New program could bring hope
to local domestic violence victims

August 13, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

A new program offered by the state Department of Social Services (DSS) soon will be bringing some much-needed assistance to Lakelands-area victims of domestic abuse.
Women who have moved into shelters to escape domestic violence situations will be eligible to receive child care vouchers to help them in their attempt to rebuild their lives.
According to a report by The Associated Press, DSS will spend about $3 million for the one-year vouchers for abused women while they work or go back to school.
Alice Hodges, executive director of MEG’s House, a shelter for abused women and children serving McCormick, Edgefield and Greenwood counties, said the new voucher program will be a tremendous benefit for women and children at the shelter.
“We’re very excited (about the voucher program),” Hodges said. “Child care is a huge barrier for our victims.”
Hodges said the cost of child care often creates problems for women who are trying to find employment or continue their education, and those costs can lead some victims to return to dangerous situations.
“Research has shown that women with children are at a higher risk of returning to their abuser,” Hodges said. “You have to keep in mind that it is not just the law that helps protect victims of domestic violence, but also economic and social support systems we have in place that give women more options to leave their abusers.”
Officials with DSS will train shelter staff from across the state on how to screen families for the vouchers, as well as other programs that might be available to the victims.
According to the state DSS, women either must be employed, attending school, enrolled in a training program or attending therapy to prepare for work to be eligible for the vouchers. Hodges said a MEG’s House employee, Nathelyn Rogers, who serves as a liaison with DSS, will travel to Columbia later this month to receive the training, and will return to brief the local shelter staff on the new program. After the training, shelter staff will be able to begin distributing the vouchers.
Across the state, more than 1,700 children under age 13 live in domestic violence shelters. Last year, MEG’s House served as a shelter to 115 children, Hodges said.
Hodges said MEG’s House is also working with Piedmont Tech students to provide child care for domestic violence victims at the shelter.
“We hope (the voucher program) will be just another tool that will empower women to get themselves and their children out of a dangerous situation,” Hodges said. “If (a victim) can afford to get daycare, it frees her up to go out and find a job or go to school.”
The child care voucher program is one of two recent domestic violence developments in the state. The AP reports that the S.C. Attorney General’s Office has been awarded a two-year $900,000 federal grant that will be used to hire three new prosecutors to handle criminal domestic violence cases in the Pee Dee area.
The money will be going to Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties — rural areas where domestic violence cases are sometimes dropped because of a lack of available prosecutors.
According to a release from the Attorney General’s Office, the grant also will be used to provide funds for the S. C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault for court and victims advocates, as well as assist the S.C. Baptist Convention with domestic violence training and counseling for local clergy.
Though the money is earmarked for another region, Hodges said the grant could serve as a model for the Lakelands area.
“We hope, at some point in the future, that this type of grant could be ascertained and used in the counties we serve,” Hodges said. “We could definitely benefit from it.”
Megan Varner covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3308, or: mvarner@indexjournal.com

Jeanette C. Cleveland

Jeanette Meyers Crawford Cleveland, 73, of 4508 Country Club Drive, Dickinson, Texas, formerly of Greenwood, widow of Alvin Crawford, died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005 at her home.
Born in Georgia, she was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Meyers. She retired from Greenwood Mills, Mathews Plant, was a member of Grace Community Church and attended Restoration Ministries.
Survivors include a daughter, JoAnn Wells of Dickinson; three sons, Randy Crawford and Michael Crawford, both Greenwood and Steve Crawford of Ninety Six; four sisters, Ruth Montgomery, Geneva Cleveland, Eula Mae Nelson and Mary Ann Bell, all of Anderson; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Revs. Rod Schultz and Allen Ladd.
Pallbearers are Michael Wells, Lynn Gibert, Tommy Crawford, William Crawford, Tiffany Crawford and Mitchell Christopher.
Honorary escorts are Tina Gibert, Sharon Wells, Ricky Christopher, Katie James, Douglas Wells, Staff Sgt. Chris Crawford, Shane Crawford, Justin Gibert, Cameron Gibert, Nathan Crawford, Alyissa Crawford, Elaine Judy, Wendy Judy and Cathy Crawford. Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Harley Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of a son Randy Crawford, 120 Freeway Road. Memorials may be made to the Jeanette Cleveland fund, c/o Harley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 777, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Mary Alice Daniel

Mary Alice Daniel, 52, of 1091 Parkland Place Road, Apt. E-1, died Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005 at University Hospital in Augusta, Ga.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Clinton “Pete” and Laura Elizabeth Wells Daniel. She was formerly employed with Nantex for many years and was a caregiver for many. She was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include a sister, Lane Laney of Greenwood.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens Chapel Mausoleum, conducted by the Rev. Robert Patton.
Visitation is 6:30-8:30 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of Lane Laney, 104 Billee St.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Wilhelmenia R. Morton

