Changes possible for board

Dist. 50 chairwoman might not be re-elected

November 19, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Greenwood School District 50’s board of trustees chairwoman might not remain in that role after Monday, but not necessarily because she’s drawn plenty of heat over the board’s proposal to leverage $145 million in construction dollars.
Board secretary Frank Coyle said Friday he thinks Dru James will not be elected chairwoman again because she’s now serving as president of the South Carolina School Boards Association.
“I don’t think she’s interested in being chairman again,” he said.
James became president-elect of the association last year. She’ll still be an active Dist. 50 board member, just not chairwoman, Coyle said.
But during her tenure as chairwoman, James has been heading up the district’s installment purchase bond issue. And in that capacity, she has been actively engaged in the district’s preparation for the alternative financing plan and at the forefront in defending it.
District 50’s bond plan would leverage as much as $145 million over a 25-year period to pay for construction of three new elementary schools, and renovations and modifications to other schools. The plan has come under fire from residents who believe it is unconstitutional, prompting one person to file a lawsuit against the district.
James hinted to The Index-Journal Friday that she might be leaving her post. When the newspaper interviewed her about a meeting she attended before the Oct. 24 regular board meeting, as well as about her published (Nov. 16, page 9A) counterclaims to the lawsuit in which she is named, James deferred further comments to the board chairman to address this week, after Monday’s scheduled board meeting.
James didn’t elaborate, saying everything would be clearer Tuesday.
Superintendent Darrell Johnson said Monday’s meeting features officer elections for secretary, vice chairman and chairman. Newly elected board members also will be sworn in. The board meets 7 p.m. at the district offices.

A meeting to prepare for meeting

Some of District 50’s board members met with district administrators Oct. 23, the day before the district presented its budget for its bond plan in regular session.
Three trustees — Frank Coyle, Debrah Miller and James — met in the district office with Superintendent Darrell Johnson and Assistant Superintendent of Business Gary Johnson to prepare information about the bond plan that would then be shared at the next night’s board meeting.
According to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, an official meeting means “the convening of a quorum of the constituent membership of a public body, whether corporal or by means of electronic equipment, to discuss or act upon a matter over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power.”
In the case of the school board, a quorum is five or more board members, said Miller, who serves as vice chairwoman.
Other board members were not invited to the meeting because only duly elected board officers — the chairwoman, vice chairwoman and secretary — were necessary, she said.
“Nothing was discussed that wasn’t discussed in front of the full board,” James said.
She claims the meeting did not violate the open meetings law.
“That’s not the way the board does its business,” James said.
Darrell Johnson, James, Miller, Coyle and Gary Johnson also talked with the district’s bond attorney, Bill Hirata, during the Oct. 23 meeting, James said.
Hirata was contacted because they needed clarification on a point, she said. James wasn’t sure what exactly was talked about with the bond attorney, but thinks the district was going to quote figures for its presentation of the bond issue’s budget.
“I’m sure it was related to numbers,” James said.
Henry Johnson, former owner of the Rental Center and the plaintiff in the lawsuit against the district, its bond plan, Darrell Johnson and James, accuses the district of conducting secretive meetings relative to the bond plan. He is joined in the suit by the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation.
James addressed accusations Henry Johnson made against the district’s bond plan Nov. 13 at a special called board meeting, and in an op-ed column published last week in this newspaper.
She said many of the accusations are false, including that the board was having secret meetings and that the trustees violated their own procurement plan. Procurement is the way school districts spend their money.
When told about the Oct. 23 meeting, Henry Johnson said he thinks it proves his point.
But James said Henry Johnson doesn’t have evidence of any unethical board actions.
Henry Johnson said 80 percent of the people mentioned in newspaper articles are raising some of the questions he has asked. Some people just don’t understand the bond plan.
“Obviously, I don’t think she’s correct, or I wouldn’t have made the accusations that I’ve made,” Henry Johnson said.
James also refuted Henry Johnson’s claim that he has requested information from District 50 and that he has spoken to board members in preparation for his lawsuit, because, she said, he didn’t have any proof of these conversations.
He said he didn’t want to identify board members by name because it could cause ill will.
Henry Johnson is wrong that the district acquired money for the bond project without knowing exactly what its use would be, James said.
However, he said he got the idea after reading that the bond money idea came to the district before the needs assessment.
Coyle said the notion that the board is conducting secret meetings is being blown out of proportion.
“If I went to lunch with Dru and Debrah, is that a meeting?” he asked.
The meeting on Oct. 23 doesn’t violate open meetings laws, Coyle said.
James, Coyle, Miller, Darrell Johnson and Gary Johnson met to discuss what the presentation should be on Oct. 24, Coyle said.
Board officers considered what Darrell Johnson and Gary Johnson were going to say and what order the presentation was going to be in.
Coyle said not every board member, such as Tom Pritchard and Lary Davis, was filled in on what was going to be talked about during the presentation the following day.
No notes were taken about the meetings, he said, adding he wouldn’t be involved in anything unethical.
“I’m very insulted by the whole thing,” he said.
Miller didn’t stay for the entire session, but wanted to make sure Hirata would be available for the board meeting. She understood James would talk with some of the board members about the meeting, while Coyle would talk to Davis and others.
Gary Johnson said board members spoke to Hirata to make sure the district was doing everything properly for the next day.
The information-sharing session was not a meeting, Gary Johnson said.
The public doesn’t expect to enter meetings dealing with other school business, he said.
“You don’t invite the public in every time you have a meeting with somebody,” Gary Johnson said.
Tom Pritchard was unavailable for comment for this story by presstime.
Tony Bowers said he heard the format of the public meeting was discussed on Oct. 23. He wasn’t invited, but couldn’t go anyway because he was sick.
Bowers didn’t see anything wrong with the others talking about the meeting beforehand.
Davis heard about the three- to four-hour discussion after the fact on Oct. 23. He talked with James about it, but they didn’t agree, he said.
“I didn’t see eye to eye with the interpretation of that,” Davis said.
The meeting wasn’t open to him or the public, but Coyle told him about the meeting afterward.

