Greenville, S.C. • Friday, August 3 2012 • Vol.14, No.31
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT COMPANIES BRACING FOR NEW TAX. PAGE 23
FIELDS of DREAMS
‘DIET’ PLANS STALL ON OLD BUNCOMBE ROAD PAGE 4
Sports tourism is showing the Upstate the money. PAGE 8
Pitcher Amber Kilborn with the Indiana Stingers winds up to make a pitch in a game against the Carolina Fear at Tyger River Park during the National Softball Association Girls Fast Pitch World Series.
Russell Smart’s adventures in scouting. PAGE 10
GREG BECKNER / STAFF
Studio 444 presents Shakespeare with a twist. PAGE 30
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Isolated afternoon storms.
2 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
Scattered afternoon storms.
Scattered afternoon storms.
JOURNAL COMMUNITY
WORTH REPEATING THEY SAID IT
$860K
“It became a rest-of-my-life proposition.” Russell Smart, recipient of the Boy Scouts of America’s Silver Buffalo Award, on his decision to stay active in Scout leadership after his son aged out of the program.
The amount of seed money from state and local investors given to American Titanium Works to move ahead on a state-of-the-art titanium plant in Laurens and a research and development center in Greenville.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
GREG BECKNER / STAFF
Thomas Sax, president and chief executive officer at American Titanium Works, on the state-of-the-art titanium plant the company intends to build in Laurens County.
“In Los Angeles, there’s sirens all night long. And out here, it was nothing. I’ve never slept so deeply in my life.”
Place earned by Mayor Knox White’s daughter Marian White on The Hill newspaper’s annual 50 Most Beautiful People in Washington D.C. list.
BENJAMIN J. MYERS / THE HILL
No. 6
“This will be the most competitive, most efficient titanium mill anywhere on the planet.”
$40 million
Pam Stone, who played Judy Watkins on the TV show “Coach,” on the first night spent on her 28-acre farm in Gowensville.
The amount spent by Greenville County’s Tourism Recreation Athletic Coalition plan on new or expanded sports facilities in the county. The plan is funded by a 2 percent hospitality tax levied on prepared food.
“It makes no sense to reduce the number of cars because of a few bicycles.”
45%
Sen. Mike Fair, on why he intervened to stop plans to restripe a one-mile stretch of Old Buncombe Road to two lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes on the sides.
“It’s been like stepping on an automatic mat and the doors open.”
The amount profits at the Bi-Lo Center increased in the last fiscal year. Profits jumped to about $1.4 million, up from slightly less than $1 million the year before.
Greenville writer Marcia Moston, on her transformation into a published author.
“Sports tourism is a great way for Greenville and Spartanburg to partner together. I think we’ve got to attack sports tourism regionally.” Marcia Murff, public relations and development director for Spartanburg Parks.
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Slowing traffic flow
Elected officials nix community-supported plan for fewer lanes on Old Buncombe Road By April A. Morris | staff
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4 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
Old Buncombe Road is in his district and close to his neighborhood, Fair said. “It is of tremendous importance to me that this road is heavily traveled in the morning and that engineering would not impede traffic. It really got my attention because it was the first one in the county” to be considered for a road diet. Fair said he was also concerned that the request came from “a group of nonelected people” rather than County Council. “County Council needs to make that decision, not a state senator,” he said, adding he interceded only after consulting county representatives. Loftis said he called Edwards because
the district residents he consulted did not want the lane reduction and the top grievances he hears are about cyclists blocking traffic. Loftis said he objects to roads being narrowed for what is “essentially recreational usage” and questions the actual number of cyclists who would use bike lanes for commuting to and from work. “A small percentage are getting a free ride at the inconvenience and expense of the public,” he said. According to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, road diets are a “proven safety countermeasure” that reduce vehicle speeds and collisions and
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The right lane of Old Buncombe Road is closed for shoulder work to prepare for repaving.
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A grassroots plan to slim down a county road that is a favorite of cyclists and part of the route for the U.S. Cycling Championship’s road race has been halted by state and local leaders concerned about slowing traffic flow and the way in which the change was requested. Community advocates in the San Souci and surrounding areas had proposed, as part of a repaving project on Old Buncombe Road, to tame traffic there by restriping the road from four to two lanes and adding a center turn lane and bike lanes on both sides. Residents collected 400 signatures last fall in support of the restriping – known as a “road diet” – for the one-mile stretch along Old Buncombe Road between West Blue Ridge Road and Cedar Lane Road. Advocates say they presented the plan to the S.C. Department of Transportation and understood the project was moving forward with the restriping included. “This four-lane highway, they treat it like a freeway. I don’t understand why it’s four-lane to start with,” said Jeffrey Little, co-owner of Mike and Jeff ’s BBQ on Old Buncombe Road. “There have been too many close calls, and people speed, and as far as the cyclists, you hardly have room to pass a car around here.” Little said two lanes and a turn lane make more sense. “When someone starts to turn, you’re never obstructed. The bikes were not an issue to me, the way the road is built now, it’s the traffic flow.” DOT traffic engineer Craig Nelson said there had been “a possibility” the restriping would be included in the resurfacing contract for the road – until
“it was decided that we would not make any changes at this time.” Anyone can request a change to a SCDOT project, said DOT Commissioner John Edwards, but seeing it Sen. Mike Fair come to fruition is more complicated. Edwards represents Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg and Union counties on the state Transportation Commission. He said SCDOT proj- Rep. Dwight Loftis ects are fluid and “the standard procedure is that they can be changed up to the time they start. If a politician calls or a constituent calls, we always look and we always listen.” In this case, the politicians calling County Councilman were state Sen. Mike Willis Meadows Fair and state Rep. Dwight Loftis. They were contacted by Greenville County Councilman Willis Meadows, who said he called “to let them know I’d gotten several complaints from residents.” Fair told the Journal he took up the cause because “it makes no sense to reduce the number of cars because of a few bicycles.”
