Brewer Black History program highlights
speakers who found success through sports

February 16, 2006

By VIC MacDONALD
Index-Journal regional editor

Touching the life of just one student, Bruce Evans made that his aim at Brewer Middle School.
The Lander University men’s basketball head coach’s story of struggle and success accomplished his goal, many times over. The Brewer eighth-graders he spoke to Wednesday in a Black History Month program not only listened, but one student told him “keep your chin up” when Evans became emotional talking about his mother.
“She was always giving things to people. I told her, ‘We have nothing. Why are you giving to them,’” he said in a wavering voice. “She said, ‘That’s what you’re supposed to do.’”
Evans related a story of a happy childhood with his two brothers, mom and dad until the time his dad’s drinking caused the family to fall apart.
He, his brothers and his mom experienced abuse and were in a “tennis match” situation, with his mom leaving with the boys, then his dad showing up to take them back home. Finally, she and the boys left for good.
“It was tough. It was difficult. But that’s the way life is,” he said. “It’s hard. It’s not fair.”
Evans used his height and basketball skills to get an education at Furman University and played professionally for a year in Turkey. “I used basketball to get me out of where I was,” he said.
And, suddenly, he said, he had money.
“I sent money home, to my mom, to the church, to the day care,” he said. “I got more turkey jokes on Thanksgiving than the law should allow.”
His playing days done, Evans said he settled on coaching as a career, not for money but for job satisfaction. “Do what you want because it makes you happy,” he told the students. “The more money you make, the more money you spend. It’s never enough.”
Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson also took a sports/academics route to a successful career. A graduate of the old Brewer High School, he attended South Carolina State College on a football scholarship and went on to a teaching and coaching career. Nicholson now works with student services at Lander.
“My main reason to go (to S.C. State) was to prepare myself for the future,” he said. “I was not thinking about football as my main focus to prepare for the future. All of you should prepare for more education than high school.”
Elected to Greenwood City Council in 1982, after 11 years on council Nicholson was elected mayor and has served 12 years in the position. “I wanted to do what I can to help the community for the betterment of everyone,” he said of his “other” career in public service.
“I finished high school in the ’60s. It was practically impossible to think at that time I could be mayor,” Nicholson said. “We don’t know what the future holds so we have to be prepared for what the changes are, adapt to change. You never know what kind of country we’ll have 20 years from now. You will be the leaders.”
He gave the students a simple take-home message. “Do your very best. I’m not saying all As and Bs. Not everyone is capable of As and Bs, but everyone is able to do their best. When you do your best, it will become a habit.”

Three defendants in meth ring
get prison sentences

February 16, 2006

By VIC MacDONALD
Index-Journal regional editor

The last three of 13 original defendants in a methamphetamine importation ring, caught in a law enforcement bust dubbed “Operation Cheese Dip,” received prison sentences Wednesday in Greenwood Criminal Court.
First Circuit Judge James Williams sentenced defendants Timothy Arless Davis, of Cross Hill, John William McGee, of Ware Shoals, and Jerry Wayne Lowe, of Waterloo, to varying prison terms, taking into account prosecution recommendations for lesser sentences than the maximum. The court was told that Davis gave key information early in the investigation and testimony at a trial in Saluda two weeks that assisted in dismantling the meth importation ring. Lowe and McGee were called lesser players in the conspiracy and were allowed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges involving the lesser amounts of meth.
Williams said Davis’ cooperation was self-serving because Davis was facing a 25-year prison term. Williams said Davis had admitted to bringing between 125 and 170 pounds of meth into South Carolina, and the judge said that made Davis the worst drug dealer he had ever seen.
“I’ve seen what happens to people on meth,” Williams said. “It’s inconceivable to do that.”
Williams said that without the state’s recommendation of a seven-year sentence he would be inclined to sentence Davis to “much longer.” Williams sentenced Davis to 10 years with credit for time served.
“A tremendous amount of mercy has been extended to you already,” the judge told Davis.
Williams sentenced McGee to six years and Lowe to 42 months.
The indictment that named Davis, McGee and Lowe along with the 10 other co-defendants in May 2005 listed two counts of trafficking methamphetamine conspiracy and three counts of trafficking methamphetamine. One co-defendant was found not guilty and one co-defendant has died.
The indictment alleged that the meth conspiracy and trafficking took place in Greenwood, Anderson, Laurens and Saluda counties from January 2002 to the time of the indictment. Three counts alleged the conspiracy to traffic and the trafficking of more than 400 grams of meth. One count alleged the trafficking of 100 grams of meth, and one count alleged the trafficking of more than 28 grams but not more than 100 grams of meth. Davis was named in one of the counts alleging conspiracy to traffic more than 400 grams of meth along with co-defendants Edgar Antonio Pedro-Miguel, Miguel Antonio Mendez and Telma Guadalupe Mendez, all of whom pleaded guilty.
“He got involved with Mexicans. What started as charges in Laurens County turned into something much larger,” said Billy Garrett, Davis’ lawyer. “Those big people wouldn’t be out of the picture without him. He’s proud of that.”
“I did what I did,” Davis told the court, “and I’m sorry to the people of South Carolina.”
The court was told that Davis provided information to an investigator with the State Grand Jury that led to a multi-jurisdictional investigation and netted some arrests in Greenwood County. The court was told he also has given information to authorities in Tennessee and Alabama related to meth importation.
“We do appreciate everything this defendant did,” said Jason Peavy, S.C. assistant attorney general.