Refuting lawsuit’s claims

James further defended the bond issue and one of the lawsuit’s claims that the district doesn’t know how it’s going to spend the money it hopes to leverage through the financing plan.
She said proof of where the bond money is going was shown during the Oct. 24 board meeting.
A budget showing how much proposed modifications of the district’s 11 schools would cost in lump sums was presented then, she said.
When asked for more detailed information about the budget, as well as the principal and interest on the bonds, James referred questions to Gary Johnson.
District 50’s board of trustees decided to go through with the bond plan because it saw that its original 8 percent general obligation bond money wasn’t going to pay its rising construction costs, James said.
The district knows what it’s spending its money on, she said.
A location for Merrywood Elementary School, slated to be replaced under the bond plan, was a point of discussion at the board’s Nov. 13 meeting. A decision on where the new school should go will likely come at Monday’s meeting, James said.
Building on the old Northside Middle School site would cost about $1.3 million, while construction on the new NMS land would cost $1.6 million.
The bond plan is a lot like building a house, James said. If the house is halfway built and an extra window or door has to be eliminated from the design, then that can be done.

Elected officials voice concern

The district also has come under the scrutiny of other public officials who are questioning the bond plan and how the school board formulated it.
County councilman and attorney Dee Compton filed a 29-point Freedom of Information Act request with the district and board members on Oct. 20. On Nov. 10, Compton said he would not enforce his FOIA requests since he and the school district’s attorneys at Childs and Halligan in Columbia are talking in detail about the bond plan.
County councilman Bob Jennings also requested District 50 postpone the issuance of up to $150 million in bonds for a few weeks because he doesn’t want the district exceeding for 25 years the 8 percent spending cap laid out in the state constitution.
State Rep. Mike Pitts and Compton also expressed concerns that the district’s bond plan is unconstitutional because of the spending cap.
Some people, including Compton, have openly questioned why the district hasn’t used a referendum to allow voters to decide if bonds will be sold for school construction and renovation.
James said that if the district is not able to go through with the bond plan, then the system would do just that.
“We would like to be able to do the installment purchase bond plan the legislature gave us,” she said.

