Jury selection begins

Officials: Abbeville ready for trial

February 6, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — Abbeville is as ready as it will ever be.
The city and county that will host Steven Bixby’s capital murder trial in the Dec. 8, 2003 deaths of law officers Sgt. Danny Wilson and constable Donnie Ouzts has prepared most diligently for the difficult task now at hand.
An event more than three years in the waiting could begin as soon as Friday, or as quickly as 12 members of a jury qualified to hear a death penalty case can be selected from Chesterfield County residents.
Members of several government and law enforcement agencies that are collaborating on the effort are confident security and safety during the trial will not be a concern.
“I think everything is progressing very thoroughly and without any problem,” Sheriff Charles Goodwin said. “Every agency we have called upon has come forth with open arms to assist us with the task before us.
“It’s just like anything else, if you don’t have a plan or foundation it could fall apart, but with the structure we have in place with this I don’t think there is anything that will happen that will make us venture away from that.”
Emergency Management director Steven McDade is one member of the “structure” Goodwin spoke of.
He thinks the plan in place now is ideal.
“Absolutely, I think the measures and procedures that we have in place are adequate,” McDade said. “When dealing with different agencies you have to have good leadership, and we have that here with Sheriff Goodwin and (Abbeville) county director Scott Moulder.”
Aiding the collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies from across the state is the presence of the Palmetto 800 Megahertz System, a system that enables law enforcement officials to communicate freely with each other on a single statewide network.
McDade says the new technology is crucial.
“Without this system, we would still be trying to figure out how to talk with each other,” McDade said “It’s been a great evolution for us. With this we now have the ability to work with each other.
“You hear across the country about agencies dealing with in-operability. I can’t even put a (price) tag on (the system) because it’s that important.”
Communication and coordination are key players in the preparation.
“Just like the planning for any other event, it starts with communication and coordination, you have to be able to do that effectively,” McDade said. “A lot of people think of it as a chain of command, but it’s not really like that. We understand each others responsibilities and capabilities and then the cooperation comes.
“The cooperation is there because the different disciplines are used to utilizing the instant command structure.”
The same organization that goes into preparing for severe thunderstorms or wintry conditions in Abbeville County went into the preparation for the trial.
“Whether it’s the Bixby trial or winter weather, you make contacts ahead of time, everything is already in place,” McDade said. “Setting up and being prepared for (the trial) has been easy. It’s been a wonderful process to have been a part of. We’re getting a lot of help from a lot of different places.
“I’m not proud of what happened (in the standoff) — two officers died. But I am proud of the way that everyone has come together to prepare for (the trial).”
New Abbeville City Manager Nolan Wiggins Jr. thinks as Goodwin and McDade both do — Abbeville is ready.
“I think that we’re well prepared,” Wiggins said. “We’re working with county and state agencies to get as ready as possible. You try to prepare for everything. Our biggest thing is how much the trial will disrupt downtown, as far as the businesses go.
“With the limited parking and added security it’s going to affect the heart of Abbeville.”
Officials have tried their best to keep businesses on the city’s popular square in the loop.
“From our side, on a normal day we have parking issues and this will probably throw a monkey wrench into people’s daily routine,” Wiggins said. “We’ve tried to give business owners as much information as possible and have tried to work with the state and county to minimize the impact as much as possible.
“Hopefully, it won’t affect them too much. Some might even see an increase in business. Everyone is just kind of waiting to see what happens. There has been a lot of communication between everyone involved. Everyone wants things to go as smoothly as possible.”
Goodwin says all county residents, as well as anyone associated with the trial, should feel safe throughout.
“Everyone involved (with the trial) should feel safe with the comprehensive plan that we have put together,” Goodwin said. “Of course, the number one priority and concern is safety, not only for those inside the court, but the entire county of Abbeville as well.”

