Could a Grinch be planning
to steal your Christmas?

Law enforcement officials offer tips
to prevent burglaries at holiday times

December 22, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Colorful presents wrapped under a decorated tree can make for a beautiful sight for your family and friends at Christmas.
It can be enticing sight for thieves, too.
Though they don’t see a major increase in the number of burglaries during the holiday season, Greenwood law enforcement officials said the crimes do occur at residences and businesses throughout the county this time of year.
The threat for theft can begin even before the new gifts arrive at home, as shoppers rush about stores to make their holiday purchases. Some people might make trips to their cars to deposit gifts during their sprees, while others might try to carry all their bags from store to store.
Lt. Tara Scott, with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, said shoppers need to be aware of their surroundings so they don’t place themselves at risk for theft.
“Watch your purse or packages as you’re shopping, and don’t put them down,” she said.
And if you do choose to place the gifts in your car, Scott said, secure the items in the trunk of the car rather than putting them on a seat, where they can be seen by anyone passing by.
Many people choose to place their Christmas tree at a window or door as part of their decorations, but the prime location also can make presents under the tree highly visible to potential thieves, said Lt. Sam Watts, with the Greenwood Police Department.
Even after the presents are unwrapped, residents need to be cautious, he added.
“Don’t leave gift boxes piled up outside of your home,” Watts said. “It advertises to burglars that you’ve got expensive items inside.”
The season is also a good time to record serial numbers and photograph items.
“It makes it easier to identify (the item) in the event it is recovered after a burglary, and it also gives you a record for insurance companies in case of a fire,” Watts said.
One item that thieves can’t seem to resist at Christmas is bicycles, and Watts said the department sees an increase in bike thefts just after the holidays.
“There are so many new bicycles in the community, and often they are not secured properly,” he said, adding that many people leave the bicycles on porches or in yards. “It’s a good idea to give a bicycle lock with the bicycle to help keep it secure.”
Many people choose to light up their homes with Christmas lights, but if extension cords are threaded through windows or doors to reach an outlet inside the home, the cord could prevent those windows or doors from completely closing and locking, Watts said.
Even decorations themselves aren’t safe from grinches. Scott said the sheriff’s office is currently investigating a number of cases involving lawn ornamentation vandalism and theft.
If you are planning to leave home for the holidays, don’t leave a message on your answering machine or voicemail that informs callers of your holiday travel plans, Watt said.
“If you leave an obvious message, it just advertises that you are away from home,” he said.
Because mail or newspapers piling up at your home also can tip off burglars that you are away, Scott said it is a good idea to have a neighbor stop by on a regular basis to pick up the items and check on the residence.
“If people are going to be out of town for an extended period of time, they can contact the sheriff’s office to request an additional patrol of the residence,” Scott added.
Neighborhoods also can do their part to keep the number of burglaries down throughout the year, and neighborhood watch and crime-stopper programs are examples of proactive approaches communities can use, Watts said.
“It’s the perfect time of year to utilize members of the community to look after each other’s property and safety, particularly when people travel out of town,” Watts said. “We encourage neighborhoods to be attentive to what is going on, and we encourage citizens who see suspicious behavior to call us and give us the opportunity to look into it.”

Megan Varner covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3308, or: mvarner@indexjournal.com

