Call made for safer Saluda

Chief disputes claim that police are ignoring crimes

January 5, 2007

By ERIN LONG
Index-Journal staff writer

SALUDA — Jeanette Martin is taking a stand for safety in Saluda, and she’s asking the town council to take action.
Martin, who’s frightened by the rising levels of crime in her neighborhood and fed up with what she sees as a lack of police presence, addressed the town council Tuesday night to ask for a safer Saluda.
During her address, Martin claimed drug dealers and prostitutes conduct business out in the open while police turn a blind eye.
She also said her home has been the target of attempted burglary twice during the past six months.
“The crawlspace door had been taken off,” said Martin. “I could hear them under the house.”
She believes drug dealers have been using her property while she’s at work, and that they might have been stashing drugs in the crawlspace under her house.
Martin recalls an incident when her very life was threatened while she was standing by her mailbox. Martin says a man standing across the street began shouting at her and then pointed a gun at her.
“A lot of people are afraid,” she said. But, according to Martin, the police have done little to crack down on crime. “Everybody I have talked to,” said Martin, “says, ‘Why aren’t they doing anything?’”
Police Chief David Farmer has a different view of the situation.
Farmer took careful notes during Martin’s address to the council and then reviewed the police department records of Martin’s calls, talked to the officers who had answered those calls and mapped out all the reported incidents in her neighborhood over the last five years.
Since 2001, Farmer said there have been 17 incidents of vandalism, six burglaries, three armed robberies, 23 reports of larceny, 27 drug arrests and one shooting incident in the area near Martin’s house.
“That’s not that bad,” Farmer said.
The chief’s report of the relatively low occurrence of reported crime — an average of 15 incidents per year — is not consistent with Martin’s account of her neighborhood.
According to police records, Martin has called 911 dispatchers eight times since 2003.
Martin claims she was labeled a “frequent caller” and a “paranoid lady” by the sheriff’s department as she tried again and again to get someone to listen to her call for help.
“I feared for my life,” Martin said.
Her statement was literally close to home for councilmen Obie Combs and Robert D. Butler. Martin is Combs’ neighbor, and Butler owns the property on which a mobile home park — a hotbed of criminal activity, according to Martin — is located. Martin claims she contacted both men to ask that they take action.
Combs and Butler were unavailable for comment.
Farmer insists police are well aware of the problems. In fact, he said they plan to conduct a series of arrests soon in an undisclosed location near Martin’s home.
Farmer also plans to meet with Martin today to address her safety concerns in person.
“We want to help,” he said. “That’s what we do.”

He’s still in love with basketball

18 years after wreck changed his life, star player to revisit Newberry

January 5, 2007

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

Growing up, basketball was Brent Hughes’ life.
Whether it was during his time playing at Greenwood High School or at Newberry College, he was hardly ever caught without a round orange ball somewhere near him.
A basketball was even the first thing Hughes touched when he awoke from a coma almost 19 years ago. His mother had placed it at his bedside — under his right hand — nearly seven weeks earlier.
His life and his perspective changed one fateful day in July 1988.
While heading home from a trip to the beach with two college friends, the vehicle he was traveling in was involved in a serious wreck.
Hughes, then 21, almost always sat in the front seat when he was a passenger to give room to his 6-foot-7, 225-pound frame. But that night, being fatigued, he stretched out along the backseat bench.
The wreck sent Hughes through the back windshield of a Nissan Maxima and into a nearby field. Hughes was the only one injured in the wreck, and the injuries he sustained were life-threatening, including severe head trauma that sent him almost immediately into a coma and has limited him to this day.
Since then, living — and loving every minute of it — has been Brent Hughes’ life.
On Saturday, however, he will get the opportunity to merge his former life with his current one.