100% of taxes due in Saluda

February 6, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

SALUDA — In an issue that has been increasingly clouded, one fact is clear: Saluda County residents who paid 100 percent of their 2006 property taxes will not get a 20 percent reimbursement.
The issue stems from property tax bills many Saluda County residents received for 2006. Their properties had been recently assessed, and many of the resident’s bills were markedly higher than in 2005.
This led to several contentious county council meetings, with hundreds of residents showing up and demanding for the ordinance that confirmed the assessments be rescinded. The rescinding made it through two readings in the council, but was ultimately overturned by a 3-2 vote Jan. 9. This decision meant Saluda County residents would still have to pay the higher tax bills.
One topic of discussion at the Jan. 9 meeting was that residents could pay 80 percent of their 2006 tax bill. That would only be possible, however, if property owners filed individual appeals with the county auditor to have their property reassessed.
Saluda County auditor Jane Guy, said residents will not receive a 20 percent refund if they have already paid 100 percent of their 2006 tax bill.
“No, if they have already paid their entire bill, there is no refund,” Guy said. “If someone has filed an appeal before paying their taxes, then they will have paid 80 percent of the bill, and are waiting on the results of the appeal.”
Some Saluda residents mistakenly though the discussion of the 80 percent appeal meant they could receive a reimbursement if they had already paid their entire bill.
Guy also said many citizens thought they could pay the same amount on their 2006 tax bill as they did in 2005.
This also stemmed from the Jan. 9 county council meeting, when council chairman T. Hardee Horne discussed a compromise in which Saluda residents could pay the same amount for 2006 as they did in 2005. According to Guy, however, this was never an ordinance that was officially proposed and voted on by the council.
“(Horne) said that at the meeting, but the crowd was so rowdy people and got confused,” Guy said. “That was never acted upon. The 2006 tax bills are what they are.”
Guy said residents who filed for an appeal may have no more to pay than the 80 percent they have already paid on their bill. But the reassessment may find that they owe anywhere from 81 to 100 percent of the previously billed amount.

Obituaries

Frances W. Abney

NINETY SIX — Frances W. Abney, 73, of 1209 Brickyard Road, wife of John Bell Abney Sr., died Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007, at Saluda Nursing Center.
The family is at the home of a son, the Rev. Mark Abney, 102 Balsam Lane, Greenwood.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Lila Massengill

Lila Wells Massengill, 86, widow of Paul Robinson Massengill, M.D., died Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 at Wesley Commons.
She was born Dec. 23, 1920, the fifth of six children of Claude Lamar and Levica Elizabeth Nicholls Wells. She was a graduate of Greenwood High School and Duke University, having received a B.S. Degree in Nursing. Later she returned to Lander College and completed a B.S. in Elementary Education.
While teaching at Blake Elementary School, she completed her M.Ed. from Clemson University. She helped coordinate the Licensed Practical Nursing Program for Greenwood County Vocational Facility and taught there for six years while she pursued other graduate studies. She then completed her career in education as a teacher for hearing and vision-impaired students in Abbeville School District.
For the past few years she has been a resident of the Wesley Commons Retirement Community in Greenwood.
A lifelong member of Main Street United Methodist Church, she was also a lifetime member of the S.C. Education Association and the National Education Association. She was a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Star Fort Chapter. Mrs. Massengill was former member and president of the Greenwood Medical Auxiliary, the Atheneum Study Club and the Ivy Garden Club. She was also a former associate member and Circle Leader of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Myers, FL.
Surviving are her children, Ann Wells Massengill and husband, John Evans of Georgetown, Elizabeth “Libby” Massengill Bannister and husband, Brooks of Hartsville, Paul R. Massengill, Jr. and wife, Lynne of Easley and Claude Wells Massengill and wife, Ceres of Greenwood; her grandchildren, Elizabeth Bannister Thompson and husband, Larry “Tee” and C. Brooks Bannister, Jr. and wife, Stacey all of Hartsville, Laura Wells Bannister of Pawley’s Island, Paul R. “Tripp” Massengill, III of Charleston, Carrie Massengill Frost and husband, Will of Easley, Scott M. Massengill and wife, Michelle of Piedmont, William Wells Massengill and Nathan Wasson Massengill of Rock Hill; step-grandchildren, Jim Sughrue, II of Raleigh, NC, Heather Sughrue Yates of Taylors, John Taylor Dalton and Lauren Katherine Dalton, both of Greenwood; great-grandchildren, Hunter Knight Thompson and Laura Katerine “Kate” Thompson and Ellis Elizabeth Bannister, all of Hartsville; and a brother, John Anderson “Jack” Wells of Myrtle Beach.
Mrs. Massengill was predeceased by her husband of 48 years and a grandson, James Mumford “Mike” Tuck.
A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Asbury Hall, Wesley Commons Retirement Center, Greenwood, with Rev. James Dennis and Rev. Carol Peppers-Wray officiating.
Private family burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends following the memorial service.
The family requests that flowers be omitted and memorials be made to the Foundation Fund of Main Street United Methodist Church, 211 N. Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
For online condolences, please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Massengill family.

