Solicitor living his dream

For Bixby prosecutor, legal career was lifelong goal

February 7, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — Eighth Circuit Solicitor Jerry W. Peace recalls tuning in as a youngster to view the weekly exploits of legendary television attorney Perry Mason.
And they weren’t even reruns in those days.
The episodes came before a time when the cable channel TNT had seemingly cornered the market on drama-with-cop show after lawyer show after cop-lawyer show.
What Peace saw in those black-and-white frames fascinated him. Then and there, and quite possibly at other stops along the way, he knew he would be a lawyer.
“I wanted to be a lawyer since the second grade,” Peace said. “Oh yes, there was Perry Mason (played by actor Raymond Burr) and all that. I did watch that, for sure.”
Peace is certainly grateful that his dreams of becoming an attorney panned out. Otherwise, he’s not quite sure what would have become of him professionally.
“It was just the opportunity to help people,” Peace said of the reasoning behind his career goals. “I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t gotten into law school and passed the bar. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Now Peace finds himself at the center of one of Abbeville’s most high profile cases — as a member of the prosecution in the state’s case against Steven Bixby, who is charged in the slaying of two law enforcement officials during a raid on his parents’ house in 2003.
Peace completed law school at the University of South Carolina, following undergraduate studies at Wofford College.
But his future did not hold to the same early aspirations he might have had under Perry Mason’s expert tutelage.
Though he has spent time on both sides of a courtroom, working for the prosecution and preparing strategy for the defense, Jerry Peace was destined to be a prosecutor.
“I’m retired Army and there you do them both, so I’ve been on both sides,” Peace said of his service with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. “I was the regional defense counsel right before I started working (with the Eighth Judicial Circuit). I’m more comfortable on the prosecution side. I feel that’s where I can best serve society.”
Peace calls the events that led to his being elected to serve as Eighth Circuit solicitor “divine intervention.”
“I got a call (while at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga.) from a friend who had interviewed with (former Eighth Judicial Circuit Solicitor) Townes (Jones). He didn’t take the job, but he told Townes about me.
“Being from Greenville, the only thing I knew (about Greenwood) was the city was halfway between where I lived in Augusta and Greenville. Townes called me, things worked out and I’m here. Nine years ago if you had told me I’d be working in Greenwood or that I would be solicitor I would have had you committed.”
The fact that the case against Steven Bixby has taken better than three years to reach jury selection still bothers Peace, though he admits there’s no one to blame.
“This has been a nightmare for everyone, but it’s not necessarily anybody’s fault,” Peace said. “Townes (Jones) had already announced that he was leaving office in January of 2005, so there was no way that anyone else in the office wanted to get involved with (the case) because we didn’t know what was going to happen.”
Peace eventually decided to run for solicitor himself.
“There wasn’t really a single reason why I ran (for solicitor),” he said. “I had all the experience I needed to be solicitor and I had already been working in the solicitor’s office for seven years. I knew the people and the strengths and weaknesses of the people and the office, so there was going to be no learning curve required. I was fortunate to get enough of the votes.”
Assisting Peace for the prosecution will be deputy solicitors (a position Peace himself once held within the same office) Andrew Hodges and John Anthony.
“We’ll actually split the case in segments, and each of us will make presentations and speak to the jury,” Peace said. “First, there is a lot of information, so you want to have assistance, and second, this the first death penalty case in the circuit since 1997. We want our people to get death penalty case experience. They know the case.”
Peace — who will also handle the state’s prosecution of cases against Steven Bixby’s parents (Arthur and Rita) for their involvement in the events of Dec. 8, 2003 — was pleased with the court’s decision to have the trial take place in Abbeville.
“I know that the family was pleased, there’s no question about that,” Peace said. “I’d much rather try (the case) in Abbeville. The family deserves to have it in Abbeville.”
No matter what happens — there are rumors that several groups will show up to protest outside — Peace says once the trial begins nothing will distract the members of the prosecution from their pursuit of justice.
“Once you get started on things you don’t really pay attention to all that,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you how many people are behind the bar. The focus is on what’s going on in front of me. We want to see justice done. We’ll present the evidence and the jury will make the decision.”
Steven Bixby has never been closer to his day in court. The prosecution wants to make sure it stays that way. It’s why Peace still won’t comment on a delay that kept the trial from proceeding in October.
“In any murder case there are always things that can happen,” Peace said. “There are always a thousand things that could happen, but we hope none of them do. I just don’t want to talk about (the delay) right now. I’ll be glad to address that after the jury has made its decision.”
That’s because there’s a saying in the solicitor’s office.
“Regardless of how good things look, there’s always that snake in the grass,” Peace said. “He’s laying there, just laughing at you, waiting to trip you up.”

