Plan’s goal is to create love affair between Uptown, local residents

February 20, 2005

By WALLACE McBRIDE
Index-Journal senior staff writer

There’s a facet of Greenwood’s personality that doesn’t necessarily involve fast food restaurants and corporate retail giants. The problem is that too many people have an only passing relationship with the city’s cultural and economic center.
A plan is in place, though, that could billow the public’s relationship with Uptown Greenwood into a full-fledged romance.
When complete, the City Center Master Plan project should transform Uptown from an area of cramped parking and revolving door businesses, to one of art galleries, streamlined business interests and a buffet of restaurants.
Organizers admit that measuring progress in the 10-year effort is going to be difficult. There won’t be many optical clues or signposts marking the project’s accomplishments, but when Uptown’s economic motor begins to purr it will probably be obvious to all.
The first step in the plan is the renovation of the Federal Building, which is presently being remodeled to house a visitor’s center, an art gallery, a retail shop and offices. Planning and funding needs for the project predated the Emerald Triangle concept, but it was easily incorporated into the broader vision for the city center, said Lori Hajost, chairwoman of the board for the Partnership/Alliance, which is sponsoring the effort.
“It was going to happen whether we did this or not,” Hajost said. “The Federal Building plans have been in the works long before we did the master plan, but it will be a drawing card for the Emerald Triangle.”
The Emerald Triangle is named for a trio of imaginary boundaries around Uptown, representing the core of the county’s cultural and economic community.
The Federal Building’s tenants will play a valuable role in defining the cultural identity for the region, an identity that also incorporates the nearby museum, theatre and library, with Lander University and Self Regional Medical Center bracketing the city center at the poles.
For Partnership President/CEO Jeff Fowler, the first day of construction at the Federal Building marks the first official day of the 10-year Emerald Triangle plan. Next on the agenda are improvement efforts launched by the Greenwood Arts Council and county library.
“What’s really building the case is what Lander is going to be doing, what the hospital’s going to be doing,” he said. “The infrastructure is being laid at this point.”
When complete, the hospital and university should be linked by Uptown’s restaurants, hotels and cultural activities. But how much will a decade-long renewal effort cost?
“We can’t ask for money until we know how much money we need,” Hajost said. “We’re working with Clemson right now and they’re looking at other downtowns who have done this — we’re trying to show a return on investment.”
“It’s premature to know at this point how the county and city are going to help us,” Fowler said. “But it’s obviously an effort that will benefit both the city and the county.”
Organizers are travelling to Washington in March to investigate opportunities for federal support, he said. The meeting will involve U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett and U.S. Sens. Lindsay Graham and Jim DeMint.
Presently, officials are focusing on the problem of attracting visitors to the Uptown area. Hotels can attract and keep visiting customers for extended periods of time, but Fowler said the city first needs to develop its roster of public events.
Restaurants can easily capitalize off these activities, which leads to demands for other kinds of neighboring businesses, he said.
“You create traffic, and that’s when you start attracting retail,” Fowler said. “That’s what happened in Greenville. They had the Hyatt first, then two or three retailers got together and started Downtown Alive.”
Critical renovations to The Museum and Greenwood Community Theatre are expected to be handled soon, but many of the solutions devised for their problems are short-term, Hajost said. For some people, the institutions are out of sight, out of mind.
“Once you have bodies coming downtown, the awareness of the museum and the theatre — and where they could be in 10 years —  becomes more at the forefront of everybody’s mind,” Hajost said.
“Spartanburg and Anderson don’t really have natural draws to the area,” Fowler said. “We do. And we’re not starting from a standpoint where our buildings are falling down, so it’s not as expensive.”
There are no plans to suggest any scheduling changes for Greenwood’s existing events. The Festival of Flowers and Blues Festival will continue to stake claims to Saturdays, but Fowler said expanded activities during the workweek are now being considered.
Like much of Uptown’s renewal efforts, though, this plan is still in the conceptual phase and awaits approval from local merchants and the Uptown Development Board.
“These events may take two or three years to catch on, but you want to create in peoples’ minds that there’s somewhere they can go when they get off work,” Fowler said. “Somewhere they can listen to a band and mingle with friends. Ultimately you’re going to capture them, and pull people from other counties in.”
“It feels right, it looks right and the planning seems to be in place,” said Bob Taylor, owner of Taylor Galleries, which opened in November inside the Grier Building.
He said the city center master plan played an indirect role in his decision to open his business downtown.
“Knowing there was an interest in revitalization, and that this wouldn’t be a lone battle, we felt that Uptown Greenwood was a place to put some sparkle,” he said.
The natural enemy of Uptown’s economy is Greenville, and not other local businesses, said Phyllis Rollins, owner of Skin Essentials in Uptown Greenwood.
“We need to find a wonderful selection of businesses so people will be open to coming to the uptown area, versus going to Greenville,” she said. “We need a fresh market, we need restaurants that are open on the weekends. There are a lot of restaurants in Greenville that are open until 10 p.m. because of the businesses there.”
Skin Essentials is one of several businesses located on the Exchange, a side-street adjoining the core Main Street businesses. It’s a part of the business community that is sometimes overshadowed, she said.
“I really do believe that the Exchange is the diamond in the rough,” she said. “It’s a place that people are not really familiar with.”
To help nurture traffic to the area, the Partnership/Alliance plans to erect guideposts around Uptown to help navigate visitors and streamline business traffic. Rollins said this concept could provide a significant boost in profile for Exchange businesses.
Hajost said the sign issue should be addressed during the next 18 to 24 months, as organizers look to city officials for help in securing state funding.