Emerald survives without 2 starters

December 22, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The Emerald boys basketball team must have wanted to make sure Thursday’s championship game in the Bearcat Christmas Classic would be an Emerald City affair.
The Vikings edged McCormick, 57-55, in the nightcap of the first round of the Classic Wednesday at Finis Horne Arena.
Emerald will now meet Greenwood at 8:30 tonight in the championship, with McCormick playing Calhoun Falls for third place at 7.
McCormick had a shot to win the game at the end of regulation, but William Peterson’s 3-point shot bounced off the rim, preserving the Vikings win.
Emerald was led by Matt Herring, who had 16 points. McCormick’s Cody Mursier led all scorers with 17 points. The Vikings were without the services of three key contributors. Demarco and Kadarron Anderson are in Colorado for the holidays, and Dan Wideman was out with an ankle sprain.
Emerald was in control of the up-and-down game in the first quarter.
In an effort to replace the lost scoring of the absent players, Nick Lanier took on most of the scoring load in the first quarter, popping in eight points, including two 3-pointers. Cody Mursier dumped in four points in the frame to buoy McCormick. Emerald carried a 17-10 lead into the second quarter.
McCormick quickly whittled away the Vikings lead.
The Chiefs started a rally and incited their fans early in the second quarter when forward Cody Mursier got free on a breakaway and slammed home a thunderous one-handed slam dunk. Moments later, McCormick’s Peterson dropped in two of his eight second quarter points on a spinning bank shot from eight feet. The game was tied 27-27 at halftime. Emerald made a run at the beginning of the third quarter, only to be answered by the Chiefs.
The Vikings went on a 5-0 spurt at the start of the second half, spurred on by a hoop and subsequent free throw by point guard Peferio Strong. The mini-run put Emerald up 32-27. However, McCormick answered back with its own 5-0 burst, tying the game at 32-32 with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter.
Emerald got running layups from William Taylor and Herring to close the third on a strong note. The Vikings entered the fourth quarter with a 42-37 lead.
Though it is December, Herring heated things up in the fourth quarter.
The lanky lefty buried two 3-pointers to start the final quarter. The bombs gave Emerald a 48-41 lead with 5:18 remaining.
EMERALD (57)
Matt Herring 16, Will Taylor 10, Gilliam 9,Strong 8, Lanier 8, McIntosh 3, Flynn 2, Eidson 1, McCORMICK (55)
Cody mursier 17, William Peterson 13, Jake Letman 12, Brandon Cisco 10, Lomax 3b Emerald 17 10 15 15-57
McCormick 10 17 10 18-55
3-Point Goals- E7 (Herring 3, Lanier 2, Strong, McCintosh), M3 (Mursier 2, Peterson)B Fouled out- None Technicals-None

Day delivers in time

Junior hits game-winner
to lift Eagles by Flashes

December 22, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Andre Day delivered an early Christmas present to his Greenwood basketball teammates.
Day’s pull-up jumper from the free-throw line with 4.8 seconds remaining lifted Greenwood to a 53-51 victory over Class A opponent Calhoun Falls Wednesday night in the first round at the 13th Annual Bearcat Christmas Classic.
Day finished with 11 points.
“I just wanted to win,” said Day of his final drive. “I knew if I could get penetration I’d get an open look. The shot fell for me.”
With the win, Greenwood advanced to tonight’s 8:30 championship game.
The Eagles struggled shooting the ball, but played stellar defense, particularly down the stretch. “Our offense wasn’t there tonight,” Day said. “But our defense pulled us through.”
Calhoun Falls had the advantage during a rugged, physical first quarter.
The Flashes got five opening-quarter points from D.J. Roundtree, including a long 3 from the left side. The Eagles countered with hoops from Armanti Edwards and Marcus Carroll. The Flashes closed the quarter on a 4-0 run, with Theo Tillman’s layup carrying Calhoun Falls to the second quarter with a 10-5 lead.
Neither team shot the ball well in the first quarter, particularly Greenwood, which connected on just 2 of 13 shots from the field.
The pace picked up considerably in the second quarter, with Greenwood going on a 6-2 run to open the period. However, Calhoun Falls quickly countered with a pair of hoops of its own, one from Tillman and one from Monterrio Tatum. Tatum’s twisting lay-in gave Calhoun Falls the 15-12 lead with 5:12 to play in the half.
Moments later, Edwards stirred the crowd on a play that was more almost than all good. The lanky forward grabbed a pass at halfcourt and swooped toward the basket. Approximately seven feet from the hoop, Edwards rose from the floor and attempted a tomahawk dunk over Tillman. The dunk failed, but the audience lauded the effort and Edwards was fouled on the play.
Greenwood cut even deeper into the Flashes lead, but tough defense and several key blocked shots by Tatum and Ricky Holland preserved Calhoun Falls’ 22-21 halftime lead. Roundtree led all scorers at the half with eight points.
Greenwood slipped into the lead in the third quarter, as the frenetic pace of the game became even more prevalent. A.J. Lomax popped in seven points in the third to help the Eagles gain a slim 36-35 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
CALHOUN FALLS (51)
D.J. Roundtree 20, Theo Tillman 13, Tatum 8, Lewis 5, Bryant 3, Holland 2 GREENWOOD (53)
A.J. Lomax 16, Andre Day 11, Xavier Dye 11, Edwards 7, Carroll 4, Corbett 2, Middleton 2
Calhoun Falls 10 12 13 15-51
Greenwood 5 16 1517-53
3-point Goals-C3 (Roundtree 2, Lewis), G1 (Lomax)
Fouled out-None Technicals- None

