Bond suits dropped

District 50, Johnson announce lawsuits settled in consent order

December 19, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Greenwood School District 50 and a Greenwood resident are dropping their lawsuits against each other.
William Halligan, one of District 50’s attorneys from the law firm Childs & Halligan, announced Monday night at the board’s monthly meeting that attorneys were settling the lawsuits in a consent order dismissing all claims and counterclaims and clearing each side of liability and wrongdoing.
The board voted unanimously to accept the consent order, which allows Childs & Halligan to file it today.
An amended bond resolution also was passed, which allows the district to use taxable bonds in place of tax-free bonds to continue on its installment purchase bond plan. The initial resolution was created before the agreements between District 50 and Henry Johnson, bond attorney Bill Hirata said.
The new resolution also enters the school board into an agreement with Greenwood Fifty School Facilities Inc., the nonprofit corporation created to help the district pay for school construction.
Trustees needed to vote on a new resolution after a lawsuit — filed Nov. 3 by Henry Johnson, along with the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation, against District 50, its installment purchase bond plan, superintendent Darrell Johnson and former chairwoman Dru James —delayed getting some of the plan completed.
District 50 seeks to leverage as much as $145 million over a 25-year period to pay for construction of three elementary schools, and renovations and modifications to the rest of the schools in the district.
Childs & Halligan countersued Henry Johnson Dec. 4 for $50 million in damages it said would be caused by the delay of the bond’s passage. That action was made without a public vote by the entire school board — a move several attorneys, including the state’s foremost legal expert, say might be illegal. Several board members also have admitted having no prior knowledge of the closed meeting.
Board vice-chairman Frank Coyle said Monday that no one of the board knew about the meeting until Dec. 6. He said there was no closed “officers meeting,” but admitted that himself, board chairwoman Debrah Miller, Darrell Johnson and representatives from Childs & Halligan met and talked about the countersuit on Dec. 6.
Halligan told the board that the the law firm’s decision to go forward was compulsory and that Childs & Halligan filed the countersuit at the deadline for a response.
“Right now, it’s important to avoid a delay,” he said.
Halligan said Childs & Halligan had no legal requirement to have a public meeting about the countersuit.
The lawsuit agreement includes allowing Henry Johnson to go forward with any future Freedom of Information Act violations by the district, but not for refinancing or refunding of the installment bond program in 2006 and having District 50 pay the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation $10,000 for attorneys fees.
Henry Johnson released a statement Monday about the consent order, saying the South Carolina Supreme Court decision about the School District of Colleton County and the financial risk to himself and his family were some of the reasons he dropped the suit.
“We feel our concerns were legitimate and that Greenwood School District 50 closed all avenues of inquiry and input short of our legal system,” Johnson said in the statement.
State justices decided Dec. 11 in favor of the Colleton County school district, which denied the claims of several Colleton residents’ and taxpayer associations’ claims about the district’s installment purchase bond plan.
Monday’s board meeting was especially uneasy, as arguments began between trustees even before the resolution and consent order were announced.
Miller told board members Lary Davis and Dan Richardson they were out of order when Davis tried to introduce a proposal modifying the board’s code of ethics to exclude meetings or sessions without notifying the entire board before members went into a closed-door meeting to discuss a student matter.
“A simple ‘no’ would have sufficed,” Davis said after the out-of-order call.
“No,” Miller replied.
Richardson tried unsuccessfully to introduce into the record items showing what he said was proof the district didn’t advertise the first meeting of its nonprofit corporation before the bond resolution was voted on.