‘It’s alive!’ at Mathews Elementary

Students show experiments at science fair

February 7, 2007

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Even the greatest scientists in history had to start somewhere.
Young scientists invited their parents Tuesday night to the Mathews Elementary School PTO science fair to demonstrate their science experiments, located in the main hall of the school.
Students used eggs and matches, balloons and paper, and yes, even vinegar and baking powder, to demonstrate the effects of a vacuum, static electricity and chemical reactions.
But students were doing more than showing off for their parents — they also were learning, said Mona Borland, principal at Mathews Elementary.
Students individually and in class designed the experiments using the scientific method, a part of state education standards, with parents enjoying the results.
“I think they get a pride in their children’s work and seeing it displayed,” Borland said.
Each experiment had a hypothesis of what might happen, a prediction of the result, the test itself and the conclusion.
Borland also learned at an education conference that students who create science projects for several years do better on the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test.
Science experiments often were limited to vinegar-and-baking-soda-powered volcanoes decades ago, but many experiments created by Mathews students today are a bit more complicated.
Take, for example, a Mentos/Diet Coke geyser.
Garrett McAllister, a third-grader at Mathews, and two of his science buddies created the experiment, a fizzy offspring of the vinegar-and-baking-soda-volcano, from an example off the Internet, said Garrett’s mother Dana Chrisley.
What happened when the Mentos and a 2-liter of Diet Coke are mixed?
“It shot up!” Garrett said, raising his hand into the air.
Chrisley said she liked her son’s experiment and others, including Coca-Cola-stained boiled eggs used to show a K-4 class the importance of dental care.
“We didn’t have anything like this when I was in school,” she said.
The science fair has been a big topic of discussion for Garrett in the past few days.
Leeann Gordon walked down Mathews’ main hall with her third-grade son Will to see his experiment.
Will’s group experiment involved finding out what would cause a toy car to move with less friction.
Leeann Gordon said she participated in a science fair, like her son, in the seventh grade, where she got an honorable mention.
Sandra Easley’s daughter India, a fifth-grader at Mathews, created an experiment to see which brand of popcorn makes the most popped kernels.
Easley thought her daughter’s project was excellent and used the scientific method well.
The Mathews PTO also had a “Starving Artist” show Tuesday night featuring original creations from Mathews students that could be purchased for $1 to raise money for art supplies, said art teacher Jennifer Jones.