Lady Eagles continue to handle EHS girls

December 22, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

For those that are counting, it’s 2-0 Greenwood.
The Lady Eagles basketball team won its second game against crosstown rival Emerald, 53-31, Wednesday at Finis Horne Arena in the first round of the 13th Annual Bearcat Classic. The two will meet one last time, Jan. 6.
The Lady Eagles led nearly from beginning to end. Greenwood’s Jacena Thompson led all scorers with 13 points.
Elizabeth Nicholson led Emerald with nine points.
For Thompson, Wednesday’s game was her first of the season. Thompson had to sit out the first semester due to academic issues.
She was pleased with her return to play.
“It felt great,” Thompson said. “We’ve been practicing hard for this game. It was a big one for us.” Thompson said the Lady Eagles were intent on playing a fast-paced game.
“I knew we wanted to play tough defense and take it to the hole,” Thompson said. “We really hustled out there.” The Lady Eagles jumped out to the first quarter lead.
Thompson made her presence felt in the quarter, scoring two early hoops to give Greenwood a 6-5 advantage four minutes into the game. Brantley Sacoco also buried two jump shots for the Lady Eagles in the first.
Greenwood led 13-7 heading into the second quarter.
The Lady Eagles continued to dictate the pace of the contest in the second quarter.
Using pressure defense and tough rebounding from Sacoco and Kyesha Middleton, The Lady Eagles were able to key a 9-2 run over the first 5:27 of the second quarter and get out to a 22-9 lead. Emerald was able to douse the Greenwood rally a bit with 2:21 left in the half when Lady Vikings’ Tricie Riley swished a 3-pointer from the right wing to cut the lead to 22-12.
However, Greenwood would not allow the Lady Vikings to get any closer in the first half. Despite having he hand of Emerald’s Brittany Connor in her face, Lady Eagles shooting guard Ashly Chandler nailed a tough baseline jump shot to put an exclamation point on the first half and give Greenwood the 27-15 lead.
Greenwood continued to expand its lead in the third.
The Lady Eagles used a fastbreaking attack to start the second half, getting five points in the third quarter from reserve forward Courtenay Reid. Emerald attempted to hang with their rivals, getting another 3-pointer from Riley in the process. However, the Lady Eagles led, 36-22, heading into the fourth quarter.
EMERALD (31)
Nicholson 9, Riley 6, Clark 4, Cook 4, Carter 3, Hill 2, Patterson 2, Connor 1
GREENWOOD (53)
Jaceena Thompson 13, Ashly Chandler 11, Brantley Sacoco 10, K. Middleton 6, Robinson 6, Reid 5
Emerald 7 8 7 9 - 31
Greenwood 13 14 9 15- 53
3-point goals- E4 (Riley 2, Nicholson, Carter), G3 (Robinson 2, Reid)
Fouled Out-None Technicals-None

Those who recall WWII
must be puzzled by talk

December 22, 2005

Those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it. That’s one way it’s been said. It’s also been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. No matter how it’s said, though, if we don’t learn from experience we’re likely to make the same mistakes again and again ….. to our peril.
That comes to mind as a result of the current debate over whether the president has the authority to eavesdrop on terrorists. The argument is over the tapping of telephones of suspected terrorists in the U. S. Repeat that: suspected terrorists, not law-abiding American citizens.
There are a lot of people around the Greenwood area who remember how it was during World War II. They include military veterans and their families.

THEY MUST BE BEWILDERED over the practice by some of the elite media to divulge government secrets ….. secrets such as how intelligence people are listening to and tracking terrorists as the talk with their allies and spies in this country.
To put the current practice into perspective, consider a couple of motion pictures, “The Longest Day” and “Saving Private Ryan.” Both movies have dramatic scenes that give the viewers a dose of the reality of the Normandy invasion. The bloody battle was bad enough as it was. Imagine, though, how much bloodier it would have been had the plans and deceptions surrounding the coming invasion been announced by the media. The number of casualties would have been much higher. In fact, the entire operation could well have failed.
It was an amazing operation. Secrecy was the order of the day. Planning, elaborate deceptions, logistics and everything else were cloaked in secrecy. If someone breached that secrecy, whether intentionally or on purpose, he was immediately removed to avoid further talk.

AMERICANS AND THEIR ALLIES understood the necessity for keeping planning, etc., undercover. They knew what was at stake and they did not question why. They had no worries about civil liberties being violated. If that was what it took to get the job done, so be it. They had enough confidence in the Congress to know, without doubt, it was only a temporary departure from normality.b There is a difference today, however. In WW II we knew the enemy. That made it easier. Today, terrorists could be anyone, even that nice gentleman” next door. If the American people are to be protected, business as usual won’t get the job done, either. Unique circumstances mandate unique action. If present circumstances aren’t unique, they will never be.