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journal community improve access and quality of life. When a road diet is implemented, the road experiences a 29 percent reduction in accidents, the FHA said. Roads with fewer than 20,000 average daily traffic (ADT) are typically good candidates for road diets, according to the FHA. Old Buncombe Road has an approximate count of 6,500-8,000 cars per day, the state DOT reports. The state Transportation Commission adopted a resolution in 2003 to include bicycling and walking as part of the “planning, design, construction and operating activities.” The Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS) adopted a similar policy in 2009 to recommend bicycle accommodation on all standard fivelane roads during resurfacing. According to the GPATS website, it works with SCDOT and Greenville County to identify candidate roads for this type of improvement. Steve Gwinn, SCDOT district engineering administrator for the Upstate, said the DOT relies on local government to request road diets and restriping. If a road meets certain criteria, then the change can be included in a resurfacing project. “We like to see a broad plan. Not only does the road have to have the width to accommodate traffic, it should show connectivity to schools, neighborhoods and other facilities,” he said. Gwinn said he did not know the specifics of why the Old Buncombe Road project was stopped. “SCDOT reconvened with the county and decided to leave the road the way it is.” According to DOT, the repaving project should be completed by the end of August. Edwards said the commission has “a right to change those projects and change those outcomes.” He said a single phone call can’t change a project, but when “two politicians call, you listen to them, because we are elected by the delegation.” Edwards said there needs to be a more effective way of notifying the public about upcoming SCDOT projects. Current procedure only requires notifications of projects and public hearings to be published in the legal section of the local newspaper. “The problem is people don’t find out about these things or follow it that closely until it’s getting ready to happen, and that’s when we get the phone calls,” he said. “We need to do a better job of that because we need to have the public in on the start to get their input at the
start of the project. When you’re just getting input from special groups or county employees, it’s a whole different thing than getting it from the people it’s going to affect.” Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven said he was not involved in the decision on the Old Buncombe Road project, but the attention garnered could benefit county transportation planning. He said the county does not have a specific transportation plan, but receives guidance from GPATS and considers projects on a case-by-case basis. “There’s a place for road diets. It’s not always a solution, but it can be,” he said. “Now it’s getting enough attention that we might want to consider sitting down and creating some countywide criteria of what areas where it may work and where it won’t.” Meadows said he was comfortable with the GPATS plans for new bike lanes and provisions for other modes of transportation beyond cars. He said he is aware of the potential backlash from the cycling community regarding Old Buncombe Road and does not plan to involve the council in future bike projects. The City of Greenville has implemented several road diets, which are part of the Bicycle Master Plan adopted in 2011. Andrew Meeker, senior landscape architect and Bikeville committee chair, said he uses Greenville’s Main Street “as a fantastic example of a road diet and a complete street,” meaning the street makes provision for all modes of transportation. A road diet implemented on East North Street reduced speeds from 44.9 miles per hour in 2009 to 37.6 miles per hour in 2011, closer to the posted 35-mile-per-hour speed limit, Meeker said. In addition to providing space for walkers and cyclists, a road diet can bring the speed of traffic closer to the speed the road was designed for, he said. Jeffrey Little, the restaurant owner, said the Old Buncombe Street restriping involved only a one-mile stretch. “If it was 20 or 30 miles, it would be different. That’s why I don’t understand why someone would oppose it. People think the project would be just for bikes, but that’s not the case. It’s a win-win for everybody.” Staff writer Charles Sowell contributed to this report. Contact April A. Morris at amorris@greenvillejournal.com.
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JOURNAL COMMUNITY
OPINION VOICES FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, HEARD HERE
FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK
Whom does DUI law protect? As the Highway Patrol prepares to renew its annual “Sober or Slammer” countdown to Labor Day, a Greenville DUI case offers the Upstate a graphic demonstration of just how challenging stopping a drunk driver can be. The case involves a Greenville County man who racked up six DUI charges in the space of a year – five within two months – as well as a charge of leaving an accident scene. Yet he walked out of court two weeks ago with a suspended sentence and no further jail time. The temptation is to hammer the prosecutor’s office for negotiating a plea with a man with that kind of driving history. But it’s the rest of the story that shows the tightrope 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins and his fellow solicitors walk in prosecuting not just the unusual cases, but all DUIs. As related during the July 20 plea hearing, Warren E. Brooks’ six DUI charges occurred as six separate offenses – five of them between May 19 and July 2 of last year – and all before any had been tried in court. So all counted as first offenses. As Wilkins noted then, a second-offense charge requires a firstoffense conviction. After his sixth first-offense (Brooks rear-ended a car and left the scene), a magistrate ordered him to wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet that tests blood alcohol content via body sweat. So, as Wilkins also noted then, the danger to the community was removed while Brooks awaited trial. And waited. Though his back-to-back arrests were unusual, far less so were the delays and technicalities that put 13 months between Brooks’ first arrest and trial and worked the final resolution two weeks ago with that two-year sentence suspended to 79 days served. Continuances delayed the original trial for his first August 2010 arrest from February to June of last year, at which point the other charges prompted Wilkins to pull the case to assess the situation – with good cause. Scheduling conflicts and delay tactics are the routine of court life. But DUIs fit a unique category in South Carolina, where every sentence of state law that could objectively confirm legal drunkenness has been fudged, weakened or turned into a debatable issue for a jury. The opportunities for challenge are legion, and Wilkins’ staff ran straight into the most egregious of them all with that first charge: Brooks walked outside the view of the arresting officer’s dashboard camera during the field sobriety test. The state’s complex DUI law requires officers to videotape a DUI arrest from the moment the blue lights come on through the Breathalyzer test at the police station, showing the defendant’s entire body at all times and including the Miranda warning. Thanks to Brooks’ wandering gait, a judge dismissed the August 2010 charge. State law also allows Brooks to refuse Breathalyzer tests, which he did. With the first charge dismissed, a hung jury on the second and no objective tests, a plea agreement was Wilkins’ obvious choice. The agreement ensures Brooks will blow into an ignition interlock system every time he starts a car and seek treatment for alcoholism, so that’s some comfort. But it’s no surprise that one in three DUI defendants who request a jury trial in Wilkins’ circuit end up with a reduced sentence, thanks to evidence problems tied to the minutiae of this egregious DUI law. According to the state court administration, Greenville County currently has 1,263 pending DUI cases and Spartanburg has 677. Do the math and ask yourself: Whom does South Carolina’s DUI law really protect?
