Scandal talk of the town

Ware Shoals residents concerned about arrests

January 24, 2007

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

WARE SHOALS — Talk of nepotism, the “good ol’ boy network” and who knew what when are rampant in this small Greenwood County town of 2,300.
The typically serene life in Ware Shoals has been interrupted by allegations of former Ware Shoals High School guidance clerk and cheerleading coach Jill Moore giving alcohol to children and placing them in an “incredibly inappropriate situation” involving a sexual relationship she was having with a National Guardsman, authorities say.
Moore was arrested last week by the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, and resigned in the wake of the scandal.
Ware Shoals principal Jane Blackwell was arrested on Monday on charges of obstructing justice after she allegedly failed to report Moore’s activities to deputies. Investigators say Blackwell held up the investigation by not reporting Moore’s actions to law enforcement when she learned of them, lying to police and stifling attempts by other staffers to fix the situation.
“It think it was interesting how it was swept under the rug,” said Kelly Myers of Ware Shoals, whose son attends WSHS.
“My son knew about the whole thing while it was going on. So did a lot of adults.”
Myers said she is worried Blackwell and Moore’s strong ties to the Greenwood District 51 school board could result in the “good ol’ boy network” prevailing over justice in the case.
Moore’s father, Marcus Bishop, pastor of Mount Gallagher Baptist Church in Ware Shoals, is also a board trustee. Myers also said “it’s common town knowledge” that Blackwell and District 51 superintendent Fay Sprouse “are first cousins.”
Blackwell and Sprouse’s fathers are brothers, she said.
As for the cheerleaders allegedly involved in the case, “I don’t think they did anything wrong. They’re high school students; they’re going to get away with what they can get away with.”
Mike Frederick, chief deputy for the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, said the cheerleaders involved in the investigation won’t be charged, but will be treated as victims of the inappropriate conduct.
Matthew Varnum thinks Blackwell is innocent, no matter what others say.
Varnum, a 2001 WSHS graduate, had Blackwell as a social studies teacher in the fifth grade and again in a business course in the 10th and 11th grades. He said she was a good teacher, who always explained herself well and added she would never cover up any wrongdoing at the high school.
“I think she’s being pulled into a situation she doesn’t want to be pulled into,” Varnum said.
Sprouse and the District 51 board of trustees conducted a closed meeting Tuesday, after which they declined to elaborate on the discussion. No action was taken following the session. Board chairman Ed Farr said board members won’t comment on the ongoing investigation on their attorney’s advice.
Sprouse declined to make any comments after the meeting.
“The board has spoken,” she said.
Jill Dyal, who graduated from WSHS in 2002, said she came to the meeting wanting to see something done about the situation. She said the investigation embarrasses her and makes her concerned about her eight cousins who attend the school.
Jamin Smith, a tenth-grader, said he couldn’t believe the allegations about Moore.
“I didn’t know Miss Moore would do something like that,” Smith said. “She seemed like a nice person.”
Faatima Thompson, a senior, said she was in disbelief after learning about Blackwell and Moore.
“I looked up to both of them,” she said.
Thompson said she was disappointed that Blackwell would tell her to stay in school and do well in her classes when the principal allegedly wasn’t doing right.
Rosemary Lake of Ware Shoals said she was shocked by the arrests and the investigation. She said she’s glad her grandchildren aren’t at Ware Shoals High yet. Lake said she thinks there is more going on at the school than what appears on the surface.
District 51 sent a letter home with parents Tuesday, telling them about the situation. Sprouse appointed Charlie Mayfield, the seventh- and eighth-grade principal, to be principal of Ware Shoals High School Tuesday morning.
Mayfield has worked for the district for seven years and has served as principal for the junior high for four years, according to the letter. He said the school has two full-time counselors who are available to speak to students if they needed it, although no one has “cried out” for help.
Blackwell, released from jail on her own recognizance on Monday, told Greenville television station WYFF she is innocent.
“I have done nothing wrong and theses charges are a complete fabrication and the evidence will prove that,” she said. Blackwell has been placed on suspension with pay during the investigation, according to a statement Tuesday by Sprouse.
Blackwell was hired by District 51 in Aug. 16, 1993, after getting her master’s degree at Furman University and a bachelor’s degree in 1990, according to school district records.
Moore was hired July 30, 2001 with degrees from Greenville Technical College in 1996 and 1997, as well as Anderson University in 1999.
Her attorney W. Townes Jones told The Associated Press the allegations have devastated the Moore family.
“Her family has been and continues to be very supportive of her,” Jones said. “I am confident that when the dust settles Jill’s innocence will be clear to all.”
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Randy Ashley