Local resident first black person to teach dental hygiene at college

February 20, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

A high school interest in health science led Edna Martin, of Greenwood, on a career path that now has her teaching others the importance of dental hygiene.
Along the way she has broken ground for others to follow in the field — she is the first black person to teach dental hygiene at Greenville Tech.
“There weren’t too many opportunities to get into health science,” she said. The Upward Bound program introduced her to other educational avenues.
Upward Bound is designed to prepare students to enter college, exposing students to academic programs and cultural events, some of which they might not be able to access.
After high school, Martin attended Claflin University in Orangeburg, not far from her hometown, where she received a degree in biology.
After graduating, she returned to her high school to teach in the biology department. But, teaching biology wasn’t enough for Martin. She longed to do more.
Martin spent her summers volunteering at a health clinic and eventually began working after a dental assistant left.
“One day I went in to help Dr. Jeremiah Alston and he said to me, ‘if you love it so much, go back to school,’” she said.
She listened to her mentor and quit working her two jobs as a teacher’s aide and dental assistant. “I wanted to learn more so I got my degree in dental hygiene at Midlands Technical College,” Martin said.
Her first job was at a dentist’s office in Columbia where she commuted with her mother.
Although she said she had learned much on her first job, Martin made a “difficult decision to leave.” She continued her journey and returned to work for Alston again.
She married Robert Martin in 1996, and they moved to Greenwood.
“My husband is very supportive of me,” she said. “He encouraged me to get my master’s degree.”
Two years ago, Martin received her master’s in adult education and distance learning from the University of Phoenix through online coursework.
While in Greenwood, she worked for Dr. Melvin Wimmer, who later sold his practice to Dr. David Hudnall.
Martin thought she had been involved in every facet of dentistry that she wanted to pursue. It wasn’t until a patient suggested she teach dental hygiene that Martin even gave it any thought. She began teaching at Greenville Tech on a part-time basis, and later was asked to make teaching a full-time job She decided she would.
She’s been teaching for the past seven years.
“This was my way of giving back what God gave me,” she said.
Martin said above all else she puts God first in everything she does. “That’s how I live my life — it’s through his grace and mercy,” she said.
Martin said she had no idea she was the first black to teach at Greenville Tech in that particular field. It was something she just did.
“I was paving the way. I did all this to pave the way,” she said. “I’m not doing this to glorify Edna.”
Martin said she was doing what she did to make it possible for others to follow suit with the same goals.
Serving the community is also a big part of Martin’s mission, and she serves by participating in “off-site rotation” at a free medical clinic with a few of her students. The patients come from shelters and The Salvation Army, she said.
Martin also enjoys visiting nursing homes, schools and church groups to teach people about proper dental hygiene.
When she’s not teaching and working during a clinical rotation, she promotes National Dental Hygiene Month in October and National Children’s Dental Health Month in February.

