Abbeville man dies after bike hits deer

May 15, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — An Abbeville man died Monday morning from injuries received in a Sunday night motorcycle accident.
Abbeville County coroner Ronnie Ashley said Scotty Callaway, 39, of 110 McIllwain Road, Abbeville, was pronounced dead at 11:51 a.m. Monday at Greenville Memorial Medical Center. Ashley listed the cause of death as a traumatic brain injury.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported Callaway was alone on his 1991 Harley-Davidson motorcycle traveling south on Secondary 102, also known as McIllwain Road, at about 9 p.m.
Sunday.
Highway Patrol officials say a deer crossed into the road and struck the motorcycle on the left side. Callaway reportedly lost control of the bike and was ejected.
Highway Patrol officials and Ashley said Callaway was not wearing a helmet.
Following the wreck, Callaway was air lifted to Greenville via helicopter.

Partnership Alliance gets new workforce champion

May 15, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

You can never downplay the importance of being prepared.
If it’s up to Mark Warner, preparedness of workers in Greenwood County will be a foregone conclusion.
Warner began work with the Partnership for a Greater Greenwood County and Economic Alliance about two weeks ago. Among his roles will be serving as workforce champion, a job that will call for him to drive the county’s strategies regarding its Workforce Development Plan.
The WDP will be an effort that coordinates with the Education and Economic Development Act to help workers and emerging workers in the county prepare for the ever-evolving 21st century global economy.
Warner, of Honea Path, comes to the Partnership after 16 years working for Bosch in Anderson.
He spent many years at Bosch working in human resources and operations management. He said he also worked with a various schools and educational entities to coordinate training and work education efforts.
It is experience he thinks will come in handy in his new role.
“That is definitely one aspect that attracted me to this position with Partnership,” said Warner, who is married to wife Teresa and has two daughters, Caroline and Allison. “I have had extensive experience in the areas where business meets education. And I think that is one of the reasons Partnership’s search committee was interested in me, as well.”
Warner will be in charge of heading up efforts to raise the education level and attainment for the county’s workforce. According to a release from Partnership, as many as 80 percent of local high school graduates who take WorkKeys, a basic job skills assessment test, fail the exam. With that in mind, Warner said he will look to tackle three initiatives in his role as workforce champion.
The first will be to institute a basic skills certificate program.
“I would like to see a program with a certain amount of training and testing and issue a certificate saying that a person has certain basic skills,” Warner said.
Warner said he will be working with various existing agencies that deal with worker competency to establish a uniformly recognized basic skills program.
He added he envisions a system where the certificates would acknowledge skills in certain areas of interest for people, examples being carpentry, wood working or hospitality management.
The second initiative Warner said he will be looking to institute is work ethic certification.Warner said this initiative would be more oriented toward students coming out of high school and looking to enter the workforce. Under the initiative, students could be voluntarily assessed on factors such as grades, community involvement and participation in extra curricular activities.
“This would be a situation where students could demonstrate they are ready to compete for a spot in the workforce or in certain industries,” Warner said.
Warner said the third initiative would be to establish successful apprenticeships and internships.
“We would be looking to create a Web-based portal where students and employers can access information on apprenticeships,” Warner said.
Warner said he plans to meet with District 50 superintendent Darrell Johnson and District 52 superintendent Dan Powell this week to discuss ways to work together in workforce preparedness.
“This will require the participation of many different agencies,” Warner said. “I’m looking forward to meeting with all the entities and folks that will be important in what I see as a very critical mission.”

Obituaries

Gwen Adams

Gwendolyn Bailey “Gwen” Saylors Adams, 69, resident of 108 Westgate Drive, wife of Lester Adams, died May 14, 2007 at Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood, Aug. 3, 1937, she was a daughter of the late Rudolph L. and Olivia Cooper Bailey. She was a graduate of Ware Shoals High School and attended The Greenwood College of Commerce. Mrs. Adams served for many years as church organist for various Baptist churches in the area. She was a member of Rice Memorial Baptist Church.
Mrs. Adams was twice married, first to the late William H. Saylors.
Surviving in addition to her husband of the home are three daughters, Lisa S. Jefferies of Abbeville, Angie S. Simpson and Dena S. Oliver, both of Greenwood; a son, Kevin Bruce Saylors of Abbeville; fourteen grandchildren, Lindsey, Drew and Brett Jefferies, Steve, Kyle, Katelyn and Carson Simpson, Kate, Adrienne, Bailey and Olivia Oliver, Magen, Chandler and John William Saylors.
Funeral services will be conducted at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Rice Memorial Baptist Church, with Rev. Alvin Hodges and Rev. Woody Oliver officiating.
Burial will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Tim Gassaway, Dorn Saylors, Bill Bailey, Robbie Bailey, Frank Fowler and Eldridge Kelley.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home and will be placed in the church at 3 Wednesday afternoon. The family is at the home in Westgate and will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 Tuesday evening.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Rice Memorial Baptist Church, 1975 Hwy. 72 West, Greenwood, SC 29649, Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or to A Place For Us Ministries, PO Box 797, Greenwood, SC 29648.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Adams family.

