NATION: E-cigarettes could trigger seizures A4 SPORTS Ja Morant declares for SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 B1 THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019 75 CENTS NBA draft Hundreds pack USC student’s funeral Woman’s cousin says Chaim on Wednesday in DNR assisting SLED investigation of crime area her family’s pain after West Windsor, New Jersey, for BY SHARRON HALEY on Friday. additional evidence. killing ‘will never end’ Samantha Joseph- Special to The Sumter Item “We’re not looking for any- Clarendon County native son’s funeral. Jo- thing particular,” said Kaley Nathaniel Rowland has been WEST WINDSOR, N.J. (AP) JOSEPHSON sephson, 21, was NEW ZION — Search Lawrimore with SCDNR. charged in the killing of the — The cousin of a college stu- from nearby Rob- teams with the South Caro- “We are there assisting USC senior near where he dent who authorities said mis- binsville and at- lina Department of Natural SLED.” grew up. She is thought to takenly got into the wrong car tended the University of Resources were assisting Lawrimore said DNR div- have gotten in his vehicle in and was kidnapped and killed South Carolina. the State Law Enforcement ers had been searching a Five Points mistaking it for in South Carolina said the Josephson ordered an Uber Division on Wednesday in pond Wednesday that was lo- her Uber ride. sadness the family is suffering ride early Friday but mistak- investigating the area near cated near where Joseph- Her body was found cov- “will never end.” enly got into a similar car where 21-year-old Samantha son’s body was found and ered in wounds. A weapon Hundreds of mourners Josephson’s body was dis- that DNR’s K-9 unit was also has not yet been found, ac- packed Congregation Beth SEE FUNERAL, PAGE A6 covered off Knowlton Road at the site looking for any cording to authorities. How are meteors, Sumter is a meteorites finalist for civic different? engagement ‘Sunspot Larry’ teaches kids, adults about space annual award BY MELANIE SMITH [email protected] National Civic League names small crowd gathered All-America Cities each year around “Sunspot BY KAYLA ROBINS Larry” on Saturday at [email protected] A a private observatory near It is described as the Nobel Prize, the Bethune, reaching for chunks Superbowl, the Oscars for civic engage- ment awards bestowed upon communities, of iron that fell from the sky and Sumter is one of 20 finalists for it. and struck the Earth. The National Civic League has been recognizing cities since 1949 with the All- The 4.6-billion-year-old iron America City Award, this year focusing Campo del Cielo meteorites on projects that demonstrate inclusive were found in Argentina hun- decision-making processes to “create dreds of years ago and probably healthier communities for all, particular- fell about 4,000 years ago, ac- ly populations experiencing poorer cording to Larry Metcalf, who health out- tours across South Carolina comes.” with Sunspot Solar Educational 2019 ALL-AMERICA Mayor Joe Outreach to teach elementary CITY AWARD McElveen and middle school children FINALISTS said on Tues- about solar astronomy. He Battle Creek, Michigan day at Sum- brings along his meteorites to ter City show the children, along with a Clinton, North Carolina Council’s telescope he sets up to allow Cornelius, Oregon regular them to look at sunspots. Doral, Florida meeting, Metcalf is a retired research- Dubuque, Iowa where city er, scientist and developer who Edinburg, Texas officials sur- began his free outreach pro- El Paso, Texas prised him gram in 2012, according to NA- Gothenburg, Nebraska and council PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM SA’s Solar Systems Ambassa- Near Bethune on Saturday at a private observatory, Larry Metcalf, also known as Hallandale Beach, Florida members dors webpage, and he visits with the fi- “Sunspot Larry,” talks about the Campo del Cielo meteorite, which hit Earth in Argen- more than 10,000 students Lancaster, Texas nalist stand- tina. Metcalf travels across the state with Sunspot Solar Educational Outreach to through the program each year. Livingston County, New York ing, that the teach elementary and middle school children about solar astronomy, and he brings He travels to libraries and Mission, Texas city has tried along his meteorites to show them. schools across the area and said Ontario, California for it at least he’ll be at the Sumter County Pasco, Washington twice before Library probably in June as Rancho Cordova, California and had not part of the library’s annual Rock Hill, South Carolina been select- summer reading program, San Antonio, Texas ed. which he said will have a space “This is a theme this year. Sumter, South Carolina win for our The meteorites were found in West Hollywood, California city and Campo del