Budget rhetoric vs. reality If you followed the debate over the state budget and the governor’s budget vetoes, you might have had the impression that there was genuine disagreement about the size and scope of government. There was no such disagreement. True, the governor issued $57.1 million in line-item vetoes, but that amounted to less than one percent of the budget. And while 33 of the governor’s 81 budget vetoes were sustained, these were almost all small-dollar items. Altogether, the General Assembly sustained about $4 million worth of budget vetoes – a miniscule .019 percent of the budget. That’s too bad – this would have been a great year for a knock-down, drag-out debate over the growth of South Carolina state government. The Legislature’s original $23.6 billion spending plan – well over $1 billion larger than last year’s budget – brimmed with favors for special interests, gratuitous government expansions and massive funding hikes for clearly non-core programs and agencies. The governor’s vetoes touched some items in these categories, but left most of them alone. So, at the beginning of the veto debate, we had a $23.641 billion budget. At the end of the debate, we had a $23.637 billion budget. Let’s look at what we accomplished. Local pork projects: In her veto messages, the governor explained that projects or events she vetoed would benefit very specific communities or organizations and don’t merit funding from the state. Accordingly, she vetoed several projects worth, in total, about $1.2 million. Yet the budget allocated a much larger amount – $5 million – to seven regional economic development organizations, some of which just happen to have legislators on their boards, and all of which have only regional significance. All went unchallenged by the veto pen. Programs that “don’t work”: In her veto messages, the governor insisted that state government had an obligation to eliminate programs that “don’t work.” So she vetoed the Writing Improvement Network, South Carolina Geographic Alliance-USC, and the Certificate of Need program, totaling just over $3 million. She also vetoed the Arts Commission’s entire budget; a $200,000 proviso for the SC Manufacturer’s Extension Partnership; and the Sea
IN MY OWN WORDS by DILLON JONES
Grant Consortium. These vetoes were worth just over $2.5 million. One wonders, then, why a $10 million tax break for Hollywood producers went untouched, since “film incentives,” as these tax breaks are called, generate a net loss in revenue equal to $0.81 on every dollar. The Legislature and governor also left in their $8 million subsidy program for destination-specific tourism marketing, and $50,000 for the notoriously over-budget and underperforming Farmers Market. Higher ed earmarks: Tuition keeps rising at the state’s public universities even as the universities spend public resources on projects that have little to do with the education of young people. It was encouraging, therefore, to see Haley veto earmarked funding worth about $6.4 million, including a Clemson University Plant Technology Lab, a College of Charleston Digital Technology Pilot Project, and four others. Other higher education earmarks, however, went untouched: $3.5 million for a training facility at Central Carolina Technical College, $1 million for a “research vessel” at Coastal Carolina University and $2 million for a science center at the College of Charleston. Excessive growth: Several agencies and programs saw vast increases over last year. Haley certainly vetoed a few of these gratuitous budget hikes. Yet massive increases drew no criticism from the governor. The Department of Commerce saw an increase of nearly $20 million from last year. Additionally, the governor included in her executive budget $3.2 million for marketing and promotion in the Department of Agriculture, a 189 percent increase from last year. In short: Don’t be fooled. This year’s budget debate wasn’t about whether government should grow by billion-dollar leaps and bounds. That question was already decided, and it wasn’t in decided in taxpayers’ favor. Dillon Jones is a policy analyst at the SC Policy Council.
IN MY OWN WORDS FEATURES ESSAYS BY RESIDENTS WITH PARTICULAR EXPERTISE WHO WANT TO TELL READERS ABOUT ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THEM. THE JOURNAL ALSO WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (MAXIMUM LENGTH OF 200 WORDS). PLEASE INCLUDE ADDRESS AND DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER. ALL LETTERS WILL BE CONFIRMED BEFORE PUBLICATION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT ALL LETTERS FOR LENGTH. PLEASE CONTACT SUSAN SIMMONS AT SSIMMONS@GREENVILLEJOURNAL.COM.
