Stolen vehicle involved in fatal wreck

August 2, 2006

By GREG DEAL
Managing editor

At least one person was killed late Tuesday night when a stolen car crashed into a sport utility vehicle at the intersection of the U.S. 225 Bypass and Florida Avenue in Greenwood.
The person who died was in the SUV. The victim’s identity cannot be released until family members are notified. A female passenger who was ejected from the car was taken by helicopter to a Greenville hospital and was thought to be in critical condition.
The driver of the stolen vehicle was taken to Self Regional Medical Center with what officials said were non-life-threatening injuries.
A green Ford Escort was reported stolen early Tuesday from the Lil’ Cricket on Emerald Road, said Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mike Frederick.
Greenwood Police Chief Gerald Brooks said a city unit on patrol saw a green Ford pass through the Bond Avenue/Edgefield Street intersection late Tuesday night at a speed “above the posted limit.” The officers followed the vehicle and radioed in the tag number but did not turn on the blue lights. The dispatcher radioed back and said the car was reported stolen.
Another police vehicle on patrol was near the area, and, as the officers in the first police car saw their backup coming, they activated the blue lights and pulled the Ford over after following him to Florida Avenue in front of Springfield Elementary School.
Brooks said the officers exited their vehicles and an officer “called out to the driver, something to the effect of, ‘Show me your hands,’” Brooks said.
The small Ford made a U-turn and headed east on Florida Avenue. Brooks said the larger police car had to make a “three-point turn.” Brooks said the officers did not have the stolen vehicle in sight after that.
“Our officers continued east on Florida Avenue, in hopes of seeing the vehicle, but when they got to the intersection of Florida Avenue and (Bypass) 225, he (the driver of the stolen car) had collided with the SUV with innocent civilians inside,” Brooks said.
“It’s a tragedy,” Brooks said as he looked over the wreckage.
The Ford had hit the SUV and knocked it over a ditch and into a grassy area, where it rested on its side. The crumpled Ford was in a ditch beside a stop sign.
Traffic on both roads in both directions was blocked as dozens of emergency workers attended to the victims.
The sheriff’s office had been working on the stolen car case. Members of the sheriff’s office were on the scene assisting a plethora of emergency workers.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the wreck.

‘Terrible tragedy’

Greenwood teenager dies in reported gun accident

August 2, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Senior staff writer

A 16-year-old Greenwood resident is facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of his 17-year-old friend.
Josh Anderson, of 1011 Parkland Place Road, Greenwood, died Monday night after suffering a gunshot wound to the neck area, Greenwood County Chief Deputy Coroner Marcia Kelley said. An autopsy is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. today in Newberry to determine an official cause of death.
Greenwood Police Chief Gerald Brooks said Anderson and another person were guests at a 16-year-old friend’s home on Moss Creek Lane when the shooting took place about 8 p.m.
“They were all friends who had spent the summer together,” Brooks said.
A Greenwood Police Department report said the 16-year-old, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, told police he retrieved a shotgun from a bedroom and brought it into the room with his friends, adding that he did not think the gun was loaded.
Brooks said the 16-year-old found the gun in his father’s bedroom, where it had been kept behind the door and partially concealed by garments that were placed over it.
The report gave this account: The 16-year-old said he cocked the gun and pulled the trigger but the gun did not fire.
He said he was “just playing around” when he pointed the gun at the victim and pulled the trigger again. The gun fired, hitting the victim in the neck. The juvenile said he noticed the victim was injured and called 911, telling police the shooting was “an accident and he did not mean to do it.”
The 18-year-old witness in the room at the time of the shooting gave police a matching account, the report said. The 18-year-old said he ran from the house after the shooting and went to a convenience store to call police before returning to the home.
When police arrived, Anderson was not responsive, though Greenwood County EMS technicians found a faint pulse. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Brooks said the juvenile was taken into custody and charged with involuntary manslaughter — which can carry a prison sentence of up to five years — and he was taken to the juvenile detention center in Columbia. He appeared before a family court judge on Tuesday in Greenwood, and Brooks said the 16-year-old would be tried as a juvenile when the case goes to court.
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our hearts go out to the Anderson family,” Brooks said.
Though accidental shooting deaths involving children are rare in the Greenwood area, Brooks said the deaths occur too often nationwide.
“Something similar to this happens in the U.S. on a daily basis,” he said. “Gun ownership is a fundamental right of law-abiding adults in the U.S. ... but with that right comes responsibility, and that’s where gun safety comes into play.”
Brooks said gun manufacturers and gun groups, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), offer numerous tips to prevent accidents like the one Monday in Greenwood.
According to the NRA’s Web site, the primary rule of gun safety is to keep the gun pointed in a safe direction so that, even if the gun fires, the bullet would not cause damage or injury. The Web site says the person handling the gun should keep his finger off the trigger until he is ready to shoot. The gun also should be stored unloaded.
Brooks said it is also a good idea to store ammunition in a hidden, locked location separate from the gun. Gun locks can be used to add security, and Brooks said the police department sometimes offers free gun locks at public events.
But the most important step of gun safety, Brooks said, is to do whatever it takes to make sure a gun isn’t accessible to children.
“The first cardinal rule of firearm safety is that guns should be kept out of the hands of children,” he said.

