Ice not nice in area

Snow, freezing rain cause power outages, wrecks, spark fires

January 30, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

The day began like any other for many in Greenwood and the Lakelands area — except for the ice, snow and freezing rain that coated the roadways.
“The area has primarily gotten freezing rain, with sleet mixed in. There is also a damaging accumulation of ice,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Wayne Jones.
Jones said a winter storm warning will remain in effect until 6 this morning. A winter storm warning means severe winter weather conditions are likely.
The Greenwood area has received between a quarter-inch and a half-inch of sleet and freezing rain, Jones said. Temperatures will rise into the middle 40s today, with a chance of freezing drizzle or light drizzle this morning.
Monday, temperatures will rise into the 50s.
In late January 2004, ice and freezing rain blanketed the Greenwood area, shutting down many area businesses and leaving many without power.
This time around, authorities were called out to minor fender-benders, said Greenwood Sheriff’s Office Maj. Lonnie Smith.
Smith said the department had the same manpower that it would normally have on a regular day.
The department, he said, has about five four-wheel drive vehicles that can be used by deputies to patrol streets.
Smith said residents should stay at home and not travel on icy roadways.
Sharon Waters, of Greenwood, shopped early Saturday as part of her normal routine.
“I’m getting extra water in case the power goes out,” she said.
Other than the regular groceries she needed, Waters said she would buy a few extra items. She also said she was buying more snacks than usual.
If George Dean’s power goes out, the Greenwood resident said he’s prepared.
“I have gas heaters and I have a gas stove,” he said.
Dean also said that after shopping for detergent, he’d be heading home to stay warm.
J.E. Downs, of Greenwood, left much harsher weather in Michigan and Ohio. Downs works as a truck driver and drove from those locations to Greenwood. “I’ve been in the snow,” he said.
For Zernal Johnson and her children, staying in the house was their plan.
“We will stay in if it gets icy tomorrow. But I don’t think it will last long,” she said.
Johnson was buying a few items at the grocery store, including milk, bread and other snacks.
When weather conditions turn icy and cold, Piggly Wiggly Manager Jyll Maddox said people tend to buy milk and bread.
“Soups are also selling better,” he said. “Quick-cut meats, like ground beef and lunch meat, have been selling.”
The flow of people shopping, he said, was nearly three times as much as a regular day.
At Wal-Mart Supercenter, there was a steady flow of people shopping in the grocery section, said Co-Manager Tom Wells.
“Mostly, we were busy Friday until 2 a.m. The flow of traffic here was real heavy Friday. It was like a regular Saturday,” Wells said.
Mostly, people were buying eggs, milk and bottled water, he said.
In the general merchandise section, many customers were buying fuel heaters, flashlights, batteries and car-care items such as de-icers.
Wells said the store would remain open, and that the only reason for the store to close would be if there was no power or the main roads were closed.
Terri Sadera, of Greenwood, didn’t find the cold weather too much of a problem.
Sadera, originally from New York, is used to seeing snow and ice. She said she didn’t panic when she heard about the severe weather.
“Most of the time, it usually passes over us,” she said.
Since Saturday was a usual shopping day for her, Sadera just loaded up on regular groceries and snacks for her children.
“We will probably sit in front of the fire, play board games and eat snacks,” Sadera said.
Greenwood resident Brian Douglas grew up in Boone, N.C., and is used to snow and ice.
“It’s no big deal. And I didn’t run out for milk,” he said.
While other residents were buying food and other supplies, some were at one of the few restaurants that remained open Saturday.
According to a sign posted on the doors of Cracker Barrel, the restaurant opened its doors for a number of hours, only to close early at 3 p.m. to ensure the safety of its employees who would have to travel home.
The Commissioners of Public Works reported power outages on the south end of Greenwood near Wesley Commons.
“There was a transmission with Duke Power Co. where they lost a substation, but it was not the result of a problem with our system. The power was off for about an hour,” said General Manager Steve Reeves.
Power outages were reported near the Shoals Junction area after a problem with a transmission line left about 3,000 customers without power, said Duke Power Community Affairs Manager Lee Lewis Jr. As of late afternoon, Lewis said all but about 200 had power restored.
Rita Moore, an employee with Spinx convenience store in Greenwood, was without power for a little more than an hour.
Moore said she’d gotten word that the power would be restored. Until then, she had to close the doors.
Many of the stores in the Greenwood Mall opened, as usual, with a few exceptions.
Cheri Scott, manager of the Crate, said she and many other stores would most likely remain open as long as the two anchor stores, Belk and JC Penney, remained open.
“If they are open, the smaller stores have to be open,” she said.
Attitudes employee Sharon Smith said she was waiting to see if she would have any customers come into the store.
“No one has been in here,” she said. “With the ice and snow, I figured no one would be here.”
The only customers that stopped by the Mediterranean Grill before lunchtime were mall employees, Manager Jennifer Bullock said.
Fine’s Manager David Gooch said he had three customers who were mostly looking for winter coats.
Crews from the S.C. Department of Transportation were out since early Saturday morning working to keep the roadways open.
Across the state, the department had more than 1,000 employees conducting road operations, with nearly 250 on standby.
Nearly 3,350 tons of salt, 3,250 tons of sand and more than 100,000 gallons of salt brine and calcium chloride have been used, the agency said late Saturday.
The Greenwood City Fire Department had not received any calls as of late afternoon.
Battalion Chief Stewart McDonald said the only response the department made was to a person who was stuck in an elevator at Heritage Hills assisted living.
Emergency Preparedness Director Bob Smith said it was reported to him that about three fires had occurred throughout Greenwood County because of ice on power lines.
“There was a small fire in a house in Greenwood County that was controlled,” he said.
In Bradley, along S.C. 221, a downed power line led to a tree fire that left no one injured, Smith said.
According to a 911 dispatcher, there were two or three wrecks in the area.
For more than an hour, the Town of Ware Shoals was without power, but it was eventually restored, Smith said.
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, the S.C. Highway Patrol reported 55 weather-related accidents for Troop Two, which consists of Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, Saluda, Edgefield, Laurens and Newberry counties.
There were 190 weather-related accidents in the Upstate.
Highway Patrol Spokesman Lance Cpl. Steve Sluder said no fatalities were reported in the area. He said the fact that many people stayed off the roads Saturday helped decrease traffic-related incidents.
One man died in a wreck in Lexington County when his vehicle struck a mailbox, overturned and caught on fire.
In the northern Upstate, forecasters expected a storm total of up to 6 inches of snow and sleet, followed by ice accumulation.
The National Weather Service was reporting ice on overpasses and bridges in Aiken, Edgefield and Orangeburg counties.
Steady precipitation fell in Anderson County in the early afternoon.
Snow began falling in the Upstate before 6 a.m., and temperatures moved lower throughout the morning. By 9 a.m., snow blanketed some highways.
Accidents along I-85 in Greenville and Anderson counties snarled traffic. One involved a jackknifed 18-wheeler that had a car underneath it.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Fred Douglas Aiken