6 GREENVILLE JOURNAL | AUGUST 3, 2012
journal community
Drive to honor Virginia Uldrick for contributions to Greenville Class A team trying to set new attendance record By Cindy Landrum | staff
Dr. Virginia Uldrick helped start the Fine Arts Center and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. Now, the Greenville Drive hopes Virginia Uldrick she will help them establish a single-season attendance record of 350,000 fans. Each year, the Drive salutes somebody who has been instrumental in transforming Greenville during its annual Green Day that celebrates the
city’s birthday. Green Day is Aug. 14. The Drive plays the Rome (Ga.) Braves at 7 p.m. Previous Green Day honorees are former Greenville Mayor Max Heller and his wife, Trude; Greenville City Councilwoman Lillian Brock Fleming and Greenville County Councilwoman Xanthene Norris; former Greenville Technical College President Dr. Tom Barton; businessman and philanthropist C. Dan Joyner; civic leader, judge and attorney Merl Code; and former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Secretary of Education Dick Riley. Uldrick has long been a champion of arts education. After playing an instrumental role in developing a Fine Arts Center to serve artistically talented high school students in Greenville County, Uldrick later proposed a statewide summer fine-arts program. From that evolved the Governor’s School, the nation’s first fully accredited, full-time residential
Changing Employee Habits
high school for the fine arts. The Governor’s School opened its downtown Greenville campus in 1999. The Drive is on track to set a singleseason attendance record of 350,000 fans as a part of the team’s “Let’s Hit 350” campaign. On Thursday, Drive president and co-owner Craig Brown reported that 73 percent of the season is completed and the team is 72 percent of the way toward the goal. To meet the goal, the team had to average 5,000 fans for its 70 home games. A couple of rainouts have put the team a bit behind, Brown said. Brown said if the team increases its average attendance by 190 fans for each of its remaining home games, it will meet its goal. Brown said local partners such as BiLo, Erwin Penland and Synnex have helped the team in its attendance push.
Last week, the staff of Propel HR received thorough training in our new CRM software. Everyone is thrilled about the new software and the LEE YARBOROUGH efficiency it will add to our customer service. This software is an investment which will help Propel HR grow and will add value to our clients. As with all trainings, I could feel the excitement in the air and see the wheels in the minds of the employees spinning with all the ways they will put this advancement to use. But as we know far too well, once a training/seminar/conference ends, we often go right back into our old habits and don’t utilize all that we learn. How do you keep employees motivated to use all the tools that they are given?
Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@greenvillejournal.com.
First, the employees must see the true value of the systems. This is not a one-time demonstration, this must be constantly reinforced. Show not only how the tools help the company, but more importantly how it helps each individual. We are all selfish and the question everyone is asking is, “how does this help me and my job?”
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journal community
Fields of dreams
Sports tourism – from youth tournaments to Carolina Panthers training camp – pumps millions into Upstate economy
Greg Beckner / Staff
Thousands of athletes have pursued their dreams on Upstate athletic fields this summer – from fast-pitch softball players trying to win a World Series and soccer players trying to make it to a national championship to football players trying to make it in the National Football League. In the process, they’re proving sports are no longer just child’s play: Sports tourism is big business. Spartanburg and Greenville alike are placing a growing emphasis on getting their share of the billions of dollars spent nationwide each year. Both have pumped millions of dollars into new and improved sports venues to make their counties more competitive in luring youth and adult sports tournaments and the visitor spending that comes with them. “Sports tourism is a huge market, and more places are realizing that,” said Jeff Poole, the Greenville Recreation District’s sports tourism manager. “As quickly as the market is growing, it’s growing ever more competitive.” Just last week, the National Softball Association brought 168 girls fast-pitch teams to Spartanburg and Greenville to compete in its World Series in two competitive classes. The players and their families filled hotel rooms from Gaffney to Anderson. “Sports tourism is a great way for Greenville and Spartanburg to partner together,” said Mar-
cia Murff, public relations and development director for Spartanburg Parks. “I think we’ve got to attack sports tourism regionally.” Murff said the softball tournament would not have been possible without Tyger River Park, the county’s new $17.6 million 13-field park that area leaders said would allow the county to pursue large regional and national youth sports tournaments. Last year, the tournament was held in Chattanooga and had an estimated $2.5 million economic impact, Murff said. The facility has booked 65 tournaments in a 40-week period beginning with the facility’s opening in mid-March. And in June, the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III championship was held at the MeSA soccer complex near Pelham Road in Greenville, a tournament that would not have been possible without the facility’s expansion to 16 fields through the county’s TRAC (Tourism Recreation Athletic Coalition) plan. The TRAC plan poured $40 million into new or expanded sports facilities in Greenville County, paid for through a 2 percent hospitality tax levied on prepared food. That plan also built Conestee Park, a baseball complex connected to Lake Conestee Nature Park. Conestee Park will compete to host regional tournaments with Heritage Park in Simpsonville and J.B. “Red” Owens Sports Complex in Eas-
A base runner with the Indiana Stingers slides home safely on a fielder’s choice in a game against the Carolina Fear at Tyger River Park during the National Softball Association Girls Fast Pitch World Series.
ley, which hosted the Big League World Series earlier this week for the 12th consecutive year. The Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Greenville Rec are targeting 14 sports – soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball, tennis, martial arts, rugby, wrestling, table tennis, cycling, BMX, ultimate Frisbee, adventure racing and road races, said Gary Cherrett, the CVB’s senior manager of convention sales and sports tourism. “We’re trying to identify sports that fit Greenville,” said Todd Bertka, the CVB’s vice president of sales. “Greenville is obviously not a winter sports location. We’ve got no location with more than one sheet of ice. So it doesn’t make sense to go after those events. A lot of business out there matches the assets our destination offers.” In addition to parks, Greenville has other tournament venues: Furman University, the Kroc
Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@greenvillejournal.com.
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baseball tournament will be held at Fluor Field in May, 2013. CVB and county officials are working to secure a March 2013 stop by the FLW professional fishing tour, and the USA Karate Federation National Championship in July 2013. CVB and Greenville County officials will also attend three sports tourism conventions this fall, including the USOC Sports Link event next month. “Olympic sports present a lot of opportunity,” Bertka said. While it doesn’t involve youth sports, one of the Upstate’s longest-running sports tourism events – the Carolina Panthers training camp – is being held now through Aug. 15. Wofford College has hosted the training camp since the team’s inception in 1995. Last year, an estimated 34,000 people attended the Panthers training camp and attendees spent an average of $168 per day, pouring an estimated $5.7 million into the Upstate economy. This year’s camp is generating even more interest, thanks to quarterback Cam Newton. Last year, Newton broke Peyton Manning’s rookie passing record with 4,051 yards and became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards and run for 500 in the same season. He set a record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 14. He was selected as an alternate for the Pro Bowl.