Knowing tornado safety can help

Preparedness supervisor gives disaster tips

February 7, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

As many have recently learned, there is little nature has to offer that can be as damaging as a tornado.
Tornadoes were once again thrust into the national spotlight last week when three high-impact twisters ripped through north central Florida, leaving homes devastated and killing 20, while injuring many others. National TV newscasts showed stark images of the damage the storms caused and the situations residents faced in the aftermath of the tornadoes.
In the Lakelands, tornadoes are not extremely common but do pose a threat. Pat Patterson, who supervises the emergency preparedness program for Greenwood County, said local residents should always be prepared in case of an emergency.
“It is one of the most imminent threats we can face here,” Patterson said. “It is very likely we will face a tornado at one point or another.”
In fact, emergency weather sirens around the county were tested Monday morning, an action Patterson said happens monthly. He said the sirens are tested on the first Monday every month.
“If you hear the sirens then, you know we are testing them,” Patterson said. “Any other time, you know that severe weather is on the way, or that volunteer fire fighters are being alerted.”
Patterson said that it is important for people to know something is happening when the sirens are sounded. He did not think the message is getting across, because the local 9-1-1 call center receives numerous calls every time the sirens are tested, with residents wondering what is going on.
The sirens are common in the Midwest, where tornadoes are extremely common. However, they are not commonly used in Florida. Officials in Florida said they don’t foresee starting a siren system, as residents aren’t accustomed to having them like those in the Midwest.
Some officials in Florida said it doesn’t make sense to build a siren program from the ground up at this point.
Patterson said one of the more effective warning systems against tornadoes is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert radio. These radios are designed to give warning to residents and provide information on when the tornadoes are supposed to touch down in a specific area.
“Radio Shack or Wal-Mart or any store with a brain sells them,” Patterson said. “They can save your life. Everyone should have one in their home.”
In Florida, the NOAA issued warning across the radios 16, 11 and 9 minutes before the twisters touched down.
Another program that can be used in Greenwood County in case of a big storm is the REACH S.C. program. It is a form of reverse 9-1-1 in which emergency workers can program a system to call numerous homes in a specific area and provide a recorded warning of a storm that is about to hit. Patterson said the local reverse 9-1-1 system can contact 256 phone lines per minute.
“It’s cumbersome, but it is another effective method that we have available,” Patterson said.
Bill Farmer, sheriff of Sumter County in Florida, said that his county does have the reverse 9-1-1 system, but that the tornadoes came in so fast that they didn’t have time to activate it.
Patterson produced literature Tuesday that offered safety tips for people looking to stay safe during a tornado. People should retreat to the basement of their home, if one is available. If not, retreat to a small room near the center of the house. Stay away from any windows.
Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable.
“Get out of them,” Patterson said, referring to the time after a mobile homeowner hears a tornado is coming. “They simply are not safe during a big storm.”
The literature Patterson had suggested mobile homeowners head for community storm shelters as quickly as possible in the event of a tornado.
Patterson said that the current emergency readiness station in Greenwood is as well equipped as it has ever been. A tour around the facility Tuesday revealed a large array of computers, high-definition televisions tuned to weather and news broadcasts, digital multi-line phones, satellite phones, and a bank of radios and other communications devices. “We are in a day-to-day state of readiness,” Patterson said. “We’re prepared to deal with whatever may happen here in Greenwood.”

Signing their football futures

Area players to put pen to paper and commit to college teams

February 7, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

The big day for high school football seniors, National Signing Day, is finally here.
Players from across the Lakelands will put their names on the dotted line of the school that they plan to suit up for next season.
The irony of signing day is that, with the stroke of a pen, someone who was considered an opponent a few months ago might be the guy you’re working hard with over the next few years.
As teams continue to fill out rosters, some players from the area will sign a letter of intent at a later date, while teams take additional time to evaluate positions and ability.
Pikeville coach Mac Bryan, who spent one season directing the Emerald football program, returned to the Lakelands to recruit two former opponents.
Abbeville’s Don Don Evans and Kass Etheredge, the Lakelands’ Comeback Player of the Year as a member of the Ninety Six Wildcats, are expected to sign with the Bears today at 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., respectively.
“We want to keep that really strong connection in the Lakelands with Pikeville College. I enjoyed the area and there’s great football down through there. We want to continue to always physically go through the area and see every high school and, hopefully, continue to keep a flow of talent coming up here,” Bryan said. “Kass has got great quickness.
He’s just a good, fast athlete. Don Don is the same way. He can play a number of positions. The first thing you try to do in recruiting is find people that are athletic, can run and have a feel for the game of football.”
Although Etheredge missed three weeks with a dislocated hip while also battling turf toe, he was able to return and be a solid contributor for the Wildcats during the 2006 season, just as he had the previous two seasons.
“He had some real good stuff on film as a sophomore and junior,” Ninety Six coach Mike Doolittle said. “He’s one of those guys that I think deserves a shot, and he’s going to get one.”
Doolittle said that with the Bears being loaded at the wide receiver position, Etheredge might start out as a defensive back, a position that will allow him to continue to use his speed and athletic ability.
If Etheredge does land on the defensive side of the ball, he’ll share the huddle with Evans, who might line up at outside linebacker for the Bears.
“It’s a great opportunity that this young man has created for himself. He worked very hard in the off-season, came in and had an outstanding football season,” Panthers coach Jamie Nickles said. “He’s very versatile but I think they’ll look at him really hard at outside linebacker.”
Panthers defensive back, Desmond Peterson will have an opportunity to impress the Mars Hill coaching staff during a workout on Saturday.
He’s scheduled to perform defensive back and kick return drills for the Lions.
“He’s been getting fairly good feedback,” Nickles said. “They’re also interested in him because of his track-like skills.”
Greenwood Eagles coach Shell Dula has been tight-lipped about possible signees from the Class AAAA, Division II champs.
He admitted though, in prior talks, that he’ll have at least one player signing at 8 a.m. today in the Greenwood High School gym lobby.
The Eagles’ in-town rival Emerald Vikings are expected to possibly have two players sign with Division I-AA programs at 10 a.m. in the school’s library.
Ware Shoals’ Latavious Williams, a member of the All-Lakelands team and North-South game participant, is expected to sign a letter-of-intent at 1 p.m. today in the library conference room at Ware Shoals High School. All signs point to the South Atlantic Conference champion Newberry Indians as his destination.
Williams will be a nice addition to an Indians unit that led the SAC in total defense.
Ware Shoals coach Jeff Murdock said that he still expects some of his players to take visits to different schools while a few might enroll and walk-on.
Murdock said that he is proud of not only what Williams has done to improve on the field, but the steps he has taken to be just as effective off the field as well.
“He’s worked so hard. It’s rewarding to the team as a whole because without the guys working hard around him, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity. He has worked extremely hard to put himself in a position to be able to sign,” Murdock said. “I can’t say enough about how hard he worked in the classroom. He was ineligible his sophomore year and got everything turned back around. He’s living proof of what hard work can do for you.”