Letmen leads Chiefs to win

Senior has double-double in playoff opener

February 16, 2006

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

McCORMICK — Things got a little too comfortable for the McCormick High School boys basketball team midway through its first-round playoff game.
The Chiefs saw their 17-point lead get whittled down to two by Jonesville with 2 minutes, 8 seconds to play.
But the Region I-A champions settled down with a solid scoring run, keyed by senior center Jake Letman, to come away with the 78-65 victory Wednesday night at McCormick Middle School.
Letman finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds and scored six of the Chiefs’ final 13 over the last two minutes of play.
“Jake was real big in taking over the game for us,” McCormick coach John Greene said.
“He just pretty much put us on his back. He was big in stopping (Jonesville’s) run at the end.”
The Wildcats’ run came just after the Chiefs (12-8) went up 59-47 lead with 7:13 remaining. Jonesville, the fourth place team from Region II-A, then answered with an 11-1 spurt, with five points coming from the foul line.
The run cut the Chiefs’ lead to 60-58 with 4:39 to play.
Though McCormick never trailed in the fourth, its lead was again at two, 65-63, when Jonesville’s Brandon Eison knocked down an 8-foot floater in the lane with 2:08 remaining.
The Chiefs responded with nine unanswered points. Point guard Darius Bussey got things going with two free throws.
Letman followed with an 8-foot fading jumper.
Three free throws from William Peterson and a breakaway layup from Brandon Cisco and McCormick was back in front 74-63 with 35 seconds remaining.
“We just told the boys that they had to match their (Jonesville’s) intensity,” Greene said. “It’s the playoffs. This is play hard or go home.”
Letman iced the victory by going 4-of-4 from the foul line in the final 25 seconds.
“We just got a little nervous and I just told everybody to get focused and stick to the gameplan,” Letman said.

Flashes sneak into 2nd round

February 16, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

CALHOUN FALLS — There are no sure things when it comes to playoff basketball. The Calhoun Falls High School boys team nearly found out the hard way Wednesday.
The No. 2 seeded Blue Flashes (13-6) edged No. 3 seeded Christ Church, 64-60, in first round Class A playoffs at Calhoun Falls. The Flashes move on to Saturday’s second round.
It was a hard-earned victory for Calhoun Falls.
The Cavaliers stormed out of the gate to a 17-7 first quarter lead and had a 29-24 halftime lead. The Flashes didn’t gain their first lead until the 2:38 mark of the third quarter. However, they never trailed from that point on.
“Christ Church played really hard,” Calhoun Falls coach John Mark Scruggs said. “They were one of the more fundamentally sound teams you’ll ever see.”
Scruggs said he didn’t think his players were initially prepared for what Christ Church had to offer. “For one reason or another, I think our players underestimated them,” Scruggs said. “I felt like their style of play would frustrate us, and sure enough, it did. Our players have to understand that any team that makes the playoffs is a good team.”
D.J. Roundtree led Calhoun Falls with 23 points. Flashes center Rashan Guillebeaux added eight points and 12 rebounds, including several during Calhoun Falls’ push for the lead in the second half.
Scruggs praised Guillebeaux.
“Rashan has been big for us all year,” Scruggs said. “Tonight was no different. He’s 16 years old, but already a senior. That’s a testament to his academics.”

Opinion

S. C. senators join move to reduce ‘pork’ spending

February 16, 2006

“Pork” spending, whether in the South Carolina Legislature or Congress, is a two-edged sword. Taxpayers want to cut out this unnecessary spending ..... and taxpayers want “pork barrel” projects that will benefit them.
That, of course, is hard for some elected lawmakers to deal with. Some want to do both and that, obviously, can’t be done. As they say, they have to fish or cut bait, there is no in-between.
Reality being reality, it may not get very far, but some members of Congress have tackled the problem. That includes South Carolina’s two U. S. Senators, Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint. They are in a group of 10 senators - eight Republicans and two Democrats - who have signed on to Sen. John McCain’s “Pork Barrel Reduction Act.”

