Troopers eye safe parking
at area fireworks displays

July 4, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

This July 4, the South Carolina Highway Patrol is urging Lakelands residents to make sure the “booms,” “smashes” and explosions that take place are because of fireworks and not because of haphazard parking at and around the patriotic pyrotechnic displays.
Highway Patrolman Lance Cpl. Scot Edgeworth, of Greenwood’s Troop 2, said there have been numerous occasions in recent years where residents have failed to park in properly designated areas or have sloppily pulled cars off to the side of the road.
Edgeworth also noted there have even been some cases of people blocking thoroughfares and even parking right in the middle of the road.
Edgeworth and patrolmen across the state are asking people to observe proper parking techniques today and throughout weekend events — or suffer the consequences.
“There’s a lot going on (today) and this weekend, fireworks shows and things like that,” Edgeworth said. “It is imperative that drivers park where they are supposed to. We want to make sure people don’t just park their car wherever.
“The last thing you want on a holiday is to come back from watching fireworks or some other program and finding your car has been towed and impounded. Or worse yet, smashed by another motorist not expecting to see a car parked in an awkward position.”
There are several events going on today and through the weekend that are set to gather large crowds of onlookers. These include the Lake Secession Boat Parade at 2 p.m. today, an Independence Day parade at 11 a.m. at Stoney Point, the 21st annual fireworks display at Piedmont Tech, which begins at 6 p.m. today, and the fireworks show at Lake Thurmond Saturday night.
Edgeworth also urged caution for those cruising through neighborhoods that may be heading to cookouts or stopping to watch impromptu community fireworks shows.
“In those situations, the same thing applies,” Edgeworth said. “Make sure you are parked out of the road allowing for other drivers to pass safely. And most of all, watch for the kiddies in those environments. It’s on those neighborhood streets you are likely to have children running and playing, particularly on a holiday.”
According to Highway Patrol Col. Russell Roark, the official 30-hour travel period for Independence Day this year began at 6 p.m. Tuesday and will end at midnight tonight.
For law enforcement, this means motorists and boaters will be on the waterways and roadways for an extended period. As such, the Highway Patrol and DNR are increasing enforcement focus over an extended time period, which runs from last Friday.

Jimmy comes marching home

Still supports war

July 4, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE — You either believe in the Iraq war effort, or you don’t.
Americans are passionately and often firmly placed on one side or the other.
One thing is quite clear, however — U.S. Army Reserve Major Jim Bowie counts himself as one of the believers. The difference between Bowie and most Americans who argue the war’s morality and effectiveness is this — he’s pulled back the trigger of an automatic weapon with his belief.
He has seen the destructive power of an Improvised Explosive Device as it rips through a humvee, leaving nothing of the occupants but a cloud of dust.
He’s watched an A-10 Warthog (one of the many capable machines in the United States war inventory) step between his squad and possible death.
He’s also seen the resolve of American (and Iraqi) soldiers.
Through all of these things — and because of some of them — he believes.
On Friday, the Abbeville native made his first trip back to South Carolina to visit with family members since his year-long deployment to Iraq as commander of his very own 11-man MiTT (Military Transition Team).
A crowd of around 40 people, which included local media outlets, a news team from WYFF News 4 and local dignitaries, gathered to meet him.
They wanted to know what it was like to fight in Iraq.
They wanted to know if he thought he might ever be seriously hurt.
But most of all, they wanted to know if we could win.
Jim Bowie gave them his answer — the only one that he could give.
He gave them the answer he believes in.
“I see tremendous opportunity and a wonderful future for the people of Iraq,” Bowie told friends and family. “We just need to stay firm.”
He sees that everyone is giving him a blank stare — as if to say “but how can that be true? That isn’t what we’re seeing on television.”
Bowie reads their expressions and responds.
“I know that might not be what you’re used to hearing from many of the media, but there are tremendous gains being made in Iraq,” he said. “The insurgents are like bullies on the street.
As long as no one stands up to them then they pretty much do what they want to do. They scare people and intimidate them. But when we go in there and clean them out, the people — and especially young people — are very receptive to us. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it happening myself.”
Bowie doesn’t have to agree with the war — especially now.
There are plenty of soldiers who have stepped forward and chosen to voice their opinions on what they feel has gone wrong, and why Americans have spilled so much blood in the sand. He admits that mistakes were made.
But now that a winning strategy has revealed itself, he doesn’t want the Iraqi people abandoned and left to their fate — not when the tide is turning.
“That’s what (the Iraqi people) want to know, whether or not we’re going to stay and continue to help them,” Bowie said. “I really feel that we should.”
Marilyn Bowie is just glad to have her son home again — for a little while at least. The flags and the cameras are nice, but the hugs are better.
“I just wanted to start crying when I hugged him,” she said. “I’m just thankful that he came back. He came back with his whole team, which is quite miraculous after what they went through.
It’s just a miracle.”
Bowie says life in Baquoba — what some have called “the most dangerous city in Iraq” — was not easy, but there was still a job to do.
It was difficult, but one had to keep family in proper perspective.
“You’d get fired with small arms, you get mortared, there are RPG rounds coming in and you get sniped at almost every day,” he said. “Your on point all the time or you’re trying to get ready. You just didn’t have time to think of family. You just say a quick prayer and you’re gone.”

Obituaries

Sarah Bright

GREENVILLE — Sarah Victoria Bright, 28, died suddenly Saturday, June 30, 2007.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Greenwood.

