Thar's gold in McCormick

Town hopes to strike it rich with park

May 24, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

McCORMICK – After more than 150 years since the lucky strike that led to the opening of the Dorn Mines in McCormick, town officials are hoping that the rich history of the mines will be a golden opportunity to boost local tourism.
Located on part of the old Dorn Mines, the Heritage Gold Mine Park officially opened Monday, and visitors viewed the park’s tunnels and trenches, panned for the precious metal in a sluice and learned the story behind one of the state’s most lucrative gold mines.
William “Billy” Dorn opened the Dorn Mines after finding a rich vein of gold at the site in February 1852, Park Manager Buddy Applewhite said. Over the next seven years, about $900,000 in gold was extracted from the mines, including $300,000 from one particular pit.
The mines caught the attention of Cyrus McCormick – the town’s namesake – who purchased the property in 1871 before building the town. The mines were closed in 1883, and in the century that followed, many of the pits were filled in. Those that remain at the park are some of the key trenches and tunnels that were used by Dorn and his workers, Applewhite said.
“We were surprised that so many local people didn’t know where these mines were. We really saw a need to get this park open so people could come to see this,” said Applewhite, who is also a member of the Gold Prospectors Association of America.
Applewhite said a sluice, a trough of water in which people can pan for gold, was added at the site to give visitors a chance to find their own “fortune.”
“Gold prospecting is a family-type sport. It’s also addictive,” Applewhite said. “You don’t make a lot of money from it. You may go all day and only find one piece of gold, but when you find it, you’re the only person in the world who has seen that piece of gold.”
Mayor Miriam Patterson said officials already have plans to add features at the park, including a gift shop and gold mine village.
McCormick resident Louise Sanders, who was among the first to tour the park, said she heard the stories of the Dorn Mines as a youth growing up in the area. She even played in some of the other local mines when she was a child.
“I love panning. I used to get into trouble for playing in the dirt as a child – now I’m paying to do it,” Sanders said, laughing. “It’s just a fun sport. You never know when you might find a treasure.”
Heritage Gold Mine Park is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays May-October. The park is open for special events, including the Gold Rush Days Festival on Sept. 17, and group tours can be scheduled by appointment.
For information, contact the McCormick County Visitors Center at 852-2835 or the Town of McCormick at 852-2225.

Jere David Shaw

GREENSBORO, N.C. — On Sunday morning, May 22, 2005, beloved grandfather, Jere David Shaw passed away quietly at his home.
A memorial service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2005, at Hanes-Lineberry, Vanstory Chapel.
Jere was working with Aflac insurance. He was a doting grandfather of his only, and very special granddaughter, Kirstin. She was dear in his heart and forever more will be.
Mr. Shaw was preceded in death by his father, Rev. Silas B.T. Shaw.
Surviving Jere is his wife, Janis; son, Jeff McGehee; mother, Avery Shaw of Greenwood, SC; brothers, Silas “Benjamin” Shaw of Tampa, Fla. and Joel T. Shaw; sister, Gloria J. Scoville, both of Greenwood, SC; beloved Aunt Marie; mother-in-law, Alice M. Thompson; and granddaughter, the apple of his eye, Kirstin.
PAID OBITUARY

Bud Young

TROY, SC – James Thomas “Bud” Young, 64, resident of Dendy Street, died May 22, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Troy, September 13, 1940, he was a son of the late James Cowan “J.C,” and Mazie Butler Young. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and retired as Project Manager with Fluor-Daniel at Solutia.
Mr. Young was a member of the Stonewall Masonic Lodge #124 A.F.M. and a York Rite Mason having earned his 32 nd Degree and was a member of the Hejaz Shrine.
Surviving are two daughters, Roni and husband Dwayne Scott of McCormick and Angie and husband Johnny Magaha of Greenwood. A son, Jamie and wife Christine Young of Troy. Two brothers, Wesley Young of Troy, John Young of Barnwell and a special relative and “brother” T.H. “Bo” Young, Jr. Six grandchildren, ten step-grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Mr. Young was predeceased by a grandson, Joshua Young.
Funeral services will be conducted 2:00 PM Wednesday from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Billy Satten and Rev. George Boyd officiating.
Burial with Masonic Rites will be in Troy Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Will Young, Nick Young, Jeff Young, Matt Young, Jeffrey Mitchell, Homer Sears, Billy Sears and Stacey Burnett.
Honorary escort will be members of the Stonewall Masonic Lodge #124 A.F.M. along with Roosevelt Drennon, David Joe Morrah and Frank Setzler.
The family is at their respective homes and will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 to 8:00 Tuesday evening.
Memorials may be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 706 Grove Road, Greenville, SC 29605, The Greenville Shriner’s Hospital, 905 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605 or to the charity of one’s choice.
For additional information please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home is assisting the Young family.
PAID OBITUARY

CORRECTION

For the obituary of Letha B. Wilkie in Monday’s paper, there was an error in the information provided to The Index-Journal.
The body is being placed in the church at 2 p.m., today.

