Abbeville hospital opens
its doors at new facility

July 31, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — Elizabeth Pickens kept lifting up and putting down her infant daughter while waiting Sunday between the main entrance doors of the Abbeville Area Medical Center.
Laura Beth didn’t want to stay in one place.
“If we’d have known there was going to be a line, we would have brought the stroller,” Pickens said. The $13.7 million, 25-bed Abbeville Area Medical Center opened its doors to about 100 visitors in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
State Sen. John Drummond and state Rep. Paul Agnew attended the ceremony, along with members of the Greater Abbeville Chamber of Commerce and other local officials.
Pickens brought Laura Beth to the hospital to see the new birthing center.
She wants to have another child.
Unfortunately, the birthing center wasn’t finished by the time of the open house.
Compressed air needed to be installed in the birthing rooms before the Department of Health and Environmental Control could allow the rooms to be opened, said Alvin Hoover, chief executive officer of the Abbeville Area Medical Center.
The mistake was discovered Wednesday morning and workers have been fixing the problem since then. DHEC is scheduled to certify the rooms today, Hoover said.
Several ceiling tiles also were being put up as the tours progressed through the hospital.
Hoover said he hoped as many people as possible could see the new hospital before it opens Tuesday.
“We want them to see the technology back there and the innovations we’ve made,” Hoover said. Angela Pruitt toured the hospital with husband David and their daughter.
Angela said she liked how the new hospital had more open space than the previous one.
Angela’s mother Brenda Pruitt has worked in the old Abbeville County Memorial Hospital for 37 years. She noticed the improvements in the new hospital right away.
For example, the room used by doctors to study patients sleep patterns only had a hospital bed, Brenda said.
The new hospital has a sleep study room with a queen-sized bed comparable to a comfortable hotel room.
“The building now matches the staff,” said Dr. Brian Henry, chief of staff for the hospital.
Architects consulted medical staff when they designed the building, he said.
Linda Sorrow also thought the hospital was high quality.
“I expected it to be nice, but not this nice,” she said.
Alvon Cade brought her children Chelsea and Dedius to the hospital.
She said she liked the colors of the new hospital.
Soft browns, greens and blues were chosen to bring the outdoors indoors for patients and staff to enjoy, Hoover said.
Cade, like many people, also commented on how large the new hospital is for a single story building. The new hospital is separated into administrative and clinical buildings to save money, said Meg Davis, marketing and public relations spokesperson for the hospital.
Office buildings cost less to build than hospitals because of state regulations. The not-for-profit hospital was built without the help of outside funding, Davis said.

Painter cooks up mural
for new Abbeville hospital

July 31, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — Matt D’Alberto squatted on the floor of the cafeteria of the future Abbeville Area Medical Center and gently brushed a magnolia petal into being. He had spent the past few days working on a mural for the cafeteria, because a few days was all he had.
Not only was the hospital’s opening just a couple of weeks away, but the mural had to be completed before Matt left for his other job as a grilling chef in North Carolina.
Despite the somewhat tight deadline, he continued to paint without a rush.
Matt has been laid back his entire life, said his father, Richard D’Alberto, Laurens County Hospital chief executive officer.
When the construction company GMK Associates was looking for a painter to design and create a mural for the Abbeville hospital cafeteria, Matt’s father referred his son. He knew Matt had the talent to create something memorable.
Matt is “unique,” his mother Deborah said.
Even at an early age, Matt had an artistic talent, his father said.
While other kids would be outside playing, Matt preferred to spend time as a child in his room doodling.
Matt didn’t limit his artistic talents to his room.
Richard remembers his son drawing cartoon figures in chalk on the front drive of their house in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Matt would sometimes get in trouble for his choice of canvas. When paper and concrete weren’t good enough, he would draw on the family’s furniture, his father said.
Matt was quiet as child, yet he maintained a circle of friends while growing up, even in his silence, Richard said.
“You couldn’t find a nicer kid, “ he said.
Matt is independent and does his own thing. He even looks like a wild child with his longish hair and goatee, his dad said.
Matt’s education took him up and down the East Coast.
He went to a two-year community college in Massachusetts, then moved to Pennsylvania for eight years. He spent a year working as a chef in Myrtle Beach before deciding to attend the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, his father said.
He graduated with an associate of fine arts degree from the Pennsylvania school. He stayed in Pennsylvania and worked in landscaping, made pottery and painted a few murals.
Matt then moved back to the South. His father asked him if he wanted to start a mural business, but Matt wasn’t big on the idea.
Matt’s love of the outdoors then led him to work as a chef at the Nantahala Mountain Retreat in Nantahala, N.C. He works from May through October, Richard said.
He tries to create murals and other artwork the rest of the year.
His mother said Matt doesn’t just create one type of art.
“He likes to try different things,” she said. “First it was oil, then it was clay.”
While supportive of his son’s endeavors, Richard wishes his son would apply himself more to painting instead of trying to do so many different things.
Richard is a fan of his son’s work as an adult. He even has a drawing in his office that Matt sketched in colored pencil of an old man dancing in front of the moon.
One of Matt’s latest works was a collage of Groucho Marx for a restaurant called Groucho’s at the Sparkleberry Plaza in Columbia. He managed to incorporate the Marx brother and several Gamecocks into the mural, Richard said.
Alvin Hoover, chief executive officer of Abbeville Area Medical Center, said the magnolia mural was exactly what he wanted for the hospital.
“They’re what we’re all about in Abbeville,” he said.
Matt’s mother knows her son will do whatever interests him, even if it isn’t a steady job.
“You know children never listen to their mom,” she said.