Taking back the Night

Neighbors, safety officials come together for National Night Out

August 2, 2006

From staff reports


Andreniah Beach woke up about 12:30 a.m. July 25 to gunshots ringing across Grier Street. She jumped out of bed, grabbed son Zachary and held him close. Beach said she was terrified after hearing the gunshots.
The red, white and blue lights from paramedics and police cars flooded through Beach’s window until 3:30 a.m. It was the fourth shooting Beach knew about since she moved to Grier Street.
After the incident, Beach was afraid to leave her house.
But now, things have changed.
She said increased police presence on Grier Street has made the streets safer.
National Night Out is an event for community residents to meet law enforcement officers and express concerns about their community. The event brought more police Tuesday night to Grier Street and other neighborhoods and towns across the area.
The Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office brought more than 10 deputies and their mobile command center to Grier Street. Grier Street’s National Night Out was more successful than Beth Bethel thought it would be.
Bethel, executive director of Community Initiatives on Grier Street, said she thought their National Night Out celebration might not happen because people were still afraid to walk out of their doors.
A fatal shooting on July 1 on Grier Street, the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office’s “Operation July Blizzard” citywide drug bust and the July 12 armed robbery on Peacan Road have made people on Grier Street hesitant to come together, Bethel said.
But despite fear, about 75 people stopped by Community Initiatives after Bethel and her staff walked door to door on Grier Street to invite residents to attend.
“The neighborhood is filled with concerned people who are sick of crime,” Bethel said.
People in the neighborhood want to be a part of cleaning up their community, she said. Still, problems persist on Grier Street.
“The drugs on Grier Street are out of control,” said Carol Steinhauer, a friend of Beach’s and a frequent visitor to Grier Street.
The Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office is doing all it can to clean up Grier Street, but they need the community’s help, said Capt. John Murray, of the GCSO.
“We’re trying to get the people out here to get their streets straightened out,” he said.
The problems on Grier Street aren’t caused by people from Grier Street, said Gerald Ingram.
Ingram has been living on Grier Street for five years. He said people from other neighborhoods are causing the shootings and drug problems.
Conditions are getting better with the increased police patrols, but people are still afraid, he said.
The Belle Meade National Night Out brought 150 people out to eat barbecue buffet-style on Belle Meade Street, said organizer Keo Jur.
Children blew whistles given out by the Belle Meade Association and The Northwest Fire Department came to the cookout with a fire engine.
National Night Out is a chance for people to meet their neighbors, Jur said.
“We can see if we can try and help each other,” she said.
Linda Reece came out to meet her neighbors with husband Jonathan and her children, Ashley and Michael.
She said getting to know the people in her neighborhood has helped her feel less anxious about her own kids playing outside.
The Taggart/Russell Street Community Club National Night Out lasted about two hours and brought out 75 people, said Minnie Childs, secretary of the community club.
The children also played a game of dodgeball with the Greenwood Fire Department.
Most of the children ate the hot dogs and hamburgers that were provided and then left, she said.
Greenwood Police Chief Gerald Brooks also stopped by the festivities.
The New Haven Community Center’s National Night Out was moved to 5 p.m. today because of the rainstorm that passed through the area Tuesday afternoon, said Zaray Martinez, of the community center.