Florence F. Morton

HODGES — Florence F. Morton, 92, of 302 Cromer Road, widow of David Morton, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home and the home of a daughter Catherine Rice, 3205 Highway 25 N.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Robert Lee Moses

Mr. Robert Lee Moses, age 62, of Greenwood, formerly of Cross Hill, S.C., passed from this life on Feb. 2, 2007 at the Piedmont Hospice House of the Upstate. Son of the late Buddy Moses and Minnie Hill Moses, he was born Nov. 9, 1944 in Laurens County, S.C. He was a member of the Zion Hill Baptist Church of Cross Hill, S.C. He was previously employed with the 3 M Company of Laurens County.
He was preceded in death by a son Ronald Moses.
Mr. Moses is survived by 2 daughters, Cynthia and Ernest Cureton of Spartanburg, Brenda Watts of Cross Hill; 3 sons Donnie Moses, Robert Moses Jr. and Donald Moses, all of Cross Hill; an uncle, J.T. Hill, an aunt, Nellie Fuller, a great-aunt, Ms. Lela Miller, a devoted cousin reared in the home, Mrs. Viola Edwards, all of Cross Hill; a special friend, Ms. Sarah Dendy of Waterloo; 5 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of cousins and other loving relatives and friends.
Services will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Cross Hill.
Childs Funeral Home, Inc.

Otis Ross

WARE SHOALS — Otis Ray Ross, 70, husband of Clarice McCoy Ross, of 2322 Poplar Springs Road, died Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center. He was born in Laurens County, a son of the late Sally Ross and was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. He was retired from Ball Incon after thirty five years.
Surviving are his wife of the home, two sons, Anthony Ross, and Gene Ross, both of Ware Shoals, one brother, Luther “Buck” Ross, Ware Shoals, and grandchildren, Danny, Amanda, Cameron, Monica and Micayla Ross.
He was predeceased by a brother, Harold Ross.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, 3 p.m. at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, with Rev. Dr. Marcus Bishop and Rev. Lamar Babb officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Rick Hollingsworth, Will Culbertson, Herb Powers, Keith Batson, Mike Madden and Joe Earl McCoy.
Honorary pallbearers will be Gerald Davis, Joe Babb, Jim Freeman, Charles Willis, Jerry Campbell, Mark Culbertson, Herman and Russell Noland and Billy Cooper, Harold Madden, Hugh Edwards, Thomas Lancaster. Joe Babb and James Sullivan.
The family is at the home and will receive friends Tuesday 6-8 p.m. at Parker-White Funeral Home. The body will be placed in the church at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Anderson sinks Fleet

