Heroes welcomed home

Soldiers march back into loved ones’ arms

May 25, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

WARE SHOALS — The simple comforts of home — a favorite chair, doing homework with the children and green grass — are what many take for granted, but it’s these simple things that many of the soldiers from Delta Company of the 111th Signal Battalion say they have missed.
More than 20 soldiers with Delta Company and HHC (Headquarters and Headquarters Company) arrived Tuesday to cheers and screams as they marched in for a welcome-home celebration at Riegel Stadium.
Being with his family is the most important part about being home for Sgt. Richmond Hill Jr., who, along with the rest of his company, was serving in Iraq for an 18-month tour of duty.
“The first thing I’ll do is settle back at home and get to know my family,” he said.
Hill said he wants to get to know his children all over again and learn about the things he’s missed.
What he missed most is helping his children with their homework.
Hill said he also missed being at Hornets football games and seeing his son play.
After the Hills settle down, following the 18-month deployment to Iraq, they plan to go on a family vacation.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, Kaitlin Davis, 9, of Hodges, got the opportunity to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” for brother Tai Nguyen.
“I will say to him that I love him,” Davis said, of the first words she would say to her brother while showering him with hugs and kisses.
Davis said she sang the song for him because she thought he’d like it.
“It’s a big relief to be back home,” Nguyen said, holding son Haden.
The first thing Nguyen will do once he gets home is sit in his favorite chair.
After more than a year in the desert, Nguyen said he missed seeing grass.
Although it had been a week since Donna Price last saw son Sgt. Christopher Price at Ft. Benning, Ga., she embraced him as if seeing him for the first time.
“When I saw him at Fort Benning, it was for a short time. It was over night. It’s better than nothing,” she said, visibly overcome with emotion.
Being with his family and getting to take a shower in his own home was what Sgt. 1st Class Terry Boyter was most looking forward to. “I’m just glad to be home,” Boyter said.
The Ware Shoals High School band and cheerleaders were part of the welcoming ceremony.

Shavonne Potts covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3306, or: spotts@indexjournal.com.

Kathy Elaine Brooks

Kathy Elaine Brooks, 47, of 419 Plowden Ave., wife of Charlie Brooks, died Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of Daisy Bell Day and the late Willie James Day Sr. She was a secretary at Self Regional Healthcare and a member of Second Damascus Baptist Church and the Willing Workers Club of the church.
Survivors include her mother of Greenwood; her husband of the home; a daughter, Tiara Elaine Brooks of the home; a son, Charlie Dante Brooks of the home; a brother, Willie James Day Jr. of Anderson; and a sister, Jacquelyn Stewart of Greenwood.
The family is at the home and at her mother’s home, 615 Taggart Ave.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.

O’Dell Lindley

WARE SHOALS — Richard O’Dell Lindley, 79, of 28 N. Greenwood Ave. Extension, husband of Doris Paige Lindley, died Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at his home.
Born in Greenville County, he was a son of the late William Roy and Mae Dell Thompson Lindley. He was an accountant, retired from Riegel Textile Corp., and owned Lindley’s Antiques. A World War II Army veteran, he was a member of First Baptist Church, the Good Will Sunday School Class and Ware Shoals Masonic Lodge No. 306.
Survivors include his wife of the home, a daughter, Janice L. Womble of Greenwood and a sister, Zelpha Kerr of Hodges.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Leon Jones. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Steve Kerr, Ed Arnold, Jimmy Hughes, Ray Thompson, Jimmy Koon, Brett Henderson and James Gordon. Honorary escorts are members of the Good Will Sunday School Class.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Parker-White Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge.

George Washington

SALUDA — George Washington, 67, formerly of Washington, D.C., died Saturday, May 21, 2005 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Saluda County, he was a son of the late William and Mamie Holloway Washington. He was of the Baptist faith and a chef.
Survivors include a son, George Washington Jr. of Washington; two brothers, Bennie Lee Washington of Landover, Md., and William Washington Jr. of Washington, D.C.; and a sister, Diane Wair of Waldorf, Md.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Butler & Sons Funeral Home conducted by the Rev. Herbert Martin. Burial will follow in the Rock Hill Baptist Church cemetery.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home is in charge.