Broome knocks EHS from playoffs

February 20, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

SPARTANBURG — D.J. Moore had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Broome High School boys basketball team to a 73-60 victory over Emerald Saturday night in the second round of the Class AA state playoffs.
Terriel Brannon finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Junior Salters added 16 points for the Centurions (21-6).
Emerald (17-8) got 15 points from D.L. Griffin and 14 from Dan Wideman. Center Aaron Evans added 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, while Fred Johnson fouled out with 10 points.
The Centurions maintained a lead virtually the entire game. The Broome advantage was 14 when the Vikings decided to push back. Johnson stole the ball from a pack of Broome players and drove the length of the court for the layup and was fouled.
The Emerald point guard missed the free throw but kickstarted a big Vikings run. Johnson dropped in a layin and Evans followed with a 12-foot bank shot to bring the deficit to single digits.
Wideman followed with a pair of field goals, sandwiched around two free throws from Griffin, to make it a 43-41 game with 2:01 left in the quarter.
But the Vikings would get no closer. Broome would again push its lead back to double digits early in the fourth quarter. The team maintained its advantage behind solid late-game free-throw shooting. The Centurions’ final field goals came on a layup from Hill with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining to put Broome up 63-54. Broome then went 10-of-14 from the line the rest of the way, outscoring Emerald 10-6.
The Centurions will play Saluda in the Upper State semifinals.
The Vikings grabbed the game’s first lead when Griffin knocked down a 3-pointer over the outstretched arm of Adrian Hill. Emerald pushed its advantage to four. Chris White penetrated the Broome defense and dished to Wideman for the layin to make it 8-4 with 5:45 left in the quarter.
But the Centurions responded with a go-ahead 8-0 run, keyed by their full-court press. After Brannon sank a pair of free throws, Broome opened up its man-to-man press, forcing back-to-back Emerald turnovers, which then led to a Moore layup and a Salters’ 3-pointer.
Brannon capped the run with one of two free throws to give the Centurions a 12-8 lead with 4:15 in the quarter.
The Vikings were able to cut the deficit to one on a Wideman trey, bringing the score to 16-15. But Broome finished out the remaining 1:39 of the first with five unanswered points to grab a 21-15 first-quarter lead.
Emerald would cut the deficit to three (23-20) and four (27-23) in the second quarter. But the Centurions would once again go on another big run. This time Broome would take up part of two quarter to score 11 straight points.
Wideman hit a 3-pointer to make it 27-23 with 4:08 left in the half, but the Vikings went scoreless the rest of the half. Through that stretch, the Centurions put up seven points, with five coming from the foul line, to grab a 34-23 halftime lead.
Hill and Brannon opened the new half with back-to-back buckets, giving Broome its largest lead at 38-23 just 59 seconds into the third quarter.

Opinion

Nancy Thurmond’s words on alcoholism are worthy

February 20, 2005

Listen to Nancy Moore Thurmond, widow of legendary South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond. She knows what a struggle it is to fight alcoholism. She’s been there.
She says she doesn’t care too much about public speaking, but when she talks about her problem she comes across loud and clear.
While speaking at a luncheon of the Comprehensive Alcoholism Rehabilitation Program in Palm Beach, Florida, recently, she had her years of chemical dependency to back up her words.
These are the words that all parents should take to heart and underline for their children ….. over and over if necessary. And then do it again.

THURMOND NOTED THAT alcohol “is the oldest, most popular legal drug. Drunk driving is the most frequently committed crime. By the time I finish speaking and sit down, somebody else will be dead from a drunk-driving accident.”
She’s been there, too. “My oldest daughter, Nancy, died three weeks before her college graduation. She was crossing the street and was hit by a drunk driver,” she said.
Most South Carolinians know that, but when Nancy Thurmond talks about it, it should get our attention. Something else she said adds emphasis. “And you know what? I could not feel any anger for the woman who killed her. She made a tragic mistake. It could have been me but for the grace of God.”
Here’s the point. Alcoholism is increasing, especially among the young, Thurmond told the group. “The lowest common denominator is lack of control. Alcoholism knows no class or economic distinction,” she said. “If doesn’t discriminate. It’s simple, but it is not easy. One drink is too many. A thousand is not enough.”

