New Uptown manager dives into job pigs first

July 17, 2006

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

Just after a month of taking her new job on the third floor of the municipal building, Angie Jones found her office to be full of pigs.
Gold pigs, that is.
Jones recently moved from the City of Greenwood’s financial department to become the manager of Uptown Greenwood Development Corp. And she couldn’t have done it at a busier time. From the day she started, Jones had three weeks to complete all the final preparations and plans for Uptown’s biggest event — the Festival of Discovery.
Hours before the big kickoff Thursday, barbecue contest trophies topped with gleaming pigs smiled like an audience to Jones’ desk.
With the ease of someone who plans festivals for every weekend, Jones calmly attended to the ringing phone with an ear piece full of anxious questions.
Jones said, like herself, she is sure people have no idea how much detail goes into planning such a big event.
Everything from making sure all the entertainment is accounted for, to the nitty-gritty details of counting out five kidney beans for each baggy for the voting for Taster’s Choice in the barbecue contest. And while counting beans seems like a small task, the 2,000 bags stacked in Jones’ closet elevated it to a bean stalk of a job.
Jones said she hopes to use her experience “counting beans” as an accountant to benefit the budget for Uptown Greenwood. That experience, along with the ability to use her creativity, could assist her in achieving bigger goals for the area. “I would love to make Uptown a big part of the community as it once was and continue what has already been started,” she said.
The new manager also is responsible for planning the Live after Five concert series that has been taking place once a month in Uptown, as well as other events such as the Boo Bash in October. Though they are large tasks, Jones said she is looking forward to proving herself.
“It’s a lot to absorb, but I’m taking it one step at a time,” she said. “I’m very excited about it. I’ve been able to meet people and do things I would never have had the opportunity to do before.”
The active member of Hyde Park Baptist Church said the job has challenged her by making her a lot more outgoing.
“I’m having to come out of my shell so to speak,” she said. “But I’ve been able to become a part of so many things... I’ve had to become more outgoing and take initiative to get things done and make sure they get done. I have a lot more responsibilities than I did before.”
But Jones seems to be taking the responsibilities in stride. After the Festival of Discovery Saturday, City Manager Charlie Barrineau was all compliments about how Jones had proven herself.
“Angie is just a trooper,” he said. “She is gung ho and worked endlessly on nights and weekends at times when only other staff members knew how hard she was working. While our events are so good, it was because of the group effort between all the divisions.”

Judy Broome

McCORMICK — Judy White Broome, 64, of 3061 Upper Mill Road, McCormick, died Friday, July 14, 2006 at her home.
Born in McCormick County, she was the daughter of Florence Jennings McKinney and the late Paul E. White. She was formerly employed at Piedmont Agency on Aging in Greenwood, and retired from Solutia after 34 years of service. Ms. Broome was a member of Bethany Baptist Church where she was a member of the Love Sunday School Class, and served as Secretary.
Surviving is her mother of McCormick; a daughter, Vicky B. Bennett of Evans, GA; a brother, Ben Allen White of Greenwood; a half brother, Paul E. White of VA; two half sisters, Kaye Ferqueron of McCormick and Tina Wilkie of Greenwood; and a granddaughter, Skyler Bennett.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday at Bethany Baptist Church with the Reverend C. B. Love and the Reverend Lloyd Prince officiating.
The family will receive friends at Bethany Baptist Church in the fellowship hall after the service.
The family has requested that flowers be omitted and memorials be made to Bethany Baptist Church Building Fund % Charles Fuller, 3114 Upper Mill Road, McCormick, SC 29835 or HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Ave., Greenwood SC 29646.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Odessa Partlow Roundtree

Odessa Partlow Roundtree, 81, widow of O.D. Roundtree, of McKenzie Road, died Thursday, July 13, 2006 at her home.
Born in Greenwood County, she was the daughter of the late Frank Partlow Sr. and Magnolia Hamilton Partlow. She was employed at Emerald City Laundry for over 40 years. She was a member of Flint Hill Missionary Baptist Church where she was the mother of the church, a member of the Deaconess , Usher, and Missionary ministries, and a member of the Senior and Sanctuary choirs.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Ed (Magnolia) White of Hodges; a son, Barry Burton of Ninety Six; seven grandchildren; a grandchild reared in the home, Laquitta Payne of Hodges; 28 great-grandchildren.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

Shavon L. Turman

McCONNELLS — Shavon Leaundra Turman, 24, of 1310 Christine Way, died Sunday, July 16, 2006.
Born in Calhoun Falls, she was the daughter of Wallace Turman and Bertha Calhoun Turman. She was a 1999 graduate of Calhoun Falls High and a graduate of Winthrop University. She was a licensed cosmetologist and a member of Glovers A.M.E. Church.
Survivors include her parents of Calhoun Falls; a son, Ja’Marcus Turman of the home; two brothers, Wallace Turman of Calhoun Falls and Corey Turman of Atlanta.
The family is at the home of her mother, 206 Elberton St., Calhoun Falls.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

Some plain, wise advice on paying for government

July 17, 2006

Part II of III: The war to stabilize the ship of state.
There is no doubt the United States in involved in more than one war. The war against terror is a constant reminder that as long as there are extremists willing to die so they can kill us, we have no choice. We must take the fight to them, wherever they are, instead of waiting for them to come here and kill us.
Ordinarily, before 9-11, we might not have thought of terrorists bringing mass bloodshed to this country. We saw, however, that it is not as farfetched as some might have believed before that fateful day in 2001.
Then there is a war going on to reinforce the historic “goodness” of America by standing up for the faith and morality that made this nation strong and the most envied on earth. It’s a war being played out every day in the news and the intent of those challenging our values hardly seems inescapable.

THERE IS YET ANOTHER WAR. It, too, may not seem the kind of thing that can or should be described as a war. Nevertheless, the ever-increasing spending beyond the nation’s basic needs and the tax system to support that spending is a malignant cancer that, left unattended, will eventually destroy the economic foundation we are built upon.
National leaders have come and gone, and each has offered what he believed would be the answer to all problems, economic and otherwise. One, however, President Grover Cleveland, put it as plainly and wisely as anyone. In fact, the advice he offered might have been the best possible for his time. History, though, has shown us that it may have been the best advice possible for all time. Even with that as a guide, we’ve still managed to tax and spend our way into a veritable mess.

CONSIDER THE WORDS OF President Cleveland, weigh them and put them in the perspective of 2006:
“When more of the people’s sustenance is exacted through the form of taxation than is necessary to meet the just obligations of Government and expenses of its economical administration, such exaction becomes ruthless extortion and a violation of the fundamental principles of a free Government.”
Then he said, “The lessons of paternalism ought to be unlearned and the better lesson taught that while people should patriotically and cheerfully support their Government, its functions do not include the support of the people.”
That is wisdom for the ages. Where did we go wrong?
Next: Part III: the war on Christianity.