Lucille B. Anderson

WOODRUFF — Lucille Benjamin Anderson, 86, of 1530 Lightwood Knot Road, died December 20, 2005 at the home. A native of Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Winfred J. and Gertrude Seal Benjamin. She was a retired school teacher for Reidville Elementary School and a member of Reidville Presbyterian Church, where she was the organist for about 50 years. Surviving are her husband, Walter C. Anderson, Jr. of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Cary and Kathleen Anderson of Moore; two daughters and sons-in-law, Celia and Patrick Crosby of Moore and Sara Jo and David Levine of Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and seven grandchildren. Mrs. Anderson was prede-ceased by one brother, Joe Benjamin and one sister, Isabelle Parker. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday at Reidville Presbyterian Church, conducted by Rev. Todd Buchner. Burial will follow in Nazareth Pres-byterian Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held 7:00-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Wood Mortuary. The family is at the home. Memorials may be made to Reidville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 160, Reidville, S.C. 29375 or Spartanburg Meals on Wheels, 419 E. Main Street, Spartanburg, S.C. 29302. / The Wood Mortuary, Inc. PAID OBITUARY

June Davis

Clara June Davis Davis, 70, of 1718 Highway 246 S., wife of Bobby L. Davis, died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center. Born in Ware Shoals, she was a daughter of the late Charles W. and Annie Lee Cook Davis. She was a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Dana Davis of Greenwood; three sons, Randy Davis, Kevin Davis and Patrick Davis, all of Greenwood; a brother, Mike Davis of Ware Shoals; and 10 grandchildren. Services are 2 p.m. Friday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Steven Crittendon, Larry Smith and Johnson Dorn. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers are Russell Davis, Robert McFadden, Phil Davis, Kent Davis, Mike McFadden, Joe Pulley and Greg Davis. Honorary escorts are nephews, along with Harold Davis. Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Memorials and Tributes Processing Center, PO Box 5216, Glen Allen VA 23058-5216. The family is at the home. Harley Funeral Home is in charge. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Annie Mae Elmore

CALHOUN FALLS — Annie Mae Hughey Elmore, 68, of Anne Maria Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, North Augusta, formerly of 722 Seneca St. Extension, Calhoun Falls, wife of William Elmore, died Monday, Dec. 19, 2005 at University Hospital, Augusta, Ga. Born in Abbeville, she was a daughter of the late Jake and Mattie Jones Hughey. She was a member of Saint Peter AME Church, Abbeville and a retired employee of John C. Calhoun Elementary School. Survivors include her husband of the home; a son, Iagle Elmore of Calhoun Falls; two daughters, Amy Elmore and Shannon Elmore of Calhoun Falls; five sisters, Annie Bell Faulkner, Eva Mae Oliver and Mattie Mae Edmond, all of Greenville, Ethel Lomax of Willington and Mary Leach of Calhoun Falls; two grandchildren of the home, Devan Campbell and Dakarai Elmore; several stepsons and stepdaughters. Services are 2 p.m. Friday at Saint Peter A.M.E. Church, conducted by the Rev. Albert Thompson. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery. Visitation begins at noon today at Friendly Funeral Home. Friendly Funeral Home is in charge.

Jimmy Don ‘J.D.’ Herron

SUMMERVILLE — Jimmy Don “J.D.” Herron, 50, of 181 Medina Drive, formerly of Dogwood Drive, Greenwood, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005 at Summerville Medical Center. Visitation is 12-1 Friday at Blyth Funeral Home. Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Greenwood.

Fred Pettigrew, Jr.

TAMPA, FL — Fred Lafay Pettigrew, Jr., 81, resident of 2101 Okaloosa Ave., widower of Dolly Kathleen Wiley Pettigrew, died December 19, 2005 at his home. Born in Abbeville, SC, August 23, 1924, he was a son of the late Fred Lafay, Sr. and Lena Fleming Pettigrew. He retired as a butcher from Wilson Meat Packing Company in Tampa and was also a retired paint contractor. Mr. Pettigrew was of the Pentecostal Holiness faith. Surviving are four daughters, Connie P. Gable and Susan P. Wright, and Dolly P. Franklin, all of McCormick and Janice Pettigrew of Tampa; a son, Charles Pettigrew of Tampa; two sisters, Agatha P. Smith of Charleston and Clara Belle P. Gregory of Anderson; a brother, Jim Pettigrew of St. Petersburg, FL; thirteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a daughter, Joyce P. White; a son, Fred Lafay Pettigrew, III; a brother, Joe Pettigrew; three sisters, Grace P. Nelson, Cleo P. Sutherland and Mattie Snider. A graveside service will be conducted 2 p.m. Friday at Tranquil United Methodist Church Cemetery in Greenwood. The body is at Blyth Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 Thursday evening. The family at the home of Connie Gable, New Bordeaux Subdivision in McCormick. For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com. Blyth Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the Pettigrew family. PAID OBITUARY

