Powerball fever hits Greenwood

October 20, 2005

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

It could be someone’s anniversary.
It could be someone’s dog’s birthday.
It could even be the serial numbers on the bottom of a dollar bill.
No matter how they are chosen, somebody’s “lucky” Powerball numbers could have made him up to $340 million richer Wednesday night. And some people in Greenwood thought the sooner they bought the tickets, the better off they would be.
“They were here at six o’clock when I opened the doors,” said Mike Austin, cashier at the Li’l Cricket on the S.C. 72 Bypass. “My first ten customers were Powerball customers — no gas, no coffee, no soda, just Powerball tickets. There were even a couple of people here before six. It was like you actually woke up this early in the morning to buy Powerball tickets.”
But Austin said he would join the people who made up the $745 in sales during his eight-hour shift by purchasing some tickets himself.
Co-worker Nicole Goode said she was surprised by the number of people coming in for tickets, but she was even more shocked by the number of minors trying to purchase tickets.
At the Exxon on the corner of the S.C. 72 Bypass and U.S. 25, Manager Fran Peters said the store ran out of lottery paper by 4:30 p.m. with people purchasing up to $145 in tickets at a time. She was promised a cruise by one of the customers if the customer won.
Peters said she always has bought one ticket a week and will continue to do so despite the large winning potential.
Exxon customer Ken Saylors said he already has plans if he wins the lottery.
“I will probably get a good financial adviser and lawyer and remain anonymous for a while,” he said.
Bhavas Patel, manager at the Sunoco station on the S.C. 72 Bypass, said he has decided not to spend his own money on the lottery because the store and clerk who sell the winning ticket are awarded a percentage of the winnings from the South Carolina Education Lottery.
“Everybody else is playing for me,” Patel said. “If they win, I win.”
Patel said he really doesn’t know what he’d do with the money if one of his customers turned out to be the winner.
Lottery sales surged to record levels across South Carolina as the $340 million Powerball jackpot buoyed ticket buyers’ hopes of winning the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
Between 5 and 6 p.m. Wednesday, lottery retailers were selling a record-setting average of $15,469 worth of tickets a minute, lottery spokeswoman Tara Robertson said.
As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, lottery players had bought $9.9 million in tickets for the record drawing, Robertson said. As of Monday afternoon, $1.3 million in tickets had been sold in the state. Typically, total sales reach $1.4 million for the entire Sunday through Wednesday period, lottery officials said.
The $340 million payoff is the largest jackpot in South Carolina Education Lottery history.
Across the state, retailers reported long lines.
Susanne Pelt, public relations director at South of the Border along Interstate 95 near the North Carolina state line, said her managers were so busy at the four sites selling lottery tickets that they couldn’t report their sales.
“We’ve got people lined up out the doors. It’s been going real well,” Pelt said.
To win the Powerball jackpot, a person must match all five white balls and the red Powerball. Outside of hitting all numbers, players can match a set number of balls and win lower amounts of money.
The winning numbers were: 7-21-43-44-49 and the Powerball was 29.
For information on winning combinations, see the Powerball Web site page:
http://www.powerball.com/powerball/pb_prizes.asp

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Their future on the line

Ninety Six plays host to Newberry Friday
with region title, home playoff games at stake

October 20, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

To say there’s a logjam in the Region III-AA standings would be putting it mildly.
Three tough weeks of region play left a four-way tie for first, as Emerald, Ninety Six, Newberry and Batesburg-Leesville have matching 2-1 records, while Saluda is just a game behind at 1-2.
With the Region III-AA title and the two home playoff spots still up for grabs, none of the first-place teams have a tougher road remaining than Ninety Six (6-2 overall, 2-1 region).
The No. 5 Wildcats are the only one of the tied teams to have to face two of their first-place compatriots. They play host to No. 8 Newberry at 7:30 Friday night before closing out the season at No. 6 Emerald.
“In this region, every game is important week-in and week-out. But, right now, with this four-way tie, I think to have home field for the playoffs, winning the next two games is everything,” Ninety Six coach Mike Doolittle said.
“Having Newberry and Emerald back-to-back to end the season, and the contrast we’re dealing with, smashmouth one week and wide open the next, is a little added bonus.”
The Wildcats get a Newberry team coming off its first-ever Region III-AA loss.
The Bulldogs (5-3, 2-1), who went undefeated in their first foray into Region III-AA last season, lost to B-L, 20-17, six days after the Panthers knocked off Ninety Six, 12-6.
Newberry’s other two losses came against a pair of No. 1s in AA Broome and AAA Fairfield Central.
This Bulldog squad, especially offensively, isn’t much different than the one the Wildcats saw a year ago. The team’s wing T offense, which keyed the 52-23 win over Ninety Six last year, is still run-oriented. The Bulldogs have rushing yardage almost four times what they are getting through the air: 2,098 yards rushing to 513 passing.
“We don’t pass much. We hang out hat on the running game,” Newberry coach Sam Baird said. “We stress to the guys that four yards is a great play, and anything better than that is just icing on the cake.”
Sanchez Gartman and Courtney Nance lead a group of nine different running backs with more than 100 yards rushing. Gartman has 575 yards and six touchdowns to lead the team, while Nance is close behind with 525 and four.
“Their fullback is a big, big part of their offense,” Doolittle said. “That’s what killed us last year. They didn’t sweep us; they straight-lined us.
“One of their advantages is that they’ve got at least six guys that can run the football extremely well for them.”
The Ninety Six defense has seen its fair share of running teams over the season, and it has come along way since giving up 299 rushing yards in the season-opening loss to Abbeville.
Against B-L, the defense held one of Region III-AA’s top running backs, Chamois Johnson, a 2,000-yard rusher a year ago, to 58 yards on the ground.
Last week, the Wildcats allowed Saluda’s wing T just 53 yards of net rushing offense.
“We’ve gotten better each week, there’s no question about that,” Doolittle said. “And I think our defense is playing a lot more physical than we did earlier in the year.
“I think the big thing for us is how well our defensive front plays because that’s probably been our biggest area of improvement over the last few weeks.”
One benefit Newberry’s running game has provided is control of the clock. Averaging 6 yards per carry has allowed the Bulldogs offense to maintain possession for 61 minutes more than its opponents’ offenses.
“Newberry does have the potential to play keep away, which is not a good situation to be in,” Doolittle said.
“That’s why it’s important for us to get up early. Which is not to say, the only way we’re going to win is to get up early, but when we get quality opportunities, we have to cash in on them.”
But eating time with its offense is something Baird also views as a benefit to his defense, especially against the Wildcats’ spread offense.
“We have to hang on to the football and keep their offense off of the field,” Baird said. “It’s kind of the same situation we’re in every week: we have to play ball-control.”
The Ninety Six offense regrouped from its poor showing against B-L with a solid effort in the 41-10 win over the Tigers. Senior quarterback Stan Doolittle passed for 245 yards and four touchdowns in limited duty against Saluda, with three of those scores going to No. 1 target Nick Lagroone.
Doolittle has passed for 1,923 yards and 19 touchdowns, while Lagroone leads the Lakelands with 48 receptions for 728 yards and six scores.