Return to Newberry
Hughes, who turns 40 in March, will take part in Newberry College’s 20th anniversary celebration of the Indians’ Little 4 Championship, a tournament that involved Newberry, Erskine, Presbyterian and Wofford.
Newberry, with the help of Hughes’ former coach Jack Williams (who now is the director of Regional Programs at Roanoke (Va.) College), will honor the championship team of 1987, Hughes’ last season for the Indians, at halftime of the men’s game against Carson-Newman, which tips at 4 p.m.
“I’m ready for it,” Hughes said. “I am happy to get to see guys I haven’t seen in a long time. I can’t wait to see how all of them have changed in stuff over all this time. I just can’t wait to see all my friends again.”
Hughes has accepted the fact his playing days are long behind him. He hasn’t shot a basketball since the wreck.
But that hasn’t dampened his love of the sport.
“I like watching basketball. I know I can’t play, but I like to see the court and watch the game,” he said. “I don’t get upset. I look at pictures of me in my yearbook and I know I’ve changed.
“I know I can’t play basketball like I used to. But I know what a severe brain injury can do and how much it costs.
It’s changed me a whole lot.”
It will be only the second basketball game Hughes has gone to in person since the wreck. The first was a “Welcome Back” night that Williams organized for Hughes in November 1989, a game Hughes doesn’t remember, one of the many side effects of the injury.
But don’t think his lack of memory is something that gets him down.
“I really can’t wait to see coach again. It’s been about 20 years,” Hughes said before correcting himself. “I’ve seen him since then, but I don’t remember it. So this will be fun. I think it will be neat to watch basketball in Newberry again. I played there for three years and it will be nice to see it again.”

'We're just so glad we have him'
Like his short-term memory problem, another end result of the head trauma Hughes suffered is his inability to hold down a job. However, he has lived on his own for more than 10 years and drives himself around.
And he does chores for his mother, Sandra, and sister, Kelli Brock, who together own and operate Advertising Specialties of Greenwood and the about-to-be-opened Beaded Treasures.
“You have to give him one project at a time, but he can do it,” Sandra Hughes said. “He likes to be around people. He handles things really well. He’s almost 40 years old, but in a lot of ways, he’s still a young teenager.”
It’s been a long road for Brent. But it’s been an equally arduous journey for his family, who, unlike Brent, remember every waking minute from his seemingly never-ending time in a coma to his long, laborious rehabilitation.
It’s hard for Sandra and Wayne Hughes, Brent’s father, to erase the memories of following the ambulance from Greenwood to Greenville Memorial Hospital or of seeing Brent in his hospital bed where he went from 225 to 135 pounds during the seven weeks.
“We were told seven times in the first 48 hours that he wasn’t going to make it through the next hour,” Sandra said. “Even now when I hear an ambulance, it still kind of gets to me, because we followed that ambulance with its siren going the whole way to Greenville. That kind of hits home. Now, as soon as I hear one, I think ‘Where’s Brent? Where’s Kelli?’ It was pretty tough.”
But Brent and his family have come a long way since that life-altering moment.
“It’s something you have to learn to accept,” Sandra said. “If you start to wonder why, why Brent or why our family, you can’t do that. We’re just so glad we have him. He’s not exactly the Brent before the accident, but that doesn’t mean he’s any worse.
“He’s very giving and very thoughtful. He’d do anything he could for anybody. And it helps that he has accepted the Brent he is now.”
For Brent, his life over the past few years has consisted of three things: eating lunch at Rick’s Uptown Cafe and dinner at the Dixie Drive-In, and being happy with who he is.
“I’ve been over at the Dixie, what, a few thousand times,” he said jokingly to his mother. “The same people go to the Dixie every day. A lot of guys are there to drink coffee and talk. I go there to eat. I walk in and they already have my tea for me. That’s just like at Rick’s. I go to Rick’s every day. If I didn’t show up, they’d say, ‘Where’s Brent at?’ They give me a lot of food there. And I can eat a lot. I’ve got a lot to fill up.”

Ron Cox is the sports editor for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: rcox@indexjournal.com.