Wendy Robertson

SIMPSONVILLE, SC — Wendy Michelle Robertson, 36, of 407 West Yellowwood Dr. beloved daughter of Nyra Owens and the late Ray Hastings and daughter in heart and soul of Walter Owens, died December 18, 2005 at Green-ville Memorial Hospital. She is survived by her daughters Brittney Robertson and James of Simpsonville and Jessica Robertson of the home. She leaves behind her angel of a granddaughter Taylor Jewel. She is also survived by her aunt and uncle that she loved dearly, Islam and Tina Abusal of Greenville and their children Moriah, Khalil, Anna, and Isaac. She is survived by her sister Lisa and her husband Len Smith of Fountain Inn and their children Lacey, Brooke and Dillon; her sister Kathi Owens of Fountain Inn and her son Justin; her brother Chip Owens and his wife Summer of Greer. She also leaves behind all her family and friends in Green-wood who are too numerous to name. Wendy was a nurse at National Healthcare. She had a tenderness that could only be matched by her sense of compassion. She had a beautiful heart that she gained from her mother and her father. Her father was a very decorated and well-respected war hero that gave all he could of himself; she always did too. Everyone that knew her even if they only met her once loved her. The family is at the home of Walt and Nyra Owens, 24 Canterbury Trail, Fountain Inn. They will receive friends at Forest Hills Funeral Home in Woodruff on Thursday, Decem-ber 22, 2005 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. The family will also receive friends at Redemption World Outreach Center, her church family, from 1:00 - 2:45 pm with funeral services at 3:00 pm conducted by Apostle Ron Carpenter, pastor Tim Bouton and Rev. Carrol Caldwell. Interment will take place at Graceland East Memorial Park immediately after the services at the church. Flowers will be accepted but the family has also set up a fund at Palmetto Bank for the children in their name. Donations will be taken at any Palmetto Bank. Forest Hills Funeral Home PAID OBITUARY

Ed Scarborough Sr.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Ed Scarborough Sr., 56, husband of Hilda Scarborough, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005 at St. Joseph Hospital. A native of Augusta, he was a son of the late Ostell and V.D. Scarborough. He was a warehouse manager for Ferguson’s Enterprise, a former employee of Serta Mattress for 23 years and worked 8 years at A.B. Beverage Co. A referee for 20 years for the Augusta Officials Association and Georgia High School Association, he was a graduate of Butler High School and played on the 1966 State Championship Boys Basketball Team. He attended Fleming Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife; four sons, Ed Scarborough Jr. of Grovetown, Robbie Gault of Augusta, Tripp Scarborough of Martinez, Nick Ellis of Augusta; a daughter, Kelly Henderson of Augusta; a sister, Mrs. Bill (Cynthia) Burr of Roswell; two brothers, Ostell Scarborough of Greenwood, S.C., and Terry Scarborough of Grovetown; and four grandchildren. Services are 3 p.m. Friday at Thomas Poteet & Son, conducted by the Rev. Alan Faulkner. Burial is in Westover Memorial Park. Pallbearers are Larry Brumley, Lester Florence, Larry Mimmie, Irish Neville, Mike Rae and Richard Yaun. Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Hospice, 2260 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, GA 30904 or the American Cancer Society for Pancreatic Research, 2623 Washington Road, Suite F-104, Augusta, GA 30904. Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Road, is in charge.

Julia Hall Williams

Services for Julia Hall Williams, of 1308 Oglesby Ave., are 1 p.m. Friday at Weston Chapel A.M.E. Church, conducted by the Rev. Willie Neal Norman Jr., assisted by the Revs. Joseph Caldwell, Lebbie L. Ligon and Jeremiah Palmer. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery. Pallbearers are Rufus Brunson, Mark Abney, Ralph Anderson, Leslie Gross, Gonza L. Bryant, Theophilus Wayne Parker. Flower bearers are Piedmont Annual Conference Ministers spouses and the Widows and Widowers Organization members. Honorary escorts are members of Women’s Missionary Society. Visitation is today at the home. Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge. Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com