February 6, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

DUE WEST — The second meeting of the season between the Erskine and Anderson men’s basketball teams ended similarly to the first meeting.
This time around though, it was the Trojans who watched the Flying Fleet miss a last-second shot at the buzzer in their 56-53 victory Monday at Belk Arena.
Kris Fudzinskas led the Trojans with 10 points and eight rebounds while teammate Nathan Russell finished with nine points and six assists.
J.R. Howell’s 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 44 seconds remaining cut the Fleet’s lead to 50-49. The Trojans finally broke through when Nathan Russell converted a three-point play with 1:56 remaining to give his squad a 54-53 lead.
The Flying Fleet came up empty on their final three possessions though and the Trojans held on for the win.
“I knew it was going to be that kind of game. Great fan support as always for this game,” Trojans coach Jason Taylor said. “I was really worried about Craig Williams because we have nobody who can match up with him and fortunately tonight they missed a lot of shots. It wasn’t so much our defense as them missing a lot of shots.”
The Fleet led 5-3 with 17:51 remaining in the first half following a 3-pointer by Brandon Wright. Teammate Matt Odom followed with another shot from beyond the arc giving the Flying Fleet an 8-3 lead.
Craig Williams returned to the Flying Fleet lineup and scored 15 points in the loss. T.J. Taylor and Wright, who had picked up the scoring in Williams’ absence, were virtual no-shows against the Trojans.
They shot a combined 6-for-27 from the field, including 4-for-19 from behind the arc.
“We couldn’t shoot the ball very well. When your two best shooters go 3-for 15 and 3-for-12, we’re not going to win many games,” Flying Fleet coach Mark Peeler said. “That’s the way it is with Anderson and Erskine. It’s always going to be a close game. I take responsibility for not calling a timeout at the end of the game though. That was bad coaching on my part.”
The Trojans were able to tie the game 10-all following Drew Keenan’s free-throw with 10:18 left in the first half as the Flying Fleet went scoreless for 7:14 until Wright’s 3-pointer gave Peeler’s squad a 13-10 lead
The Flying Fleet maintained the trend of hitting back to back 3-pointers when T.J. Taylor connected on the next offensive possession to push the lead to 16-10 with 7:11 remaining in the half.
John LeSuer answered with a 3-pointer for the Trojans as they trailed 16-13 at the 6:13 mark.
Joshua Beale’s mid-range jumper pulled the Trojans to within one point, 20-19, but Williams converted two free-throws and a half-court shot by the Trojans was waved off as the Flying Fleet led 22-19 at the half.
The Trojans finally took their first lead of the game, 25-24, since the opening minutes of the when they led 3-2 following a shot by Fudzinskas with 17:38 remaining.
The Flying Fleet responded with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a T.J. Taylor 3-pointer.
Beale answered inside for the Trojans at the 14:20 mark with a strong move inside, cutting the lead to 30-27.
The Trojans trailed by two points (35-33) with 11:20 remaining but turned the ball over on offense, missing an opportunity to pull even with the Flying Fleet.
The Flying Fleet led 40-37 at the midway point in the second half thanks to a tip-in by James Fraley.
B.J. Ware’s jumper at the 8:35 mark pulled the Trojans back to within one point (40-39).
Coach Jason Taylor’s squad still trailed by one point (43-42) following a 3-pointer Howell.
Five unanswered points by the Flying Fleet though, prompted Taylor to call a timeout with less than 6 minutes remaining in the game.