Starters pace Hornets to first win of season

January 5, 2007

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

WARE SHOALS — Ware Shoals boys coach Josh Pratt needed every minute he could squeeze out of his starters Thursday night.
The Hornets’ starting five scored all but one point as the team earned its first victory of the season, defeating Ninety Six 71-66 at home.
When starting 5-foot-9 forward Patorious Leverette went airborne to throw down his second one-handed jam of the evening and starting center Letavious Williams shortly followed with a soft layin, the Hornets enjoyed their largest lead — a seemingly ensurmountable 16-point lead over Ninety Six with 2 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
So Pratt pulled the five who had spent virtually every minute on the court till that point.
The Wildcats roared back against the Ware Shoals reserves, rattling off 10 straight points. Ninety Six reserve Latrakis White popped a 3-pointer to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to a field goal, 68-65, with 20.5 seconds remaining.
“We’re up 16 with two minutes to play. We should be able to put it away. We just weren’t able to finish,” Pratt said. “The starting five were clicking, especially on defense. Things got a little out of control. It was frustrating to have to put people back in. My role players weren’t really feeling the game flow, and once they got in there they didn’t really know how to get in the flow.”
Ware Shoals starters returned intermittingly in the final minute. Starting forward Lance Richardson sealed the Hornets’ first victory by completing a three-point play.
Richardson went long on an out-of-bound pass and dropped in the layup while being fouled. The sophomore then sank the free throw — one of only 12 out of the 27 taken by the Hornets — for the six-point lead with 16 seconds remaining.
Ninety Six added only one more point, a free throw from Quin Butler with 3 seconds left, for a 71-66 final score.
“If we saw that effort from our guys the whole game, it would have been a different game,” Ninety Six coach Ike Dickey said. “The Ware Shoals kids wanted it more than we did tonight. We didn’t come to play hard until the very end and that’s too late.”
Richardson led all scorers with 22 points. Williams and Leverette added 17 and 15 points, respectively, while point guard Tony Lomax chipped in 11.
Ninety Six’s Ken Mathis led 12 different Wildcats in scoring with 12 points. Daniel Longmire and Quin Butler added 10 points for Ninety Six.
Longmire provided one of the key highlights of the game.
The lanky forward stole a pass and broke loose for a two-handed breakway slam, cutting the Ware Shoals lead with 51-48 with 7:02 remaining. But while his teammates — and the crowd — went crazy, he was called for a technical foul.
Lomax sank both free throws, sending the Hornets on a 12-0 run over the next 2:27 of play.

Brownlee leads Ware Shoals girls

January 5, 2007

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

WARE SHOALS — Nikki Brownlee came off the bench and scored 12 points to lead the Ware Shoals High School girls team to a 47-32 win over Ninety Six Thursday night in Ware Shoals.
Brownlee scored all of her team-high dozen in the first half, including half the points on the Lady Hornets’ 8-0 run in the early minutes of the first quarter that gave the team the lead for good.
Brownlee completed a three-point play to give the Lady Hornets their first double-digit lead. The sophomore stepped in front of a pass and took off down the court for an open layup. After releasing the ball, Brownlee was bumped by Ninety Six’s Amber Jones. Brownlee knocked down the free throw to put Ware Shoals up 15-5 with 5 minutes, 37 seconds to play before halftime.
“That spark off the bench is huge,” Kem Owens said, referring to Brownlee. “She is a tremendous defensive player.
That’s her thing. I can count on her no matter what.”
Still up 10 in the final minute, Brownlee hit one of two free throws and teammate Birdie Keller followed with back-to-back layins to give the Lady Hornets a 28-13 halftime advantage.
Ware Shoals blew the game open after halftime. The Lady Hornets scored the first nine points in the third quarter, getting scoring from four different players, to take a 37-13 lead with 1:30 left in the period.
“We turned on our defense and really played together,” Owens said. “We had good passing and we made some good shots tonight.”
Keller and Nydra Edwards finished with eight points, while Jessica Ross chipped in seven, including hitting the game’s only 3-pointer, which gave Ware Shoals a 43-23 lead with 3:21 remaining.
Ninety Six’s Sirrena Boyd led all scorers with 13 points, while teammate Sara Trowbridge finished with a double-double effort of 10 points and 18 rebounds. Trowbridge scored nine of the Lady Wildcats’ 15 fourth-quarter points.
Ware Shoals heads into Region I-A play at Calhoun Falls tonight (games start at 6 p.m. and 7:30), while Ninety Six hosts Greenwood Christian at 6:30 and 8.