Rivalry on the diamond

A flurry of firsts

February 7, 2007

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

It might have taken longer than they would have liked, but the Bearcats took care of some firsts for the 2007 baseball season against a rival.
Two days after losing its second straight game to Lenoir-Rhyne, Lander gave first-year skipper Chris Moore his first coaching victory with a 9-2 win over Erskine Tuesday at Legion Field.
“We let Lenoir-Rhyne take the game to us, but we got things rolling early today,” Moore said. “I feel like our guys did a great job with preparation. The guys had intensity today and I didn’t think we did over the weekend.”
Starting pitcher Daniel Hinchberger, a junior transfer who sat out last season, recorded his first victory in a Lander uniform. Hinchberger was impressive in his first outing for the Bearcats (1-2), striking out 11 Fleet (2-1) batters in six strong innings, while giving up only one hit and walking none.
“It was a relief,” said Hinchberger, who hadn’t pitched in a live game in a year and a half. “It was good to get back on the mound again.”
The Bearcats (1-2), who managed only 12 hits in the two losses over the weekend, pounded out 15 hits against Erskine pitching. Nine different Bearcats provided base hits, with five having multi-hit performances. First baseman Jesse Barbaro led the way by collecting three hits, including a home run and a double.
Lander scratched out an early lead after the first inning, scoring in an unconventional manner. Former Abbeville High School standout Jonathan Myers came home head-first after tagging on Danny Morgan’s fly out in foul territory to Erskine first baseman Matt Schneider.
The Bearcats added to their lead in each of the next four innings against Erskine starter Russell Reid, who took the loss for the Fleet after allowing seven runs, five earned.
Designated hitter Chris Munn and center fielder T.J. Guinan provided four of the Bearcats’ six runs during that stretch. Munn and Guinan each picked up two hits on the day.
The Bearcats returned to the unconventional for their fifth run. Brooks Arnette broke for home on Reid’s fourth delivery to Malcolm McLeod. The pitch was low and outside and Arnette dove in safely under the tag of Erskine catcher Ryan Price.
“We actually worked on stealing home at practice yesterday (Monday),” Moore said. “You think you may run that once or twice in a year and to do it the day after you practice it is a good thing.”
With all of the offensive firepower in support, Hinchberger was as dominating as his 6-fot-7 frame is imposing on the mound. The junior struck out the side in the third, which was a part of five straight strikeouts. The Fleet didn’t get their first hit off the Lander starter until Shelton Cisson led off the fourth with a single. Cisson was later caught stealing and Hinchberger fanned two other Erskine batters to end the inning.
“Everything’s off your shoulders,” Hinchberger said of pitching with a lead. “You just go out there and throw strikes. If they hit it, they hit it. If they don’t, they don’t. You have a big lead. Just do you’re part.”
Erskine’s Brian Fogle provided both of his team’s runs, scoring the first on a wild pitch from Lander’s Justin Altman in the seventh. But Barbaro got that run back with one swing in the bottom of the inning, taking reliever Chris Peeples deep for a homer to make it 8-1.
Fogle scored again in the eighth, matching Barbaro with a home run off reliever Evan Christian.
Morgan became the ninth Lander batter to collect a base hit when he doubled to straightaway center in the eight, bringing home Barbaro for the third time and giving the Bearcats a 9-2 lead.

