Cooler weather on the way

Forecaster says temperatures should begin to fall this week

July 28, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

After this week’s scorching heat, the rest of the summer — the next week, in particular — should be cooler, said Bryan McAvoy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
For the third day in a row, temperatures rose Wednesday to about 100 degrees in most areas of South Carolina. McAvoy said he doesn’t expect that temperatures will rise that high again this summer.
That’s news Leebo Keels said he is happy to hear. A senior program director at the Greenwood Family YMCA, Keels spends weekday mornings in the sun, coaching the YMCA’s summer soccer camp until noon. To help keep the youths safe in such extreme heat, Keels said they were taking frequent breaks and drinking lots of water.
“We’ve gone through four or five coolers of water since we started this morning,” Keels said just before noon Wednesday.
Another outdoor camp at the YMCA, discovery camp for children ages 5-8, was brought indoors Wednesday to keep youths out of the heat. They normally play outdoor sports, learn outdoor living skills or participate in activities such as canoeing or air-rifling, but they watched a movie inside Wednesday, said Deidre Taber, a member services coordinator with the YMCA.
The sweltering heat that drove so many indoors this week was because of a large, unusually warm area of high pressure that was pushed into the East from the middle part of the county and settled there, said McAvoy.
“Fortunately, a cold front coming through will modify the atmosphere,” he said.
That means relief from the heat is on its way, likely beginning today. McAvoy expects today’s temperatures to be back at seasonal levels and to reach below seasonal levels Friday, remaining there through the weekend.
The cold front is moving in from Canada, McAvoy said, and brought temperatures down to 40 degrees in the Minnesota region. By the time it makes it to South Carolina, “it won’t have nearly that much punch,” he said. It will, however, keep temperatures well below 100 degrees.
The front will also bring “several days of fairly widespread thunderstorms,” he said, adding that heavy rains will probably be included.

Upset falls short

Gaffney knocks off Greenwood, 4-1 in opener

July 28, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The Greenwood Post 20 baseball team wanted to put its best foot forward Wednesday in the opening round of the American Legion State Tournament.
And for five innings against top-seeded Gaffney Post 109, Greenwood did.
But Gaffney scored four times in the sixth inning, and Justin Sarratt did the rest as Gaffney defeated Post 20, 4-1, at Legion Field.
The win moved Gaffney into the winner’s bracket, and Post 111 will meet Conway today at 4:30 p.m., while Greenwood will play Florence at 7:45 in an elimination game.
Sarratt pitched a complete game for Gaffney Wednesday, giving up one run on five hits while striking out five.
Josh Jones was saddled with the loss for Greenwood. Jones pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on four hits with six strikeouts.
“I was proud of the way we played,” Greenwood coach Billy Dean Minor said.
“I was pleased with the way we conducted ourselves against the number one seed in the tournament.”
A large crowd gathered at Legion Field for the nightcap of the first day of the tournament. Many of the fans had been at the stadium enjoying games all day long.
They were treated to a final game that was initially a defensive affair.
Sarratt was sharp early on. He sat Greenwood down in order in the first inning, getting strikes on the first pitch to each Post 20 hitter. Sarratt, who also came into the contest with a .380 batting average, utilized a number of different pitches throughout the contest.
Jones was equally sharp in the game’s initial stages for Post 20, facing the minimum six batters over the first two innings.
Jones got some help when shortstop Kyle Behrendt, second baseman Milton Brown and first baseman Brandon Miller turned a 6-4-3 double play in the first.
The score remained knotted at 0-0 through the fourth inning, with Gaffney having only one hit at that point.
Both Sarratt and Jones continued to mow down hitters and get good defense from their teammates.
Greenwood jumped on the board in the top of the fifth.
Post 20’s Kyle Behrendt drilled a long fly ball to center field with the bases loaded, scoring Brandon Miller on the sacrifice fly. Sarratt avoided any further damage in the inning, but Greenwood came away from the frame with the one run lead.
Gaffney, which was playing as the home team because of being the top seed in the tournament, got to Jones in the bottom of the sixth inning.
After striking out the first two batters in the inning, Jones surrendered two walks and a base hit to Gaffney, loading the bases. Brett Irvin then delivered a double, scoring two for Post 109. The next batter, Ben Dollar, then ripped a two-run single to put Gaffney on top 4-1 and prompting Post 20 coach Billy Dean Minor to remove Jones in favor of Justin Jenkins.
“Josh pitched a great game for us,” Minor said. “We had them down 1-0 in the fifth with two outs. Josh definitely gave us a chance.”
Greenwood right fielder Justin Lovvorn saved his team from further danger in the bottom of the eighth. Post 109’s Travis Adair lifted a drive toward the right field corner, heading toward the gap. Lovvorn streaked in from right and made an acrobatic shoe string catch, saving an extra base hit.
However, Sarratt closed the door on Greenwood in the ninth, sealing the win for Gaffney.
“We’ll be ready tomorrow,” Minor said. “The guys will be looking forward to it.”