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Center Tennis Complex, Fluor Field, the Bi-Lo Center, TD Convention Center and even Sirrine Stadium, which hosted the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association national championship this year and will again next year. What it lacks is a large indoor fieldhouse-type facility that would have multiple basketball or volleyball courts in one location. Having such a facility would allow Greenville to compete for events in about a dozen more sports. “We can’t control what we don’t have,” Poole said. “We concentrate on what we do and market that as best we can.” Bertka said Greenville has several advantages over the locales it typically competes against, such as Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., Birmingham, Ala., Orlando, Fla., and Atlanta. It sits between Charlotte and Atlanta with interstate access. It has improved airline service since Southwest Airlines came into the Greenville-Spartanburg market more than a year ago. It has less expensive hotels and dining choices than some of the bigger cities, multiple areas of activity and Southern hospitality. Plus the Upstate offers a lot of other things to do, Bertka said – an important advantage to participants of weeklong tournaments. “We’re a mid-size market with big-city amenities,” he said. Several events are upcoming. The ABA BMX East Coast Nationals will be held in September and the Southern Conference
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Russell Smart may not have ever started his 25-year involvement with the Boy Scouts of America had his son’s scoutmaster had any backpacking experience. “I had no intentions of working with the Scouts,” Smart said. He had accompanied his then-11-year-old son, Hoke, to a meeting to see what they were all about. The scoutmaster asked if Smart knew anything about backpacking and if he’d be willing to help out on an upcoming trip. Smart had been backpacking since college. After checking for Hoke’s blessing on the idea, Smart told the Boy Scout leader “yes.” He went on to put in two stints as scoutmaster and serve on several national BSA committees. But unlike many Scout leaders, his involvement didn’t end when his son aged out of the organization. “It became a rest-of-my-life proposition,” Smart said. Smart joined people such as pilot Charles Lindbergh, Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, Antarctic explorer Robert Byrd and baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron as recipients of the BSA’s Silver Buffalo Award. The award honors distinguished service to youth. That service to youth must be national in scope. Smart will be honored at the Greenville Drive’s Scout Night on Monday. Smart said the century-old organiza-
Russell Smart wears his beaver bike helmet cover as he rides down the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville. The helmet cover was a gift from a fellow Scout leader.
tion is as relevant today as it was when it was founded. “The mission has not changed,” he said. “It’s all about creating leaders.” But the means by which the organization achieves its mission is changing – and Smart has been right in the middle of it. Scouting is associated with the outdoors, but nature doesn’t appeal to everybody. Knowing this, Smart has been instrumental in helping the Scouts develop a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics initiative. “Kids hear ‘math is hard,’” said Smart, who worked for 12 years in the engineering field before making the switch to real estate development. “We want to show them math is fun and challenging. There’s a difference between challenging and hard.” The NOVA and Supernova Awards were rolled out in the past month af-
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ter a pilot program that occurred in part in Greenville. “The interest has been phenomenal,” Smart said. New merit badges are also being unveiled for skill areas such as chess, geocaching, game design, programming and welding. “It’s all about interesting the kids,” he said. “We do that by having fun and doing some really cool stuff – and during that time, we talk to them about character, fitness and citizenship.” As Smart’s involvement in Scouting grew, so did his interest in its history. “I learned there was a whole subculture of people who collected Scouting memorabilia,” he said. “The more I found out about it, the more interest I had in it.” Smart now has what he calls one of the top 10 collections of Boy Scout memorabilia in the United States, including every printing of the Boy Scout Handbook and the Scoutmaster Handbook and examples of each Eagle Scout medal. His most prized item is a walking stick once owned by Lt. Gen. Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scouts in 1907. The top item on his wish list is a badge from C-Scout sub-camp from the 1937 World Jamboree. Only a dozen or so exist. “I collect things that have a story behind them,” he said. “Jamborees are events where kids from all over the world meet and form lifelong friendships.” Smart said he remembers meeting a man from Russia at the 1995 World Jamboree in Holland. Scouting had been banned in Russia by the Soviets, he said, and this was the first World Jamboree ever attended by Russian Scouts. Smart and the Russian were only days apart in age, and they talked about what it was like to grow up on opposite sides of the Cold War. “Each of us had been told the other was going to annihilate the other. Each (had been) doing the same stupid things like getting under our desks to protect us from nuclear missiles,” Smart said. “That was a life-changer for me. I realized that people all over the world are more alike than different.” Smart said the world is now watching the Olympics. “Young people from all over the world come together, but they’re competing against each other,” he said. “Most kids will never get the chance to be an Olympic athlete. But every single one of them can be a Scout.”
JOURNAL COMMUNITY
Billboard trade-off City to consider allowing some digital billboards in exchange for removal of others
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A proposed agreement with an outdoor advertising company could rid some areas of Greenville’s downtown and commercial corridors of billboards, ending a years-long effort by the city. But there’s a price. In return for removing some billboards on Church Street, Pleasantburg Drive, Stone Avenue and other downtown-area streets, the city must allow Morris Communications, which does business as Fairway Outdoor Advertising, to convert some paper billboards to digital ones. Specific sites where billboards would be removed and where some would be converted to digital units will be discussed during a work session of the
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ortizing nonconforming billboards without paying monetary compensation to the billboard company. Local governments were already required to compensate billboard companies for billboards on federally aided highways because of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965. After that state law was passed, Morris Communications sued the city, claiming the city violated state law with ordinances that said the city was not obligated to pay companies for billboards older than six years because six years was enough time to recoup their costs. The state Court of Appeals sided with Fairway. Since then, the city passed an ordinance that allows electronic billboards in one part of the city in exchange for removal of other billboards in other areas. The ordinance also allows billboard companies to make changes to existing billboards under certain circumstances. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@greenvillejournal.com.