Obituaries

Dorothy Bell

Dorothy Hornig Bell, 95, of Wesley Commons, widow of Herbert Otto Bell, died Jan. 3, 2007 at the Hospice House of Greenwood, SC.
Born Sept. 20, 1911 in New York City, NY, she was a daughter of the late Elmer O. and Norma S. Hornig. She was a 1932 graduate of Simmons College, Boston, MA, with a degree in home economics.
She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Bell was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Herbert O. Bell and a sister, Margery H. Eadie of Hendersonville, NC. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, including Deborah and George Cavaletz of Greenwood, Beverly and Wendell Minnigh of Concord, NH, and Barbara and E. Alexander Hill of Shorewood, WI; three sons and daughters-in-law, including Douglas and Marcia Bell of Aiken, SC, Kenneth and Paula Bell of Pinehurst, NC, and Richard and Bonnie Bell of Calabasas, CA; as well as eight grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 in Asbury Hall at Wesley Commons, with Rev. Carol Peppers-Wray officiating.
Memorials may be made to Wesley Commons Residents’ Assistance Fund, 1110 Marshall Road, Greenwood, SC 29646 or HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the charity of one’s choice in memory of Mrs. Bell.
For online condolences, please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Bell family.

Paul Butler

HODGES — Paul Albert Butler, 85, resident of 6402 Highway 178 North, widower of Eunice Hill Butler, died Jan. 4, 2007 at the Abbeville Area Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, Sept. 22, 1921, he was a son of the late Olin and Sussie Davenport Butler. He formerly owned and operated Waterloo Lumber & Chip Company and was a member of Providence Baptist Church.
Surviving are a son, Paul Mitchell “Mike” Butler of Hodges; grandchildren, Lee Ann Morris of Dallas, TX, Lisa Hoke of Greenwood, Travis M. Butler, Anna Rodgers and Snook McPherson, all of Hodges.
Mr. Butler was predeceased by a son, Danny A. Butler.
Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Saturday from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lamar Babb officiating.
Burial will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Marion Butler, David Daniel, Henry Hodges, George Smith, Talmadge Luker and Bill Hulsey.
Honorary escort will be the Men of Providence Baptist Church.
The family is at the home on Highway 178 North and will receive friends at the funeral home from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the charity of one’s choice.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.blythfuneralhome.com Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Butler family.

Maysie T. Dorn

EDGEFIELD — Mrs. Maysie Timmerman Dorn, 96, wife of the late J.M. Dorn, Sr., died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007 at Edgefield County Hospital.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 at 3 p.m. at McKendree United Methodist Church, with burial in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Dorn was born and raised in Edgefield County and was the daughter of the late Frank Watson and Betty Ouzts Timmerman. She was a lifelong member of McKendree United Methodist Church and she was a homemaker.
Survivors include 1 son, J.M. Dorn, Jr. and wife, Marie; 1 daughter, Betty Dorn Bartley and husband, Calvin; six grandchildren, Jim Dorn, III ( Angelyn), J. Watson Dorn (Lisa), Frank Dorn (Arrilla), Neil Bartley (Dale), Marcia B. Pieper (Don), and Cindy B. Floyd (Haynie); nine great-grandchildren; 1 sister, Sara Marbert.
Memorials may be made to the McKendree United Methodist Church Building Fund, c/o Lisa Dorn, treasurer, 203 Faulkner Mountain Road, Edgefield, SC 29824.
The family is at the home of Betty Bartley and will receive friends from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday before the service at the McKendree United Methodist Church Family Life Center.
Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Otis Henry Jr.

