Gun found in Emerald student’s car

September 29, 2006

From staff reports


A 15-year-old Emerald High School student has been arrested after an unloaded handgun was found Thursday in the trunk of his car in the school’s parking lot.
Lt. Mike Frederick, of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, said the student, whose name has not been released, was involved in an off-campus dispute Wednesday, which carried over to Thursday at the school.
A School Resource Officer investigating the dispute was told by the other juvenile involved that the 15-year-old might have a gun in his car.
The officer searched the youth’s car and found an unloaded .32-caliber handgun in the trunk.
The youth was charged with disturbing school, carrying a weapon on school property and possession of a firearm by a person younger than 21, Frederick said.
The youth was released into his mother’s custody Thursday.
Robert McClinton, assistant superintendent for administration for Greenwood School District 50, said district officials and parents were quickly notified of the incident, adding that the situation was handled discreetly while students were still in class.
McClinton said state law dictates the punishment for students found to have brought weapons to school. Under the law, the district board must expel students, following an investigation by law enforcement, for no less than a year if they bring a gun to school.
McClinton said the other students involved in the altercation would be disciplined according to District 50’s Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
Multiple phone messages left for Emerald High School Principal Sabra Price were not returned Thursday.
One parent, who spoke to The Index-Journal on a condition of anonymity, said that his son called him from the school just after the incident took place to tell him a gun had been found at the school. The parent said he was extremely concerned for his son’s safety, especially following the recent events in Bailey, Colo. On Wednesday, a gunman entered a high school in that town, holding a number of female students hostage for hours before fatally wounding one student and taking his own life.
“I was pretty concerned and upset,” the parent said, adding that his frustration was heightened when he was unable to get information from officials about what was taking place at the school. “The school wants to act like everything is fine. If you have a problem, admit you have a problem. Be truthful.”
However, an internal e-mail sent from District 50 officials to Price said that parents were contacted and came to the school.
In an e-mail sent from Price to Emerald faculty and staff following Thursday’s incident, she stressed that “diligence is needed as always to assure the safety of our students and staff,” adding that teachers who spot suspicious or unusual activity in the school should immediately notify the front office.
Price also wrote that teachers should keep students in their classrooms as much as possible, suggesting that teachers “allow only one student at a time to leave the classroom. ... Please help us to make sure that students do not loiter in the hallways, cafeteria, restrooms, parking lots or any unauthorized areas. Ask them to keep moving and go quickly to their designated areas. These measures will assure that students are being supervised properly.”

William Bagwell Jr.

DUE WEST — William Francis Bagwell, Jr., 83, of 217 S. Main St., husband of Norma Karlen Landon Bagwell, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 21st at Self Regional Health Center.
Born near Donalds, SC in 1923, he was the son of the late William F. and Eula Dodson Bagwell. An honor graduate of Parker High School and Furman University in Greenville, SC, he held graduate degrees from Columbia University and New York University. He also studied at Emory University, Carnegie-Mellon University, St. Andrews University (Scotland), and Union Theological Seminary (New York City).
He had a long and varied career as a writer, educator and human rights advocate. He was a public relations writer and editor of several newsletters and other publications for 10 years. For three years in the mid-1960’s he served as non-governmental representative (NSO) at the United Nations in New York City, for the Society of Friends. For nearly a decade he worked as a human rights advocate and mediator in many of the south’s critical racial situations during the 1950’s and 60’s under the auspices of the Society of Friends. He taught or served in administrative capacities at several colleges: Cheney University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland (European Division), University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Lander University, Furman University, and George Washington University. He was the author of several books and numerous articles dealing with Southern History, race relations, and human rights. His poems appeared in several publications and one book of poems was published.
In his later years he returned to his old family homestead near Donalds, where he and his first wife (Maude Magill Bagwell who predeceased him in 1991) restored the century-old farmhouse. Together they put the old farm back into production. He was active in several organizations, including the United Nations Association, The Southern Regional Council, American Civil Liberties Union, National Association of Human Rights Workers, Sigma Chi journalism fraternity, NAACP, Fellowship of Southern Churchmen, Adult Education Association, Caroliniana Society, and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
He was one of the founders and first president of the Greenville County Human Relations Council in the 1950’s. He was a former officer or Board Member of the South Carolina Human Relations Council, South Carolina Cerebral Palsy Association, Greenville Mental Health Association, Abbeville County Development Council, Upper Savannah Governmental Committee of Aging, and the Abbeville County Library Council.
During World War II he served three years as a medical corpsman in the U.S. Army.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are his sister Katherine (Mrs. M. Lewis Coleman) of Lakeland, Florida, a stepdaughter, Karen Landon Doyle of Sherman Oaks, CA, and a host of friends and relatives. He and his first wife were also “parents” to at least a dozen homeless children over the years, some Black, some White, some Native-American, all of whom are now adults and living in various parts of the nation and abroad.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday, September 30, at three o’clock PM at the Due West Retirement Center. Reverend Calvin Draffin (Pastor of Due West ARP Church) and Reverend Jim Daughtry (former pastor of the First Christian Church of Greenville) will conduct the services. Memorials may be made to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, Pa 19102, to the First Christian Church of Greenville or to the charity of one’s Choice. Pruitt Funeral Home, Honea Path in charge of arrangements.

