Deborah [email protected] Watts, backcountry manager. Individuals had the opportunity State Law Enforcement Division pro- to tour numerous buildings that re- vided little new information on the inves- sembled a farm setting in the 1750s tigation of a police-involved shooting to 1800s, including a barn, black- that resulted in the death of 35-year-old smith shop, loom house, smoke- Waltki Cermoun Williams of Sumter on house, settler’s house and a log Saturday. cabin. SLED spokesman Thom Berry said the Attendees also had the opportuni- agency could not provide details about ty to taste chestnuts roasted over a the case because the investigation is on- fire and ob- going. serve activi- Berry said agents are still collecting fo- VISIT THE ties of that rensic evidence and conducting inter- BACKCOUNTRY time, such views and will submit that information The Carolina as fabric to the prosecutors with Third Circuit So- Backcountry is located weaving. licitor’s Office in Sumter. behind the Sumter Volun- According to a news release from County Museum, 122 teers and SLED, there is dash-cam footage of the N. Washington St. The staff wore incident. museum’s hours are outfits typi- Williams was killed during a shooting Thursday to Saturday, cal of the incident with officers after a domestic vi- 10 a.m. to 5 pm. The early 19th PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM olence call from his former girlfriend at admission fee is $3 for century. Eddie Headden practices his skill at walking on stilts during the Carolina Back- Sumter Mall on Broad Street. adults and $1 for Brooke country Christmas at Sumter County Museum on Saturday. According to a news release from Sum- children, ages 6-17. Crytser ter Police Department, the woman was For more information, demonstrat- “I really enjoy telling people afraid to leave the mall because she said check out the website, ed the pro- about the history of the Revolution- Williams, who was in the parking lot, al- http://www. cess of ary War, what life was like for a mi- legedly threatened to kill her. sumtercountymuseum. weaving fab- litia man and the battles that were org. ric. fought in this region,” Holloway SEE SHOOTING, PAGE A6 “A loom said. house is Frank Brown, president of the where weavers turned fiber into Col. Matthew Singleton South Caro- thread to make cloth,” Crytser said. lina Society Sons of the American “Many families made their own fab- Revolution Chapter of Sumter, said ric because it was easier and cheap- the event allowed people to learn er than buying cloth. They created about history in person. their own unique patterns and de- “It’s a good event for the commu- signs.” nity to learn about the history of Cryster said she enjoyed showing the American Revolution era,” he the process to those in attendance. Tara Schumacher learns about weaving said. Frank Holloway, a local re-enac- cloth with a loom from Mel Welch dur- Sumter residents Perry Moses tor, was dressed as a militia man of ing the Backcountry Christmas at the and Bonnie Moses said they attend the 1770s, who would have served in Sumter County Museum on Saturday. the event each year. the Revolutionary War. “I’m interested in all of it,” Perry RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM Wearing a winter coat of the peri- “possibles” bag, which could in- Moses said. “It’s really nice to see People have left memorial items at the corner od, he carried weapons such as a clude ammunition, materials to what life was like 200 years ago.” of Guignard Drive and Miller Road where Waltki trade musket, an English pistol and start a fire and other necessary Williams was allegedly shot and killed by Sum- several blades. He also carried a items. SEE BACKCOUNTRY, PAGE A6 ter Police Department officers late Saturday. Fireside Fund a ‘blessing’ to those on fixed incomes BY JIM HILLEY serve others, according to Osteen. His tor of Sumter United Ministries, said [email protected] philanthropy ranged from scholar- The Sumter Item’s Fireside Fund has ships to the enlargement of Carolina been a real blessing to the ministry’s Fireside Fund, which this year is Stadium of University of South Caro- clients. dedicated to the memory of Sumter lina. Countless people who never “This time of year is a time to re- philanthropist Phil Edwards, is in- knew Edwards were beneficiaries of mind us to be thankful, but for many tended as a way for local residents to his generosity, Osteen added. in Sumter, the cold weather brings help their less-fortunate neighbors not seek acclaim, said Sumter Item Ed- Before he died in July, Edwards was great difficulty and concerns,” Cham- make it through the sometimes unpre- itor-in-Chief Hubert Osteen. a generous contributor to Fireside pagne said. “Many of our neighbors dictable South Carolina winter. He was motivated by goodness and Fund, Osteen said. Edwards was a modest man who did generosity and used his wealth to Mark Champagne, executive direc- SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 William E. Smith RAINY DAY 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Leynoyette J. Dixon VOL. 122, NO. 42 Classifieds: 774-1234 Cooler with periods Loutelia Rock of rain; some rain and a Classifieds B6 Opinion A8 Delivery: 774-1258 Walkti C. Williams thunderstorm possible tonight Comics C4 Television B5 News and Sports: 774-1226 James Kendrick Robert Lee Muldrow HIGH 54, LOW 48 Eddie Harrison Sr. LARGEST ASSORTMENT OF WATCHES IN SUMTER Jewelry WholesaleFor Men & Women 41 E. Wesmark Blvd. • Sumter, SC 30% 778-1031 OFF Fine JewelrJewelryy for 36 yearyear s A2 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Players from Slick Six battle with members of the Grass Fairies during the annual Kickin’ for a Cure on Saturday at Patriot Park. The event is a fundraiser for the American Cancer So- ciety and was orga- nized by members of the IB program at Sumter High School. KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM Kickin’ for a Cure raises funds for cancer research BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY cancer research," said Tyerra Clay- nized different fundraisers throughout program, played on one of the soccer [email protected] borne, a former senior co-chair of the the year, including selling colored rib- teams Saturday. He said it was a fun event and graduate of Sumter High bons, to represent the various forms of event that brought together experienced About 80 soccer players and first-time School's IB program. "People from all cancer. soccer players with those who have not participants of the game took part in skill levels come to play." Suzanne Koty, 2016 State Teacher of played for a long time. Kickin' for a Cure, a charity soccer tour- Clayborne, now a freshman at Con- the Year and former Sumter High "We had fun while raising money for nament that raised money for the verse College, served as one of the refer- School teacher, was the first adviser of a good cause," he said. American Cancer Society, on Saturday ees during the matches. the program in 2012. Koty said the pro- The goal was to raise about $1,000 at at Patriot Park. Evan Moxley, this year's senior co- gram was started by one of her former the event, said Ann-Frances Brown, The local fifth-annual event was a chair of the event, said teams from students, Lance Foxworth. English teacher and CAS coordinator at fundraiser hosted by Sumter School Sumter and surrounding regions were "Lance was a soccer player in high the school. District's International Baccalaureate invited to participate. school who during his time at the school Brown said the event was one of sev- program's Creativity, Activity, Service. "We tried to get as many people as we proposed the idea, as he had a desire to eral conducted through IB's CAS pro- The function of CAS is to allow could to participate to help raise money raise money for cancer research," she gram. schools that have the IB program the for an important cause," Moxley said. said. The others include an Annual Walk opportunity to "give students the means Each player paid $5 to take part in the The first year, money from the event Against Domestic Violence and a Toys to learn through experience and how to tournament, and local businesses do- went to The Susan G. Komen Breast for Tots event. take actions in the service of others," nated food and drinks that students sold Cancer Foundation, and the last few Brown said the mission is to think according to the program's website. as a fundraiser. years' fundraising has benefited the and act globally. "The event brings many different peo- David Tolbert, a junior co-chair, said American Cancer Society, Koty said. "The students do what they can to ple together to help raise money for the students of the IB program orga- Clayton Barnes, a junior in the IB achieve that goal," he said.