SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017 $1.75 Safely enjoy the holiday BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] ith lengthy to-do lists and two days to pre- pare a meal for the entire family, many W people can expect to see the storm before the calm this Thanksgiving holiday. While this may not be the the counter within a child’s first rodeo for many fami- easy reach. lies, there are a few tips that can help ensure everyone GUIDELINES FOR can safely enjoy the holiday PREPARING THE TURKEY and the days of leftovers to Before: follow. Read temperature labels to find out if the bird is fresh or frozen. If you plan to serve a fresh turkey, pur- chase it no more than two PHOTOS BY BRUCE MILL S / THE SUMTER ITEM days before Thanksgiving. Turkey grower Lee Newman adjusts a feeder in his grow-out farm recently. Use two thermometers: Use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure the turkey is stored at 40 degrees Fahren- heit or slightly below, and COOKING MISTAKES CAN use a food thermometer to HEAT UP TO DISASTER make sure the cooked tur- NFPA reports that key reaches a safe 165 de- Bird lover Thanksgiving is the peak grees. day for home cooking Thaw the turkey by using fires, followed by the day the microwave, cold water of a different breed before Thanksgiving, or the refrigerator. Christmas Day and Christ- mas Eve. Turkey grower says there are many In 2015, U.S. fire depart- ments responded to more than 1,700 home cooking misconceptions about the business fires on Thanksgiving. Cooking equipment is in- BY BRUCE MILLS Cassatt in Kershaw County. volved in almost half of [email protected] He said he decided to raise all reported home fires turkeys to diversify his farm and home fire injuries and operation and be more sus- “Heavy toms,” white-feathered is the second-leading ee Newman loves his tainable. male turkeys that grow to about 40 pounds, are seen on the New- cause of home fire deaths. turkeys. “It’s kind of like the old say- While cooking: ing — ‘You don’t want all your man family farm. FIRE PREVENTION TIPS Keep raw turkey separated L Born and raised in eggs in one basket’ — I did it • Make sure smoke alarms from other foods at all times. Sumter County, Newman orig- for long-term sustainability,” operation has three separate are working. Do not wash the turkey; that inally started out as a row Newman said. (Even though poultry farms. His wife, Tina, • Stay in the kitchen while will only spread pathogens crop farmer 36 years ago, right Newman never sees the turkey manages the day-to-day opera- cooking to keep an eye on onto kitchen surfaces. The out of high school, on the fam- eggs … more on that later.) tions of one, and two of his food. only way to kill bacteria that ily farm in the Concord com- He raises “heavy toms,” daughters — Ashlee and Lau- • When cooking turkey, causes food-borne illness is munity of the county. which are white-feathered ren — and Lauren’s fiance, check on it frequently. to fully cook the turkey. In 2000, he decided to expand male turkeys. They grow to Jacob Brown, manage the • Keep children away from Wash hands with warm his operation and become a about 40 pounds and are the other two farms. Newman the stove. water and soap for 20 sec- turkey grower for Prestage commercial breed of turkeys. oversees all three farms and a • Be sure electric cords from onds before touching any Farms, which has its head- His family works with him crop-farming business that an electric knife, coffee food to prevent the spread quarters in North Carolina on the “family farm,” as New- maker, plate warmer or and an operation in nearby man describes it. The turkey SEE TURKEYS, PAGE A8 mixer are not dangling off SEE SAFETY, PAGE A7 The The total forecasted weight of THANKSGIVING 23.8 million 244 number of 3.1 sweet turkeys potatoes The number of U.S. residents of English ancestry by the raised in produced numbers as of 2016. Some could be descendants of million billion the United by major colonists who participated in the feast that is U.S. CENSUS BUREAU The legacy of thanks and States in 2016. That is up 4.5 sweet widely thought to be one of the first pounds the feast have survived the percent from the number potato Thanksgivings, especially the 636,000 living in In the fall of 1621, the Pil- centuries, as the event be- raised during 2015. producing states in 2015. Massachusetts. grims — early settlers of Plym- came a national holiday 154 outh Colony — held a three-day years ago (Oct. 3, 1863) when feast to celebrate a bountiful President Abraham Lincoln harvest. Many regard this proclaimed the last Thursday The number of members of event as the nation’s first of November as a national the Wampanoag American Thanksgiving. The Wampano- day of thanksgiving. Later, 6,500 Indian tribal