WARE SHOALS — Services for Fred Douglas Aiken are 2 p.m. today at Full Gospel Tabernacle Fellowship Church. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park, Greenwood.
Robinson-Walker Funeral Service is in charge.

Ray Allen

Danny Ray Allen, 55, of 123 Edinborough Circle, husband of Gail Davenport Allen, died Friday, January 28, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Ware Shoals, he was a son of the late Lois Mae Allen Madden. He was a sales representative with Ballentine Toyota and served in the US Army. He attended North Side Family Worship Center. He was preceded in death by a brother, Billy Bolt.
Surviving is his wife of the home; a son, Henry Jason Allen and his wife, Anastasia, of Greenwood; two sisters, Diane Bice and Gail Todd, both of Greenwood; two brothers, Terry Bolt and Bruce Bolt, both of Greenwood.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tommy Cavender and the Rev. David Evans officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Stan Smith, Ronnie Lothridge, Keith Murray, Karl Rohrbach, Tommy Patterson and Richard Loper.
Honorary escort will be Shawn Goodwin, Bob Byers, Dennis Dickerson, Bal Ballentine and all employees of Ballentine Ford Toyota.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m.
The family is at the home of his niece, Tammy & Barry McGovern, 908 Saddle Hill Road.
Memorials may be made to North Side Family Worship Center, PO Box 49603, Greenwood, SC 29649.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