McCormick defeats Dixie to end regular season play

February 7, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

DUE WEST — The McCormick Chiefs boys basketball team capped off a dominating regular season by defeating the Dixie Hornets 71-54 Tuesday night at Belk Arena.
Darius Bussey, Brandon Cisco and Raynard Jackson all scored double figures for the Chiefs, finishing with 15, 16 and 14 points, respectively. But they had plenty of help in the dominating win.
“We wanted to go undefeated, we wanted to play hard and we didn’t want to let up just because we already won the region,” Chiefs coach Elmer Williams said.
The Chiefs didn’t let up early on as they raced out to an early 15-2 lead with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining in the first quarter, following a ballet-like move inside by William Peterson, who finished with eight points.
The Hornets were able to fight back in the second quarter, though, and trailed by 11 points, 29-18, at the half.
Reggie Brownlee was a big reason the Hornets were able to keep the game close early on. With leading scorer, Yavario Smith out with an ankle injury, No. 33 picked up the slack on his way to 20 points in the loss.
Kortney Clinkscales chipped in with 13 points for the Hornets.
The second half began similar to the first half, with the Chiefs using an aggressive defense to create easy baskets. That game plan worked to perfection as the Chiefs extended their lead to 37-18 midway through the third quarter following a Cisco slam dunk.
The Hornets refused to go quietly and closed the quarter with a 12-4 run.
Brownlee cut the Chiefs’ lead to 11 points 47-36 in the fourth quarter but the Chiefs went an 8-2 run, prompting a timeout by Hornets coach Tracy Carter with 5:48 remaining in the game.
The Chiefs continued to dominate following the timeout and made their final substitution with 1:45 remaining in the game, while sitting on a comfortable 67-50 lead.

Obituaries

Frances W. Abney

NINETY SIX — Frances W. Abney, 73, of 1209 Brickyard Road, wife of John Bell Abney, Sr., passed away Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Ninety Six, she was a daughter of the late Will Williams and Sally Bell Davis Williams. She was a member of Refuge Temple Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
She is survived by, in addition to her husband, four sons, John Bell Abney, Jr. of Greenwood, Samuel Abney, Michael Williams, both of Ninety Six and Pastor Mark Abney of Greenwood; three daughters, Joeann Hill and Sophia Washington, both of Ninety Six and April Abney of Greenwood; one sister, Annie Bell Johnson of Washington, DC; 34 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Friday at Refuge Temple Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, with Elder Robert Brown officiating.
Burial will be in Pine Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery in Ninety Six. Flower bearers will be the nieces, and pallbearers will be the nephews. The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m.
The family is at the home of a son Rev. Mark Abney, 102 Balsam Lane, Greenwood.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is assisting the Abney family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net.

John Thomas ‘J.T.’ Loyd

ABBEVILLE — John Thomas “J.T.” Loyd, 94, formerly of Gordon, GA, husband of the late Alice Hatfield Loyd, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007 at the Abbeville Area Medical Center. He was born in Wilkinson County, GA, to the late Allen C. and Norrie Stapleton Loyd, Sr. Mr. Loyd was a member of Gordon Methodist Church.
He is survived by his son, Charles Loyd, Sr., of Abbeville, SC, a brother, Alton “Bo” Loyd of McIntyre, GA, two sisters, Myrtle Hatfield of Ivey, GA, and Velta Bates of Caldwell, OH, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007 at the Ivey Baptist Church in Ivey, GA.
Graveside services will follow at 2 p.m. in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Ivey Baptist Church, 107 Church St., Ivey, GA 31031.
Online condolences may be sent to the Loyd family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home of Abbeville is assisting the Loyd family.

