Could area restaurants one day be smoke free?

Bill would ban smoking in S.C. dining facilities

April 6, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Smoking or non?
You’ve heard it a thousand times. It’s a phrase that, over the years, has become a regular add-on to salutations offered by restaurant servers to their hungry customers.
But, this week, the House Judiciary Committee gave its approval to proposed legislation that could make the phrase obsolete.
On Tuesday, committee members passed to the S.C. House floor a bill that would ban smoking in all restaurants, bars, lounges and recreational facilities, with exceptions for cigar bars and private clubs, according to The Associated Press.
House members were in session Wednesday in Columbia, debating workers’ compensation reforms, and state Rep. Anne Parks, D-Greenwood-McCormick, said legislators didn’t have the chance to debate the measure. “From what I understand, it’s a good bill,” she said. “It will protect the public and the people who work in those environments because, studies show, secondhand smoke is as bad as smoking.”
“I’m not crazy about tobacco products. I know we pay an extremely high cost because of them, but it should be up to each individual owner to decide if he wants a (smoking) section or ban it altogether,” state Rep. Gene Pinson, R-Greenwood, said. “The customer doesn’t have to patronize that business. I just hate to see us in the Legislature dictate to businesses. They have enough regulations on them now.”
Pinson said he supports “a smoke-free world,” but he said the Legislature should be realistic with its rules.
“We should have a really healthy debate on the issue,” he said.
The proposed bill likely won’t have a tremendous effect on the amount of customers seen in area restaurants, managers said, adding that the change probably would be a positive one for their consumers.
“For our particular operation, it will make things much easier because we won’t have to have separate dining facilities for smoking and non-smoking,” said Joey Bagwell, owner of Capri’s Italian restaurant on S.C. 72 Bypass NE in Greenwood. “It will streamline our operations.”Bagwell said that, over the years, the restaurant’s smoking section has shrunk from about 75 percent of the restaurant’s seating floor space to about 25 percent, adding that more customers now prefer the non-smoking section.
“Being a non-smoker, I think (the proposed bill) is a good thing,” Bagwell said, adding that the restaurant has chosen to keep the smoking section out of respect for its smoking customers.
Susan Knapp said that although the Cracker Barrel has a glass partition between smoking and non-smoking sections, the partition might not always be 100 percent effective.
“We still have open doorways and smoke does tend to drift into the non-smoking section,” said Knapp, an associate manager at the restaurant.
Knapp said she thinks the ban on smoking in restaurants is a good idea. “Smoking is a freedom of choice,” she said, “but it should be done in open areas where it doesn’t affect other people.”
Secondhand smoke is a danger that is getting more attention in recent years, said American Cancer Society Community Manager Hoyt Dorn, adding that the bill is one the society thinks is a step in the right direction.
“It is one of the aspects we are looking at along with the tobacco tax issue in the state of South Carolina,” Dorn said.
Though he’s a smoker, Greenwood resident Matthew Capdevila said he likes the fact that some restaurants do not allow smoking.
“It just seems cleaner,” he said, though he added that a state-mandated ban on smoking in restaurants is “aggressive.”
“It just depends on where you sit,” he said. “(Smoking) doesn’t bother me, but I can understand how it would bother some other people.”
Greenwood resident Dendra Lawton said she didn’t think the impact of the ban would be negative for consumers or the restaurants.
“I just moved here from Florida, and the (ban on smoking) bill passed in Florida and the businesses didn’t go under,” she said.
But some consumers, such as Ruby Warren, who quit the habit 18 years ago after smoking for 30 years, said the issue was infringing upon smokers’ rights.
“I have been a non-smoker for 18 years, but there still needs to be a place for smokers,” the Ware Shoals resident said. “I think that is their right just like it is our right (to not smoke).”

GHS tennis completes city sweep

April 6, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The 2006 boys tennis series between Emerald and Greenwood high schools officially goes to the Eagles.
Greenwood blanked the Vikings, 7-0, Wednesday afternoon at the Greenwood Country Club, taking the season series, 2-0.
With the win, Greenwood moves to 14-0 overall and 8-0 in Region I-AAAA.
Meanwhile, Emerald drops to 10-2 and 7-0 in Region III-AA.
“I’m very pleased with the way we played today,” Greenwood coach Jim Still said. “This Emerald squad is very good and this could have been a dangerous match. We were fortunate to win.” Emerald coach John Buchanan said the Vikings need to put Wednesday’s match behind them and move forward.
“This is a crosstown rivalry, and you’d certainly like to win one of those at some point,” Buchanan said.
“But Greenwood is dominating AAAA. We are dominating in AA, but those are two different things.”
The best individual match of the night came at No. 1 singles, where Greenwood’s Nicholas McAlister edged Emerald’s Pres Payne, 4-6, 7-5, 11-9.
Payne was actually ahead 9-7 in the tiebreaker, only to see McAlister storm back for the victory.
“Well, I went up 5-1 in that tiebreaker,” McAlister said. “Then I lost six straight points. When I got down 9-7, I made a decision that I wasn’t going to miss another shot. I think my experience in tiebreakers paid off, too.”
Payne said that despite falling, he was pleased with the way the match turned out.
“I thought we both played well,” Payne said.
“I just didn’t finish it. I guess I should have gone for more at the end there.”
In a match that stood in stark contrast to their showdown earlier this season, Greenwood’s Ed Snead blanked the Vikings’ Alex Biffle, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 3 singles. The the first meeting between the two, Snead won 7-5, 7-5 after falling behind 4-1 in both sets.
“I was more focused than the last time we played,” Snead said. “This time I was ready to go out and take care of my business.”
Greenwood has a crucial match today as it travels to T.L. Hanna. If the Eagles win, they clinch the outright Region I-AAAA title. With a loss, Greenwood and T.L. Hanna will tie for first, with a mathematical tiebreaker deciding which squad gets the region’s top seed for the state playoffs.
“This team has worked all year toward the goal of winning a region championship,” Still said. “Hanna is a really strong team and will present quite a challenge. The match will be extremely important in terms of playoff seeding.”
Emerald is off until April 18, when the Vikings play Newberry in a Region III-AA contest.