SAN ANTONIO — Services for Wilhelmenia Rucker Morton, of 7315 Glen Manors, are 4 p.m. Sunday at Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Highway 178, Greenwood, S.C., conducted by the Rev. Curtis Bowman, assisted by the Rev. Otis Cunningham, pastor, and the Revs. Dr. Andy Young, Ricky Oliver and John Nix. The body will be placed in the church at 3. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are members of Greenwood High School Class of 1973.
Visitation is this evening at the home of her mother, Mary Mae Rucker, 227 Booker St., Greenwood. Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.net

Bettye A. Taylor

PHILADELPHIA — Bettye Ann Richie Taylor died Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005 at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia.
She was a daughter of the late James Julian and Mary Henrietta Richie.
Survivors include seven sisters, Ella Maye Tillman of Philadelphia, Daisy Mae Lewis, Doris A. Sullivan, Elaine R. Childs, Judy Ann Ralph and Nellie R. Witt, all of Greenwood, S.C., and Annie Denise Richie of Greenville, S.C.; three brothers, James William Richie of Charlotte, N.C., John Thomas Richie and Sherman Lamar Richie, both of Greenwood; and her stepmother, Fannie Mae Richie of Greenwood.
Services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Wharton-Wesley United Methodist Church, 54th and Catharine streets. Burial is in Fernwood Cemetery, Fernwood, Pa.
Viewing is 9-11 Wednesday at the church.
Helen E. Waite Funeral Service is in charge.
Announcement courtesy of Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood.

Prep football teams shake off rust

Greenwood and Ware Shoals get victories,
while Panthers tie Tigers at preseason opener

