Blackwell’s fate left to board

Decision on job expected April 16

April 8, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

WARE SHOALS — After nearly 14 hours of witness statements in a closed hearing, Ware Shoals residents now wait to know whether suspended Ware Shoals High School principal Jane Blackwell will keep her job.
The hearing for Blackwell, who was suspended following her January arrest on a charge of obstruction of justice, began at about 9:30 a.m. Friday and continued until almost 11:30 p.m.
The school board will reconvene Thursday afternoon to deliberate about what it heard Friday. District 51 board chairman Ed Farr announced Friday that the board will have a decision about Blackwell’s status with the district by the April 16 school board meeting.
The 14-hour closed meeting was part of a turbulent day at Ware Shoals High. The hearing was supposed to have been public. Blackwell and her lawyers, Billy Garrett and Lance Sheek, however, threatened to take the meeting private if any cameras, from the media or otherwise, were activated during witness statements.
Shortly before Friday’s witness statements in front of a large crowd, school board attorney Bruce Davis warned all media members to shut off their cameras or the meeting would become private.
WSPA reporter Carmen Coursey and her cameraman refused to shut their camera off, later citing the desire to truly show the elements of the hearing to all members of the public, not just those in the auditorium, as the reason for doing so.
Davis and Farr soon closed the meeting— without initially voting to do so as required by law — setting off an angry response from the crowd, many of whom directed their frustration at Coursey and her cameraman, who were escorted out of the building by Ware Shoals Police officers.
Sheek discussed the reasons Blackwell didn’t want cameras rolling during witness statements.
“We had two competing interests,” Sheek said. “The first was the interest of the community being able to see and hear the evidence as it was presented. But more than that was the children, the students of the school. She wanted them to be protected from anymore exposure. I know that some of the national media had run a tagline ‘Cheerleaders Gone Wild’ and actually had pictures of them on there.
“She absolutely refused to expose them to that type of exposure anymore. When (WSPA) refused to cut their camera off, she had no choice but to take it private.”
The “children” Sheek referred to were Ware Shoals cheerleaders and other students whose depositions were shown on videotape Friday.
On Saturday, South Carolina Press Association attorney Jay Bender — one of the nation’s foremost open meetings experts — said he thought the situation was badly mishandled by Davis and Blackwell’s attorneys.
“The choice as to whether that hearing was public or private lied solely with Mrs. Blackwell,” Bender said. “It is simply not appropriate to lay the blame on the news media. She had sole control over that. “An effort to blame it on someone else for closing it greatly calls into question their credibility.”
Bender said if Blackwell and her attorneys had truly wanted the meeting to be public, cameras should have been welcomed with open arms.
“You have to understand, the press is a surrogate for the people,” Bender said. “There are people who couldn’t get off work or couldn’t be there that certainly had an interest in that hearing. The public extends far beyond the confines of that auditorium.”
Bender said if the school board and/or Blackwell truly hoped to regain public trust that has been lost over the last two months, closing access to the hearing was simply the wrong move.
“It was a mistake to hold it behind closed doors,” he said. “One reason for that is because witnesses are more likely to tell the truth if they know their comments are being viewed publicly rather than behind the privacy of closed doors.”
Blackwell is accused of withholding evidence from the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office in its investigation of former Ware Shoals cheerleading coach Jill Moore. Moore was arrested in January and charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors and distributing alcohol to minors. The sheriff’s office also accuses Moore of putting two then-16-year-old cheerleaders in an “incredibly inappropriate situation” in connection with a sexual relationship Moore was having with a National Guardsman.

