Keeping busy with new growth

Greenwood group wants to build on area’s ‘hot’ micro-market status

August 26, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Greenwood County is hot.
That was the phrase floating around Friday at Inn on the Square during the Partnership Alliance’s annual meeting, which focused on the current state of economic development in the city and county.
According to the spring 2006 edition of Southern Business & Development, Greenwood is ranked as the third hottest micro-market in the Southeastern United States, and Partnership officials, as well as South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor, said the ranking is great news.
“That gives us hope, it gives us recognition for all the hard work (being done in the community) and it gives us a level of satisfaction,” Partnership Alliance CEO Jeffrey Fowler told the audience, though he added that there is still room for improvement. “It’s great to have third place, but I like winning the gold medal. ... Our goal is broad, and that is to be the number one place to live in the United States.”
“The ranking is absolutely fabulous,” said Taylor, who was appointed to his position in February by South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. “That is the kind of recognition that we really like to see coming into South Carolina.”
Fowler said the past year at the Partnership has been spent attracting new business to the area, assisting existing business with expansion and growing the retiree population in Greenwood County, and officials said those efforts have met much success.
Jamie Gilbert, director of business development with the Partnership, said the alliance embarked on an impressive marketing strategy during the 2005-06 year that included out-of-state marketing missions and trips to large trade shows, which generated a number of new leads and projects for the area.
“The impact of these trips and missions is essential and an important part of our strategy,” Gilbert told the audience. By the end of the year, the Partnership’s number of leads and prospects had grown from 79 to 114, and the alliance had assisted in bringing two new companies to the county and helped eight companies expand their operations, which resulted in increased jobs and millions of dollars in new investment.
But industry expansion is only one focus of the Partnership, and John Lowery, marketing director with the alliance, said community and retail development are also key parts in creating a vital community.
Cultural attractions, tourism, real estate, small business and retiree attraction are all areas examined by the Partnership in their mission to make Greenwood “the number one place to live in America,” Lowery told the audience.
“We want to move Greenwood from a Wal-Mart community to a shopping destination,” Lowery said. “Greenwood needs more upscale shopping opportunities. ... It’s not just a convenience, but an economic necessity.”
Lowery said revenue is leaking from the Greenwood area when residents travel out-of-town to do their shopping, and he said that can turn away businesses or companies that are looking to locate in the county.
“They look closely at the kind of shopping opportunities we have as an indicator of sophistication and quality of life,” he said. “Without a vibrant, active and prosperous city center, no community can flourish.”
Lowery said that philosophy is the driving force behind the Partnership’s support of the City Center Master Plan and Uptown Greenwood revitalization, as well as a number of outdoor cultural events in the Emerald City.
Lowerly said those events not only draw industry into the area, but also retirees, who bring higher disposable incomes, higher education and more community activism into the area. “They are ideal citizens,” Lowery said.
He said the Partnership created a retiree attraction committee, which includes McCormick, Abbeville, Laurens and Newberry counties, to “widen the net” and retain more retirees.
“Ultimately, Greenwood always wins in this situation. No matter where they visit in the area, Greenwood has the hotels, the restaurants and the shopping,” Lowery said. “They will leave their money here one way or another.”
On a statewide level, Taylor said the economy is currently in great shape, with tax revenues up from last year and unemployment down.
“People are making more money, more people are working and people are spending more money,” Taylor said. “All of those are signs of a very vital economy in our state.”
One area that is of concern for state officials, Taylor said, is the dropout rate, but Fowler said the Partnership is working tirelessly to prepare the workers of tomorrow to be “productive members of our community.”Frank Wideman, president of the Partnership’s Foundation for a Greater Greenwood, said the foundation focuses on providing support for work force development programs in the area.
He said the foundation has worked with school districts, colleges, education consortiums and the state commerce department to make those programs flourish. He said higher test scores and an improved graduation rate among students in Greenwood County are signs of the foundation’s success.
“Our main goal is to create the best work force development system for a county our size in this country,” Wideman told the group.
All of these developments helped make the 2005-06 year a successful one for the Partnership, Fowler said, adding that the county can reasonably expect to garner about $40 million in new investment and see 122 new jobs created from the prospects and leads that were “in the pipeline” from the past year.
The upcoming year for the Partnership will be focused on the same goals and missions of the past year, and officials plan to “put more money, more time and more effort into all aspects” of the Partnership’s strategic plan, Fowler said.