NINETY SIX

“I’m a neighborhood person,” said Molly Harts, community outreach coordinator for Ninety Six. She attended the town’s festivities at the Ninety Six Depot.
“Its just so good to get the neighborhoods together and talking with each other. We really are just promoting our community,” said Harts, who was joined by Gwen Long in planning activities.
“Community awareness is the key to this event,” said Long, secretary of the Ninety Six Neighborhood Association.
The town fire and police departments came to the depot to show their support and encourage children and parents to feel comfortable with safety officers.
“We have the fire engine out so they can look at the equipment, and we’re giving out fliers and pencils,” Ninety Six Fire Chief Neil Lomax said.
“It’s really fun,” said Aaliyah Williams, a rising fifth-grader from Ninety Six.
Williams said she enjoyed getting her face painted and said she likes coming to National Night Out every year.

McCORMICK

Hundreds of people mingled with public safety officials and others at McCormick’s first National Night Out event, and co-organizer Gena Wideman said the event was planned to “let everyone know that McCormick County is paying attention” and is joining together to stop criminal activity.
The event featured law enforcement officers, paramedics, firefighters and other public safety officials, as well as representatives from local schools, community and public services, churches and government agencies. Games and prizes were offered for the event’s younger participants.
Co-organizer Dana Bottoms, with Cornerstone, a drug and alcohol abuse agency, said events such as Night Out send a message to those who break the law.
“It lets criminals know that the community is taking a stand against crime and drugs,” she said.
But McCormick County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jackie Crawford-Rivers said an important message is sent to law-abiding residents in the community. “Events like this help change the community’s perception” of law enforcement, she said. “It gives us a positive image.”
Crawford-Rivers said some young residents’ only interaction with law enforcement comes when police or sheriff’s deputies intervene in domestic situations in the home.
“We are perceived as the bad guys because we have to take (family members) off to jail,” she said. “We want to change that and let these people see that we aren’t the bad guys.”She said interaction with community members is vital to building positive relationships and tearing down misconceptions that can lead to fear or resentment of public safety officials.
“It’s a good thing, especially for youth,” resident Patricia Briggs said. “It gets them talking about domestic violence and drugs. It makes the kids aware of it.”

HODGES

The clink of horseshoes and the voice of Johnny Cash echoed outside the Hodges Fire Department.
About 50 community members gathered on the lawn for ice cream, music and socialization.
“You tend to look out for people you know,” Matt Chapman, of Hodges, said. “It brings our community together. We’re looking out for each other and we know each other. It makes a difference.”
As some of the older kids took turns tossing horseshoes and bouncing down a large, inflated mountain, 3-year-old Madison Reeves stood at a mini ring toss playing with kids her age.
Her mother, Brianna Reeves, said she brought her daughter out for more than just fun and games.
“She gets to know the people in her community and she learns who to trust,” she said.