Red-kettle days are here again

November 19, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

If you travel out to do some holiday shopping, you’ll likely hear the familiar sound of a ringing bell as you walk into a number of Greenwood-area businesses.
The Salvation Army has officially begun its Christmas Red Kettle fundraiser, and on Saturday, Salvation Army advisory board members gathered at Wal-Mart in Greenwood to celebrate the kick-off and to take turns ringing the bells for donations.
Phyllis Zuehlke, advisory board chairwoman, said the Red Kettle campaign is the agency’s main source of income for its services and programs provided throughout the year.
The Salvation Army provides assistance with utilities, rent, shelter and food to those in need or in emergency situations, as well as spiritual support and services, Zuehlke said.
“Our efforts are to meet the needs of those who can’t help themselves,” Zuehlke said. “We don’t want to enable the situation to go on just by providing for specific needs, so our main goal is to help them assimilate back into society.”
Zuehlke read to the crowd a brief history of the Red Kettle and how it became synonymous with the Salvation Army.
The kettle tradition was launched in 1891 by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco, and by Christmas of 1895, the kettles were used by 30 Salvation Army corps in various sections of the West Coast area, she said. Kettles are now used internationally, helping the Salvation Army assist millions of people at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Capt. Joseph May, with the Salvation Army, said Red Kettle donations totaled nearly $90 million nationwide last year. He said the local organization expects to provide some form of Christmas assistance — whether food, toys or gifts — to nearly 2,700 people during the holiday season.
Advisory board member Gus Burgdorf said it didn’t take long for the donations to begin filling up his kettle Saturday in front of Wal-Mart, adding that the generosity of Greenwood and Lakelands-area residents always makes the local kettle drives successful.
“(The donors) realize what the Salvation Army does on a national basis, and it is a good example of how a little bit from a lot of people can help a lot of people,” he said. “I’m pleased at the way parents will give the money to their children to put into the kettle. It sets a good example of giving and it is very rewarding to see that happen.”
And Ware Shoals resident Heather Nelson did just that. As her family walked into the store, Nelson gave her 6-year-old daughter Brooke a donation to slip into the kettle.
“I think Christmas has become so commercialized, and kids sometimes forget the true meaning of Christmas,” Heather Nelson said. “But it is important for them to understand that not all kids have what they have, and it is important to give.”
Zuehlke said many people who make donations in the kettles realize that even the smallest of gifts can make a big difference in the lives of those in need.
“I think they feel that any donation of any amount is meaningful and acknowledged, and they can see that they are part of the big picture of things,” she said.
Though there have been cold days and rainy days, Frank Setzler, a Salvation Army advisory board member, said he has enjoyed every moment of his bell-ringing duties during his 25 years with the organization.
“I love it. I love to see the children and the joy they receive by just putting the money in the kettle,” Setzler said as he greeted people passing by. “It is amazing, but the ones who maybe aren’t as fortunate as others are usually the ones that are the most giving.”
Setzler said one of his favorite experiences at the kettle happened last year, when an elderly lady stopped by to offer some money and words of wisdom.
“She only put in a small amount, but she whispered to me, ‘Just remember that, with the Lord, little is much,’” he said, smiling. “I thought that was pretty awesome.”

Maurice Brooks

CLEVELAND — Maurice Brooks, 19, of Cleveland, son of Mary Brooks, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006, at Metro Hospital.
The family is at the home of his grandmother, Catherine Brooks, 703-2 Secession Ave., Abbeville.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home.

Andrew Brown Jr.