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New Disabilities and Special Needs interim board officially begins work of directing agency By april a. morris | staff
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Less than two weeks after being confirmed by Gov. Nikki Haley, the Greenville County Disabilities and Special Needs interim board of directors has begun work on directing the agency after Greenville County Council made the move to dissolve the previous board in May. The GCDSN serves residents of all ages with developmental disabilities, autism, and head and spinal cord injuries through residential facilities, inhome services, and work programs. The agency has approximately 1,500 to 1,700 clients and 500 employees. The SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) assumed operation of the agency when County Council dissolved the previous board. Associate State Director of Operations David Goodell has been serving as interim executive director since May. The interim board was appointed on June 4 and includes former Greenville County Council member Judy Gilstrap, former educator and St. Francis Foundation Board chair Pearlie Harris, private-practice attorney and former 13th court solicitor Bob Ariail, businessman and parent Alex McNair, and attorney and former Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC) chairman Jay Rogers. More than 30 audience members, including parents of clients and staff, gathered to watch and applaud the proceedings at the interim board’s initial meeting last week. Even though there was no public input at the initial meeting, the board asked audience members to introduce themselves, and many family members thanked the board for agreeing to serve. According to David Goodell, the board is now tasked with ensuring that the clients’ needs are being met and that the organization is operating soundly financially, and ensuring good communication with families. The previous board struggled with financial problems, including a $1 million shortfall in 2010, and a chorus of criticisms about
lack of transparency and conflict of interest questions regarding the hiring of former board member Connie Holmes as a consultant. The most recent state finance audit of the local agency has not been released, said state DSN director Beverly Buscemi. However, “the (financial) turnaround of this organization over the last year is amazing,” said Robert Decker, an employee of the Charles Lea Center (a similar agency in Spartanburg) who is assisting the Greenville agency with finance. Goodell said communication is now a top priority. Buscemi provided the board with an orientation on serving on a public board, giving notice for meetings, public access to information, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Currently a quorum is three members. The plan is to post documents online, including meeting minutes and possibly financial statements, said Goodell. “There is a very strong commitment to provide information that’s easy for the general public to get access to.” During the board’s first meeting, the local staff and Buscemi gave the interim board an overview of how the state and local agencies function. Because the agency owns 15 residential facilities, the board members are also members of four Housing and Urban Development (HUD) corporation boards, allowing access to federal funding for housing. Buscemi reported that the SCDDSN budget did not increase this legislative session, but budget writers granted an agency request that $5.9 million in onetime funds be converted to recurring funding. This allows the agency to operate this year at the same funding level as the previous year, said Goodell. Buscemi highlighted some of the state 125local E. Broad St. Greenville, SC 29601 including and agencies’ challenges, P: 864.271.0500 | F: 864.235.5941 working to prepare for the reality of agThird Ave, New York, NY 10017 ing622caregivers (there are approximately P: 212.905.7000 | F: 212.370.0781 1,000 families statewide with caregivers over the age of 72), potential budget cuts, and years-long waiting lists for some services. In addition to the search for a new executive director, the board will also have to tackle bylaws that provide for a 12-member board. Buscemi told the board about the person-centered model of care and funding, adding, “If you ask, ‘What is in the best interest for the people we serve?’ you’ll do just fine.” Contact April A. Morris at amorris@greenvillejournal.com.
journal community
Local makes list of ‘Hotties on the Hill’ Greenville mayor’s daughter, Marian White, named one of 50 Most Beautiful in D.C. By april a. morris | staff
Benjamin J. Myers / The Hill
It’s summertime, and while Congress is not in session, Washington, D.C. looks forward to diversions such as the annual list of the 50 Most Beautiful People published by The Hill newspaper. This year, former Greenville resident (and daughter of Marian White Mayor Knox White) Marian White is No. 6 on the list. White, 25, a graduate of J.L. Mann High School and Furman University, went to Washington three years ago and has worked as a scheduler and staff assistant for Rep. Gresham Barrett and the House Judiciary Committee. Her listmates include former model and House
Administration Committee staff assistant Max Engling (No. 1) and Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann (No. 10). Mayor White said the list (informally dubbed “Hotties on the Hill”) is something Hill denizens consider light, fun and a bit outrageous for the summer, yet everyone wants to know who’s on it – and even better, to make the list. “That edition kind of flies off the shelf,” he said. Kris Kitto, features editor at The Hill, said this is the ninth year publishing the list. “It’s one of our most popular pieces and grows in popularity each year.” The list is compiled every spring when The Hill asks readers to submit nominations of people who are connected to Capitol Hill, whether lawmakers, staffers, or assistants, he said. The publication receives hundreds of nominations and selects 80 for photo shoots. Then, based on the photos, the newsroom staff selects the top 50. “In true democratic fashion, we vote,”
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Kitto said. Marian White didn’t get to be recognized on the Capitol streets, her father said. Just before the list was published, she left the country to travel to Thailand before beginning graduate school in global marketing at Emerson College in Boston. She has a degree in Asian studies and jumped at the chance to return to the region before starting her next degree, he said. “She didn’t even get to bask in the celebrity,” he laughed. In The Hill profile, Marian White describes how her parents met while working for South Carolina’s congressional delegation – one for a Republican and the other for a Democrat – and how she now, as a Republican, tries to carry on their torch of bipartisanship. “I have a lot of friends who are on both sides of the aisle, so getting to know them and other people’s viewpoints has been really great,” she said. “Some of my very best friends are Democrats. The Hill is a funny place,
because when it comes to friendships, you just put your political views aside and respect each other.” Knox White said his daughter is “not a beauty-queen type” and was reluctant to be included on the list at first. “When the guy from The Hill came by, she didn’t really believe it.” Her colleagues insisted she do the interview and photo session, he said. “They said it was the first time anyone from the Judiciary Committee had been chosen.” White said he gave his daughter this advice on being interviewed: “If you’re going to do this, in all your job interviews, they’re going to Google it.” He said she concentrated on talking about her serious interests, but the publication did slip in some lighter fare, like inside info on her cooking skills and reading tastes. Contact April A. Morris at amorris@greenvillejournal.com.