IT BUCKS THE SENATE’S too-often practice of inserting members’ special projects into larger spending bills. More often than not, this adds on pork-project funding to larger spending bills, often without other members knowing about it.
It is the latest in a number of proposals promoting ways to restore integrity to the political process. It comes after several ethics and lobbying scandals.
It would work like this. It would allow senators to raise points of order against special projects - or earmarks, as they are called - that are attached to spending bills without having been approved by the relevant committee. Under the procedure, 60 votes would be needed to override the point of order and keep the provision in the bill.
It also would require that earmarks be described in detail and the sponsor would have to be identified.

CRITICS COMPLAIN THAT earmarks are often put in bills after they are passed by the House and Senate. Lawmakers, they say, are forced to vote on huge spending bills put together by House and Senate negotiators without knowing what’s in the bills. There’s no question that many taxpayers are outraged at the scandals swirling these days around some members from both houses, Democrat and Republican. Most, no doubt, would applaud Graham, DeMint and the others for trying to right the wrong. However, considering the clamor by constituents for their elected lawmakers to “bring home the bacon,” and the lawmakers all too willing to comply while “mining” their constituencies for re-election votes, if this bill passes, it will be surprising. Nevertheless, the effort is worthwhile. It draws and helps keep attention on a practice that, in the longrun, costs everyone ..... but the returns don’t always benefit everyone.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
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Obituaries

Marie Black

PROSPERITY, SC — Marie West Black, 98, of 2760 Denny Hwy., died Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at her residence.
Born in Saluda County and a daughter of the late Jake Young and Nora Herlong West, she was the wife of the late James Malcolm Black. Mrs. Black was a homemaker and was a lifetime member of Corinth Lutheran Church where she served as church organist for many years.
She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Survived by a sister-in-law, Lois West of Leesville and nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be 11AM, Friday, February 17, 2006 at Corinth Lutheran Church with Pastor Bill Ebener officiating. The family will receive friends in the social hall prior to the service. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Corinth Lutheran Church Building Fund, 3178 Denny Hwy., Prosperity, SC 29127.
PAID OBITUARY

James Haskell Burdett

TRION, Ga. — James Haskell Burdett, 90, of 118 S. Melba Drive, died Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 at Floyd Medical Center.
Born in Greenville, S.C., he was a son of the late William Murray and Carrie Jenkins Burdett. He was an Army veteran and retired from Riegel Textile Corp., where he was a member of the Quarter Century Club. He was a member of Trion United Methodist Church and a Mason.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Burdett of Trion; two sons, James Burdett of Peachtree City and Winston Burdett of Mountain City, Tenn.; a sister, Sara Simmons of Hodges, S.C.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services were Feb. 5 at Erwin-Petitt Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Art Graves. Burial was in West Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ron Burdett, Bobby Fincher, Ted Clark, Bob Hoover, Johnny Ingle and Dennis Bryant. The family is at the home, Melba Drive.
Memorials may be made to Trion United Methodist Church.
Erwin-Petitt Funeral Home, Summerville, was in charge.

David Dillashaw

Dennis Wesley “David” Dillashaw, 72, of 2430 Kateway, husband of Ola Dorn Dillashaw, died Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at Harley Funeral Home. Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory.

Sandra Dean Dixon

BELTON — Sandra Jean Pruitt Dixon, 49, of 128 Camelot Drive, widow of Ernest Eugene Dixon, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2006 at AnMed Health Center.
Born in Abbeville County, she was reared in the home of her grandparents the late John O. and Claudia E. Pruitt. She was a 1974 graduate of Dixie High School, Due West and a member New Friendship Baptist Church. She had worked in the textile industry.
Survivors include two sons, Jaivaro Dixon and Tyree Katrez Gray, both of the home; her parents, Lenzie and Judy Pruitt Pinkney of Bronx, N.Y.; a sister, Rita Pinkney of Queens, N.Y.; a brother, Glenn Pinkney of Bronx.
Services are 2 p.m. Friday at New Friendship Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Harold D. Johnson, James F. Davis III and Ministers Debra Jackson and Lagree Walker. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Prince Clinkscales, Donnie Harper, Dean Jackson, Donald Pruitt, Walter Pruitt and Lorenzo Rothery.
Flower bearers are Katie Butler, Margie Clinkscales, Tonya Lyons, Priscilla Rothery and Laura Walker. Viewing begins at noon today at Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.
No wake is planned.
The family is at the home.
Robinson-Walker Funeral Service is in charge.