Olena Oliphant

EDGEFIELD — Mrs. Olena Oliphant, homemaker, 81, of 20 Eastview Dr., entered into rest Feb. 2, 2007. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, 2007 at Springfield Baptist Church, Edgefield, SC, with Rev. Jasper Lloyd officiating.
The remains will lie in state in the church from 1 p.m. until the hour of service. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
The family will assemble at her residence at 1:15 p.m. Friends and family may call at the residence or the funeral home after 2 p.m. Thursday.
Survivors include 7 daughters, Bennie M. Gordon, Glenda Johnson, Josie (Ronnie) Jones, Cynthia Callaham, Julie (Jimel) Jones, all of Edgefield, Christine (Ronald) Morgan and Mildred (Aaron) Curry, both of Appomattox, VA; 5 sons, Lorenzo (Linda) Callaham, Edgefield, John Cressie Callaham, Rufus Callaham, both of Ft. Washington, MD, Will (Annette) Callaham, Palm Bay, FL, and Louis Callaham, Appomattox, VA; three sisters, Martha Singleton, NY, Earlene Smith, Sumter, SC, and Geneva (Ralph) Alote’, Phoenix, AZ; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
G.L. Brightharp & Sons Mortuary, 250 Coral St., Edgefield, SC.

Paula Roddy

Paula Marie Roddy, two months, infant daughter of David J. Roddy and Teasa Wilkie, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, at her home.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory.

Jo Ann Warren

Jo Ann Warren, 59, of 543 Goode Street, wife of Walter Warren, Sr., passed away Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Samuel Hoover Booker and Annie Mae Robinson Booker. She was a graduate of Brewer High School, a member of Macedonia Baptist Church and a former employee of Monsanto.
She is survived by, in addition to her husband, two sons, Walter (Deidre) Warren, Jr. of Greenwood and Tony (Leontta) Warren of Canton, GA; five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held noon Thursday at Macedonia Baptist Church, with Rev. Dr. Willie Harrison officiating.
Burial will be in Evening Star. Flower bearers and pallbearers will be friends of the family. The body will be placed in the church at 11 a.m.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is assisting the Warren family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net.

‘Jule’ Weeks

McCORMICK — Carl “Jule” Pate Weeks, Jr., 77, of 204 Holiday Road, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007 at Savannah Heights Living Center.
Born in McCormick, he was the son of the late Carl and Mattie Lou Walker Weeks. Mr. Weeks was retired from Greenwood Mills and attended services at The Salvation Army. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Captain Joseph May officiating.
Burial will be in McCormick City Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 6 until 8 p.m.
The family has asked that flowers be omitted and memorials be made to the Salvation Army, PO Box 1453, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Opinion

Observations ...
... and other reflections

February 7, 2007

Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, coaches of the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears are class acts. The Colts won in the Super Bowl, of course, and afterwards Dungy gave us all a lesson in life.
He told how faith plays such an important part in life and work and how his team prays together.
It’s gratifying, Dungy said, to see that people can succeed “in the right way ..... with Christian values.”
How many in public life these days are willing to credit faith for their success? That alone makes Dungy’s attitude worthy of attention ..... and emulation.

Another noteworthy thing happened after the Super Bowl. The people in Indianapolis celebrated as others do when their sports teams win. The big difference this time, though, was that there was no rioting, nobody burned a car, smashed store windows or looted.
Could it be that Dungy’s approach also had a positive effect on the aftermath of the Super Bowl? We can have faith.

John F. Kennedy cut taxes. The federal government’s revenue increased. George Bush cut taxes and also had a positive effect. Now, though, there are many in Congress and running for president who make no pretense about taxes: They want to raise them and in the process do away with the Bush cuts.
Considering the positive results of tax cuts, there’s no wonder taxpayers object to piling the taxes back on.
The taxing proponents, it might be noticed, are still talking about taxing the very rich. History teaches something else, though: Taxes affect everyone ..... always have, always will.

The Founding Fathers of this nation intended for members of Congress to be part-time lawmakers. Through the years, though, that’s changed. Maybe it’s time to limit the number of days lawmakers can stay in session, in Washington and Columbia.
That might help eliminate big retirement packages, subsidized health care and all the other perks of holding office. It might even stop some politicians from looking at Congress and the state Legislature as career jobs.
Imagine how much money that would save taxpayers. More than that, though, imagine how much less time they would have to dream up ways to increase the size of government. Imagine that!