LTC Jeff Ashley

WATERLOO — LTC Jeff Marty Ashley, 46, resident of 312 Trailwood Dr., died January 27, 2005 at his home.
A native of Honea Path he was the son of Sammie Jo Robinson Hardin and the late Jeff Larry Ashley. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and was also a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and was pursuing his master’s degree in psychology.
LTC Ashley began his military career by enlisting in the US Navy in 1976 where he served four years on Active Duty. Following his enlistment he joined the SC Army National Guard and later became a full-time Active Duty Officer and completed his career with over 28 years of military service. Most recently, he served as Commander of the 111th Signal Battalion. His unit was mobilized for active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with members currently conducting ongoing operation in Southwest Asia.
His awards include the Bronze Order of Mercury, Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Global War on Terror Service Medal. He was a member of National Guard Association, Piedmont Chapter of AFCEA, Signal Corps. Regimental Association and was of the Baptist Faith.
Surviving in addition to his mother of Greenwood is a sister, Robbie Jo Able of Ninety Six and a half sister, Tammy Ashley of Anderson.
Funeral services with Full Military Honors will be conducted at 2:00 PM Monday at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Honea Path with Dr. Marcus Bishop and Rev. Alvin Hodges officiating.
Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be members of the 111th Signal Battalion.
Honorary escort will be active members of the armed forces.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home in Greenwood and will placed in the church at 1:00 PM Monday.
The family is at the home of his sister, Robbie Jo Able, 125 Wilson Bridge Rd. in Ninety Six and will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 to 9:00 Sunday evening.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the American Legion Post #20, 806 Calhoun Ave., Greenwood, SC 29649.
For additional information please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home is assisting the Ashley family.
PAID OBITUARY

David Gentry

NINETY SIX — William David Gentry, 49, of 109 Cruger Court, husband of Cindy Wheless Gentry, died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005 at his home.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of the late Edward J. and Rebecca Aiton Gentry. He was a 1974 graduate of Ninety Six High School and had been employed for 27 years by the Ninety Six National Historic Site. He was a member of Ninety Six First Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Christopher Eric Gentry of Myrtle Beach; three sisters, Betty G. McKittrick of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Deborah G. Shiflet of York and Bobbi G. Miller of Pendleton; two brothers, Edward J. Gentry Jr. of Lompoc, Calif. and James R. Gentry of Ninety Six.
Services are 11 a.m. Monday at First Baptist Church of Ninety Six, conducted by the Revs. Chuck Sprouse and Steven Crittendon. Burial is in Elmwood Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Berm Bagwell, Keith Bradberry, Jimmy Butler, Phillip Fortner, Earl Morris, Curtis Shedd, Eric Williams and Gray Wood.
Honorary escorts are the current and former employees of the Ninety Six and Cowpens National Historic Sites along with Myrna Maffett, Charles Stevens, Kenny Ray Brock, Brooks Proctor, John Hicks, Randy Ray Harvley, Farrell Saunders, George McCarty and Eddie Covington.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Harley Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Ninety Six National Historic Site, P.O. Box 496, Ninety Six, S.C. 29666; First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 85, Ninety Six, S.C. 29666 or to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408, W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, S.C. 29646.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

The Rev. Lewis Walter Gibson

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — The Rev. Lewis Walter Gibson, 84, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005 at Mission Hospitals.
Born in Westminster, S.C., he was a son of the late John Walter and Lillie Maebelle Leard Gibson. For fifty years he pastored Southern Baptist churches in North and South Carolina and Tennessee, retiring from First Baptist Church, Highlands, N.C. in 1985. From 1958-1969 he pastored Laurel Baptist Church in Greenwood; then served as interim pastor there in 1986-87. He attended North Greenville College, graduated from Carson-Newman College and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Survivors include his wife, Anne Mauldin Gibson; two daughters, Barbara Gibson and Rita Vermillion, all of Black Mountain; two sisters, Mae Foster of Walhalla, S.C. and Mrs. Gerald (Jewel) Dempsey of Taylors, S.C.; three grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Services are 3 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church, Black Mountain.
Visitation is 1-3 in the church sanctuary.
A private burial will be at the VA Cemetery in Black Mountain.
Memorials may be made to The Mailbox Club, 404 Eager Road, Valdosta, Ga. 31602 or Philippine Mission, c/o Calvary Chapel, 2024 Woodlawn Drive, Greenwood, S.C. 29649.
Brigman’s Funeral Service is in charge.

Wade ‘Mane’ Hackett Jr.

