IN USA TODAY: Trump to name son-in-law as adviser C1 2016 NATIONAL B1 TUESDAY,J ANUARY 10, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS 9th-ranked Sumter hosts Carolina Forest At the last second IN SPORTS: Clemson wins national championship 35 - 31 The day Stop by our new finally arrives BY JACK BARNES Special to The Sumter Item The Sumter Item asked Sumter attor- ney Jack Barnes to give us a daily ac- office and pick up count of his experience of the Nation- al Championship game on Monday. Jack’s son, James Barnes, is a sopho- more backup quarterback at Clemson. He was the quarterback for Sumter High School for three years and led the Gamecocks to the state runner-up in class 4A. The Sumter Item will have each column online through Wednesday, and each will also pub- lish in the print edition. ame day. Time for redemp- your copy tion for the Tigers. Sunday the Clemson football team Gwas all business. Meetings in the morning, some free time mid- day to visit with family and friends, and after 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the play- ers were off limits. Even with my in- side connections, I couldn’t get any real information. The Tigers are here to win. I do know the quarter- JOHN BAZEMORE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS backs met early because Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Shaq Smith (5) celebrate a last second touchdown during the second half of the NCAA college football Deshaun Watson had to playoff championship game against Alabama on Tuesday in Tampa, Florida. leave to accept the 2016 Bobby Bowden Award, BARNES given to the player who Last-second score lifts Tigers over ’Bama for sweet redemption epitomizes the player athlete. That’s a well-deserved honor. FROM STAFF REPORTS winning back-to-back titles. positive yard as the Tigers managed Deshaun has been good to my son, Y!! Watson finished 36 of 56 for 420 just 50 yards on the ground. James, the last two years. He is a real TAM PA, Fla. — Another Clemson — yards and three scores — none bigger That was not the case for the Tide, leader and a heck of a football play- TODAY! Alabama College Football Playoff Na- than the last one to Renfrow. The last- who struck early thanks to Bo Scar- er. No. 18 will miss him next year. tional Championship game, another second score came on the heels of a brough. With 9:23 left in the opening Fan Fest was geagreat fun fforor tthehe wild finish. late Alabama touchdown run byquay quarr- quaartrterer, he founfound a seameam forfor 25 yyaarrddss ttravravel team.team. ThThee Tampa CConveonvennttioion Only this ttiimmee,, iitt was the TiTigergers whoho terback Jalen Hurrtsts that gaveave thethe TiTide andand a scoscorree ttoo put AAllaababamama uupp7- 7-0.0Th Thee Center wwas th the locationi with games pulled off the lalate-te-game magic. tthehe leleadada aftfteer jusustt relinqrelinqu i ishinghi it t it to TD came on the heels of Clemson and fun for all including dance par- TrTiailini g by three with 2:01 remain- the Tigers the series before. turning the ball over on downs at the ties for kids, a real football field to ing, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Hurts threw for 131 yards, but the UA 41. pass and play and Fiesta and Peach Watson drove his team 68 yards and Tide offense was negated for most of He added another big run early in Bowl trophies for picture taking. found Hunter Renfrow from 2 yards the second half. the second, this time from 37 yards out Most importantly “the big numbers” out with six seconds to go as the Ti- The first half was a defensive strug- as the Tide took a 14-0 lead. Scar- were there, and the travel team, or gers earned a 35-31 victory on Monday gle as neither offense found any kind brough had 76 of ’Bama’s 143 rushing part of it, got to take some photos. at Raymond James Stadium — earning of consistency. The T ide had to punt yards in the first half. The travel team got a little frac- a measure of redemption for last five times and the passing attack was The CU offense finally found its foot- tured yesterday. Forty-eight hours year’s championship loss while also near non-existent as quarterback ing midway through the second quar- of bonding time is a lot. Sarah and giving Clemson its second national Hurts threw for just 40 yards. ter. A 43-yard strike to Deon Cain I took time away to have a quiet title in school history. Watson and the Tigers had a rough breathed new life into the Tigers as dinner only to be seated next to 20 CU finishes the year 14-1 while the half as well. The CU quarterback was Tide fall to 14-1 after