Opinion

People still have a right to ask about immigration

April 6, 2006

There are, it’s reported, somewhere between 11 million and 18 million illegal immigrants in the United States, many of them scattered throughout South Carolina. The exact number is not known. At the same time, there are many immigrants who have come here legally. Many of them have become American citizens and many others are in the process.
That’s good. It’s encouraging to know that the United States is still the land of dreams and opportunities, even if some native-born Americans can’t or don’t want to see it. We have always welcomed immigrants from every nation in the world and that speaks well of the people of this country.
What to do about - and with - the huge numbers of illegal immigrants, though, is one of the biggest problems facing the nation. Differing opinions are sure to continue as the debate goes on. Onr sure thing, it seems, is the need to control our borders.

CHANCES ARE, AS IN DEBATES over many important issues, there’ll continue to be harsh words from both sides. That’s how it’s always worked. In recent times, however, the rhetoric has gotten more heated over too many things. Cooler heads have an obligation to keep the discourse civil and everyone involved will, more than likely, have to realize that a problem of this nature and size will require compromises from every angle if a solution is ever to be found.
One problem about the problem needs addressing. Many South Carolinians are among those who have serious concerns, first about the problem and then about what might be done as answers are sought. Some of their critics are charging that those who express concerns are racist.

THAT’S OUT OF BOUNDS. It’s also demagoguery of the worst kind. When did we get to the point where Americans cannot express honest concerns and ask questions about issues that affect them and their country ..... without having their character sullied and being called racist and worse?
This is a situation - a problem - that touches everyone in some way. It puts a strain on tax-supported institutions that create other problems. It’s serious and there are no simple solutions. That fact alone demands that it be approached pragmatically in a civilized way. It also means that Americans have a right to ask questions and demonstrate their concerns without having to face punitive name-calling.

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

Obituaries

Lois Cockrell

CHAPPELLS, SC — Lois Butler Cockrell, 74, of 138 Cockrell Rd., died Tuesday, April 4, 2006. Born in Saluda County and a daughter of the late J.B. and Carrie Ema Havird Butler, she was the wife of Pierce Cockrell, Jr. Mrs. Cockrell was retired from Greenwood Mills-Ninety Six Plant and was a member of Hopewell Congregational Holiness Church.
Surviving are her husband, Pierce Cockrell, Jr. of the home, two sons and daughters-in-law, Aaron and Joanne Cockrell and John E. “Johnny” and Cindy Cockrell both of Chappells, a daughter and son-in-law, Karen C. and Raymond Blackmon of Chappells, three sisters, Willene McGee Burton and Jessie Ruth Harrison both of Greenwood and Evelyn Brodie of Aiken, eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.
A son, Adrian Junior “Rooster” Cockrell, preceded Mrs. Cockrell in death.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8:30PM, Thursday evening at Ramey Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be at 3PM, Friday, April 7, 2006 at Hopewell Congregational Holiness Church with the Rev. Louie Murray officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of South Carolina, 404 Batesburg Hwy., Saluda, SC 29138 or to Hopewell Congregational Holiness Church, 785 Old Chappells Ferry Rd., Saluda, SC 29138.
PAID OBITUARY

Bob Douglass

Robert Ray “Bob” Douglass, 78, of 103 Cabot Court, widower of Gladys Church Douglass, died Wednesday, April 5, 2006 at his home.
Born in Illinois, he was a son of the late Virgil and Rhea Garner Douglass. He was the retired owner and operator of Douglass Roofing in Carmi, Ill., and a World War II Navy veteran. Survivors include a son, Donald Douglass of Greenwood.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Saturday at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in McLeansboro, Ill.
Gholson Funeral Home of McLeansboro is in charge.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of local arrangements.

Alfonzo Dunlap

ATLANTA — Alfonzo Dunlap, 67, husband of Carol McNair Dunlap, died Monday, April 3, 2006 in Atlanta.
Born in Greenwood County, S.C., he was a son of Sallie Lou Dunlap and the late Monroe Dunlap Sr. He was a member of World Changers Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Germaine Dunlap of Greenville, S.C.; a daughter, Shalonda Sumpter of Atlanta; his mother of Greenwood; seven brothers, Johnnie Brown of Ware Shoals, S.C., Calvin Dunlap, Simon Dunlap, Thomas Dunlap, Darnell Smith and John Davis Brown of Greenwood and Monroe Dunlap of Amarillo, Texas; two sisters, Lillie Carter of Piedmont and Willie Frances Brown of Ohio.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday at World Changers Church, conducted by the Rev. Creflo Dollar, assisted by the Rev. Michael Carter.
Donald Trimble Mortuary is in charge.
Announcement courtesy of Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Roseada Lanham

PLUM BRANCH — Services for Roseada Lanham, of Route 1, Box 62-A, are 3 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Holiness Church, McCormick, conducted by Elder Willie Morton, assisted by the Revs. Willie Cannady and Dewey Brown. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial is in Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery, McCormick.
Pallbearers are nephews.
Flower bearers are nieces.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

William O. White Jr.

McCORMICK — Services for William O. White Jr. are 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, Parksville, conducted by the Rev. E.M. Gordon, pastor. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are friends of the family.
Flower bearers are church ushers.
The family is at the home of Shirley Briggs, Plum Branch, and the home of Edward White, McCormick.
Walker Funeral Home is in charge.