ABBEVILLE

While rainbow snow cones melted down the chins of about 100 people who came to the Abbeville Night Out on the Opera House lawn, a deeper message seemed to be soaking in past the multi-color stains.
Eight-year-old Bakeitha Young learned what marijuana and cocaine looked like at one of the many booths displayed by law enforcement and Cornerstone. Young said now that she knows what it looks like, she knows she should leave it alone and tell the police.
Jim Scott saw something he didn’t like at the Cornerstone booth. Inside of a jar full of brown water, a set of rotted-looking teeth soaked up tobacco juice. It showed what happens to the teeth of someone who chews tobacco.
“I don’t want to think about it because I chew,” Scott said with a chuckle as he placed the jar back on the table. “I spent 26 and a half years in law enforcement, so all this drug paraphernalia interests me because it keeps me up to date.”
Four-year-old Timber Scott quickly made friends with Abbeville Police Lt. Tony O’Bannon. The two chatted and played as the officer asked her about school and explained his job.
“She was scared of policemen before we got here,” said Paula Dorn, a neighbor who brought Scott to the event. “I told her they were nice. She seems to know that now.”

Joshua Natavius Anderson

Joshua Natavius Anderson, 17, of 1011 Parkland Place Road, died Monday, July 31, 2006 in Greenwood.
He was a son of Vincent Spearman and Annie Jean Anderson and stepson of Michael Pope. He was a rising senior at Greenwood High School and a member of Dunham Temple CME Church and the church Youth Chorus.
Survivors include his mother of the home; his father of Greenwood; his stepfather of Greenwood; his stepmother, Shastisha Pope of Greenwood; maternal grandmother, Rose Mary Goode of Greenwood; maternal grandfather, David Anderson of Greenwood; paternal grandmother, Cornelia Spearman of Greenwood; two brothers, Michael Demont Anderson and D’Micheal Anthony Pope of the home; a sister, Ashley Nicole Anderson of the home.
The family is at the home of grandmother Rose Mary Goode, 801 Anderson St.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net
PAID OBITUARY

Mrs. Callie Self Coker Besson

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC – Funeral Services for Mrs. Callie Self Coker Besson, 76, of West Martintown Road, North Augusta, SC, who died July 31, 2006, will be conducted this Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock from the First Christian Church of Augusta. Dr. C. Don Manning officiating. Interment in Westover Memorial Park.
Mrs. Besson was a native of Greenwood, SC, having made North Augusta her home for the past 55 years. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Augusta, where she was active in the restoration of the Sanctuary. Mrs. Besson was the wife of the late Mr. William T. Besson, Jr.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Drs. William T. and Cindy Besson, III, Aiken, SC; a daughter and son-in-law, Holly Besson and William N. Jackson, North Augusta; a sister and brother-in-law, Holly Coker and Charles S. Brown, Green-wood, SC; a brother-in-law and his wife Brian and Ann Besson, North Augusta; grandchildren, Kerri Jackson, Paul Jackson, Will Besson and John Besson.
Pallbearers will be Scott Besson, Joe Musgrove, Donnie Curry, Dr. Miroslav Zotovic, Ansley Gissendanner and Tom Holley. Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church Restoration Fund, 629 Greene Street, Augusta, GA 30901.
Stephen D. Posey Funeral Home of North Augusta in charge of arrangements (803-278-1181). Visit the registry online at www.poseyfuneralhome.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Mary Ellen Glenn

Mary Ellen Reagan Glenn, 85, of 110 Blyth Ave., widow of Jack W. Glenn, died Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Herman Aubrey Moore, Jr.