WE’VE HEARD THAT KIND of advice before, of course ….. many times. Still, the problem continues and grows. People like Nancy Thurmond have the courage to face the demons that are part of every alcoholic’s life. They tell us, as some used to say, like it is. Sometimes we listen and hear ….. and respond. Too often, though, we close our ears, eyes and minds. Some look for refuge in a bottle. That’s the tragedy – at least one of them – of alcoholism. It’s hard to face reality and admit there is a problem. Ask any member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He, or she, has no more illusions. They know what they are and they fight it, as Nancy Thurmond said, one day at a time.
Thank her. And thank all AA members. They help themselves, of course. If we listen, though, they can help a lot of us ….. and our children.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

John Barksdale

Services for John Barksdale are 3 p.m. Tuesday at Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., conducted by the Rev. Randy Holloway.
Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers are the Biker Boys; Teran Collins, Kevin Dudley, Kevin Johnson, Tocee, David Wells and Leon Barksdale.
Flower bearers are Linda Bookman, Betty Laster, Martha Gaines, Juanita Grant, Patricia Webb, Datonya Webb, Sheila Lyons and Shannon Bridges.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Adrien St. Denis Bonvouloir

GREENWOOD – Adrien S. Bonvouloir, 76 husband of Kathleen Curry Bonvouloir died Wednesday February 16, 2005 at his home.
Mr. Bonvouloir was born in North Adams, MA, a son of the late Adrien and Gladys St. Denis Bonvouloir. He was a retired educator, a Fulbright Scholar, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was a US Naval Air Corp. Veteran.
Survivors include his wife of the home, sons; James Bonvouloir of Philadelphia, PA, and John Bonvouloir of Los Angeles, CA, a granddaughter; Krista Bonvouloir, sisters; Annette Hart of Lenox, MA, and Yvette Chalock of Cross Hill, SC, brothers; Rev. Philip Bonvouloir, A.A. of Pautuckett, RI, and Roland (Pete) Bon-vouloir of North Providence, RI.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Cremation Society of South Carolina.
PAID OBITUARY

Evelyn Clinkscales

ABBEVILLE, S.C. — Evelyn McAllister Clinkscales, 98, resident of Wesley Commons, Greenwood, SC formerly of 409 Greenville St. Abbeville, SC, widower of William Edward Clinkscales, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at Wesley Commons in Greenwood, SC.
She was a daughter of the late Horace Ramey and Caroline Miller McAllister.
She was a retired Clerical assistant with the Agricultural Conservation Service of the United States Government. She was a member of Main St. United Methodist Church where she was an active member of the church circles and also many other ministries within the church.
Survivors are: 1 sister, Caroline Langley, Lowman Home, White Rock, SC; 1 nephew, Arthur Langley, Chapin, SC.
She was preceded in death by a brother William McAllister.
Graveside services will be conducted Monday Feb. 21, 2005 at 2:00 PM from Long Cane Cemetery, Abbeville, SC with the Rev. Bob Clemons officiating.
Memorials may be made to Main St. United Methodist Church, 300 N. Main St. Abbeville, SC 29620 in lieu of flowers.
The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville, SC.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville, SC is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

Martha Jean Mathis Marshall

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Martha Jean Mathis Marshall, 70, died Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005.
She was a daughter of the late D.P. and Martha Andrews Mathis.
Survivors include three daughters, Gerovoris Tanksley, Shanon Tanksley and Arlene Henry, all of Philadelphia; a brother, Paul Mathis of Greenwood; a sister, Mrs. Clarence (Mary Ruth) Louden of Greenwood; an adopted sister, Doris Strong Butler; and four grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Monday at The Christ Life Green Pleasant Faith Baptist Church of Philadelphia.
The family is at the home of a sister, Mary Ruth Louden, 110 Watson St., Greenwood.
Nix’s Funeral Home, 1621 W. Dauthin St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19132 is in charge.
Announcement courtesy of Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood.