GREENWOOD — Otis Henry, Jr., 54, of 308 Possom Hollow Drive, husband of Debra E. Bland, passed away Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 at Self Regional HealthCare.
Born in Birmingham, AL, he was a son of Lillie Mae Wallace and the late Otis Henry. He was employed as a plumber with Gold Mech Plumbing.
He is survived by, in addition to his wife of the home, his mother of Birmingham, AL; two sons, Otis Bland, Jr., and Nevell Reid; three stepsons, Jerry Bland, Terrance Bland and Joe Reid; three daughters, Okeava Bland, Erika Reid and Deonca Reid; two stepdaughters, Yolanda Reid and Katina Reid; three brothers, Paul Henry of Birmingham, AL, Edward Henry of Michigan and Ed (Roslyn) Wallace of Washington, DC; four sisters, Cassie (Effren) Bell, Lillie Pearl Daniels, Betty Norwood and Mary (James) Dooley, all of Birmingham, AL; and 17 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Frank Williams officiating.
Burial will be in Ninety Six Community Cemetery.
Flower bearers and pallbearers will be friends of the family.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net.

Jessie Albert Johnson

ABBEVILLE — Jessie Albert Johnson, 48, the son of the late John Wallace and Ella Frances Johnson, died Dec. 31, 2006 at Palmetto Healthcare Richland in Columbia.
Survivors: stepmother, Lillie Bell Johnson, McCormick; stepfather, Herman Scott, Inwood, NY; daughter, Tiara S. Johnson, Abbeville; brothers, John W. Johnson, Abbeville, and John Davis, Greenwood; sisters, Catherine J. Gray, Abbeville, Dorothy Johnson, Brooklyn, NY, Diane Norman, Calhoun Falls, Joyce Lacy, Detroit, MI, Machalle Gray, Due West, Stella Merritt, Greenwood, Pamela Gibert, Greenwood and Valarie Power, Abbeville; special niece, Tara M. Johnson, Abbeville.
Viewing is Friday, Jan. 5, 2007 at Richie Funeral Home, 2-7 p.m. Services are Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, 2 p.m., Shady Grove AME Church, Abbeville, officiated by Rev. Carroll Wells Jr. The body will be placed in the church 1 p.m. Burial is in Johnson Cemetery, Abbeville.

Vinetta Moss Kelly

PHILADELPHIA — Vinetta Moss Kelly, widow of the late Rev. Jack M. Kelly, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 in Philadelphia, PA.
Vinetta Moss Kelly was born in Ninety Six, SC, on June 17, 1932 to the late Carroll Moss and Bertha Jones Moss.
Vinetta was educated at Harbison High School and Junior College in Irmo, SC. She then attended Benedict College in Columbia, SC, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English and History. At Benedict, she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
As a resident of Aiken, Vinetta was instrumental in developing the first Head Start Program in Aiken County, where her duties included but were not limited to hiring personnel and developing a curriculum for the program. She also started her teaching career in Aiken. She was a counselor and English teacher in Schofield High School. Because of her commitment to education, in the summer of 1958, she decided to complete her Master of Arts degree in English and at New York University.
With her husband’s acceptance to pastor New Thankful Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Vinetta become their “First Lady.” Five years later, in 1971, they founded Greater Exodus Baptist Church. Mother Kelly is recorded in the church history as having named Greater Exodus. She was a devoted “First Lady” to Greater Exodus, where she served for nine years in various leadership capacities.
As an educator, she continued her teaching career with the Philadelphia School District. She pursued post-graduate work at various universities in the Philadelphia area. After 40 years of service in the area of education, Vinetta retired from the Philadelphia School District. Vinetta continued serving the community by working at South Philadelphia High School for the district based TOPPS program where she worked until her health failed.
She is survived by her son Carroll “Tank”; daughters-in-law Bertha and Mia; sister-in-law Marion Timmons; eight grandchildren, Draan, Courtney, grandson-in-law Anthony, Andrea, Vernon, Gerald, Zalika, Ayanna and Nia; great-grandson Elijah; godson Michael Garrett; as well as a host of nieces, nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007 at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Rock Baptist Church, with Rev. Robert A. Taylor officiating, assisted by Rev. Dr. S.C. Cureton, Rev. Juiette Curry and Rev. Tommy L. Stanford. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers will be grandson, nephews, deacons and trustees of the church.
Flower bearers will be friends and deaconesses of the church.
The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m.
The family will receive friends during the viewing on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 at the funeral home, 7-8 p.m.
The family is at the home of her nieces Carl and Ella D. Crochen, 917 Carter Road, Annette Walker, 819 Carter Road and Hazel Herd, 821 Carter Road, Ninety Six, SC.
Parks Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Jerry Miller Jr.

