Fire damages eight apartments
in Regency Park community

About 20 people affected by early morning blaze

March 21, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

An early morning fire at the Regency Park apartment community in Greenwood damaged eight units and displaced about 20 people, authorities said.
No injuries were reported in the blaze, which started just after 1 a.m. Monday on a third-floor balcony, said Battalion Chief Stewart McDonald, with the Greenwood Fire Department. The cause of the fire is unknown and the blaze is not under investigation, McDonald said.
McDonald said the fire spread to the attic area of Building 127 in the complex, causing heavy damage to two upper-level apartments, moderate damage to two mid-level apartments and moderate roof damage to two other apartments. Two apartments on the first floor suffered water damage, he added.
Regency Park community owner Doug Collins said the building’s sprinkler system and the rapid response from firefighters helped residents avoid injuries and kept the fire from spreading to more apartments.
“Everything worked the way it was supposed to. The sprinkler system kicked in, and that is what gave people the opportunity to get out safely,” he said.
Monday’s blaze was the first major fire for the five-year-old apartment community, which is near Wal-Mart. Collins’ wife, Phyllis, said sprinkler systems were not mandatory in the building code at the time of the community’s construction.
Though heat from the fire melted the vinyl siding on a neighboring building, Collins said the damage was “cosmetic” and that the building suffered no major structural damage.
Collins said about 20 people were affected by the blaze, and he added that some residents might be moved to vacant units in the community.
As the morning daylight unveiled the damage, Regency Park residents and others drove or walked by the area to look at the gutted building, and residents of Building 127 could be seen trying to salvage belongings from the burned-out rubble.
Lander University junior Whitney Barbare, who lived in an apartment on the lower level, said she was not at home when the blaze erupted, but she arrived at the apartment soon after receiving a call from her roommate.
“I’m still in shock,” she said, adding that she felt helpless watching the building burn. “There was nothing I could do about it.”
Though her parents arrived to help her pack the items she could salvage, she said not much could be saved. “Everything was pretty much ruined. If it’s not burned, it has water damage,” Barbare said.
Lander junior Rebecca Hansen was in Greenville when the fire broke out, though she returned Monday morning with her parents to see if anything from her second-level apartment, which housed three residents, could be saved.
“Thankfully, I wasn’t at home,” she said. “I just can’t believe it actually happened. I guess it will hit me when I realize that I have no clothes to wear.”
The American Red Cross responded to the fire, said Greenwood/Abbeville Service Center Manager Barbara Turnburke, and she added that residents from seven apartments received assistance, including help with hotel vouchers, food, clothing and medication.

The Rev. Philip Griffen Clarke

The Reverend Philip Griffen Clarke, 79, husband of Anne Gignilliat Clarke of Isle of Palms, SC died Sunday, March 19, 2006 at his residence. The relatives and friends of The Reverend Philip G. Clarke are invited to attend a Celebration of Life Service at the Church of The Holy Cross, Friday, March 24, 2006 at eleven-thirty. A graveside service will be in Mountain View Cemetery, Seneca, SC on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at eleven-thirty.
ARRANGEMENTS BY J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.
PAID OBITUARY

Tom Coleman

DONALDS — Thomas (Tom) J. Coleman, 87, of 5864 Highway 184 East, husband of Glendel Fisher Coleman, died Monday, March 20, 2006, at his home.
Born in Laurens County, he was a son of the late Thomas Jefferson and Leila Davis Coleman. He was retired from Riegel Textile Corporation, and was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during WWII He was a member of Due West Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher for many years.
Surviving are his wife of the home; one son, Tommy J. Coleman, and his wife Teresa, of Central; two grandchildren, Patrick Coleman, and his wife, Stephanie, of Roswell, GA and Jeremiah Coleman, and his wife Jennifer, of Tampa, FL; one great-grandchild, Montana Skye Coleman of Roswell, GA. He was predeceased by a daughter, Jane Coleman and by two brothers, John Coleman and Davis Coleman.
Funeral services will be held 3:00 P.M. Wednesday at Due West Baptist Church with Rev. Bob Philyaw officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 P.M. Tuesday at Pruitt Funeral Home. The body will be placed in the church at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday. Memorials may be made to Due West Baptist Church, 218 S. Main Street, Due West, SC 29639. The family is at the home.
PAID OBITUARY

Benjamin E. Crawford

ABBEVILLE — Services for Benjamin E. Crawford are 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Olive Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. R.C. Shelton. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

Freddie Lee Walker

Freddie Lee Walker died Thursday, March 16, 2006 at Newberry County Memorial Hospital. Born in McCormick, he was a son of the late Jim and Rosa Lee Kelly Walker. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Survivors include three sisters, Mary Robinson of Evanston, Ill., Martha Frederick of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Annie Bell Davis of Jamaica, N.Y.
Services are 1 p.m. Wednesday at Parks Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Willie Elmore. Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

CORRECTION

For the obit of Sybil Beggs Alverson. In Monday’s paper there was an error in the information given to The Index-Journal. Officiating minister is the Rev. Ray Boggs. Also there are additions. Pallbearers are Mark Trupia, Chad Trupia, Joseph Richey, Daniel Harris and Jared Mitchell. Honorary escorts are members of the Women’s Sunday School Class, Tony Trupia, Wallace Irby and Pete Irby.