WARE SHOALS — Randy N. Ashley, 60, of 14 Saluda Ave., husband of Mary Thackston Ashley, died Jan. 22,A 2007 at Hospice of the Piedmont. He was born in Abbeville County, a son of the late John W. Guy and Lee Audrey Martin Ashley. He was retired from Piggly-Wiggly and was a member of Broadmouth Baptist Church.
Surviving are two sons, Tim and Dale Rice of Ware Shoals, three daughters, Tammy Jones, Hickory Tavern, Angie Cape, Seneca and Amy McGaha, Honea Path, two sisters, Nancy Smith, Honea Path and Rose Fields, Creightonville, five grandchildren and one step-grandchild.
He was predeceased by three brothers Jerry, Blake and John Ashley and one sister, Blanche Ashley.
Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, 3 p.m. at Parker-White Funeral Home, with Rev. Lamar Babb officiating. Burial will follow in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Active pallbearers will be Mark Strickland, Keith Skinner, Marion Ray Carnell, Josh Lowie, Kenny Coleman and Ricky Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be Marion Carnell and Joe Skinner.
The family is at the home and will receive friends Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. at Parker-White Funeral Home.

Patrecia Burnett

A memorial service for Patrecia Martin Burnett (Pat) of Greenwood will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel, 1425 Montague Ave. Ext., Greenwood. Pat died Monday, Jan. 22, 2007. The family will receive friends at a reception at the Gatewood Club, 114 Club Drive, following the service.
Pat was the daughter of the late Duncan Martin and the late Lillian T. Martin. She was a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina, and received a graduate degree from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Surviving are her husband, Robert Franklin Burnett; a daughter, Robyn L. Falquez and grandson, Esteban Falquez of Sierra Vista, Arizona; a son, John K. Burnett and his wife, Kim, and her daughter, Melanie, of Winchester, Virginia; and Pat’s sister and brother-in-law, Shelby and Tommy Crawley of Ruby, South Carolina.
The family request that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Patrecia Martin Burnett Scholarship Fund at Columbia College, 1301 Columbia College Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29203.
To make online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.

Roosevelt Durant Sr.

McCORMICK — Roosevelt Durant Sr., of 185 Fendley Road, husband of Ella Mae Curry Durant, died Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, at Hospice Care of the Piedmont, Greenwood.
Services will be announced by Walker Funeral Home.

Shannon D. Jennings

McCORMICK —Shannon Dawkins Jennings, wife of Joe Jennings, died Monday, Jan. 22, 2007 in McCormick County. Services will be announced by Beggs Funeral Home, Lincolnton, Ga.

Mary Alice Mathis

Mary Alice Mathis, 73, of 111 Bintage Road, widow of Robert Mathis died Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 at her home. Born in Greenwood, she was the daughter of the late Ollie Williams and Lula Mae Smith Williams Childs. She was a member of Old Field Bethel A.M.E. Church and retired from Capsugel. Survivors include her daughter, Mrs. Virginia Ann (James) Brown of Greenwood; two brothers, James T. Williams and Ollie (Beatrice) Williams, both of Greenwood; one sister, Mae Frances (George) Norman of Greenwood; five grandchildren, one granddaughter reared in the home, Angela Cunningham of Greenwood; six great-grandchildren, three great-grandchildren reared in the home, Alicia, Aaron, and Amber Williams, all of Greenwood; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 at Cross Roads Baptist Church, conducted by Rev. Jerry Brown and assisted by Bishop Emanuel Spearman, Revs. Joseph Caldwell and Tony Blackmon. The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Interment will be in The Evening Star Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Williams, John Williams, Ronald Williams, Tyrone Norman, and Calvin Burton. Flower bearers: Mary Williams, Brenda Williams, Elaine Butler, Alfredia Scott, Tonya Norman, Julia Williams, Betty Norman and Sandra Best. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Virginia Ann (James) Brown, 231 Wheatfield Drive. Online condolences can be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com. Robinson & Son Mortuary, Inc. is assisting the Mathis family.