CHARLOTTE, NC – Herman Aubrey Moore, Jr., 76, died July 31, 2006 at Carolinas Medical Center following a massive brain hemorrhage.
Mr. Moore, the son of Herman Aubrey Moore and Emmy McConnell Moore, was born in Greenwood, South Carolina on November 11, 1929. He moved with his family to Charlotte in 1934, where his father founded what was later to become American Credit Corporation. He attended Culver Military Academy, Darlington School; Central High School where he played football and boxed; University of North Carolina; Charlotte College. Member, Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Consultant, American Credit Corporation; President, the Hagley Corporation; Consultant, The Randolph Clinic, Inc.; President, Mecklenburg County YDC; Secretary, Democratic Executive Committee, 1952-1956; State Senator in the General Assembly from 1964-1976. President Pro Tem-pore, N. C. Senate, 1967-1969; Member of the Committee on State Government Reorganization; Chairman of the N. C. Tax Study Commission; Member of the National Legislative Lenders Conference; Co-Chairman Legislative Research Commission; Member, Governor’s Study Committee on Vocational Rehabilitation; Member, National Society of State Legislators; Dinner Chairman Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, 1955; Director, N.C. Wildlife Federation; Member, N.C. American Revolution Bi Centennial Commission; Director of Charlotte Rehabilitation Hospital; Commissioner of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority; Director, North Carolina Foun-dation for Mental Research; North Carolina Children’s Home Society; Central Piedmont Community College Foundation; N. C. Education Council on National Purposes and the Board of Directors of First Citizens Bank.
While in college he married Bette Craig, with whom he had four children. He returned to Charlotte and joined his late father’s company where he worked for several years. Mr. Moore entered the automobile business and became the youngest DeSoto dealer in the United States. Thereafter he entered the real estate investment business and was responsible for the development of residential and commercial projects. He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.
In 1964 Mr. Moore ran for the North Carolina Senate and was elected and thereafter served five terms. During his service he was elected President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate and served with distinction, being thought of as one of the most influential and effective leaders to have ever held that post. Mr. Moore and Martha Ann Tobin of Boston, Massachusetts were married on September 25, 1976. In later years he and Marty divided their time between their homes in Charlotte and DeBordieu, S. C.
Mr. Moore was an avid outdoorsman and conservationist. He served as the President of the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited and also as a Director of the national organization. He was especially honored by his recent induction into the Ducks Unlimited Hall of Fame. Ducks Unlimited has named a waterfowl preserve and nesting area for Mr. Moore. He was awarded “Conservationist of the Year” by the North Carolina Wildlife Commission. Mr. Moore hunted and fished all over the United States, traveling annually to Arkansas, Idaho and Montana as well as other countries. He also truly loved the South Carolina low country for its beauty, recreation and natural resources.
Mr. Moore is survived by his wife, Marty, his four children, Leslie Moore Sanchez and her husband, Jose Luis; Herman Aubrey Moore, III, and his wife, Ann; Philip Craig Moore, and Eric McConnell Moore and his wife, Brenda; his sister Jane Moore Keesler and husband Lacy, and his Step-Brother, the Honorable Philip F. Howerton, Jr. and wife Mary.; his four grandchildren, Aubrey Moore Grier and her husband, Brandon; Ellen McConnell Moore, Anna Bett Newman Moore, Eva Bette Moore and one very special great-grandson, Stuart Rushing Grier.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 2 at the residence of Herman and Ann Moore, 800 Hungerford Pl., Charlotte, NC 28207. A service to celebrate the life of Mr. Moore will be held 3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 3 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Rd., Charlotte. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Ducks Unlimited, 1 Waterfowl Way, Memphis, TN 38120 or the charity of one’s choice.
Harry and Bryant Company is serving the family of Mr. Moore.
PAID OBITUARY

Michael D. Rushton Sr.

JOHNSTON — Michael D. “Big Mike” Rushton, 47, died Monday, July 31, 2006 at his home. He was owner-operator of Rushton Towing Service.
Survivors include his wife, Susie Day Rushton; a son, Mike Rushton Jr.; a daughter, Mrs. Roger (Tammie R.) Bush; three brothers, James T. Rushton, Alvin Rushton and Gary “Bigun” Rushton; a sister, Betty J. Cornwell.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home. Burial is in Sunset Gardens Memorial Park. Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of Roger and Tammie Bush, Lee Street.
Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home is in charge.