Willie Sue McDaniel

SUMTER — Willie Sue Isbell McDaniel, 68, wife of Giroud “Mac” McDaniel, died Thursday, September 28, 2006 at the Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Oconee County, she was a daughter of the late Cromer Isbell and the late Leila Simmons Isbell.
Mrs. McDaniel was a member of Shaw Heights Baptist Church and the Joy Sunday School class. She was a retired substitute teacher with Sumter School District #2.
Surviving are her husband of Sumter; one son, Philip A. McDaniel of Virginia Beach, Va.; one daughter, Janet L. Hoffman and husband Jerry of Sumter.
She was preceded in death by two sisters and a brother.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 A.M. Saturday at Shaw Heights Baptist Church with the Rev. Victor Cheek officiating.
Burial will be in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Friday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home.
Memorials may be made to Shaw Heights Baptist Church, 2030 Peach Orchard Road, Sumter, SC 29154.
Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803-775-9386).

Gene Minton

MODOC — Gene Minton, husband of Virginia Minton, died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006. The family is at the home.
Strom Funeral Home, McCormick, is in charge.

Sarah Miller Overholt

ABBEVILLE — Sarah Miller Overholt, 86, of 553 Hwy 201, wife of the late Ben Overholt, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, September 28, 2006 at her residence.
She was born August 4, 1920 in Hickory, VA to the late Allen and Sarah Detweiler Miller. Mrs. Overholt was a homemaker and a member of the Cold Springs Mennonite Church.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, four sisters, one son-in-law, Elmer Hershberger, and two grandchildren, Kevin and Faith.
Surviving Mrs. Overholt are nine sons, and eight daughters, Barbara Jean Hershberger of Montezuma, GA, Allen (Lydia) Overholt of Columbus, NC, Ray (Verna) Overholt of Abbeville, SC, Edna (Ernest) Yoder of Cuthbert, GA, Marie (Albert) Yoder of Abbeville, SC, Leroy (Linda) Overholt of Abbeville, SC, Wayne (Ann) Overholt of Greenwood, SC, Fannie (Marvin) Yoder of Port A Prince, Haiti, Mary Lou (Ed) Yoder of Millersburg, OH, Carolyn (Sam) Jackson of Abbeville, SC, Hannah Rose (Robert) Stoll of Due West, SC, Joseph Overholt of Belton, SC, Marlin (Cindy) Overholt, Larry (Ruby) Overholt both of Abbeville, SC, Dorcas (Matt) Zehr of Sarasota, FL, Nathan (Rose) Overholt and Galen (Deborah) Overholt both of Abbeville, SC; sixty-eight grandchildren; sixty-eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Ella Hostetler of Sarasota, FL.
The family will receive friends from 5:00PM to 8:00PM Saturday, September 30, 2006 at the Cold Springs Mennonite Church. Funeral services will be 10:00AM Sunday, October 1, 2006 at the Cold Springs Mennonite Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made in memory of Mrs. Overholt to the HospiceCare of the Piedmont 408 W. Alexander St. Greenwood, SC 29646.
Online condolences may be sent to the Overholt family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the Overholt family.