Shots fired at officers during chase

Man, teen face multiple charges

December 19, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

A Greenwood man and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested by the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office after a car chase and a shootout between the suspects and law enforcement late Sunday night.
Travis Dewayne Moore, 34, of 205 Galilee Road in Greenwood, was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of grand larceny, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, financial transaction card fraud, and failure to stop for a blue light.
Meanwhile, Moore’s 16-year-old passenger has been charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of grand larceny and armed robbery.
According to a release from the Greenwood Sheriff’s Office, shortly before midnight Sunday, officers from the sheriff’s office were called to a Hughes Road residence after it was reported Moore was on his way to that residence to assault someone who lived there.
As deputies pulled up, they spotted Moore’s truck and attempted to stop him. Moore and his passenger took off.
As sheriff’s deputies pursued Moore, an officer from the South Carolina Highway Patrol joined the chase. Moore began firing shots from a handgun at the officers from his vehicle, the report said.
As the chase wore on, Moore stopped and purposely rammed his truck into the state trooper’s car. The trooper was able to fire off several rounds at Moore, but Moore again sped away, the report said.
Moments later, a second sheriff’s deputy fired a shotgun at Moore’s truck from a position along Highway 34, but it did little to slow Moore.
Finally, Moore crashed into an embankment on Highway 34, where deputies were able to arrest him, the report said.
No law enforcement officers were injured in the pursuit or subsequent shootout. Moore and his passenger were transported to Self Regional Healthcare, where they were treated for injuries, then released into the custody of law enforcement.
Investigators from the Sheriff’s Office retrieved evidence from Moore’s truck that linked him and the passenger to several Greenwood County burglaries. The investigators interrogated Moore, who then confessed to the burglaries, as well as an armed robbery that occurred Saturday night in the Greenwood neighborhood of Lodge Grounds.
As is customary in such cases, State Law Enforcement Division will investigate the incident since it involved officers and shootings. Sheriff Dan Wideman said he will produce a full release of details concerning the shooting portion of the incident when SLED and the state’s Office of Professional Responsibility conclude their investigations.
“To comment in a more detailed way now would be inappropriate, but I’ll make everything available to the public as soon as SLED finishes their investigation,” Wideman said in the sheriff’s office release. “I will, however, say that from what I’ve seen thus far all of the officers out there handled themselves very well in what could have been a tragic evening.”
The deputies involved in the incident have been placed on routine administrative leave until the sheriff’s office conducts an internal review.

‘I’m here for the kids’

Salvation Army collects thousands of toys for children in Lakelands area

December 19, 2006

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

Angels are everywhere.
Box 1206 B contains all things John Deere, while Box 1216 A is filled to the brim with Dora the Explorer.
But there is an angel with both of them.
Both boxes — like the scores of others placed in order Monday at the Salvation Army Distribution Center — have been earmarked for particular children.
They are special children.
They are the angels of the Salvation Army’s annual “Angel Tree” toy drive and distribution.
They are the children who will have their Christmas wishes fulfilled, down to the very John Deere tractors and Dora the Explorer tallying cash registers they asked Santa for.
It’s a beautiful thing.
So beautiful, in fact, that volunteer Sissy Stewart has trouble talking about it. When taken into account with all the many hours spent on this project, emotion is understandable.
“This is the most exciting thing,” Stewart said Monday, gesturing to all the toys. “When you see everything coming together ...”
She pauses a moment to gather herself.
“That’s why I’m here,” she continues. “I’m here for the kids.”
So are many within the greater Greenwood community, including businesses that adopted Salvation Army “angels” and individuals that placed toys in U.S. Marine “Toys for Tots” bins across the Palmetto State.
Beginning in the middle of October, the Salvation Army posts flyers announcing “Angel Tree” sign-ups.
Parents who cannot afford to purchase presents for children send in their names and the names and requests of the kids.
Those applications are then verified, taking about a month. The children are given numbers that are placed in a computer database, along with their requests.
Businesses and individuals then select how many angels they will “adopt” this Christmas.
The Salvation Army also collects and distributes food to these families during the holidays as well.
In late November and continuing until before Christmas, toys are divided by age and gender before being distributed to their selected families. More than 1,500 boxes of toys and clothes have been collected, covering Greenwood, Saluda, Abbeville, McCormick and Edgefield counties.
Salvation Army Capt. Susan May says the generosity of local businesses and the dedication and hard work of volunteers make these Christmas dreams come true.
“We’ve had so much help from the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Department, National Healthcare, Duke Power, the people at Solutia and our volunteers,” May said. “There’s no way we could have done all of this without their help, donations and support. It’s overwhelming.”
Dale Roussin has been supported in the past. She has been present to do her part to pay back some of that gratitude.
“There have people that have helped me along the way in tight spots and you pay those people back by helping others and volunteering to help people yourself,” Roussin said. “It’s amazing the amount of support that the Salvation Army provides to people.”
For Pat Blohm, a Salvation Army employee, it’s the “big event” of the year.
“This is the big event for us,” she said. “Of course, we help people all year long, but this is the big event.”
That is plainly evident by the thousands of toys scattered across the floor of the former Winn-Dixie store. With all the shelves cleared away there is plenty of space for toys.
It’s space the Salvation Army needs as toys, and boxes of toys stretch nearly from wall to wall.
Distribution of the toys begins today.
Barbara Prince is the most senior volunteer present on Monday afternoon. She’s helped to fill these boxes now for nine years. It’s a job she’s never grown tired of.
“The kids love to see the gifts and I love to see children when they open gifts,” Prince said. “I love seeing how much people really care about kids.”