Andrew Brown Jr., 52, of 407 Fortune St., husband of Miriam B. Brown, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006, at his home.
The family is at the home of his aunts, Annie Mae and Maggie Brown.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.

Marie J. Felkel

SALUDA — Marie Jennings Felkel, 87, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006.
Born in Saluda County and a daughter of the late Layfette Cleaves and Rosa Bell Berry Jennings, she was the wife of the late Dr. Odie Leldon “Doc” Felkel. She was a homemaker and active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church where she was a member of the Ida Crouch Sunday School Class and the Louise Best Guild. Mrs. Felkel was a member of the Garden Club and Bridge Club and was a devoted mother and grandmother.
Surviving are three daughters, Janet F. Mabe of Columbia, Carol F. Bradshaw and Miriam F. Liner both of Saluda; 9 grandchildren, Angela L. Walker, Andrew Langford, Ashton Langford, Abby Langford, Leldon Bradshaw, Brandon Bradshaw, Kristen Liner and Kori Liner; 5 great-grandchildren; a sister, Delilah Batten of Saluda.
Mrs. Felkel was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Lindsay Bradshaw.
Funeral services are 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 20, 2006 at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Dr. Thomas H. Norrell officiating. Interment will follow at Travis Park Cemetery.
Following the Service of Committal, the family will receive friends at St. Paul United Methodist.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 102 E. Butler Ave., Saluda, SC 29138 or to Angel’s Touch Ministries, c/o St. Paul United Methodist Church or Saluda Nursing Center, P.O. Box 398, Saluda, SC 29138.
Ramey Funeral Home is in charge.

Dewey W. Geddings

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Dewey W. Geddings, 84, passed away on Friday, Nov. 17, 2006 at the VA Medical Center in Asheville.
He was born, Jan. 24, 1922, in Sumter, S.C. and was the son of the late Walter Geddings and Ouida Drury. Dewey grew up in Greenwood, S.C. at the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, which he spoke fondly of.
Dewey served in the US Navy during WWII, until he contracted tuberculosis while serving his country. He was hospitalized at the Veteran’s Hospital in Asheville until his recovery and discharge in 1945. He retired from the National Climatic Data Center in 1979.
In addition to his parents, Dewey was preceded in death by his brother, Howard Geddings of New Bern, SC. He is survived by his sister, Virginia Geddings Harold and her husband George, of Melbourne, Fla.; two nieces and a nephew; his “special” daughters, Alicia Lepke and her husband, Ron, of Birmingham, Ala., and Valerie Osbourne, and her husband Paul, of Hendersonville, N.C.; his longtime friend, Carol J. Hood and her family.
A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday Nov. 20, 2006, at Asbury United Methodist Church with Rev. Lisa Hartzog Hannah officiating. Burial will follow at Lewis Memorial Park.
Memorial donations may be made to Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, PO Box 1178, Greenwood, SC 29648-1178.
Morris Funeral Home, 304 Merrimon Avenue is assisting the family.
Condolences may be sent through our website at www.Morrisfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Tony Hawkins

Tony Hawkins, 46, of 113 Richard St., died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, at his home. The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.

Dorothy Hill

Dorothy Stringer Hill, 89, of Emerald Gardens, formerly of Terrace Way, widow of Thomas Edward Hill, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Cadiz, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Charles P. and Nora Adams Stringer. She retired from Connie Maxwell Children’s Home and was a former member of the Greenwood Women’s Club and Camellia Garden Club. Mrs. Hill was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church where she was in the Mason Sunday School Class.
Mrs. Hill had three sisters, four brothers and is the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Kathy Snyder and her husband Joe, of Greenwood, Mrs. Lisa Colmorgan of Irmo, and Mrs. Dale Menna and her husband Johnny, of Ft. Collins, Colo.; six grandchildren, Francesca Demers, Angela Nixon, Tara Foisset, Alexander Colmorgan, Kristy Millard and Joseph Menna; five great-grandsons.
Services are 2:30 Monday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. James Dennis Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Don Screws, Johnny Menna, Alex Colmorgan, Chris Nixon, Bill Cochran and Joe Snyder.
Honorary pallbearers are Fred Alewine and the members of the Mason Sunday School Class.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home before the service on Monday from 1-2 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 201 N. Main Street Greenwood, SC 29646.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Kathy Snyder, 103 Parkwood Road, Gatewood.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Mary Frazier Jones