Jessie Mae Terry

ABBEVILLE — Jessie Mae Strother Terry, 67, of 2240 Old Douglas Mill Road, wife of McKinley Terry, died Sunday, July 30, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
A daughter of the late Augustus Coleman and Hattie Mae Strother, she was a member of Flat Rock AME Church and was later affiliated with Mount Zion AME Church, Hodges.
Survivors include her husband of the home; three sons, Michael B. Strother of New York, Jerald Terry of Iva and Lucious Terry of Abbeville; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at Mount Zion AME Church, conducted by the Rev. Clinton J. Hall, assisted by the Rev. Albert L.Thompson. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Viewing is 11-7 today at Richie Funeral Home.
Richie Funeral Home is in charge.

Vikings learning fast

August 2, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The opening of fall high school football practice is often a time of discovery for football players and coaches alike. Younger players struggle to learn plays and assignments, with some competing for starting spots as others accept their roles as rookies.
Meanwhile, the older players adjust to newfound roles as entrenched starters, looking to provide leadership and stability for a new year. Most of all, it is a time of learning.
At Emerald High School, discovery and learning are particularly poignant terms right now. The Vikings are beginning their second consecutive year with a new head coach, and, so far, things are going well between the new foreman and his crew.
“It’s gone really well so far,” first-year coach Mike Clowney said.
“The kids have come out and worked really hard since we opened practice, and they’re doing what we ask of them.” Clowney, who arrived at Emerald after assistant coaching stints at Greenwood and Carson Newman College, is taking over for the departed Mac Bryan, who led the Vikings to the upper state championship game last season in his only year at the school.
One area the Vikings will be particularly strong in this season will be depth. Emerald had 75-80 players present for Tuesday morning’s workout. Depth becomes even more important for Emerald considering it plays in the rugged Region III-AA, which is also home to perennial state AA powers Batesburg-Leesville, Ninety Six and Newberry.
One aspect Clowney said he has been particularly pleased with so far is his squad’s enthusiasm.
“I think everybody gets excited when they think about Friday night,” said Clowney, who played for Greenwood coach Shell Dula at Union High. “We came out here (Tuesday) morning and the band was practicing and the guys were working hard and it just gets you excited.”
After Emerald’s successful season a year ago, Clowney said he welcomes the challenge of fans’ expectations, and said it is a challenge his team accepts, as well.
In terms of positions, Clowney said he has been very pleased with the work of the offensive line in this first week of practice. With several returning seniors, such as Chase Canipe and Alex Robinson, the players in the offensive trenches should indeed be a strong point.
One key position battle going on in Vikings’ practice is the competition for quarterback. A pair of newcomers are vying for the job in sophomore Zane Newton and junior Evan Bledsoe. Clowney said competition has been healthy during practice.
“They are different kinds of guys out there,” Clowney said of the pair. “But they are both doing a god job.”

Dress codes for schools should be comprehensive

August 2, 2006

Some school districts in South Carolina have stricter dress codes than others and some are working toward tightening up in that area. The motivations appear to be different in some respects. One thing seems certain, though. It’s something a lot of people talk about no matter what part of the state is considered.
For one thing, some officials say shirttails should all be tucked into trousers for safety reasons. That, they say, is to prevent weapons from being hidden in baggy clothing. Then there are those who are offended by low-cut male trousers and female slacks, particularly when wearing such garments is taken to the extreme and shows parts of the anatomy that’s better kept under wraps.

MUCH OF STUDENT DRESS these days can be attributed to what some of them see as fashion.
However, it seems one word can easily define the way things are: sloppy. Sloppy is as sloppy does, of course, whether it’s an effort to be popular or something else. Whatever it is, it has a lingering effect. And, nothing could feel that effect more than the quality of school work and the grades earned. Simply put, dress sloppily and perform sloppily.
They go hand in hand.
Dress codes should also include teachers and administrators as well as students. Some members of the faculty in some district dress just as slovenly as students. If they do it, what can be expected of their students?
Regardless, a lot of people in Greenwood complain about school “fashions.” They obviously believe that how one dresses determines how one acts. It does indeed.