Rev. Ray Brewer

GREENWOOD — The Reverend Bobby Ray Brewer, 53, of 417 Panacea Road, husband of Donna Blackstone Brewer, died Thursday, August 24, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of Ann Porter Brewer Mitchum and the late Bobby L. Brewer. He was a 1972 graduate of Greenwood High School and attended Emanuel Theological Seminary. He was a retired minister, last serving Bonds Cross Road Pentecostal Holiness Church in Clinton. He attended New Life Pentecostal Holiness Church and was a member of First Presbyterian Church.
Surviving is his wife of the home; his mother of Greenwood; a daughter, Shannon Brewer Crocker of Greenwood; a son, Joshua L. Brewer of the home; and two granddaughters, Morgan Crocker and Madison Crocker.
Services will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Phillip Morris and Dr. George Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers and honorary escort will be cousins.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Curtis E. Gillion

Curtis E. Gillion, 81, of 1548 Parkway, Apt. 3-D, died Friday, Aug. 25, 2006 at Hospice House.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory.

Nora Frances Melvin

Services for Nora Frances Melvin, 89, of 161 Robinson Ave., are 2 p.m. Sunday at Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Jonathan Greene.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are friends of the family.
There will be no viewing.
Additional survivors include a goddaughter reared in the home, Elizabeth Coleman, of Columbia; and several grandchildren.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Charles E. Robinson

NEWBERRY — Charles E. Robinson, 59, of 2318 Eleanor St., died Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006 at the home of his daughter. Born in Newberry, he was a son of the late Willie James and Stacie Moon Robinson. He was employed by Louis Rich Co. for 30 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Tonia Mathis of the home; two stepchildren, Mrs. Collier (Darlene M.) Harmon and Calvin M. Harmon; two grandchildren of the home, Ty’shed Mathis and Tamija Mathis; three brothers, Louis Robinson, Jackie Robinson and Bennie Robinson, all of Newberry; six sisters, Mrs. O.J. (Julia M.) Lindsey of Dover, Del., Mrs. James (Shirley) Kinard of Newberry, Mrs. Joseph (Willie Mae) Caldwell of Ninety Six, Mrs. Glynn (Betty) Boles of Greenwood, Mrs. Dexter (Nancy) Darbins of Clinton, Mrs. Bruce (Jerdine) Bookman of Little Mountain.
Services are 3 p.m. Sunday at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Burial is in Newberry Memorial Gardens.
F.B. Pratt & Son Funeral Home Inc. is in charge.

Elsie B. Wolfe

SPARTANBURG, SC — Elsie Elizabeth Berry Wolfe, of 307 North Pinelake Court, entered into Heaven on Wednesday, August 23, 2006, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. A native of Chappells, SC, she was the daughter of the late William Isaac and Emma Elizabeth Smith Berry and the wife of the late Robert A. Wolfe. A graduate of Ninety Six High School and Spartanburg General Hospital School of Nursing, she was a retired registered nurse and a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include two granddaughters, Kelly O’Brien and her husband Colin of Belmont, NC, and Kimberly Alexander and her husband Mark of Fredericksburg, VA; a grandson, James Wolfe and his wife Hope of Roebuck; a brother, William Ray Berry and his wife Betty of Greenville; a sister, Bet Hilley of Pendleton; two sisters-in-law, Mary Wolfe of Chesnee, and Doris Berry of Ninety Six; and six great-grandchildren, Mabrey and Carson O’Brien, Drew and Grace Alexander, and Taylor and Ashlin Wolfe. She was prede-ceased by a son, Robert Donald Wolfe; and a brother, Carlton Berry.
Visitation will be 6-8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 26, 2006, at Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 27, 2006, at Oak Grove Baptist Church conducted by the Rev. Rufus Chaneyworth. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.
The family is at the home.
An online guest register is available at www.floydmortuary.com
Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel.
PAID OBITUARY