Mary Frazier Jones, 82, of 224 Morton Road, widow of Roy Jones, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006, at her home. The family is at the home of her sister, Mrs. Michael (Angela) Butler, 111 Woodrow Ave.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.

Judy McNair

ABBEVILLE — Judy Norman McNair, 59, resident of 612 Cherokee St., wife of Ken McNair, died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006 at her home.
Born in Elberton, Ga., she was a daughter of the late George Thomas and Martha Moorehead Norman.
She was the retired director of the Abbeville City Chamber of Commerce. She was also an active member of Southside Baptist Church were she served as the church hostess and a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class.
Survivors include her husband Ken McNair of the home; a son, Merritt McNair and his wife Frankie of Abbeville; a sister, Linda Wiley and her husband Otis of Abbeville; a brother, Randall Norman and his wife Judy of Abbeville; 3 grandchildren, Kasey, Taylor and Emily McNair.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday Nov. 20, 2006 at 2 p.m. from Southside Baptist Church with the Rev. Earl Hartley officiating. Burial will follow in Melrose Cemetery.
The family is at the home, 612 Cherokee St. Abbeville.
The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Monday afternoon Nov. 20, 2006 prior to services in the church social hall.
Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church 505 West Greenwood St. Abbeville, SC 29620.
Online condolences may be made to the McNair family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Lee Palmore

HONEA PATH — Mary Lee Palmore, 89, of 2225 Hamby Road, wife of Walter Palmore, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006, at Anderson Memorial Hospital.
Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home of Anderson is in charge.
Courtesy of Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.

Ralph Strickland

Ralph Richard Strickland Sr., 82, resident of 1120 Cornelia Circle, widower of Christine Wells Strickland, died Nov. 18, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Strickland, 123 Tally Ho Drive in Hunter’s Creek and will receive friends at Blyth Funeral Home from 7-9 Sunday evening.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Lander handles Southern Wesleyan, 74-57