Food for thought

Inspiration, love dished out at Pre-Easter Dinner

April 8, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

Christmas isn’t the only holiday where giving is celebrated.
One look around the R.L. Stevens Center in Greenwood Saturday verified that as fact.
County council member Edith Childs hosted her sixth annual Pre-Easter Dinner at the center. The dinner provides a free meal to underprivileged or needy individuals throughout the community.
While Childs hosted the event, state Rep. Anne Parks and county councilman Gonza Bryant also spoke during the pre-dinner program. A number of local ministers and representatives from local churches also participated, serving the meals to the dozens of attendees seeking a hot lunch.
The Rev. David Connor spoke about the importance of events such as this one as he presided over a massive grill behind the center. The area looked like a veritable tailgate party, with numerous grills and fryers being used to cook fish, chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans and more.
“It’s important for us to give back to the community,’’ Connor said, “especially at this time of year, right before Easter. It gives the people here an opportunity today to focus their mind on Christianity.”
Bryant’s presence was actually a surprise, as the councilman popped in near the end of the pre-dinner program.
“I had to come on down here, because this is where all my friends are,” Bryant said, gathering a laugh from the crowd. “It has been a tough week, as there have been many things that have troubled me in our community, troubled us all. But God is still good, and he has blessed us to be here today.”
Parks provided Easter eggs for everyone in attendance, though Childs was quick to let the crowd know about the egg-dyeing process.
“I’m here to tell you, Anne Parks had me up until midnight dyeing those eggs last night,” Childs said. “I thought I would turn into a chicken before we were through.”
Childs’ address was not all jokes. The councilwoman passionately spoke about her desired reduction of black-on-black crime, illegal drug activities, dropping out of school, sub-standard housing and unemployment, among other topics.
She also provided information on job openings in the county and about agencies that can arrange part-time work while a person is still seeking full-time employment.
She said there was one helpful instruction she thinks is perhaps most prevalent in the Easter season.
“Accept Jesus Christ,” Childs said, “because he gives strength and provides a way to do every good thing.”

Obituaries

William Hager

IVA — William Stanley Hager, 58, of the Level Land Community, husband of Linda Hyde Hager, died Saturday April 7, 2007, at his home.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville.

Harold McCord

Harold Adolphus McCord, 85, resident of 133 Sheffield Road, widower of Mary Gaines McCord, died April 5, 2007 at his home.
Born in Greenwood County, Sept. 17, 1921, he was a son of the late Adolphus A. and Lillie Haddon McCord. He was a 1940 graduate of Greenwood High School and the University of South Carolina, having received his B.S. degree in Business Administration. Mr. McCord was a US Navy Veteran of WW II and retired from Southern Brick Co.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served on the Board of Deacons. He was also a member of the American Legion Post No. 20 and was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the Soup Kitchen.
Surviving are a daughter, Mary Grace McCord of Greenwood; a son, Robert Gaines McCord of Clinton; and a granddaughter, Casey Elise McCord of Greenwood.
A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church, with Rev. David Mayo officiating.
A private family burial with military rites will be in Edgewood Cemetery.
Honorary attendees will be all of the caregivers that have supported the family during Harold’s illness, the staff of I Need. Inc., along with Harold Jernigan, David Dees, Donald McKellar, Harold Lumley, Calhoun Mays, Jr., Richard Gray, William John Park, Dave Simonsen, “Country” Harrison, Danny Haralson, Ricky Willis, John McCord, Robert Gray, Rick Gray, Jimmy Wade, Bill Thompson and Edwin Sloan.
The family is at the home in Sheffield and will receive friends in Alexander Hall of First Presbyterian Church immediately following the service.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29648, Piedmont Agency on Aging, Meals on Wheels, PO Box 997, Greenwood, SC 29648 or to The Soup Kitchen.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the McCord family.

Kelsey B. Middleton

MOUNT CARMEL — Kelsey Brendel Middleton, 27, of 124 Ike Road, died Friday, April 6, 2007, on Hattie Branch Road from a drowning accident.
The family is at the home of his grandparents, 142 Ike Road.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home, Abbeville.

Joseph Peterson

BALTIMORE — Joseph Peterson died April 2, 2007 at his home in Baltimore, Md.
He was the son of the late Esau Peterson and Addie Boyd Peterson.
Surviving besides his mother are two brothers, Robert G. Walker of Greenwood and Windell Peterson of the home; one aunt, Laura E. Boyd of Greenwood; 6 nieces; 3 nephews; and many cousins.
Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in Baltimore, Md.
Courtesy of Parks Funeral Home.