Bob Haymond, Ph. D.

NINETY SIX — Bob Haymond, 75, resident of 1909 Tillman Territory Road, husband of Jacqueline Landis “Jackie” Haymond, died Dec. 17, 2006.
Born in Natchez, MS, Feb. 21, 1931, he was a son of the late Lee Roy Haymond and Lillian Ward Haymond Binns. He earned his B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina, his master’s degree from the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Mr. Haymond retired from Clemson University as Professor Emeritus of Computational Mathematics after 28 years. He was the director of Mountain View Institute and was a member of Staton’s Breakfast Club, both in Clemson.
Mr. Haymond and Jackie were longtime residents of Clemson and have made their home in Ninety Six since October.
Surviving in addition to his wife, are two sons, Tate Haymond and wife, Wendy, of Cumming, GA, and Luke Haymond and wife, Susan, of Suwanee, GA; five grandchildren, Kelsey Landis Haymond, Sydney Lauren Haymond, Walker Ryan Haymond, Jack Wyatt Haymond and Samuel Luke Haymond; a brother, Lee Roy Haymond, Jr. and wife, Jessie, of Centenary, SC.
The family is at the home and will receive friends in the Loggia of Immanuel Lutheran Church, 501 E. Creswell Ave., Greenwood, from 4:30-6 Thursday afternoon.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to American SPCA, Special Giving, 110 Fifth Ave., Second Floor, New York, NY 10011 or a charity of their choice.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Haymond family.

Camihya Bashay McGowan

Camihya Bashay McGowan, 3 months, of 101-A Tennessee Court, died Sunday Dec. 17,2006 at Self Regional Medical Center. Born in Greenwood, she was the daughter of Johnny Rufus McGowan and Abrian Lakosha Palmore. Survivors include the her mother of the home and father of Cross Hill; three brothers, Dashwan Palmore of the home, Marcus Windhawk McGowan and Preston Riley McGowan, both of Colorado;.three sisters, Demiya Palmore of the home, Maranda Summerwind McGowan and Johhnie Rockell McGowan, both of Colorado; maternal grandparents, Gladys Palmore of Cross Hill and Robert Fuller of Greenwood; paternal grandparents, Johnnie V. McGowan of Cross Hill and Joe Henry Williams of Greenwood. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Ninety Six Community Cemetery, conducted by Reverend James McKee. Online condolences can be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com. Robinson & Son Mortuary, Inc. is assisting the McGowan Family.

Janie E. Mars Morgan

McCORMICK — Janie Elizabeth Mars Morgan, of Pine Street, died Monday, Dec. 18, 2006, at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
The family is at the home of her parents, in Plum Branch.
Services will be announced by Walker Funeral Home.

Tim Parsells

LAURENS — Timothy Joel Parsells, 19, of 257 Lee Street, Laurens, passed away Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
He was born in Greenwood, a son of Walneta Fern Parsells and was raised by his grandmother, Bulah Ann Parsells-Vayda. He was a graduate of Laurens High School.
Surviving is his grandmother of Laurens; his uncle, who served as a father figure, Leroy Joseph Parsells, Jr. of Laurens; his sister, Victoria Christine Parsells of Laurens; his brother, Mitchell James Taylor and his mother of Spartanburg.
Services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. John Abrams officiating. He will be laid to rest in Oakbrook Memorial Park during a private service.
Pallbearers will be Adam Montjoy, LeRoy Parsells, Robert Parsells, Kenneth Parsells, Marty Fleming and Mitchell Taylor. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 2-3:30 p.m.
The family is at the home, 257 Lee Street, Laurens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Harley Funeral Home, PO Box 777, Greenwood, SC 29648 for funeral expenses; LifePoint, Inc., 4200 Faber Place Drive, Charleston, SC 29405; or to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646, where his loving aunt, Bulah Ann Parsells, Jr., works.
Even though his soul is in heaven, Timothy donated the gift of life. From one loss, six lives will be continued.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Charles Ridenour