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city council
from the july 30 meeting
Greenville’s parks could soon have closing times. The Greenville City Council is considering establishing hours during which the city’s 34 parks are open. City Parks and Recreation Department Director Dana Souza said some of the city’s parks have posted hours and some are closed from dusk to dawn. Others, however, have no official opening or closing times. The issue is being examined after police and the city’s Nightlife Committee expressed concerns about activities occurring in the parks at night and safety issues on the city’s trail network. In a discussion during the City Council’s work session Monday afternoon, Souza proposed closing the city’s 19 neighborhood parks from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m, and clos-
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ing the city’s community and regional parks from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. The city’s two cemeteries, Richland and Springwood, and its four public gardens would be closed from dusk to dawn. Falls Park and Cleveland Park present challenges because of their unique nature, City Manager John Castile said. “Those two green spaces are different from anything else in the city,” Castile said. “Falls Park is in the heart of the city, and Cleveland Park is like Central Park. Everyone’s made a memory in Cleveland Park.” Castile said he is not recommending closing Falls Park downtown, but said the city will soon need park rangers to patrol the area during certain days and hours because of its heavy use. Souza has requested money for park rangers for the past two years but the positions weren’t funded by City Council. The next regular meeting of the Greenville City Council is Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the 10th floor of City Hall. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@greenvillejournal.com.
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Legacy Charter School announced the hiring of Ed Roman to serve as high school principal at the Parker Campus. Roman most recently served as ninth grade academy principal at Southside High School. He has spent 17 years as an educator in Connecticut, Florida and South Carolina. Legacy Charter School is a free, public charter school open to all students in Greenville County. It had approximately 630 students in grades K5-10 during the 2011-12 school year. This school year, Legacy will add grade 11, and grade 12 will be added in 2013-14. The school is located on two campuses in Greenville’s Westside. The Parker Campus serves students in grades 5-11, including early college opportunities. The newly renovated campus at the site of the former Greenville County Fine Arts Center serves K5-4th grade. For further information, visit www.legacycharterschool.com.
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On Aug. 4, the Phillis Wheatley Center, Nicholtown Missionary Baptist Church, and Greenville Tech Charter School will present the 2012 Let’s Move Gospel Celebration that will celebrate the end of the summer camp attended by more than 200 youth ages 4-15. The camp featured programs focusing on sports, financial literacy, healthy eating habits, visual and performing arts, and academics. Under the direction of Sammy Dotson, current director of the center’s Repertory Theatre, the students will entertain the audience with vocal and theatrical performances. Several notable Repertory Theatre alumni have returned to act as instructors for the students, including Alphaeus Anderson, founder and director of the Stellar Award
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nominated “Pure-N-Heart”; internationally acclaimed musician Anthony “Tony” Bennett; Antonio “TJ” Edwards Jr. of Furman University; Bonnie Franks, director of the Nicholtown Community Choir; Rev. Nyroba Leamon, pastor of Today’s Antioch; and Walter Rutledge, New York-based dancer, choreographer and writer. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. For more information on PWA programming, contact Odeidra Williams at 864-235-3411 or 704-904-4451. The Woodlands at Furman will host its own version of the Olympic games until Aug. 13. Teams will represent eight Woodlands at Furman departments as part of the games, complete with each team having its own national anthem. The Woodlands at Furman is a nonprofit retirement community owned and operated by a local board of directors and managed professionally by Greystone Communities. Local students are among 60 Clemson University musicians who traveled to London and performed at various venues around the city during the Summer Olympic Games. Clemson’s Symphonic Band and Jazz Ensemble performed at Olympic venues for people from all over the world. Area participants included Norman Barrett of Taylors, Matthew Byrd of Greer, John Cleland of Greenville, William
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journal community Franzreb of Simpsonville, Evan Jacobi of Greenville, Fiona Knoll of Greenville, Tanner Slice of Greer and Thomas Stephens of Simpsonville. The second annual Spirit of ’45 event in Travelers Rest is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, at Reedy River Baptist Church, Hwy 25 N. Bypass. Exhibits of World War IIera vehicles and other memorabilia will begin at 2 p.m. The U.S. Congress has authorized the second Sunday of every August as Spirit of ’45 Day. A children’s activity, for ages 5-9, will be offered simultaneously. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 864610-9043 by Aug. 8. A 1940’s-era swing dance will be held Aug. 10, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the gym on the campus of the former Travelers Rest High School on Wilhelm Winter Street. A brief swing dance lesson will be offered at 7 p.m. For more information on the dance, contact Joyce McCarrell at 864-834-7888 or Brandy Amidon at 864-380-4979. The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour recently travelled to Clemson to hold the College Prep Series at the university’s Walker Course. More than 110 players came from all corners of the Southeast to compete in this tournament. Top honors in the Girls 11-14 Division went to Kate Toms of Spartanburg, who finished the tournament with a total of 168 and included 14 pars and par or better average of 41.7 percent. In the Boys 11-14 Division, Rex Carter of Greenville was the second-place finisher with a two-day total of 154 and recorded three birdies and a par or better average of 66.7 percent. This week, McDonald’s restaurants in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Asheville, and Anderson areas introduced Favorites Under 400 Calories, a new national menu platform featuring existing food and beverage choices at counters and drive-thrus nationwide. McDonald’s reports that approximately 80 percent of their menu choices are under 400 calories without additional sauces, salad dressings, condiments or custom orders. As part of the effort, local dietitians Katherine Birkett and Paul Moore were hired to provide guidance to area restaurants and will appear at Mother’s Panels planned for the fall. Submit entries to e-mail: greenvillecommunity@greenvillejournal.com
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AUGUST 3, 2012 | Greenville Journal 19
journal community
COMING AUGUST 17-26
FEST
RESTAURANT WEEK Local restaurateurs have teamed up to bring you the 4th Annual Foodie Fest! This year’s event promises to be even bigger and better as restaurants will be offering one of the following...