grouping as of 859 million pounds 2010, roughly half of whom ag Indians in attendance played President Franklin Roosevelt The forecasted weight of cranberries produced in the United a key role. Historians have re- clarified that Thanksgiving resided in Massachusetts. The Wampanoag attended the first Thanksgiving, playing a lead role in the States in 2016. Wisconsin was estimated to lead all states in the corded ceremonies of thanks Day should always be cele- historic event, and were essential to the survival of production of cranberries, with 521 million pounds, followed by brated on the fourth Thurs- among other groups of Europe- the colonists during the newcomers’ first year. Massachusetts (estimated at 207 million pounds). an settlers in North America. day of the month. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 and B5 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Joshua D. Jacob Dorothy Ann Williams QUITE PLEASANT 3 SECTIONS, 22 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 25 Myles A. Holland Leroy Scott Clouds and sunshine today; Michael G. Taylor Bobby Porter partly cloudy tonight Classifieds B6 Opinion A9 Brenda L. Williams Harry G. Lindley HIGH 68, LOW 42 Comics C2 Panorama C1 Thomas Robinson Jeanette H. Wright Food C6 Television C4 A2 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Hospital systems finalize their merger FROM STAFF REPORTS System or Palmetto Health, es in the health care industry area executive vice president, chelle B. Seaver, president of according to the announce- and the ever-changing and First Citizens Bank, Colum- United Community Bank for Greenville Health System ment. growing needs of the commu- bia; Craig Brown, president Greenville County, Greenville; and Palmetto Health an- Charles D. Beaman Jr. and nities we serve.” and owner, Greenville Drive the Rev. Thomas E. Simmons, nounced Tuesday they have Michael C. Riordan, who pre- “Coming together will allow Baseball Team, Greenville; pastor of Reedy Fork Baptist finalized their partnership to viously led Palmetto Health our organizations to continue Edward “Eddie” Duffy Jr., ra- Church, Simpsonville; James create a new, nonprofit and GHS, respectively, will providing vital mission-driven diation oncologist, Tuomey E. “Rick” Wheeler, vice presi- health company. serve as co-CEOs of the new care for those in our commu- Cancer Treatment Center, dent M-D MetalSource, Co- The Palmetto Health sys- company and share leader- nities who are most in need,” Sumter; Jean E. Duke, finan- lumbia; Richard “Dick” Wilk- tem includes Palmetto Health ship responsibilities. Riordan said. “We have a long cial consultant, Columbia; erson, retired chairman and Tuomey in Sumter. “We’re all focused on en- history of successful collabo- Frances DeLoache Ellison, re- president of Michelin North GHS and Palmetto Health suring our community mem- ration, and the new organiza- tired attorney with Hayn- America, Simpsonville; have achieved necessary ap- bers receive the high-quality tion will embody a work cul- sworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., Dwayne Wilson, former group provals ahead of schedule health care they need and de- ture that attracts, retains and Greenville; George S. King Jr., president, Fluor Corp., Green- and have filed paperwork serve close to home, regard- develops the highest-quality executive vice president, ville; Charles D. “Chuck” Bea- that allows them to begin op- less of their ability to pay,” team of caregivers who are South State Bank; Jerome man Jr., co-CEO, Columbia; erating as one new health Beaman said. “Both of our committed to making South “Jerry” D. Odom, PhD, distin- and Michael C. Riordan, co- company. The partnership organizations are in strong Carolina healthier.” guished professor emeritus CEO, Greenville. does not change the patient- positions, and we will build A governing board of direc- and provost emeritus, Univer- A new name and graphic provider relationship: Pa- upon these foundations as we tors for the new company has sity of South Carolina and re- identity for the new company tients will continue to be pa- look to address challenges been seated and includes: tired executive director, USC are being developed and will tients of Greenville Health presented by the rapid chang- James A. Bennett, Mid-South Foundations, Columbia; Mi- be announced in 2018. LOCAL & Veterans ministry helps needy across Sumter STATE BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Victim in fatal Clarendon wreck identified The victim of the fatal wreck in Clarendon County on Saturday has been identified as Elexander Dow of Summer- ton. The 49-year-old died when his 1998 Ford Explorer caught fire after striking a tree while he was traveling eastbound on Moses Dingle Road in Sum- merton at about 11:45 p.m.