Cielo, Argentina, Wichita, Kansas sends a mes- which means “field of the sky sage that or heaven,” according to his fact what we’ve sheet, and could have been been working for for years as a commu- named after the meteorites. The nity, and not just as a city but a whole first record of their existence community, has been paying off,” he was in 1576 after an expedition said. to bring them to a Spanish gov- City of Sumter Communications and ernor, and they came from a Tourism Director Shelley Kile said NCL large iron mass called the officials have said this is an “extremely Meson de Feirro (“large table of competitive year.” Finalists, 10 of whom iron”). According to Metcalf’s will win, range from San Antonio, Texas, website, the indigenous people the seventh-largest city in the nation, to of Argentina used the iron me- Gothenburg, Nebraska, a city of only teorites to make weapons. 3,500. The meteorites are smooth The Campo del Cielo (“field of the sky or heaven”) meteorite fell to Earth about 4,000 SEE FINALIST, PAGE A6 years ago. The larger of the two pieces Metcalf has is about 16 pounds and solid iron. SEE SUNSPOT LARRY, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Frances Sisnett SUNNY BUT TURNING 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Tina K. Brovan VOL. 124, NO. 119 Classifieds: 774-1200 RAINY TONIGHT Carrie Lee Windham Rogers Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Delivery: 774-1258 Charlie Albert Jr. Mostly sunny; becoming Comics B4 Television B5 News and Sports: 774-1226 Randolph Dinkins cloudy with late rain tonight Betty Pack Brown HIGH 74, LOW 55 Opinion A7 Betty Simon Rufus A2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Parents arrested after fight with couple at bus stop BY KAYLA ROBINS Avenue multiple times The man sustained se- The driver reportedly told the re- [email protected] that morning arguing vere facial injuries and sponding deputy that Rogers said his with some of the stu- lost consciousness for a son told him the bus driver “said she The parents of a Sumter School Dis- dents because they were short time, according to a was going to lay hands on him.” The trict student are both facing assault in the roadway. Rogers is warrant. driver said the middle school student and battery charges after allegedly at- accused of assaulting the Both victims were was upset because she asked him to sit tacking another couple, one of whom woman when she exited ROGERS CARTER treated by Sumter EMS at the front of the bus before she start- is disabled, last week at a school bus her vehicle before push- at the scene. ed her high school route. stop after a verbal altercation involv- ing her toward Carter, The incident occurred She said at the time she asked all ing students. who is then accused of assaulting her, in the presence of the students and middle school students to sit at the Marquis Tyrell Rogers, 29, and Sha- according to Adrienne Sarvis, public was partially recorded by one of the front of the bus, according to the re- nora Carter, 33, both of Wilma Court, information officer with the sheriff’s victims, Sarvis said. port. During that interaction, Rogers both face one count of second-degree office. The woman sustained facial Rogers was arrested on Jan. 3 for reportedly told her, “I will show you assault and battery. Rogers also faces swelling, bruises to her body and a another incident involving a student how to put hands on somebody” and one count of third-degree assault and puncture wound to the back of her at a bus stop. put his hands on the bus doors to pre- battery, according to the Sumter head from a strike by an unknown ob- That time, he allegedly prevented vent them from closing. County Sheriff’s Office. They were ar- ject. the bus driver from closing the doors Rogers was charged with interfering rested on Monday. Rogers then reportedly approached in August 2018, according to the Sum- with the operation of a school bus for Warrants state Rogers and Carter, the woman’s vehicle and started ter County Third Judicial Circuit and the first incident and was released on parents of a student at a Sumter bus punching her husband in the face, ac- sheriff’s office. a $1,062.50 personal recognizance bond stop, blocked a roadway near the stop cording to an incident report. The Rogers and the bus driver reported- the next day. on March 28 and waited for the female male victim told deputies who re- ly had a verbal altercation when Rog- For this most recent incident, Rog- victim to return after she had been sponded to the scene that he told Rog- ers came to the bus stop stating his ers posted a $2,500 surety bond and traveling back and forth at the inter- ers he did not want to fight because he son was threatened by the driver, ac- Carter a $5,000 surety bond on Tues- section near Wilma Court and Reona is disabled.