Robin Garner

PIEDMONT — Robert (Robin) C. Garner, 60, of 174 Reserve Drive, passed away on May 12, 2007 at his home.
Born in Spartanburg, SC, he was the son of Coral Black Garner of Spartanburg, and the late Orin Garner, Sr. Mr. Garner was former founder and co-owner of Garner’s Natural Market and Café in Greenville and he was of the Baptist faith.
In addition to his mother, surviving are four sons, Rob C. Garner and wife, Jane of Charleston, SC, David Garner of Charlotte, NC, Matt Garner of Inman, SC, and Jeff Garner of Cleveland, OH; two daughters, Missy Garner of Tampa, FL, and Tresha Vella and husband, Pat of Columbia, SC; two brothers, Orin Garner and wife, Linda of Inman, SC, and Jim Garner and wife, Miriam of Greenwood, SC; and four grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, in the Hale-Webber Family Cemetery, Jonesville, SC, conducted by Dr. Michael S. Hamlet.
The family will meet with friends at the graveside after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the children’s charity of one’s choice or a humane society of one’s choice.
The family will be at their respective homes.
An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome.com.
Blakely Funeral Home, Gaffney, SC.

Allen J. Hagood

CALHOUN FALLS — Allen J. Hagood, age 72, of 409 Marion Street, passed away Monday, May 14, 2007, at his residence.
Born in Abbeville County, he was the son of the late Henry G. Hagood and Reba Bosler Hagood. He was a member of Rocky River Presbyterian Church and was retired from the Mohawk Rocky River Plant.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia L. Hagood; son, Allen Burton Hagood Sr. and his wife, Shelly; 6 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; sisters, Nellie H. Whitt and Elizabeth H. Lowe; brothers, Carroll and Roy W. Hagood; and special sister-in-law, Pat Setzer.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 16, at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of Calhoun Falls Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Rocky River Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Ave., SC 29646.
Calhoun Falls Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Ruth Padgett Harrison

LAUREL, Md. — Ruth Padgett Harrison, 86, widow of William “Juke” Harrison, died Friday, May 11, 2007, at Cherry Lane Nursing Center.
The family is at the home of a son Gonzalee Harrison, 4418 Highway 178 S., Greenwood, S.C.
Services will be announced by Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, S.C.

Minnie Mozelle Pruitt

NEWBERRY — Minnie Mozelle Pruitt, 72, of Newberry, died May 13, 2007 at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Pruitt was a member of Chappells Baptist Church.
Surviving are her husband, Calvin B. Pruitt; daughters, Pamela Pruitt of Prosperity and Mrs. Thomas (Phyllis) Harris of Chappells; grandchildren, Ashley Harris, Heather Harris, Crystal Holbert; great-grandchildren, Tyler Harris and Ryleigh Holbert.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home Chapel, by the Rev. James Rodgers. Burial will follow in Rosemont Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday evening from 7 until 8 p.m. at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home.
A memorial message may be sent to the family at www.mcswainevans.com.

Sam Reid

Graveside services for Gary H. “Sam” Reid will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Reid, 77, of 132 Valley Road, husband of Joan Bray Reid, died Saturday, May 12, 2007, at his home.
Born in Atlanta, GA, he was a son of the late William Grady Reid and Sunnie Cameron Reid Maynard. He attended Clemson University and was a retired farrier. He was of the Baptist faith. Surviving are his wife of the home; a daughter, Clarinda Allen of Ventura, CA; a son, Gary Reid of Hayfork, CA; two sisters, Lea and Bebe Norris of El Cajon, CA; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Harley Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.B Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

George ‘Peck’ Smith

SALUDA — George Wilbur “Peck” Smith, 68, of 215 Denny Highway, Apt. 113, died Monday, May 14, 2007, at Saluda Nursing Center.
The family is at the home of a sister Mrs. George (Johnnie Mae) Herbert, 307 N. Bouknight Ferry Road.
Services will be announced by Butler & Sons Funeral Home.

Opinion

Unexpected ‘state’ $$$ should go to taxpayers

May 15, 2007

The South Carolina economy obviously is doing better than some thought. Just the other day the Board of Economic Advisors estimated the state would have more than $240 million in revenues coming in ..... that’s $240 million more than had been previously anticipated.
That’s good news for every taxpayer in the state, of course. At least it should be. But will it be good news?
As far as many lawmakers are concerned, though, that added revenue will mean nothing to taxpayers’ pockets. None of it will come their way. It will be spent along with the $1.3 billion in the new budget.
Gov. Mark Sanford, on the other hand, would like to see the “extra” income go toward further tax cuts and the state employee retirement system debt.

THAT’S NOT LIKELY TO impress many lawmakers, though. It’s money to spend and that, as experience proves, is what those those particular lawmakers do. They spend.
The governor’s request for tax cuts and retirement fund debt reduction is indicative of the approach this governor has taken since he’s been in office. It’s also the kind of talk that has kept him at odds with some members of the General Assembly.
Let’s see. The governor wants to give money back to taxpayers and some lawmakers want to spend more. Some, it seems, believe they were elected to spend instead of giving back.
Does anyone in Columbia have the gumption to ask taxpayers what they prefer? That probably won’t happen, to be sure. Since when have taxpayers been asked their opinions on spending?