Mary Helen ‘Tit’ Moore

Mary Helen “Tit” Moore, 56, of 701 White Oak Lane, wife of Cleveland Brooks, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late John Quincy Rapp and Rebecca Moore. She was a member of Second Damascus Baptist Church and was employed with Greenwood Mill Plant No. 5 for 25 years.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a son, Ronald “Ron” Moore of the home; two daughters, Sara Moore and Mary Alice Mitchell of the home; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.

Frank Elbert Sprowl

HODGES — Frank Elbert Sprowl, 86, of 3306 Conner Road, husband of Mary Jane Sprowl, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Bradley, S.C., he was a son of the late Frank Sprowl and the late Willie Carter Sprowl. He was a retired cement finisher and a WWII Navy Veteran. He was a member of Old Field Bethel AME Church, Pride Masonic Lodge No. 411 and the Bailey Bethel Singing Convention.
Survivors include his wife of the home; four daughters, Frances Baylor and Earline Bussey, Hodges; Janie Ruth Lyons, Washington, D.C.; Betty Boyd, Maryland; six sons, Johnie F. Sprowl, Hodges; David Sprowl, Greenwood; Sherman Sprowl, Tenn.; Bernard Sprowl, Washington, D.C.; James Sprowl, Maryland; Stanley Sprowl, Sacramento, Calif.; two brothers, Hubert Sprowl, Greenwood; James Sprowl, Evanston, Ill.; four sisters, Alice Burton and Lillie M. Elam, Greenwood; Margaret Bates, Philadelphia; Mary Ellerbe, Jenkintown, Pa.; 19 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.

Butler Tolbert

McCORMICK — Butler Tolbert, 87, of 1223 Highway 28 South, husband of Pauline Davis Tolbert, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at the VA Medical Center in Augusta.
Born in Edgefield County, he was a son of the late Joe Tolbert and the late Susan Price Tolbert. He was a Navy Veteran, a New York cab driver and employed by Monticello Daycare and the Housing Authority of New York. He was a member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church where he was a Trustee and a member of the Burial Aide Society. He was twice married, first to the late Annie B. Fowler Tolbert.
Survivors include his wife of the home; three sons, Gerald Tolbert and Patrick Tolbert, both of New York; Willie Lee Tolbert of San Francisco; seven daughters, Clemtine Sneed, Evon Tolbert, Thelma Tolbert, Brenda Shipman, all of New York; Judy Walker of Atlanta; Nikia Likely and Chevron Tolbert, both of Columbia; 23 grandchildren; 50 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.
The family is at the home, across from Ga. Pacific.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Emmie Uldrick

DONALDS — Emmie McKeown Uldrick, 82, of 455 Dodson Road, wife of George Ellis Uldrick, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at Magnolia Manor in Greenwood.
Born in Chester County, she was a daughter of the late John Stevenson McKeown and Emmie Margaret Beam McKeown. She was a member of Donalds Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a son, Joe Uldrick of Chesnee; two daughters, Margaret Farner of Donalds and Jane Sagara of Simpsonville; a brother, John W. McKeown of Irmo; a sister, Jessie Matthews of Jackson, Miss.; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Donalds Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Jerry Hill. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Visitation is 10-11 Monday at Donalds Baptist Church.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Margaret Farner, 485 Dodson Road.
Pruitt Funeral Home, Honea Path, is in charge.

Terrell Watts

HODGES, SC — Terrell Watts, 61, of 3423 Highway 246 North, died Friday, February 18, 2005, at University Hospital in Augusta, Ga.
Born in Franklin, NC; a son of the late Glen and Alice B. Jones Watts. He was retired from the United States Post Office, a U.S. Army Veteran, and of the Methodist faith.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Wallace Watts.
Surviving are two sisters Mary Richardson of Greenwood and Edith C. Watts Bobo of Hodges; a brother Otis Watts of Sylva NC; nephews Mike Watts of Hodges, Steve Watts of Sylva, NC, Thomas Richardson of Greenwood and Michael Watts of Hodges; nieces Amanda Richardson of Greenwood and Emily and Allie Watts both of Hodges; two special friends Judy and Julia Babb.
Services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rodger McCullough officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Steve Watts, Mike Watts, Joey Bobo, Ronnie Richardson, Bob Harvley, and Christopher Driggers.
The body is at Harley Funeral Home where the family will receive friends Sunday night from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com PAID OBITUARY