Charles Andrew Ridenour, 69, resident of 216 Alabama Avenue, husband of Syble Inez Phillips Ridenour, died Dec. 17, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Andersonville, TN, March 31, 1937, a son of the late Oscar Oliver and Ada Lee Ridenour, he was a retired U.S. Navy Veteran serving for twenty years. Formerly employed with Cincinnati Milacron and Kaiser Aluminum, he was an avid gardener and outdoorsman. He loved to do woodwork and was a member of New Market Baptist Church, where he was a sound room engineer for six years and served as an active volunteer for many church activities.
Survivors include his wife of 33 years of the home; daughter, Laurie Bowers and husband, Mike, of Greenwood; two grandchildren, Amanda Wideman and husband, Eric, and Erica Bowers, all of Greenwood; two great-grandchildren, Laney Wideman and Karlie Wideman, both of Greenwood; brother, Jim Ridenour and wife, Lisa, of Clinton, TN, one other brother and two other sisters.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. at New Market Baptist Church, with Reverend Stanley Sprouse officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Carroll Addey, Nevit Butler, Royce Kidd, Lewie King, Jimmy Tucker, Woody Smith and Bobby Robertson.
Honorary escort will be men of New Market Baptist Church.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home and will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The family is at the home and will receive friends Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Those desiring may make memorials to New Market Baptist Church, 906 Ninety Six Highway, Greenwood, SC 29646 in memory of Mr. Ridenour.
For additional information and online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Ridenour family. Grace B. Simms Grace B. Simms, 93, of 1303 E. Cambridge, formerly of 1109 E. Cambridge, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at her home.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Grace B. Simms

Grace B. Simms, 93, of 1303 E. Cambridge, formerly of 1109 E. Cambridge, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at her home.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Family ties

Lakelands’ wrestlers compete alongside siblings on squads

December 19, 2006

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

Most sibling rivalries involve an older brother or sister competing against a younger brother or sister to gain an advantage. Whether it is battling over who controls the television remote or who gets to sit in the front seat, such rivalries are nothing new.
There is another side to these battles, though.
Take the high school wrestlers from Emerald, Ninety Six and Abbeville.
Although they wrestle for different squads, these athletes have more in common than the ability to pin an opponent.
They represent different sets of brothers, and in one case brother and sister, on each of the Lakelands’ squads.
Emerald coach Andy Wright, who is in his first year as head coach of the Vikings (4-4), said there are many similarities as well as differences between brothers William (103-pound class) and Luke Wingo (103/112), Zane (145) and Adam Newton (189), and Dusty (160) and Bandy Boggs (215).
“Each brother has a certain thing that they like to do when they wrestle,” Wright said. “The biggest difference between Adam and Zane is that Adam is a senior and Zane is a sophomore. Bandy and Dusty aren’t too far apart. Bandy wrestles in the upper weight class, but he really only weighs about 189.”
“It’s a challenge going out of your weight class, but I like to wrestle my brother because he helps me to be more competitive,” Bandy said.
Adam said it puts him at ease knowing his younger brother Zane is on the team.
“Between me and him, we know we’re there for each other,” Adam said. “It helps in practice because he can come home and tell me ‘You’re doing this wrong, you need to fix it.’ We get a lot better by helping each other.”
The Wingo brothers are in a different position than their teammates since they actually wrestle in the same weight class.
They agree that it’s a fight every day in practice, is spurred on by their teammates.