Annie Hill Coleman

Annie Ruth Jennings Hill Coleman, 58, of 229 Weimer Circle, Wilson Creek Trailer Park, widow of Hugh Hill Sr. and David Coleman, died Monday, July 2, 2007 at St. Francis Hospital in Greenville.
The family is at the home of a brother Robert Lee Jennings, 136 Lodge St., McCormick and the home of a daughter, 125 Perigon Court, Greenville.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.

Brian J. Daly Jr.

ABBEVILLE — Brian J. Daly, Jr., 48, of Abbeville, husband of Tracy Hagen Daly, died Sunday, July 1, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey to Bernedette Kraszyk Daly and the late Brain J. Daly, Sr. Brian was currently employed with the Perry Correctional Institution, where he had been for the past 17 years and was a member of the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation. He was a former little league coach with the Abbeville Recreation Department and was of the Catholic faith.
Surviving Brian are his wife of 18 years of the home; a son, Kieran P. Daly of the home; his mother, Bernedette K. Daly of New Jersey; two brothers, Timothy Daly of New Jersey and Christopher Daly of Brooklyn, NY; two sisters, Jennifer Gensinger of New Jersey, and Shannon McCleary of Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends Thursday, July 5, 2007 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Harris Funeral Home. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 5, 2007 in the funeral home chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to a college fund created by Brian’s brothers and sisters to the Kieran P. Daly, College Fund, PO Box 1384, Abbeville, SC 29620.
Online condolences may be sent to the Daly family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home of Abbeville is assisting the Daly family.

May Ridlehoover

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — May Ridlehoover, aged 84, passed away peacefully in Palm Harbor, FL, on July 1. She was predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Neil Ridlehoover. Private graveside service will be held Friday, July 6 at 11 a.m. in the Plum Branch City Cemetery. Strom Funeral Home, McCormick, is in charge.

Billy Ray Williams

HODGES — Billy Ray Williams, 60, resident of 613 E. Grumling Road, husband of Patricia Jordan Williams, died July 2, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born Nov. 22, 1946 in Greenwood, he was a son of the late Thomas Alvin and Ruby Tyner Williams. He attended Piedmont Technical College and was a retired sergeant from the South Carolina National Guard, 151st Signal Battalion in Greenville and was previously on post with the 111th Signal Battalion in Greenwood. He was a US Navy Veteran of the Vietnam Conflict.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are two daughters, Timberly A. Williams of Hodges and Patty W. and husband, Roy L. Finley, Jr. of Roebuck; four sisters, Helen Goldman of Ninety Six, Geanie Jordan of Greenwood, Betty Hughes of Hodges and Mary Gibert of Ninety Six; four brothers, Tommy Williams of Ninety Six, Paul Williams of Greenwood, Johnny Williams of Greenwood and Jack Williams of Augusta; three grandchildren, Eddie Stewart, Kristin Faith Strickland and Stone Trevor Strickland; two great-grandchildren, Meghan Stewart and Bradley Stewart.
A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Jimmy Alman officiating.
Honorary escort will be current and retired members of the South Carolina National Guard.
The family is at the home of Linda and Al White, 105 Nottingham Lane in Greenwood and will receive friends at the funeral home immediately following the memorial service.
Memorials may be made to Army Emergency Relief Fund, 200 Stovall Street, Room 5-N-13, Alexandria, VA 22332-0600.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Williams family.

Opinion

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! LEST WE FORGET!

July 4, 2007

Lest we forget!
Barbecue! Fireworks! Picnics! Fun in the sun! All these things, and more, are part of this day, the Fourth of July ..... American Independence Day. We celebrate, but how many of us really think about what we’re celebrating, and why? How many stop to think that it is precisely what this day represents that allows us to wine and dine and frolic the way we wish? The reason for all the festivities and jubilee atmosphere and, in far too few cases a lack of quiet gratitude for the occasion, is the liberty that was won for us by our forefathers. Time after time, war after war, it has been secured for us by those who have fought, and died, to keep us free.
Freedom is a marvelous thing. It’s a blessing all of us have always known. It’s also something that can be and is exploited by those who hate this nation, its people and everything we stand for.

THESE DAYS WE SEE IT MORE often as antagonists depend on our internal war of dissension that gives them moral support to fuel their hatred even more and reinforce their cause. We see too many of our own trashing our way of life and everything about it. We hear too many Americans erroneously blaming the United States for all the troubles in the world.
That’s hard to take for those who have indeed put their lives on the line - literally - so those naysayers and doubters can hide behind the First Amendment to carry out their hateful agendas.
In a free society, like this, we are fortunate to have the rights enumerated in the First Amendment: speech, religion, press and assembly. Unfortunately, our enemies hijack those rights to use against us. The sad thing is that sometimes - too many times - they are given the same rights that law-abiding citizens have.

SADDER STILL IS THE REALITY that many Americans, and sometimes the courts, think our enemies should indeed enjoy the same rights. Never mind that they exploit those rights to kill innocent Americans.
We can use those rights, too, to protect them. We can sing and shout and demonstrate that freedom is precious and is worth protecting ..... whatever it takes. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
So, use this day for the fun, frolic and fun. But, then, also use it to spread the story of freedom for younger Americans to understand. Don’t let the cause for and importance of freedom be hidden behind the festivities. Make it clear that freedom indeed is not free. It comes at a price ..... sometimes a very high price. Leave no doubt that it is what makes America what it is and, in the final analysis, is worth fighting for.
We began that way and we’ve remained strong because of it ...., lest we forget.