Eagles swoop in, dominate Vikings

August 26, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

It’s nine in a row and counting for the Greenwood High School football team.
The Eagles downed crosstown rival Emerald, 21-0, Friday night in front of a capacity crowd at J.W. Babb Stadium.
Greenwood has now defeated the Vikings all nine times the two teams have met. Greenwood coach Shell Dula was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I certainly feel like we played well defensively,” Dula said. “We have a lot of work to do on offense. We had two big plays, but we also made a ton of mistakes. We’ll need to correct that.”
First-year Emerald coach Mike Clowney was disappointed in the outcome, yet still had praise for his defense.
“I thought our defense did a good job,” Clowney said. “Our linebackers were a bright spot, and our safety Kadarron Anderson is a big-time player who played well out here tonight.”
The two coaches were right in praising their defenses, as Greenwood only allowed Emerald 54 total yards of offense.
Meanwhile, Emerald was able to nab an interception and force a pair of Greenwood fumbles and only surrendered one touchdown in the second half.
The Eagles jumped on the scoreboard for the first time late in the first quarter.
After Byron Best ripped off a 16-yard run on an end-around reverse, Greenwood lined up for a 37-yard field goal. Senior kicker Adam Walton popped the ball through the uprights from 37 yards out, capping a 2-minute, 10-second drive and giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter. It was Walton’s first career field goal.
“I was just thinking about each step I needed to take,” Walton said.
Greenwood’s Marcus Carroll opened the second quarter with a bang.
As the Eagles took over on their own 33-yard line, Carroll took a deep pitch from quarterback Jay Spearman. The tailback dashed through the left side of the line and found daylight in the secondary. He crossed the goal line 67 yards later, giving Greenwood a 9-0 lead with 11:27 left in the first half.
Carroll finished with a game-high 122 yards on 14 carries.
Disaster struck for the Vikings on their next possession.
Emerald quarterback Evan Bledsoe was hit just as he was about to hand the ball off to Josh Bovill, and the ball squirted free. Greenwood’s James Rapley recovered on the Vikings’ one-yard line.
Spearman burst into the endzone on the Eagles’ next play, giving Greenwood a 15-0 lead that it carried into the locker room.
After closing out the scoring in the first half, Spearman closed out the scoring in the game at the beginning of the third quarter.
Working from his own 32-yard line, Spearman lined up in the shotgun and took a quarterback keeper around the right side. After darting past a pair of diving Emerald defenders, Spearman found himself alone on the right sideline, streaking for the endzone.
The junior quarterback’s 68-yard dash accounted for the 21-0 final score.
Dula said, despite his team’s continued success against its rival, nothing comes easy when facing Emerald.
“It’s a tough game,” Dula said. “Emerald played well, especially on defense. These kids know each other and it is a rivalry. It’s just a tough game. I’m certainly proud of our guys for coming out on top.”
Despite the loss, Clowney said it was good to be coaching a regular season game in the Lakelands again. He was a defensive coordinator at Greenwood from 1999-2003.
“I love people from the city of Greenwood,” Clowney said, just as he was receiving another of an endless stream of well-wishers after the game.
Bovill was the leading rusher for Emerald, carrying the football 20 times for 46 yards. Meanwhile, Spearman contributed 115 yards rushing for Greenwood.

Concealed weapons law hasn’t brought calamity

August 26, 2006

It’s been a decade since South Carolina passed a concealed weapons law and all indications are that it has not led to the violence that opponents predicted when this law was under consideration in this state. In fact, research has indicated such laws have had a positive effect on crime statistics nationally.
Nevertheless, opponents of so-called “shall-issue concealed weapons permit laws” like the one in South Carolina argue against them. Usually these same critics are among those who favor registration of all guns or some gun-control plan.
The question always arises, to be sure, about the constitutional protections provided all Americans.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT, of course, says: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
That’s as clear as can be, although some who oppose it may point to the words “well regulated” to bolster their arguments about gun ownership. They might insist that gun registration or control of any kind could fit under the “well regulated” label.
Still, the Constitution says the right of the people to “keep and bear Arms. shall not be infringed.” Infringe, according to the dictionary, means “to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another.”

SO, LOOK AGAIN. IT SAYS “... shall not be infringed,” period!
Of course, designating the Second Amendment as the one to deal with arms ownership should tell everyone how important the matter was to the Founding Fathers. None of us was there, of course, to know first-hand what was behind their thinking. Still, everything left to us demonstrates how those who fathered this nation felt about the right to keep and bear arms. It was the first issue considered immediately following the right to speech, press and to peaceably assemble. That adds a degree of importance that is hard to ignore.
The concealed weapons law has been in effect for 10 years. Thousands of permits have been issued. Has this led to calamity? The answer to that is obvious.