Wade “Mane” Hackett Jr., 60, of 328 Carolina Ave., husband of Sarah Lee Hackett, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Newberry, he was a son of the late Wade Hackett Sr. and the late Lollie Mae Pitts Hackett. He was retired from Cooper Power Systems, formerly McGraw Edison.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Brian Hackett of Greenwood; four daughters, Marlo Hackett Callaham and Sandra Christopher of Greenwood, Paula Wright of the Promised Land, and Michelle Waymyers of Charlotte; a brother, Larry Hackett of Bradley; four sisters, Ella Ruth Hackett, Henrietta Bowie, Lucille Wells, all of the Promised Land and Cynthia Mae Hackett of Greenwood; 13 grandchildren, two reared in the home, Latonya Denise Lewis and Thomas Lewis; five great-grandchildren, one reared in the home, Mydaja Alexis Erving.
Services will be announced by Robinson and Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Johnny Willie Harts

COLUMBIA — Services for Deacon Johnny Willie Harts are 3 p.m. today at Pleasant Rock Baptist Church, Ninety Six.

Helen J. Kingsmore

Helen J. Kingsmore, 72, of 424 Morgan Ave., died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home.

Rachel Larkins

Rachel Grubb Larkins, 42, of 202 Norris Road, wife of Robert E. Larkins, died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005 at her home.
Born in Sanford, Fla., she was a daughter of Jean Huether Grubb and the late Clarence E. Grubb. She was a graduate of Greenwood High School and attended Piedmont Technical College. She formerly taught at Noah’s Ark Pre-School and was former owner of Greenwood Sandwich Company.
She was a member of Woodfields Baptist Church where she served as church clerk.
Survivors include her husband of the home; mother of Greenwood; three sons, Clinton Eugene Larkins of Greenwood, Tyler Edward Larkins of Clemson and Juddson Evan Larkins of the home; two brothers, Steve Grubb of Orlando, Fla., and David Grubb of Greenwood; and maternal grandmother, Margaret Huether of Greenwood.
Services are 11:00 a.m. Monday at Woodfields Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Roger Kinion and Dr. Robert Miller. The body will be placed in the church at 10.Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Karl Clegg, Frank Cannon, Thomas Cowan, Billy Lybrand, Robbie Lybrand and Bruce Lybrand.
Visitation is 4-6 today at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of her mother-in-law, Elvena Larkins, 207 Norris Road.
Memorials may be made to the Children and Youth Fund of Woodfields Baptist Church, 1708 Marshall Road, Greenwood, S.C. 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com.

Tarrence Perrin Sr.

McCORMICK — Tarrence Perrin Sr., 80, of 603 Brown St., husband of Lela Mae Walker Perrin, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in McCormick, he was a son of the late George and Sallie Lou Zimmerman Perrin. He was an Army veteran of WWII, a member of Shiloh A.M.E. Church where he served on the Trustee Board, the Senior Choir, the Men’s Club, a former class leader and active member of the Senior Sunday School Class. He was a member of the Bethany Masonic Lodge No. 415, the Sons of Aide Society No. 30 and a retired construction worker.
Survivors include his wife of the home; five sons, Tarrence Perrin Jr., Levi Perrin and Steve Allen Perrin, all of Greenville, James Robert Perrin of Greenwood and Benjamin Alexander Perrin of McCormick; three daughters, Jeanette P. Austin and Mary Hill of the Promise Land Community, and Debra Perrin of the home; a sister, Sarah P. Thomas of McCormick; 22 grandchildren, one reared in the home, Travis O’Neal Perrin; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. today at Shiloh A.M.E. Church, conducted by the Rev. James Louden. The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Burial is in the church cemetery.
The family is at the home.
Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

James Waters

LOWNDESVILLE — James L. “Jo Jo” Waters, 62, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville.