Ed Quattlebaum

Edwin Milledge Quattlebaum, 77, resident of 110 Leyland Court, husband of Vivian Kelley Quattlebaum, died September 27, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born January 16, 1929 in McCormick County, he was a son of the late James Harmon and Lola Jane Rush Quattlebaum. A World War II Army Veteran, having served in Germany, he was former owner and operator of Quattlebaum Construction Company in Santa Monica, CA, where he lived for over 40 years before returning to Greenwood. He was a member of the Bethel United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; stepchildren, Linda K. Norman of Vienna, VA, Martha K. LeCroy of Walhalla and Chuck Kelly of Greenwood; six step-grandsons; three step great grandsons; sister, Sara Ouzts of Greenwood; six brothers, Marshall Quattlebaum, Gleen Quattlebaum, Charles Quattlebaum, Frank Quattlebaum, and Jerry Quattlebaum, all of Greenwood, and Mike Quattlebaum of Colorado Springs, CO; many nieces and nephews also surviving.
Mr. Quattlebaum was preceded in death by his first wife, Audette Beasley Quattlebaum.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM Saturday from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Ronald Chavis and Reverend Chris Lollis.
Interment will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.
Pallbearers will be Thomas Rush, Jim Ouzts, Ben Manley, Chad Quattlebaum, Ray Witt, John Witt and Steve Williamson.
The family is at the home, 110 Leyland Court, Greenwood, and also at the home of sister Sara Ouzts, 105 Colonial Drive, Greenwood and will receive friends from 10:00 AM until the service hour at the funeral home.
Those desiring may make memorials to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 in memory of Mr. Quattlebaum.
For additional information and online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Quattlebaum family.

Emerald’s Tyler Will not letting limitations
with his vision drown his hopes at success

September 29, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Most people have been swimming at one point or another in their lives.
And anyone who has ever been swimming knows what a challenge it can be to see under water. The chlorine and chemicals in a pool can cloud the vision of even the most experienced swimmer.
For standout Emerald High School swimmer Tyler Will, vision has been a problem before he even sets foot in the water.
However, it hasn’t seemed to slow down the sophomore in the least.
Will suffers from a condition called cone dystrophy, an ocular disorder that is inherited from family members. Will said many of his male family members on his mother’s side have cone dystrophy.
For all intents and purposes, the disorder has left Will legally blind. Still, he remains a standout sprint swimmer for the Vikings, who will participate in the Upper State meet Saturday in Greenville.
“We have done really well this season,” Will said. “We’ve had good years before, but this year we have really improved a lot.”
Will has posted personal-best times in a pair of events this season. In the 50-yard freestyle, Will posted a time of 25.09. That’s two seconds better than his best time a year ago, which was 27.10.
The 500 free is where Will has really gained ground. The swimmer posted a time of 6:40 last year. This season, he shaved a full 48 seconds off the time, coming in at 5:52.
“I just worked hard in the offseason to get that down,” Will said. “My teammates are good about pushing me.”
Will’s sight condition comes into play when he is swimming. On the distance races, such as the 500 free, teammates stand at the end of lanes and hold cards that let the swimmer in the pool know what lap they are on. Will said he has to be quite a bit closer than the other swimmers to see the cards.
“I also get off to a slow start sometimes, but I think that’s just me,” Will said, with a chuckle.
Emerald swimming coach Mark Bartz said Will is a tremendous competitor.
“He doesn’t let his eyesight affect his performance,” Bartz said. “He can see the black (swimming lane) lines and he does well with his turns. He really is an asset to the team, and he is a super kid.”
Will often utilizes technology to help him with his academics at school. He said there is a special computer device he can take advantage of that helps him see his lessons. Also, he said he has some special magnifying glasses that help him in the classroom.
“I try my best to not have to use the technology too much,” Will said. “But it is good to have it there when I need it.”
Will’s sister, Lindsay, is also a member of the swim team. Tyler said it helps having a family member on the team and that he and his sister cheer each other on at every turn.
Tyler said he hopes his success as a varsity athlete may serve as an inspiration for other kids with cone dystrophy.
“I would hope it would be a good example for younger kids,” Tyler said. “I would certainly hope they wouldn’t set limitations on themselves because of a disability.”