Lady Trojans handle Erskine women at Belk

February 6, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

DUE WEST — Anderson University’s Shadae Thompson scored a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, in the Lady Trojans’ 62-45 victory against the Lady Fleet Monday night at Belk Arena.
“I thought we did very good defensively throughout the game,” Lady Trojans coach Jeff Dow said.
“To hold an opponent to 45 points on their floor certainly speaks volumes. I felt like they didn’t get a lot of good looks from three and they have a lot of good three-point shooters.”
The Lady Trojans (17-3, 11-2) also held a sizable 42-25 edge in the rebounding department.
Kristy Vaughn led the Lady Fleet (4-15, 3-11) with 14 points.
The Lady Trojans’ Shanice Wilson hit a 3-pointer in the opening minutes of the game, sparking a 12-0 run. The Lady Flying Fleet went scoreless until Audrey Timmerman converted two free throws with 16 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the first half. Timmerman finished with nine points, below her season average nearly 15 points a game.
From that point, both teams were cold offensively until Anderson’s Haley Riffle hit the second of two free throws with 13:56 remaining in the half.
Lisa Jackson answered with a short jumper on the Lady Fleet’s next possession, cutting the deficit to nine.
Anderson hit back to back 3-pointers to extend the lead to 19-4 with 12:29 remaining in the first half.
The Lady Fleet continued to fight back though. Vaughn’s lay-in with 2:09 remaining cut the Lady Trojans’ lead to 10 points (30-20), the closest the Lady Fleet had been since the 9:19 mark.
The Lady Fleet trailed 32-23 at the half following a last-second shot by Lacey Williams.
The Lady Fleet continued to cut into the lead (32-25) in the opening seconds of the second half following a basket by Timmerman.
The Lady Trojans answered by going on a 7-1 run prompting a timeout by Lady Fleet coach Maggie Peeler as her squad found themselves in another double-digit hole.
“We’ve really been struggling and we tried to feed off the rivalry concept,” Lady Fleet coach Maggie Peeler said. “We wanted to make sure at the half that we were under 10 and we did that.
Their athleticism took over and they did what they had to do. We weren’t perfect tonight.”
Lauren Brendle finally ended the drought with a 3-pointer with less than 15 remaining in the game (41-29), but the Lady Trojans went on another 13-4 run to remain in control 54-33 with 10:13 remaining.
Thompson’s 3-pointer for the Lady Trojans extended the lead to 59-35 to the dismay of Lady Fleet fans.
The Lady Fleet called a timeout with 6:17 remaining in the game still trailing by the same margin. The brief talk with Peeler might have given the Lady Fleet a spark as they came out on an 8-0 run. It was capped off by a turn-around jumper by Vaughn, cutting the lead to 59-43 with less than three minutes remaining.
It wasn’t enough though as the Lady Trojans held on for win.

Opinion

More efforts are needed to force ‘illegals’ action

February 6, 2007

Illegal immigration is just as much an issue in South Carolina as it is in any other state, including those along our borders. That should encourage everyone to take a good look at any effort to solve the problem. It should add interest to a proposal by Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Greenwood, Abbeville, Laurens.
Rep. Pitts offered legislation the other day to turn illegal immigrants away from emergency rooms and public schools. He says the situation now is a burden to education and health care systems.
He’s right, without question, but there are those who disagree, which is not unexpected in a world where too many people can’t see - or won’t see - that illegal should mean illegal ..... but doesn’t, apparently.

REP. PITTS FREELY NOTES that his legislation violates federal immigration laws. He urges his fellow lawmakers, though, to approve it anyway and test states’ rights.
Anyone who knows Rep. Pitts knows he is not an uncaring individual. He may, in fact, be one of our state’s lawmakers who is second to none in really caring about the welfare of all of his constituents. Furthermore, he obviously is unafraid, politically or otherwise, to address problems that need addressing by state legislatures and Congress ..... both of which apparently are reluctant to put political capital on the line.
It’s long past time for states to indeed test their rights in issues such as illegal immigration.

HOWEVER, IF WINKING AT illegals continues in Washington, and that appears to be a constant non-approach to the problem, it’s very likely that in the absence of a definitive court ruling nobody else will do a thing.
Rep. Pitts deserves our support, and while states’ rights may indeed be worth exploring, there’s another possibility that ought to be considered. Maybe it’s going to take these kinds of challenges to convince lawmakers in general to make a conscious and honest effort to find a solution to the illegal immigration problem. It’s undeniable that a strain is placed on taxpayers in several respects, with two of them being in education and health care.
Somewhere along the way lawmakers also should stop tying the hands of authorities who are not allowed to even inquire whether illegals are illegal.