Wildcats having promising start

March 21, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Things are already off to a better start for the Greenwood Wildcats.
The Wildcats, Greenwood’s member of the semi-pro North and South Carolina Football League, completed their second tryout of the year Saturday, following their first tryout Feb. 18.
There were 12 prospective players on hand each time, a marked improvement from the first tryout last season, when only one player arrived.
The Wildcats’ season never got off the ground a year ago, as the team got a late start in preparations, then suffered through a disastrous series of failed tryouts before finally stringing together a group of players for one late-season scrimmage.
Wildcats’ coach Keith Wright said he is pleased with the way things have begun this year.
“It’s definitely better,” said Wright, who played for the Wildcats and was one of two different head coaches last season.
“We got going late last year. This year, we’re getting a fresh start, and getting to work early.”
The NSFL season doesn’t begin until August, but Wright said it was important to begin preparations early in the year to avoid the pitfalls of what happened a year ago.
Though Wright said he hopes to add a number of players before the start of the season, the coach likes what he sees out of his team’s nucleus so far.
“We’ve got some good players out right now,” Wright said.
“(Wildcats assistant) coach (Al) Ross is heading up the offense and (assistant) coach (Colbi) Griffin knows what he’s doing, too. We had a nice defense last year, and some of them are back. I think we’re going to put it on some people. I think we can put together a team that can win the whole thing.”
Ross said he envisions the Wildcats’ offense as a potentially explosive entity.
“We’ve got some good skill position players already,” Ross said. “We will be aggressive. I want us to throw the football.”
Wright said it can be an interesting experience heading up a semi-pro team. Besides the requisite on-field issues and day-to-day operations of the team, a semi-pro coach has to deal with the off-field occupations of his players, which are required to hold jobs, per league rules.
The coach said he sees participation in the NSFL as being beneficial to any player wishing to continue playing football.
“There are scouts to come to the games of some of these teams,” Wright said. “You never know. The right person may see some of these players and they could end up playing for the Philadelphia Eagles one day. You never know.”
According to Wright, the 2006 NSFL schedule has been tentatively completed. Wright said he will be meeting with Wildcats’ team owner John Morrow in the coming weeks to discuss the logistics of the schedule and work out details such as travel arrangements to road games.
The NSFL is composed of teams from North and South Carolina, as well as Georgia. Wright said any players from the Lakelands area who would like to test their mettle against athletes from cities such as Greenville, Asheville, Spartanburg and Atlanta would be wise to join the Wildcats.
Beginning this Sunday, the Wildcats will begin having team workouts that will take place every other Sunday at the Old Brewer Field. Wright said the workouts will be open to anyone who wishes to come tryout for the squad. According to Wright,the practices are set to continue every other Sunday until just before the season, when workouts will become more frequent.
Anyone wishing to inquire about the team or wishing to participate can contact Wright at 227-3128.

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com.

Cleaning up gutter talk could get big boost ... if

March 21, 2006

Satire has long been a force in helping mould opinion by poking fun at someone or some thing. It’s effective, too. When, though, does satire become something that can be harmful?
There will, no doubt, be South Carolinians who’ll say satire is never too extreme. It’s likely, though, that a comprehensive survey would show that more would agree with entertainer and composer Isaac Hayes ..... if. And that’s a big if.
Hayes has been around for a long time and has made his mark in the music field, particularly as a soul singer. For example, he wrote and performed, among others, the title song from the motion picture, “Shaft.”

IT MAY NOT BE GENERALLY known, however, that Hayes has been the voice of the ladies man/school cook since 1997 on the animated TV comedy satire, “South Park.” He’s also an outspoken Scientologist.
That show, as irreverent, odious and stilted as it is, has been popular among various segments of society, particularly those in their teens and a little older. Now, though, Hayes says he has had enough of that. He quit the show, saying it has crossed a line that is unacceptable to him.
Hayes issued a statement that said, “There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored.”

THE SHOW’S PRODUCER says “This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology .... He has no problem - and he’s cashed plenty of checks - with our show making fun of Christians.” A while back, the show targeted the Church of Scientology with its satire.
It does seem strange that Hayes apparently believed it was OK to make fun of Christianity, but cried religious bigotry when his own Scientology was the target of “satire.” That surely casts doubt on his integrity.
Be that as it may, if more celebrities would speak out against the growing profanity and vulgarity in the entertainment field, it might help clean it up. Far too often it appeals to the younger set and indeed crosses the line of propriety and good taste. If celebrities push their own agenda, though - as it seems Hayes has done - it only adds another problem.