Opinion

One hand of feds gives, while other takes away

July 28, 2005

This is a nation of immigrants. That’s a fact. It’s been that from the beginning and it’s something every one has heard many times. The difference then and now, though, is that in the beginning, immigrants were legal, at least for the most part. Now the borders are violated by the numbers everyday.
It’s not a real chore to find South Carolinians who are of a like mind on illegal immigration. They believe it to be one of the most significant problems facing this nation. They may be wishing on a fading star, though, if they think Congress or the federal government is ever going to do anything to alleviate the situation.
One of the problems with making any headway on the question is the government itself.

PART OF THE GOVERNMENT apparently doesn’t know what other parts are doing. If the people do know, it may be worse than anyone thinks. It could be that nobody really cares.
Consider one example. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. encourages banks to lend and invest in “under-served” markets, regardless of customers’ immigration status.
One illegal immigrant couple in Milwaukee secured a $54,600 mortgage to buy a house they had been renting for eight months. The Wisconsin housing authority financed the loan. The Internal Revenue Service gave them an identification number that let them apply for the loan at a local bank. The report also said that bank was happy to get the business.

IT FURTHER NOTED THAT competition for new customers is driving banks to offer home loans and other financial service to illegal immigrants and they are getting help from government agencies such as the FDIC.
Meanwhile, apparently, other agencies of the federal government are doing things to mitigate the problems with illegal immigration. So, while one hand of the feds take, the other gives away.
How in the world can the problem ever be solved if there’s such a lack of coordination or control when government agencies are at cross purposes?
Congress spends of lot of time considering things that many Americans see as a waste of time.
Immigration is not one of them, it seems. Apparently it isn’t spending any time on that drain on our national integrity.

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

Obituaries

Elizabeth Boxx

Elizabeth Rhodes Boxx, 78, of 116 Old Abbeville Highway, died Tuesday, July 26, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Sudie Matilda Gilmer Rhodes. She retired from Bankers Trust and was most recently employed by Eden Gardens. She was a member of South Main Street Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, William Boxx of Providence, R.I., a sister, Runnette Putnam of Walhalla; and a brother, Johnnie Rhodes of Calhoun Falls.
Services are 11 a.m. Friday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Ryan Eklund and Sam Thomason. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Remmie Wayne Boxx, Frank Boxx Jr., Dr. Eric Boxx, Steve Boxx, Joel Walters, Tim Rhodes, Dean Putnam, Greg Putnam and Wayne Putnam.
Honorary escorts are Ralph Reed, Marvin Dangerfield, Buddy Wells, Jeff Smith, Dale Shay, Molton Sanders, Jack McDowell and Mason Speer.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.

Vivian Weathers Cooper

ABBEVILLE, SC — Vivian Weathers Cooper, 82, formerly of 105 McGowan Ave. and wife of the late B.J. Cooper, died Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at Abbeville Memorial Hospital. She was born in Greenville, SC to the late Claude C. and Tessie Kelley Wilkinson Weathers.
Mrs. Cooper was retired as a Kindergarten Teacher after 20 years; she also was a former employee of Abbeville Milliken Plant and a member of Westside Baptist Church.
Surviving Mrs. Cooper are her two daughters, Bonnie Jean Reid of Harriman, TN, and Sarah Bratcher of Greenwood.
The family will receive friends from 6:00PM to 8:00PM Thursday, July 28, 2005 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be 11:00AM Friday, July 29, 2005 at Westside Baptist Church conducted by Rev. James Blackwell and Rev. James Long. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Greenville, SC.
Online condolences may be sent to the Cooper family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the Cooper family.
PAID OBITUARY

Mary D. Couch

DONALDS — Mary D. Couch, of 11 Maddox Bridge Road, widow of William D. Couch, died Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at her home.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Debbie Lake, 105 S. Greenwood Ave., Ware Shoals.
Services will be announced by Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals.

Joshua Andrew Lewis

WARE SHOALS — Graveside services for Joshua Andrew Lewis are 10 a.m. today at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Abbeville County, conducted by the Rev. Beulah Riggins.
The family is at the home, 42 Cork St.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.

Jack and Rosie Schaber

McCORMICK — Mary “Rosie” DeWell Schaber, 80, of Savannah Lakes Village, died Tuesday, July 26, 2005 from injuries sustained in an auto accident. Her husband, John L. “Jack” Schaber, 81, died Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at his home after an extended illness.
Survivors include five sons, Gary Schaber of Atlanta, Denny Schaber of West Palm Beach, Fla., Jeff Schaber, Dave Schaber and Scott Schaber, all of Fort Thomas, Ky.; a daughter, Bonnie Shaw of Durham, N.C.; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Mary Schaber is also survived by a brother, Roger DeWell of Las Vegas.
Memorial services are 11 a.m. today at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, McCormick.
The bodies are being transported to Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, Ky., where services are on Saturday.
Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Habitat for Humanity or Good Shepherd Catholic Church.
Beggs Funeral Home, 200 May Ave., Lincolnton, Ga., is in charge of local arrangements.