August 13, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

ABBEVILLE — The stands at Tommy Hite Stadium were packed Friday night for the unofficial start of the 2005 season in Greenwood and the Lakelands area, and the audience was treated to action from the start to finish.
For the most part, the Abbeville Jamboree provided fans with the expected, with many teams still shaking off the rust, and plenty of excitement, with two of the three 20-minute games close throughout the final minutes.
Ware Shoals got a late touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minute to defeat Emerald in the opener, while Saluda got a score off an interception with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining to finish with a 6-6 tie with host Abbeville in the finale.
Greenwood, behind its potent offense, handled Ninety Six, 28-0, in the middle game.B Ware Shoals got two tries for its go-ahead two-point conversion and found pay dirt on the second attempt with 18.5 seconds remaining in the game to defeat Emerald.
The Hornets went more than 19 minutes without hitting the scoreboard. That streak ended when quarterback Keith Stewart hit Tony Lomax for a 52-yard score in the game’s final minute. After a procedure penalty pushed back Ware Shoals five yards on the two-point try, the Hornets failed on its attempt, but got another shot thanks to a Vikings penalty.
The Hornets, who committed four penalties and a turnover, made Emerald pay for its miscue. Wingback Patrious Leverett took the handoff and ran off right tackle into the end zone for the win.
“I’m proud of the way the kids came back,” Ware Shoals coach Jeff Murdock said. “But we made entirely too many mistakes, and I’m definitely not pleased with that. But I’m happy with the effort and hopefully, we got something to build on.”
It was a rather inauspicious beginning for the Mac Bryan era at Emerald. On the first play of the jamboree, Vikings upback Terrance Rapley took the opening kickoff at the Emerald 17-yard line and busted out a 26-yard gain before fumbling the ball.
Ware Shoals recovered and took possession on the Vikings’ 46, but failed to capatilze and turned it over on downs in the Emerald red zone.
Emerald senior QB Dan Wideman found the end zone to give the Vikings the early lead with 4:55 remaining.
Wideman opened the drive with a 24-yard pass to Preferio Strong. Four plays later, the senior hit Tony Rapley for an 8-yard scoring pass.
Wideman was 12-of-17 for 120 yards, connecting with eight different receivers, but the senior finished with three interceptions, with two coming on his final two passes.
“For playing our first quarter-and-a-half, we were all right,” Bryan said. “We moved the ball early on and we were catching the ball. I’m not happy with all of the turnovers. We know we have some things to work on, but that’s what jamborees are for.”
Like the first game, some rust was also apparent in the closing act.
After going three-and-out on its first possession, Abbeville got on the board on its second drive, thanks to an exceptional run from sophomore halfback Toquavius Gilchrist.
Gilchrist, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, took a second-and-10 handoff and went straight up the middle into the Tigers’ secondary. The sophomore made one cut around a Saluda defender and was home-free for the 68-yard score.
The extra point failed, making it a 6-0 game.
The Tigers struggled offensively against the Abbeville defense, as the Saluda offense didn’t get too many touches on the Panthers side of Dennis Botts Field.
It took a defense play late in the contest to draw the game even, but not before being caught off guard by a surprising Panthers play.
On second-and-8 from their own 33, the Panthers lined up in a five-wide spread formation. Junior QB Mack Hite found John Baughman for an 18-yard pickup.
However on the next play, Saluda defensive back Trevor Deloach stepped in front of a Hite pass and saw open field between him and the end zone. Deloach ran a 55 yards for the tying score. The Tigers also missed the chance for seven after a botched snap happened on the extra point attempt. “What I saw out there was a team that didn’t give up,” Saluda coach Wayne Bell said.
The Panthers had a chance to win it in the final seconds. On fourth-and-4 from about midfield, Hite hit Jamal Mattison on a perfectly executed hitch-and-go play for a 36-yard gain, putting the team on the Tigers’ 12.
However, the Tigers blocked the 19-yard field goal attempt at the buzzer, ending the game knotted at 6.
“We have got a lot of work to do and that’s normal for this time of the year,” Abbeville coach Jamie Nickles said.
The Greenwood offense put on a clinic in its first showing of the season.
The Eagles’ starting offense used 13 plays to scored three touchdowns and defeat Ninety Six. Greenwood senior quarterback Armanti Edwards was a perfect 5-for-5 for 126 yards and a touchdown. Edwards’ 13-yard TD pass was sandwiched in-between a pair of rushing touchdowns from senior Robert Robinson, who finished with 42 yards on four carries.
“Our kids executed very well,” Greenwood coach Shell Dula said. “(Offensive coordinator) Chris Liner did a great job of spreading the ball around. We threw to different receivers. We ran the fullback. We ran the tailback and we ran the quarterback.
“It was just very good executing.”
Greenwood took the opening kickoff and needed only six plays to score its first touchdown. Robinson started and ended the scoring drive. The senior tailback opened the game with runs of 4 and 12 yards before catching a 22-yard pass.
After a four-yard run from Zack Norman, Edwards hit Reggie James on a 33-yard pass where James was brought down on the 1.
Robinson took it from there, breaking through the pack for a 1-yard score.
Ninety Six was without two-time All-Lakelands quarterback Stan Doolittle, who hyper-extended his left knee at a scrimmage against Chesnee, and without the senior QB, the Wildcats’ offense struggled against the Greenwood defense. Ninety Six tailback Andy Louden was a bright spot for the offense, gaining more than 70 yards rushing.
After Ninety Six went three-and-out on its first possession, the Eagles hit the scoreboard again in five plays when Edwards hit a wide-open Alex Sellars in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Greenwood needed only two plays to score for a third time. After a 46-yard pass from Edwards to Xavier Dye, Robinson weaved in and out of traffic for 26 yards across the goal line. Kicker Clay Baldwin booted his third extra point for a 21-0 lead.
The Eagles’ backups worked in one final score when tailback Justin Covington scored on a six-yard run to make it 28-0.

Observations ...
... and other reflections

August 13, 2005

The federal government has plans to build a new office complex in Irmo for one U. S. judge. It will cost $2.5 million and it has some elected officials – and others – perturbed.
All taxpayers ought to be more than a little miffed. The government could rent secure office space. Even if it had to pay $5,000 a month for rent it would take more than 41 years to spend $2.5 million.
After all, what’s needed is office space, not a shrine.

* * * * *

Talk about odd behavior! Crowd mentality defies explanation.
Big cities experience a lot of things that places like Greenwood don’t have to even consider. For example, when a professional athletic team wins a championship, crowds pour into the streets, break store windows, turn over and burn cars, and steal TV sets and anything else in sight.
However, when their teams lose, they never do any of that stuff.
Go figure!

* * * * *

Irony of ironies: Several weeks ago, one of the Muslim men charged with bringing terrorism to London by setting off bombs among crowds there, had a surprise. For years, according to records, he had lived off the English people and had been on the public dole for some time.
That incident shows how terrorists are able to use our very freedom to do us harm. And they do it with ease. That’s the big worry.
And we worry about backpacks being examined in New York subways?

* * * * *

Smoking cigarettes is not good for you. That we know from health statistics. There are thousands of military veterans, though, who’d tell you right now they’d never have gotten through World War II or Korea without that Lucky Strike, Camel, Chesterfield, Phillip Morris, Old Gold or Kool to help ease the stress of combat.
It may be hard for some to believe these days, but cigarettes were a valuable part of a government issued C ration packet that soldiers depended upon. They may be frowned upon now, but cigarettes will go down in history as a friend to American veterans of war.