Opinion

Party’s support for one cannot be fair to others

October 20, 2005

So, after much deliberation and tallying up available finances, you decide to throw your hat into the political ring. It doesn’t matter, really, whether you plan to run for governor of South Carolina, Congress, the State House, Senate or State Superintendent of Education. Also, whether a Democrat or Republican, you first have to win a primary election.
A primary, of course, is an election to decide who will represent that particular political party in the general election. Democrats run against each other and Republicans square off. That allows the voters of different political persuasions to decide who they want to be their candidates. The primary winners then face each other in the general election.

SO, YOU GET ALL SET, STEP UP to the plate ….. and your own party throws you a curve. It endorses your opponent ….. in the primary.
That may not be illegal, but it sure smacks of back-room politics at its worst. A Republican candidate in South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District faces that situation as he seeks to run for the seat now held by Democrat John Spratt.
Eight months before the primaries, State Republican Chairman Katon Dawson has already endorsed State Rep. Ralph Norman of Rock Hill, even though former school teacher Park Gillespie had earlier filed to run. Furthermore, there could be other Republican candidates. Still, Dawson told a crowd Norman is the party’s choice.

DAWSON, UNAPOLOGETIC, DEFENDED the endorsement by saying, “It’s our job to recruit candidates that can win.” Democratic Chairman Joe Erwin, on the other hand, says the role of party leadership is to encourage participation and cultivate candidates.
It’s likely that most voters, regardless of party affiliation, would agree with Erwin. If not, they should. Our political system has already reached a point where it’s getting progressively harder to attract good candidates. If a party and its chairman take sides in primaries, that, no doubt, would make potential candidates even more reluctant to get involved.
The GOP chairman and party have made a bad decision. That could present a credibility problem in other situations. More than that, though, it begins to erode the prerogatives of the voters.

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

Jimmy Alexander

James Franklin “Jimmy” Alexander, 62, of 210 Larkin Drive, husband of Jane Sumerel Alexander, died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of Lois Murphy McKee and the late Willie James Alexander. He was owner and operator of Jimmy Alexander Masonary Contractors. His works included Fatz Café, Ninety Six Gazebo, the wall around MEG’s House, Burt-Stark Mansion entrance, Abbeville, and many other homes.
Survivors include his wife of the home; his mother of North Augusta; his stepmother, Margaret Alexander of Greenwood; three daughters, Ruthie Jones of Hodges, Heather Alexander of Greenwood and Kayla Jayne Alexander of the home; a son, Joey Crews of Hoboken, Ga.; four sisters, Elaine Gentry of Donalds, Marie Shealy of Columbia, Jane Radford of Atlanta and Tammy Franks of Athens, Ga.; and three grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Friday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Joe Black. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Johnny Sumerel, Tony Minick, Chris Gentry, Jim Bowser, Tim Pate, Joe Miller, Fred Pinson and John Kerber.
Honorary escorts are Rodney Jones, Ricky Saxon, Joe Saxon, Wayne Fuller, Butch Pate, Phil Turner and Joey McClinton.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the Emerald Center, PO Box 3004, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Matril Cadden

ABBEVILLE — Matril Cape Cadden, 65, of Abbeville Nursing Home, formerly of 111 Railroad St., died Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005 at Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.

Elizabeth C. Gaddis

ABBEVILLE — Elizabeth C. Gaddis, 92, widow of Ervin H. Gaddis, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005 at the Presbyterian Home in Clinton.
Services will be announced by Harris Funeral Home.

George E. Griffin

PROMISED LAND — Services for George Edward Griffin, of 204 New Zion Road, are 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, with the Rev. Willie Neal Norman Jr. officiating and the Rev. Joe Caldwell presiding. Assisting are the Rev. Lahoma Mosley and Wright Austin. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are nephews and friends.
Flower bears are Teresa Griffin, Keisha Faucett, Rhonda Harris, Marticia Bonds and Lillie Ann Parks.
Honorary escorts are CSX Railroad employees.
Visitation is Friday evening at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

Dr. John Kirkland

John Hudson Kirkland Jr., DMD, 83, of 145 Rutledge Road, husband of Wilma Copeland Kirkland, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home in Forest Hills.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.