Minnie Armfield

WOODRUFF — Minnie Izora Armfield, 92, of 556 Fairview Ave., widow of Frank Armfield Sr., died Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at her home.
She was a daughter of the late Dennis and Minnie Salters Gist. She was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
Survivors include four daughters, Alberta Russell, Alma J. Mayes, Debra Foster and the Rev. Dannette Armfield; seven sons, Terry Armfield, David Armfield, Johnnie Lee Armfield, Jerry Armfield, Carroll Armfield, Allen Armfield and the Rev. Fred Armfield; three brothers, Odell Gist, Fred Gist and Jimmy Gist; one sister, Louise Lee.
Services are 2 p.m. Monday at New Bethel Baptist Church conducted by the Rev. Fred Armfield. Burial is in the church cemetery.
W.J. Gist Mortuary is in charge.

Alonzo Bussey

DONALDS — Alonzo Bussey, 49, of 62 Heritage Circle, died Sunday, July 30, 2006.
The family is at the home of his mother, 66 Heritage Circle.
Services will be announced by Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.

Eva Daniel

Eva Shannon Daniel, 86, resident of 106 Brissie Street, widow of William T. “Buck” Daniel, went to be with the Lord Saturday evening, July 29, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in McCormick County, November 25, 1919, she was a daughter of the late James A. and Sarah Williams Shannon. She was a graduate of Greenwood High School and was retired from Greenwood Mills - Mathews Plant.
Mrs. Daniel was a member of South Greenwood Pentecostal Holiness Church and the Ever Ready Sunday School Class of the church.
Surviving are a beloved sister, Bertha “Bert” Shannon of the home and nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 4:00 PM Monday from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ray Boggs, Rev. Sherrill Green and Rev. Lawrence Johnson officiating.
Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Bryan Crocker, Dean Haston, Kevin Haston, Charles Putnam, Bobby Alexander, Rev. Jimmy Bryan, John Williams and Gerald Rinehart.
Honorary escort will be members of the Ever Ready Sunday School Class along with Guy Reed, Branch Hall, Marion Davenport, Billy Davis, Marshall Royston, Ray Kidd and Rev. James Young.
The family is at the home on Brissie Street and will receive friends at the funeral home from 3:00 to 4:00 Monday afternoon.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to South Greenwood Pentecostal Holiness Church, 17 First Street, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Daniel family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Rev. Mary A. Lipford

ABBEVILLE — The Rev. Mary Anderson Lipford, 98, of McCormick Healthcare, widow of Rogers Lipford, died Saturday July, 29, 2006 at Abbeville Memorial Hospital.
Born in Abbeville, she was a daughter of the late John F. and Sallie Jackson Anderson. She attended Brewer school, was formerly employed with Oxford Industries, and was an ordained minister. She was a member of Morris Chapel Baptist Church and was a former member of the Missionary Society, Sunday school teacher, and Gospel Chorus treasurer. She was also a member of the Community Bible Club.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Lipford of Greenwood; a granddaughter reared in the home, Elnita L. Williams; a brother, Andrew F. Anderson, of Hodges; a sister, Agnes Williams, of Hodges.
Services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Morris Chapel Baptist Church, presided by the Rev. Dr. Ricky Syndab, pastor, officiated by Dr. Willie S. Harrison. Assisting are the Revs. Jonathan Greene, Dora White, Thessa G. Smith, Bernard White, Clyde Cannon and Norris Turner. The body will be placed in the church at 10. Burial is in Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are deacons and trustees of the church; flower bearers are the Missionary Society of the church; honorary escorts are clergy.
Viewing begins noon Tuesday at Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.
The family is at the home, 121 Carver St.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Jessie M. Terry

ABBEVILLE — Jessie M. Terry, 67, of 2240 Old Douglas Mill Road, wife of McKinley Terry, died Sunday, July 30, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Richie Funeral Home.

Count on further debate on property tax reform

July 31, 2006

There is no free lunch! At least that’s what someone said a long time ago and nobody’s ever proved him wrong. Whoever said it, of course, knew of what he spoke. Nothing, lunch or anything else, comes without a cost. The same person may not always pay, to be sure, but somebody is going to pay. That, as they say, you can take to the bank.
It was logical, then, that when the South Carolina Legislature started talking about property tax reform to give homeowners a break on their taxes, no matter what decision was finally made somebody was going to pay.
There has been a push for changes in the property tax system for some time. Unfortunately, when lawmakers take up an issue there’s no telling what will happen.

OF COURSE, THERE WAS A level of “reform” approved by state lawmakers in their last session. As might be expected, it immediately drew fire from a variety of directions. Many homeowners were pleased. However, others were not. It should have been clear to all that with such a divide among the people of the Palmetto State the Legislature hadn’t seen the last of the property tax debate.
Now, many business owners say the “reform” was too much. They argue that it shifted too much of the burden of paying for schools onto them. That cost has been paid by property taxes.

SO, HOME OWNERS BE PREPARED and forewarned. Now many in the business community and some others want to change back. They plan to push for a reversal when the Legislature gets back to work.
Needless to say, some school districts, if not all, are not happy with the changes. It appears, then, that the property tax situation is far from settled, regardless of what has been done.
So, taxpayers, don’t count on that property tax break you thought you had. When a tax is concerned - any tax - the lay of the land can change quickly ..... and does.
Once again, though, be prepared. Nothing comes free. Somebody is going to pay.
Who will it be next time?