November 19, 2006

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

The Lander University men’s basketball team notched its first win of the season in its home opener, but not before second-year coach Bruce Evans needed to send a message to his team.
The Bearcats’ starting five, fresh from a 6-minute benching, returned to its stalwart-style of defense and poured in 23 points in the final 9 minutes, 11 seconds to knock off Southern Wesleyan, 74-57, Saturday night at Finis Horne Arena.
“It’s great to get that win under our belts,” Evans said. “There were two things I wanted to get out of that (benching). One is I wanted to give those young guys some experience in a time where there wasn’t so much pressure on them.
“The other message was for our starters. We went up 16 or so and then all of a sudden we let them score bucket after bucket. And I’m not going to let them think they can play through all of that. I want them to have the mindset that we have to put teams away.”
The Lander starting five accounted for 56 points, led by senior guard Jarred Jackson’s 20. Fellow seniors Michael Griffin and Jason Davis added 16 and 11 points, respectively.
Southern Wesleyan’s Darren Wilson came off the bench to lead all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-19 shooting.
The Bearcats (1-1) opened the second half exactly like they did in the first, breaking out on a 7-0 run to stretch a nine-point halftime lead to 38-22 with 18:03 remaining.
But the Warriors (1-6) rallied for seven unanswered of their own, taking advantage of three Lander turnovers. Wilson drained a 3 to cut the advantage back to single digits, causing Evans to send five new players to the check-in table.
Davis ended the Warriors’ 7-0 run with a 3-pointer from the left baseline, but Evans immediately called a timeout to bring in the five subs.
The subs, four of which were freshmen, held their own for a little while during the six minutes they were on the floor. Freshman guard Dane Sparrow, who chipped in eight points, knocked down a 3-pointer to give Lander a 47-36 lead.
But the Warriors stormed back with a three-point play from Nick Crowder and a driving layup from Wilson, making it a six-point game with 10:48 to play. Donta Wheaton’s 3 from the right corner made it 49-44 and ended the Lander starting-fives 6-minute sabbatical.
“(The benching) made me feel like we had to come out and get the job done,” Davis said. “It kind of motivated us to do our job. Pick our game up.”
It took the starters a little while to shake the cobwebs, during which Earle drained an open 3 from the left corner to make it a two-possession game, 51-47.
But starters got it together, especially defensively, and shot their lead back up to double digits and held the Warriors without a made field goal for more than five minutes. Three free throws from Griffin gave the Bearcats a 60-48 advantage with 4:30 to play.
Griffin’s long outlet pass resulted in a breakaway layup from Sparrow to make it 64-48 for the only points not scored by a starter in the final 9:11 of play.
“We just had to continue to do the little things that we did to get the lead,” said the 5-foot-11 Griffin, who led the Bearcats with seven rebounds and five assists. “We got away from that a little bit.”
Wilson tried to bring the Warriors back with some long-distance shooting, but Lander’s lead never dropped below double-figures the rest of the way.
The Bearcats head back on the road at 7 Tuesday night at Wingate before returning to Greenwood for a 6 p.m. game Friday to host Newberry.
Davis was honored before the game, along with members of the South Carolina National Guard Delta Company 111th Signal Battalion. Davis, a member of the U.S. Marines who served a tour in Iraq, was presented with a framed American flag.
“It was a special moment,” Davis said. “I tried to put it behind me and put the game first. But it really kind of got me pumped early. It did put a little pressure on me to play a little better.”
Jackson chipped in 12 of his 20 in the first half to help the Bearcats take as much as a 15-point first half lead. Lander went into the halftime break up 31-22.

When, how did we become a ‘cold-blooded’ culture?

November 19, 2006

Not many weeks ago four people were murdered in Charleston. Not long after that a family of four, including two children, were found slain along an Interstate Highway in Florida. Just a few days ago there was a triple homicide in Columbia followed by another triple homicide a few days later.
Perhaps the most startling of all, though, is a killing in Columbia a few days ago in which three teens are charged with shooting a woman ..... and a 12-year-old is also charged in the case.
Killing has seemingly become so commonplace it’s almost a way of life among some parts of society, and there’s definitely no pun intended. In recent times we’ve read and heard about murders all over the United States, with many of them having no apparent rhyme or reason.
A couple of snipers in the national capital area simply rode around the area and shot people at random. School kids go on rampages and do the same thing. That has happened several times in various parts of the country.

THEN, OF COURSE, THERE are gangs and the violence they generate, and that is getting worse. Many of the gangs are home-grown, spawned from life in and of the streets where conditions make it fertile ground for gang activity. But gangs made up of illegal aliens from Central and South America and Mexico have become a huge criminal population in numerous communities in this country.
At some point in the evolution of the present younger criminal element life became cheap. Killing, it appears, has become a matter-of-fact act that means nothing. “Offing” (killing) somebody is nothing more to some kids these days - and many are kids - than calling them a bad name. Some kill without any hesitation or any feeling and think nothing of it.

WHEN DID WE DEVOLVE into such a cold-blooded culture? How did we allow this kind of mindset to get a foothold among so many of our young people?
More than that, though, what are we going to do to reverse the trend? Or, can we do anything to reverse it? Are we even willing to do anything?
We have enough social scientists and other specialists to find causes and remedies. We have to find the common courage to do what’s necessary to apply solutions to solve the problem. Looking for excuses just won’t get it done. Using excuses and failing discipline are more than likely why we have so many problems in the first place.