NINETY SIX COACH Brian Neal and the Wildcats (7-0) have competed in two matches this season with an all-brothers rotation going 10-2 in those matches.
Neal, who is in his 13th season as Wildcats coach, has seen his share of wrestlers and said this is likely the largest group of siblings.
“We’ve had a pair here and there I’m sure,” Neal said. “This is probably the most we’ve ever had in one season.”
With teammates going head to head in practice each week for a chance to wrestle in the matches, the Wildcats’ lineup continues to change, which explains why the all-brothers rotation hasn’t been seen more often.
“It’s good because the competition makes them better,” Neal said. “That week it just so happened to happen the right way, and since then it hasn’t.”
Senior co-captain Christopher White (171) has been a part of Neal-coached teams for quite some time, while younger brother Cody (112) is gaining experience.
“Cody is kind of new to it, so his experience level is not near what Chris’ is,” Neal said. “Chris has been wrestling for as long as I can remember. Cody did it one year several years ago but he hasn’t done it in a while, so their experience level is the biggest difference between those two.”
Cody is excited about the chance to compete alongside his brother, who said it has been fun to watch his younger brother develop.
“He’s probably the one that got me into it first because I had to come watch the wrestling matches,” Cody said. “It’s just a great atmosphere.”
Blake Richards (119) and senior co-captain Shaun (145), his older brother, have similar styles, according to Neal, but the edge still goes to older brother Shaun.
The biggest weight class disparity is between brothers Taylor (125) and Bates Nunamaker (215).
Neal said that, other than the fact that both have an incredible work ethic, they go about their matches in different ways.
“Bates is a pretty good wrestler technique-wise. He’s not as strong as a lot of the big 215s, but he can go six minutes. He hangs on and can get a lot of those guys late,” Neal said. “That was typical in the Greenwood match when he was losing 12-2 but caught the guy in the third period and finished him.”

ABBEVILLE COACH ANTHONY Martin also has his share of family ties on the Panthers’ (2-5) roster. Unlike the other squads, Martin’s team also features a brother-sister combination.
Adrienne Ballenger (125) and brother Paul (171) are in their first year on the team. No one wants to get beat by his sister, and that’s motivation for these twins who enjoy being on the same team.
“I know I can beat him so it encourages him,” Adrienne said.
Paul shrugged off the comments from his sister, saying only, “She can try.”
Senior Shaylor Wells (171), who is in his third year, and younger brother Tennyson (119/125), in his first year with the Panthers, enjoy having a chance to play together.
“It’s pretty cool since this is his ninth-grade year. He’s got three more years left and it’s kind of cool to help him out,” Shaylor said. “I think it’s a golden opportunity that doesn’t come around often.”
Tennyson agrees and said he enjoys having more time to learn with his older brother.
Tatum West (140) and brother Chris (189) have wrestled for three years for the Panthers and think it is an advantage to be on the team with each other since they also can talk about different strategies at home. Brian Glace (215) and brother Bill (152) make up another sibling combination for the Panthers.
Brothers Antonio (140) and Andrew Tillman (130) don’t have as much wrestling experience with a combined three years between them, but they are well on their way to improving for Martin’s squad.
“It’s been fun,” Andrew said. “I came out to get better at football. When my brother came out that made it a lot more fun.”

Ninety Six District 52 takes right bond approach

December 19, 2006

Ninety Six School District 52 wants to build a new high school and renovate the present high school building so it can become a middle school. Unlike some other districts in the state, though, including Greenwood School District 50, School Trustees in Ninety Six are planning a referendum to seek voter approval.
Voters will be asked to approve the sale of $35 million in bonds with a vote likely on March 6, 2007. Unlike the controversial installment purchase bond plan, this approach should eliminate most, if not all, of the bitterness that arose when District 50 and others in South Carolina made their plans. That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be public debate in District 52. Debate without rancor can and should be productive.

ANY TIME SUCH LARGE SUMS of debt is placed on taxpayers, there are sure to be negative ramifications if those taxpayers feel left out in any way. The taxpayers in Ninety Six apparently won’t have that distraction and will be able to focus on the needs of the district and the district’s ability to pay off the bonds.
There is another factor that deserves mentioning again. District 52 Superintendent Dan Powell told those attending a recent Board meeting something that obviously wasn’t the case in public discussions on District 50’s plan. No one from District 52 will be allowed to encourage anyone to vote for the referendum, he noted. Officials can, however, give out information about it.

THAT’S CONTRARY, TO BE sure, to some actions elsewhere. That’s OK, though. Taxpayers, given the opportunity, are sophisticated enough to know who is saying what to whom and are able to make their own decisions.
As noted before, these are public schools being discussed and affected. That automatically qualifies taxpayers to be interested and involved. Whatever reasoning went into the District 52 planning is important, naturally. Providing the necessities to help taxpayers understand the needs and all other ramifications, however, should take precedence.
District 52 Trustees and other officials have, it appears, approached the situation `with that in mind. That’s commendable.