missing out on sacked twice and only rushed for one SEE CHAMPS, PAGE A5 SEE GAMEDAY PAG EA6 150 36 W. Liberty Street • Sumter, SC 29291529150 75 cents FRIDAY, JANUARY13, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 School district board axes 47 jobs “The cuts are large and painful, of recommendations made by Super- cannot be avoided, and must begin intendent Frank Baker. immediately,” the statement read. Trustees: ‘Cuts are large and painful, cannot The board voted 5-2 to support the The cuts affect many aspects of superintendent’s recommendation. school operations, but are designed be avoided, and must begin immediately’ Board members who voted against to have as little impact as possible on the budget amendments were the academic instruction.” night at the district office. The total Rev. Ralph Canty and Johnny Hilton. BY BRUCE MILLS amount for future cash-flow reduc- The board’s action comes after the [email protected] Canty declined to comment but said release last month of the 2015-16 tions and budget items frozen he would likely release a minority through June 30 of this year will audit report, which showed the dis- Sumter School District’s Board of report of why he voted against the trict had gone over budget by $6.2 save the district an estimated $6.8 superintendent’s recommendation. Trustees voted to cut 47 district posi- million this fiscal year, according to million in the fiscal year ending tions among various cost-saving and The board released a public state- June 30, 2016. a board statement. The approved ment on its actions. cash-reduction measures at its spe- amendments to the budget were part cial called meeting on Thursday 17th Dream Walk set for Monday BY IVY MOORE that all men are created [email protected] equal.’’’ Dream Walk coordinator Mary Sutton of USC Sumter Monday marks the 17th An- said the annual observance nual Martin Luther King Jr. was the brainchild of Lyn- Dream Walk, a collaborative wood Watts, who recently re- project of University of South tired after 16 years as the uni- Carolina Sumter, Morris Col- versity’s associate dean of lege and Central Carolina student affairs. Technical College. The 3-mile “He brought together a walk began in 2000, shortly committee from the three col- after the King holiday became leges and the community,” official in all 50 states. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Sutton said, and the format The walk honors the legacy was a collaborative decision. of the civil rights leader, as- Now, as then, she said, the Sumter community members begin a past Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Walk at USC Sumter. This year’s sassinated in 1968, who articu- committee meets to decide on 3-mile walk will take place on Monday. It is traditionally sponsored by Central Carolina Technical College, lated his dream for the U.S. a theme, which is always de- Morris College and USC Sumter. most eloquently in 1963 in a cannot walk alone. And as we rived from King’s famous “I things that are going on now speech that includes the figure out what is most impor- walk, we must make the Have a Dream” speech, deliv- in our country.” words, “I have a dream that tant for the times we live in,” pledge that we shall always ered on Aug. 28, 1963, during This year’s theme is “We one day this nation will rise said Sutton, who has been in- the March on Washington for Cannot Turn Back.” up and live out the true mean- volved with the Dream Walk SEE WALK, PAGE A4 Jobs and Freedom. Sutton quoted King: “’We ing of its creed: ‘We hold since its inception, “and the “The committee … tries to these truths to be self-evident, FBI Director James Comey testifies Jan. 10 on Capitol It’s not too late Hill in Washington. Justice Department’s Inspector Watchdog to General Michael Horowitz for a flu shot says he will launch an in- BY JIM HILLEY vestigation into the Justice [email protected] probe Comey’s, Department and FBI’s ac- tions in the months leading up to the 2016 election, in- State Epidemiologist Dr. cluding whether depart- Teresa Foo says it is not too ment policies were fol- late to get a flu shot as South FBI’s actions Carolina and the nation lowed by FBI Director enter the height of the flu WASHINGTON (AP) — In yet anoth- James Comey. Read the full theitem.com. season. er aftershock from the chaotic presi- story at According to a weekly re- dential campaign, the Justice Depart- AP FILE PHOTO port from the South Carolina ment inspector general opened an in- Department of Health & En- vestigation Thursday into department vironmental Control cover- Congress and the public.