Roy Rock

Roy Franklin Rock, 87, of 215 Freeway Road, husband of Evelyn Rock, died Friday, April 6, 2007, at Savannah Heights Living Center in McCormick.
Born in Ceredo, W.Va., he was the son of the late George and Irene Johnson Rock. Mr. Rock was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII and a member of the Elks Club. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service as a Mail Carrier and was of the Lutheran faith.
Surviving in addition of his wife of the home are two sons, Kerry Lee Rock and Benjamin Rock, both of Ohio; and a grandchild.
No services are planned.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the Rock family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Myrtle Spearman

WARE SHOALS — Myrtle Marie Spearman, 80, formerly of Ware Shoals, died April 7, 2007, at Abbeville Nursing Home. She was born in Greenwood County, the only daughter of William Eskew and Nora Lee Higgins Spearman.
She was a member of Walnut Grove Baptist Church and had worked in the office of Riegel Textile Corp. for many years.
A few older cousins survive her.
Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, with the Rev. Jim H. Warren officiating.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Corrie Todd

Corrie V. Todd, 85, formerly of Apt. 5-J Hampton House, 306 Grove Road, died at 9:45a.m. on Wednesday, April 4, 2007, at Hospice House after several years of declining health.
She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.v Born on Feb. 17, 1922, she was the daughter of the late Andrew Guy and Nannie Mae Power Todd. She retired from Greenwood Mills in 1984 after 35 years of service. She was a member of Lowell Street United Methodist Church.
Surviving are several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Special appreciations go to Dr. L.M. McGinnis and his staff for the great medical care that she had received the last two years of her life: to Self Regional Home Health Nurses, Hospice Home Health Nurses, Dr. Robert Todd, and the staff at Hospice House.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to Lowell Street United Methodist Church, 300 Lowell Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
It was Miss. Todd’s wishes that no services be planned.
The families are at their respective homes.
Harley Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

CORRECTIONS

*There was an omission in the information given to The Index-Journal for the obituary of Hiwadii Mitchell in Saturday’s paper. Burial will be in Evening Star Cemetery.
*For the obituary of Dennis Gamble in Saturday’s paper, there was an omission and an error in the information given to The Index-Journal. Survivors include a grandmother, Carolyn Martin of Ware Shoals. One of the pallbearers is Chad Calhoun.

Opinion

Faith, human doubts ... ... and cry from the Cross!

April 8, 2007

Today, Easter Sunday, is the most important day of Christianity. It is the day of Resurrection, the time when Jesus Christ returned to life after he was crucified, dead and buried.
There are many secular events associated with the Easter season, to be sure. We see them every year in a variety of events all over South Carolina.
Nevertheless, it is the religious aspects of this day that make Christianity special to so many Americans. Sometimes, though, the significance of some things may not be familiar.
Take eggs and rabbits, for instance. According to the World Book Encyclopedia these are the only familiar symbols unrelated to the Easter story. Eggs, which represent new life, have been a symbol of spring since ancient times.

CHRISTIANS ADOPTED THE egg as an Easter symbol because of the relationship between Easter and the renewal of life.
Rabbits are associated with the fertility of spring because of their ability to produce many young.
Be that as it may, the religious significance of this day is everything to Christianity.
Leading up to this day, though, there is one question about the day of crucifixion that might come to mind and it could create doubts for some. It comes while Christ is suffering on the Cross. He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
Skeptics might argue that if Christ was indeed the Son of God He would know everything and would, therefore, have no reason to ask that question. Isn’t it, though, it reinforced the very reason for Christ’s coming to earth: To fulfill the scriptures by becoming one of the people.

EVERY HUMAN HAS DOUBTS. Indeed, it is typically human. Could it be, then, that the doubt shown by Christ on the Cross was a typical human reaction that gave even further meaning and proof of His being the Son that God sent to offer each of us salvation?
John 3-16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” There is no faith without doubt. And, faith is what life and salvation are all about. Do we ever learn without first having doubts ..... and faith?
Christ came to us as a human. He lived with us as a human. He died as a human. Through everything, though, including doubt, He came back to us as the Son of God. That’s what today is all about, and Christians have no doubts.