Knowing his role

Anderson’s Haynes has gone from bench player to captain

January 30, 2005

By BRIAN HOWARD
Assistant sports editor

Osvaldo Haynes doesn’t care how much playing time he gets.
That’s because the former Greenwood High School standout is making the most of his time on the basketball court and helping his teammates understand the importance of being a role player.
Haynes, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward, has been in the Anderson program for four years. Although he didn’t get much playing time as a freshman, he learned what it meant to be on the court.
“He is a special person,” Trojans coach Doug Novak said. “He has been with this program for four years and is our team captain. During his time here, he has gone through various roles. As a freshman, he made every minute count and never wasted the opportunity.”
Haynes has come a long way since his freshman year. Through 15 games he is averaging 31.8 minutes a game and a double-double, at 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest.
His biggest scoring output came in an 82-74 victory over Lees-McRae, where Haynes poured in 19 points. On the boards, his biggest night came against Erskine, as the Trojans fell 68-66 in overtime. Haynes had a game-high 19 rebounds.
He had a stretch of six consecutive double-doubles, and Haynes said while that accomplishment is great, it’s even better if the team wins.
The Trojans are 6-9 overall and 4-5 in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference.
“It amazes me that I had that stretch,” Haynes said. “I think our season has been going OK, but I would rather see us win than for me to get these individual achievements. I am just trying to be a team player.”
Haynes, who wants to be an athletic trainer, played for Jimmy Reed at Greenwood and helped lead the Eagles to the Class AAAA state title game in 2001. He was named most improved player and won the team scholastic award.
Haynes played on the Greenwood team with Brandon Freeman (University of Arkansas-Little Rock) and Otis Daniels (Winthrop). Haynes said he is proud of the way his old teammates have gone off and been successful.
“We ride with the women’s (Anderson) team to the away games and I spend time talking with LaShonda (Chiles) and we are so amazed how well those guys are doing,” Haynes said. “We’re just happy they are doing good and having some success.”
As a freshman, Haynes played in garbage time in 17 games.
He averaged just 4.4 minutes a game and was 2 of 12 shooting.
“It humbles you as a freshman,” Haynes said. “I tell the freshmen now that they need to go out there and make every minute count, because that will lead to something better down the road. I am the captain. The players look up to me.”
Haynes got is first collegiate double-double Feb. 6, 2003 against Mount Olive, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
Haynes averaged 12.6 minutes and played in 27 games, while starting one as a sophomore. He was 27 of 68 shooting, averaging 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds a game.
Haynes’ breakthrough season came as a junior, where he started all 28 games for the Trojans. He averaged 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He had a season-high 23 points and 14 rebounds against Coker College on Dec. 6, 2003.
Novak said the key to Anderson’s motion offense is through Haynes, who set the single-season school record for blocked shots during the 2003-04 season with 56.
“Osvaldo has improved his shooting and he’s got a couple of new weapons down low,” Novak said.
“Defensively, I’m not sure there’s a position on the floor he can’t guard. He has worked extremely hard and is one of the dominant forces in the league.”
Haynes said he would like to see the team get on a roll and be in the position to win the CVAC tournament.
“We want to be the surprise of the tournament,” Haynes said. “We’ve got to start finishing teams. We lost a few games by two or three points. We play thirty-eight minutes of basketball. If we finish games out, we will have a better record and I think we can put ourselves in position to win the conference.”

Good or bad ideas deserve debates by, for the public

January 30, 2005

Everything changes. That’s the nature of the world and everything in it. There may be some exceptions, of course. If so, one of them has to be state government. Changing anything there is always an exercise in frustration.
Most of the time, or so it seems, humans are programmed to resist change. Whether genetically or otherwise, it doesn’t matter. It’s reality.
So, then, it should not be surprising that changes proposed by Gov. Mark Sanford would not be welcomed by all.
That didn’t stop Sanford from reiterating in his State of the State address some proposals he had made in the past, even though they had been shot down before.
It takes political courage to propose changes when you know there will be opposition. Fortunately, South Carolina has a governor who obviously is not bound by the political chains that have tied the hands of others.

SANFORD IS NOT A GREAT orator, for example, like Greenwood’s Bryan Dorn in his heyday. Nevertheless, he manages to get across his thinking.
In his recent address Sanford proposed several changes, including tort reform (civil lawsuits), which he believes would mean lower medical costs and would help attract industry through lower liability; cutting the individual income tax rate from 7 to 4.75 percent over a six-year period; have the agriculture commissioner, school superintendent and adjutant general appointed by the governor; and add at least 100 troopers to the under-staffed Highway Patrol. He’d also stop the separate election of the lieutenant governor and create an administration department. He’d expand charter schools and offer tax credits for parents who send their children to private schools.
Another Sanford proposal has stirred opposition from several sources. That’s his suggestion that the state could save $20 million by raising the minimum school district size to 2,500 students ….. which would mean mergers for some school districts.

SANFORD IS A PRAGMATIST, though. He obviously does not expect all his proposals to pass. Some ideas will be approved while others will go in the trash. Debate is healthy. Since South Carolinians are divided on various issues, they should debate them all.
It’s good to have a governor who is not afraid to bring up issues he knows will stir debate.
That’s how it should be. Hear both sides and then decide. In a democracy no one, especially governors, should be faulted for questioning the status quo. Neither should anyone be rebuked for honest debate on any issue.
Give the public a chance to react. More times than not it will make the right choice. Sanford obviously is willing to do that. He should be praised, not buried.