Jerry Miller Jr., of 3-A W. Wilburn Avenue, died on Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Funeral service is Saturday, 1:30 p.m., at Greater Emmanuel Temple, with burial in Greenville Memorial Gardens.
The family is at 202 Posey Street. Watkins, Garrett & Woods Mortuary.

Jayce Pennington

Jayce Scott Pennington, 2 months, infant son of John Pennington and Brittney Barrett, of 644 Davis St., died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, at the home.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home and Crematory.

Robert Peterson

Robert Christian Peterson, 85, resident of 107 Timberwood Road, husband of Carol McClelland Peterson, died Dec. 13, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Cleveland, OH, Feb. 3, 1921, he was a son of the late Alexander and Florence Christian Peterson. He was a graduate of Case Western Reserve University receiving his master’s degree in Business Administration. He played college basketball and semi-pro baseball. Mr. Peterson was a Certified Public Accountant in several states and was a retired partner with Ernst & Young. He was a prolific writer and was published by McGraw-Hill. Mr. Peterson was a US Army Veteran of WW II, serving as a combat infantryman in France and Germany with the 103rd Infantry Division.
Mr. Peterson was a member of South Main Street Baptist Church.
Surviving in addition to his wife of Greenwood are three sons, Robert S. Peterson, Chris Peterson and Jeffrey Peterson; a brother, James Peterson of Lancaster; a sister, Jane Knapp of Aurora, OH.
Memorial services will be conducted at 4 p.m. Saturday from the Chapel of South Main Street Baptist Church with Rev. Phil McMinn officiating.
The families are at their respective homes.
Memorials may be made to South Main Street Baptist Church, PO Box 1093, Greenwood, SC 29648.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Peterson family.

Richard Rouse

DONALDS — Richard Rouse, 59, died Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007 at the home of his son.
Born in Abbeville County, he was the son of the late Elliott and Almeta Rouse.
Survivors: wife, Betty Hill Rouse, Donalds; son, Richard K. Rouse, Donalds; daughter, D’Javis A. Mosley, Chicago, IL; brothers, Robert Rouse, Hodges, Glenn and Jackie Rouse, both of Ware Shoals, Thomas Rouse, Anderson; sister, JoAnn Hicks, Donalds; 2 grandsons.
Funeral services are 3 p.m. Saturday in the Wilbur Robinson Memorial Chapel, Robinson-Walker Funeral Service. Burial is in Dunn Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Saturday from 2 p.m. until the hour of service.
The family is at the home of his son, 40 Heritage Circle, Donalds, SC.

Lou Youngblood

HODGES — Martha Lou Loveless Youngblood, 87, of 5206 Emerson St., widow of Sam M. Youngblood Jr., died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, at Hospice House.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Opinion

S. C. voters gave governor a big vote of confidence

January 5, 2007

Gov. Mark Sanford was given a vote of confidence by the majority or South Carolina voters when he was reelected to a second term. It’s very likely they liked what he stood for. After all, cutting taxes and reducing the state’s debt are hard to argue with. More than that, though, it’s also likely voters better understood his whole political philosophy and agreed with him that change, not business as usual, is needed in state government.
Now that Sanford has introduced the governor’s budget, which is geared to giving back to the taxpayers instead of taking more from them, there’s a lot of throat-clearing and rationalizing going on in Columbia among lawmakers.
It’s hard to set priorities, certainly, and reducing the amount of revenue for spending makes it even harder. Ask taxpayers and lawmakers, though, and you’ll get a different story. Would anyone care to venture a guess on which agrees with the governor?
Voters might also have other thoughts ..... like wondering if setting priorities and making hard decisions isn’t what running for public office is all about. When spending is not an issue, though, sometimes the hard part can be sidestepped ..... and is.
Sanford has made it an issue, though, and that’s good.