Bryan ‘feels good’ about Vikes

May 25, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Mac Bryan cheered. He yelled. He clapped. He even threw his hat to the ground in frustration.
But more times than not, he patted someone on the back in assurance.
Emerald High School’s new football coach and athletic director got the first real taste of his team in action Tuesday afternoon as the Vikings ended their 10-practice spring session with an intra-squad scrimmage at Viking Stadium.
“I feel good about what I saw,” Bryan said. “I think we’ve had a good spring. I’m proud of the kids and I’m proud of the coaching staff.
“They had a good time today, I think. We did some good things, on both sides of the ball, and we did some bad things, and I think you can expect that in the spring.”
Bryan set up this “Purple and White” practice game to give him and his coaches an opportunity to watch the players work through his new offensive system in game-like situations.
A handful of Emerald fans and former players were in attendance. Even longtime coach and A.D. Frank Hill watched from the pressbox.
All were there to take a peek at the Vikings in what will be the team’s offensive style under Bryan.
The Vikings’ offense, which operated out of the I-formation last season, spent much of the practice with junior Brandon Davis in the backfield next to junior quarterback Dan Wideman, standing in the shotgun.
Instead of running the ball behind a double tight end lineup, Wideman was throwing to four wide receivers.
“This is the first time they’ve ever been on a game field in a situation where we wanted to move the ball our way,” Bryan said. “It’s a little different environment for them, and you expect things to be a little hit or miss.”
“And it will be like that for a while, because everything’s new to them.”
Even though the players were limited in what they could do - no tackling, shoulder pads and helmets only - there were a fair number of good hits coming from the white squad, the Emerald defense.
“I think the kids did a pretty good job of working within the rules. We got a few licks in, but that’s OK,” Bryan said. “All spring, we’ve done it like you’re supposed to: no tackling and wearing the hand-shield.
“But we got it as close to a football situation as we could make it, and I think they responded well.”
Tuesday marked the end of Bryan’s first Emerald practice session.
He and his coaching staff won’t see the players decked out in helmets and shoulder pads again until July 29, which is the first official day of fall practice for the 2005 season.
But that doesn’t mean the coach isn’t expecting to see his new players on a regular basis over the summer.
“I want them here lifting weights. I want them on the field in the times we have them set to do that. I want participation in the seven-on-sevens,” Bryan said. “What we need right now is repetition and commitment, and these guys have done pretty good job of that.
“We’ll be a better football team July 29 than we are right now, and that’s what we have to be. And it’s up to the kids and how committed they are.”

Ron Cox covers prep sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ronc@indexjournal.com

Deal on court nominees lets obstructionism live

May 25, 2005

A group of 12 U. S. senators, including South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham, may have had the interests of the Senate and the nation at heart when they struck a deal on voting for judicial nominees to the U. S. Appeals Court. The bottom line, though, is that the entire nation lost. The future has been left wide open for unlimited hijinks.
These dozen senators agreed to a deal that avoids a clash over Senate rules. It also opened the way for a vote on the confirmation of most, but not all, of President Bush’s judicial nominees. Why? Every nominee deserves a vote.

THE RHETORIC HAS BEEN hot and heavy as Democrats and Republicans clashed over this question. It has been going on for four years, too, and the minority was obstructing the will of the majority.
There has been so much propaganda introduced in this debate it’s been difficult for the average voter to really understand what was at stake. What it came down to, though, was not all that difficult to understand. Only 12 senators decided what nominees would get an up or down vote, meaning, of course, that some nominees have been denied a vote by these same 12 senators. In other words, 38 senators had no voice in who would get a vote.

EVERY NOMINEE DESERVES a vote, and he or she deserves a vote by all senators. If a nominee loses, so be it. Using smoke and mirrors avoids the responsibility senators owe their constituents.
Of course, if the Senate had voted as it should have in he first place, there would not have been a “gang of 12” to make decisions for all the rest.
What happens in the future? Guess! The wording of the so-called compromise (capitulation?), is open to interpretation. Nothing’s been solved. Obstructionism remains alive and well and living in the U. S. Senate.