Childhood injury doesn’t slow down
GHS’ P.J. Morton

September 29, 2006

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

Don’t make excuses.
This is a phrase that many athletes hear from coaches on a regular basis. It’s the mentality that separates the weak from the strong. These types of players laugh in the face of adversity and continue to move toward their goal without hesitation. These are the players that you want on your team because you know they are giving 100 percent and maybe a little more whether they are in the starting lineup or filling in as a support player.
Regardless, these players take their roles seriously and aren’t expecting handouts. These players serve as an inspiration to teammates because of their dedication and willingness to succeed.
The Greenwood Eagles have a player that epitomizes these qualities. His name is P.J. Morton.
Unless you follow the Eagles very closely, you’ve probably never even heard of Morton, who serves as a reserve guard and backup center. That’s just fine with Morton who, according to offensive line coach Dan Dickerson, prefers to stay out of the spotlight. What makes Morton such an interesting player is the fact that since the age of 3, he has worn a prosthetic leg following an accident in which his leg was severed.
Morton’s mother, Loretta Lewis, said that her main concern is the durability of P.J.’s prosthetic leg when he plays and not whether he has the ability to play.
“When I go to the games, I can’t watch long because I worry about the belt breaking,” Lewis said. “I don’t think it bothers him as much as myself.”
There’s no need to feel sorry for Morton though. He brings his hard hat and lunch bucket to every game and doesn’t clock out until the final whistle. When your job is to battle in the trenches, there’s no other way.
“I can tell you one thing, he doesn’t want to be any different than anybody else, and we treat him exactly like any other offensive lineman,” Dickerson said. “If he messes up, he’s going to get fussed at, and if he has a penalty, he’s going to do the extra work just like everybody else does.”
Any second thoughts about Morton’s ability to perform are quickly crushed when Dickerson discusses, not only his energy on the field, but in the weight room as well.
“He is one of the hardest workers we’ve got. In the weight room, he’s one of our strongest guys that we have on the team, which is remarkable considering that he’s doing it with really half a base and it’s tremendous that he gives us such great effort,” Dickerson said. “Just being here and putting in the effort, they (Greenwood players) know what P.J. is doing and watching him work in the weight room is really inspirational to a lot of the guys.”
Dickerson said that not only does he consider Morton an inspiration to the team, but he also is inspired by Morton’s efforts on the field and the way he has become a part of team.
“It feels great to come out and play instead of just sitting around feeling sorry for myself,” Morton said. “It’s a privilege, because most people don’t get an opportunity to play with a prosthetic limb and what drives me is the fact that I have one.”
As far as the weight room, Morton says that he definitely goes in with the mentality that he’s going to try to work harder, whether it is on the bench press or in the squat rack. That mentality probably began the moment he wore the leg for the first time and continues today.
“Back when I was little, I went through a lot trying to get used to it but it didn’t take me long before I started running with it,” Morton said. “I just go out there now and give it 110 percent and don’t slack off.”
Morton says that the key for anyone who faces similar circumstances is to just have faith and never doubt yourself.
Morton follows his advice year round. In the spring, he throws the shot put, an event that requires balance, as a member of the Eagles track team.
Eagles coach Shell Dula, who has coached hundreds of players throughout his career, echoed Dickerson’s comments on Morton.
“He’s a very special young man to do what he does.” Dula said. “He’s a good football player. That’s the main thing and it just shows what he’s made out of inside.”
Dula raved about his young player’s desire to be the best and his refusal to let what some might consider a disability affect him. The Eagles’ coach added that Morton’s willingness to do whatever it takes shows that he will be a success not only in football but in life.
With more than 25 years of coaching under his belt, Dula said Morton is the first player that he has ever coached who has played with a prosthetic limb.
“We’ve had some kids that have come back from knee injuries and such, but he is the first player to play with prosthesis and he doesn’t let it slow him down one bit,” Dula said.

Governor, House reach many goals in Legislature

September 29, 2006

Governor Mark Sanford and the Republican majority in the South Carolina General Assembly were at war with each other during the recent legislative session. At least, that’s what was reported repeatedly by the media in South Carolina.
Paul Harvey would say, though, the rest of the story was something else.
There were some disputes, to be sure, but for the most part the governor and the House of Representatives did well.
According to Rep. Mike Pitts, who holds House District 14 seat (Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens), the governor had 16 objectives and the House delivered on 14 on them. Sanford wasn’t that successful in the state Senate, though.

IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING, IT appeared the goals for the Republican governor and Republican Legislature were pretty much the same. It was simply a matter of how to reach those goals that created some differences, Pitts said. But a war? Some might think so, but legislative results speak for themselves. In a political tug of war taxpayers might have expected a stand-still. However, the fact that tax cuts led to a huge state surplus indicates progress.
Rep. Pitts gave a legislative briefing at a Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast and covered issues past, present and future. Pitts is one elected official who seemingly pulls no punches. He dodges nothing. On immigration, education, including vouchers, the budget, jobs, health care and other issues, he is to the point, something that is not common to all politicians. That alone is refreshing after so much bitter rhetoric and finger-pointing of late.

MOST OF THE ISSUES IN SOUTH Carolina are tough and demand tough decisions. Pitts leaves no doubt where he stands on each. That, too, is a welcome respite from what has become the usual partisanship that too often gets in the way of cooperation and progress.
One thing Pitts said speaks volumes. He advised the group to demand accountability from all elected officials, especially those in the General Assembly. “Don’t let us get away with anything,” he urged. Don’t accept incomplete answers or lack of responses to questions or issues, he said. Keep us accountable. That perhaps was his most important message. Not many people in public life will throw out that kind of challenge.
Pitts, it seems, is one of a rare breed where truth and hard work go together. We need more of that sort.