Dorothy McCarter

ABBEVILLE — Dorothy McCarter, 91, formerly of Antreville, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007, at the Mountain View Nursing Home in Clayton, Ga.
Services will be announced by Harris Funeral Home.

Bigger EHS grabs win over pesky Ninety Six

January 24, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

NINETY SIX — Ben McIntosh scored a game-high 26 points and the Emerald Vikings (10-8 overall, 3-2 region) held off the Ninety Six Wildcats, 88-78, on Wednesday night.
Four other Vikings scored in double figures in a win that moves coach Robin Scott’s squad over .500 in Region III-AA play.
Kadarron Anderson had 13, Alex Robinson got 12, Trey Woolridge had 13 and Dee Parks had 13.
Daniel Longmire led the Wildcats (9-9, 2-3) with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough for a team that coach Ike Dickey considers undersized in comparison to the Vikings.
The Vikings led by as many as 18 points in the game, but the Wildcats refused to go away. It was a matter of who hit more shots down the stretch.
“If we had made some free throws at the end, it wouldn’t have been as close as it was. I think he (Dickey) was missing one of his players and that helped us,” Scott said. “I knew coming in here it was going to be tough. We played pretty well.”
Emerald led 7-6 with 4 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter but struggled to get into an offensive flow, prompting Scott to call a timeout.
Kass Etheredge tied the game for the Wildcats (9-9) with 3:21 remaining, but the Vikings answered with a 10-0 run taking a 19-9 lead.
Tori Wideman ended the drought with a short jumper in the closing minutes of the opening quarter and the Wildcats trailed 21-11 after one quarter.
The Wildcats had an opportunity to cut the lead to single digits in the second quarter, but missed three straight free throws with under 6:30 remaining in the half.
The Vikings capitalized on the misses by extended their lead to 15 points following a 3-pointer by McIntosh with 5:28 remaining.
The lead was still at double digits in the second half when McIntosh converted a 3-point play with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter, 56-42.
“We came down four-straight trips in the third quarter without a turnover,” Scott said. “You don’t turn it over, you score some points it helps.”
The Wildcats were able to chip away at the Vikings lead in the final quarter, but they could not get the lead to single digits down the stretch.
“They’re big guys and they rebound hard,” Dickey said. “If we box out and keep them off the boards, it’s a close game.
We’re halfway through the region and right now we’d be a four-seed in the playoffs. That’s a goal for us. We feel like the three teams that beat us, we were in all of those games.”

Taxpayers have a right to be protected by law

January 24, 2007

It’s not difficult to understand why a lot of South Carolinians, and many other Americans, express misgivings about how the illegal immigration problem is handled. On second thought, make that not handled.
So many things come along to confuse the whole picture there’s little wonder so many of us take the attitude we are being exploited by people - illegal and otherwise - who take advantage of the situation. They have no doubts that something’s terribly wrong ..... and that they are paying for it.
Every time they hear about the taxpayer costs incurred that feeling of who has what rights is bound to occur.

TAKE A CURRENT CASE IN BEAUFORT, for example. It will test the mental faculties of the geniuses among us. A Hispanic civil rights group says it will likely sue Beaufort County unless leaders of that coastal South Carolina County, which includes Hilton Head Island, repeal an ordinance that says businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants could lose their business licenses.
The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund sent a letter to Beaufort County officials questioning whether the measure was legal, pointing out it could cause civil rights violations.
There they are again. Rights. Who has them and who doesn’t .... and why?

HELLOOOO! TALK ABOUT THE POT calling the kettle black! We’re arguing about “legal” issues when “illegal” people are concerned? Really? That is confusing for a lot of legal Americans ..... those born here and those who earned their citizenship.
That brings another question. What part of “illegal” doesn’t anybody understand?
Probably the most frequently asked question most South Carolinians ask about illegal immigrants is: Why does anyone in this country illegally have the same legal rights - and benefits - as legal citizens?
If we ever come up with a satisfactory answer to that we may just solve the illegal immigration problem. Meanwhile, the way things are, there’ll be a lot of other situations to come along that appear to be totally illogical. And the beat goes on .....