Foes finally together

Emerald’s Lovvorn, Abbeville’s Hill to play in all-star series

May 23, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Justin Lovvorn and Keith Hill have spent many baseball games sitting in opposing dugouts, taking part in one of the Lakelands better high school rivalries.
But now the two seniors can end their high school careers on the same team.
Lovvorn, a center fielder/pitcher at Emerald, and Hill, the catcher at Abbeville, were selected to the North AAA/AA All-Star squad.
“It’s a great rivalry, but it’s good to go out and play alongside someone as good as he is,” Hill said. “This is something that I’ve worked for all my life. I’m really excited about playing.”
Lovvorn — who was named to the AA all-state team — and Hill will take time out of their busy summer baseball schedules to play in the North-South All-Star series, June 11-12 at Coastal Carolina University in Conway.
Hill, who will play for an AAU team out of Charleston, became the 12th Panther to make the all-star squad and the first since Tony Graham was chosen in 2003.
Lovvorn, who will be in his second season with the Greenwood American Legion Post 20 team, is the third Emerald player and the second in a row to make the squad. Will Gary played last season.
Emerald coach Chad Evans wasn’t surprised when he was notified about Lovvorn’s selection.
Lovvorn, a five-year varsity player, ranked either first or second in six key statistical categories on a team that finished the 2005 season as the AA Upper State champions.
Lovvorn led the team with eight game-winning RBIs, and was second on the squad in hits (38), runs (29), RBIs (33), doubles (7) and home runs (3).
“He’s been a tremendous part of our program for five years,” said Evans, who was named the Class AA coach of the year. “He’s a quiet guy, but he gets the job done. We’ve known all along that he would be an important player for us. We’ve known since he was in eighth-grade.”
But when Evans let Lovvorn know about being named to the all-star team, the senior was in disbelief.
“I really don’t know how I made it,” Lovvorn said. “I was real surprised when coach called me and told me. I really had no clue I’d even be considered for it.
“This year has been my best one here, no doubt.”
Likewise, Hill continued to be a team leader for the Panthers. The All-Region I-AA catcher moved from the three-spot in the lineup - where he hit last season - to leadoff, giving him more chances to hit and forcing opposing pitchers to pitch to him.
Hill led Abbeville batters in runs (24), walks (14) and stolen bases (12), while placing second on the team in batting average (.325), hits (26), RBIs (16), doubles (5) and triples (2). Hill’s most astounding hitting statistic is that he only struck out twice in almost 100 plate appearances.
But Hill’s strongest point may not be as much his work at the plate but behind it. With his strong arm, he’s been an important asset to the Panthers’ pitching staff.
“He’s certainly been a good player for us,” Abbeville coach Mark Smith said. “One of a long line of good catchers. He played for us as a freshman and started for the last three years. His plus side is probably his arm, but I’ve seen him develop at the plate as well.
“He does the little things, and sometimes you get to where you can take them for granted as a coach.”
For some seniors, the all-star weekend proves to be crucial in their hope of continuing their baseball careers. Hill and Lovvorn, however, have already made their college selections.
Hill signed his letter of intent to play at the College of Charleston before the start of the season, while Lovvorn will join former Post 20 teammates Graham and Clint Burden at Anderson College.
But the early commitment isn’t necessarily keeping Hill from going out there with something to prove.
“I hope my coaches will be there,” Hill said. “So, maybe I’ll get a chance to show them I’m good enough to go there. I’ve been trying to do that all year, but this is on a big stage. It will be a better opportunity to show I’m worthy of the scholarship.”
Lovvorn has slightly a different agenda in mind.
“I really just want to go out there and represent my school,” he said. “And I’d like to go out there and just have a little fun.”

Ron Cox covers prep sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ronc@indexjournal.com

What is behind argument over nominees to court?

May 24, 2005

Kennedy. Boxer. Byrd. Biden, Schumer, just to name a few. What do they, and others, have in common, other than they are all U. S. senators and Democrats?
There probably are a number of things they have in common, but one is particularly relevant at the moment. They are political chameleons in high-profile positions.
Many politicians fit that description, to be sure, depending upon the time, the place and the issue. They don’t just populate the U. S. Senate or House, either. We have some in the State House in Columbia. What these have in common, though, tells more about the Senate/White House battle over judicial nominees than anything.
These days, of course, they are busy fighting against President Bush’s nominees to the appeals court.

WHILE REPUBLICANS WERE threatening to change Senate rules by taking away the filibuster in this particular case these senators were appalled. If rules changed, it would take only a majority instead of a super majority to let the Senate vote yay or nay. They argued the filibuster was proper to prevent a vote.
That is now. This was then ….. when Republicans were threatening to filibuster some of former President Clinton’s judicial nominees. All of these senators argued that nominees should get a vote.
What changed? Nothing more complicated than control. Republicans now control both houses of Congress and the White House.
One again, it’s a question of whose ox is being gored.
Behind this debate, though, is another pervasive disposition. And that’s nothing more complicated than hate.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, many Democrats, especially in Washington, simply hate President Bush. They can talk all they want to about the battle over the current judicial nominees really being about future nominees for the U. S. Supreme Court.
They can talk all they want to about constitutional questions. They can talk all they want to about filibusters ….. and they can filibuster. When it gets down to the crux of the matter, though, it’s that they just don’t like President Bush, pure and simple.
President Clinton and others before him were subjected to tough criticism. However, for the first time, or so it seems, hatred has become part of the equation. Under the circumstances, it’s time for elected officials – and the rest of us – to take a long, hard look at ourselves. We can disagree, and disagree strongly, on issues and people. When it gets to where we now find ourselves, though, there has to be a better way, and it’s important that we find it.