3 FOR
$30
2 FOR
$20
BUY 1 GET 1
Visit UpstateFoodie.com or Facebook.com/foodiefest2012 for updates, menus, and more!
Feed Your Inner Food Enthusiast 20 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
C82R
Participating Restaurants:
JOURNAL COMMUNITY
THE GOOD
EVENTS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER
The ETV Endowment of South Carolina and Ruby Tuesday are putting a new twist on the “TV Dinner,” allowing South Carolinians to enjoy a great meal and support the educational programs broadcast on SCETV and ETV Radio at the same time. From Friday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 12, all South Carolina Ruby Tuesdays will donate 20 percent of every meal purchase to the ETV Endowment. To participate, patrons must print the GiveBack flyer (available at www.scetv.org/rubytuesday) and present it to their server at the time their order is placed. A list of participating Ruby Tuesday restaurants across the state is available at www.scetv.org/rubytuesday.
can be purchased at Palmetto Music, 5 Wade Hampton Blvd., or at The Handlebar, 304 East Stone Avenue. For more information regarding this concert, Palmetto Music or the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners, visit www. palmettomusic.com, www.handlebar-online.com or www.greatergreenvillemastergardener.org. The Arthritis Foundation has selected Dr. Jeffrey G. Lawson, founding partner of Piedmont Arthritis Clinic, as Medical Honoree for the 2012 Upstate SC Jingle Bell Run. The Upstate’s annual Run Walk for Arthritis will be held on Dec. 1 at the International Center for Au- Dr. Jeffrey G. Lawson tomotive Research in Greenville. It is among more than 150 Jingle Bell Run events held across the country to raise funds for arthritis research. For more information on Piedmont Arthritis Clinic or participating in the Upstate SC Jingle Bell Run, call 864235-8396 or visit www.PiedmontArthritis.com.
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation recently awarded much-needed equipment to the South Greenville Fire Department during a ceremony at the Mauldin Firehouse Subs restaurant. The department benefited with tactical scuba gear, including vests, regulators and air tanks, worth more than $13,500.. The fourth annual golf tournament for the Fountain Inn Center for Visual and Performing Arts is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26. The center is looking for teams, hole sponsors and prizes. Call 864-409-1050 ext. 22 or visit www.ftinnarts.org for more information or to register. The center is also seeking volunteers to serve as ushers or greeters, in addition to regular volunteers who are willing to help out with office tasks such as computer work, mailings or phone work.
Erwin Penland has raised more than $8,500 during its 15th annual “Dog Days,” a weeklong fundraiser benefiting the Greenville Humane Society. The money raised will go directly to the Greenville Humane Society’s capital campaign and the building of the second phase of their new state-of-the-art facility located off Airport Road.
The Homes of Hope Men’s Program is moving to Gideon’s House. This Saturday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to noon (or until it’s all gone) all leftovers will be sold. Sale will be held at the Homes of Hope office at 3 Dunean Street. Expect to find great deals on assorted furniture and appliances. Items available include fridges, washers/ dryers, couches, dressers and more.
To celebrate the anniversary of Woodstock, Palmetto Music and the Handlebar are presenting a concert featuring a dozen local bands on Aug. 18. A benefit for the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners and part of Palmetto Music’s Psychedelic Series of benefit concerts, the show will feature Moxie, Larry & Kelly, The Jaywalkers and True Blues. Each act will perform songs made famous by legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead. Music begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and
Girls on the Run Coach Training: Coaches are needed for the fall session of Girls on the Run. You don’t need to be a runner, just enthusiastic about the healthy development of young girls. A training session will take place Aug. 12 and 26, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Greenville Hospital System Life Center. Breakfast and lunch provided. To register, call 864-455-3252. Greenville Forward, the nonprofit organization dedicated to community improvement and enhancement, has announced new members to their board of directors. New members include Billy Crank, Cindy Crick, Scott Frierson, Lance Radford, Adela Mendoza and Paul Savas, each to serve a three-year term. The new board members will assume their positions at the August board meeting of Greenville Forward. For more information about Greenville Forward’s programs, visit www.greenvilleforward.com.
Send us your announcement. E-mail: greenvillecommunity@greenvillejournal.com
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It’s not about counting the people you reach.
It’s about reaching the people that count. – David Ogilvy, advertising guru
PROTERRA ARGES ON: Th over the rougCH e Upstate ele ric hest part of their bus mak road to profitact bility. PAGE 11er may be GOV. HALE Y’S VETO PUTS
ARTS FUNDIN
SPARTANBURGJOU Spartanburg, S.C. • Friday, July 13, 2012
FIDDLIN’ AROUND WITH THE CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS PAGE 23
• Vol.8, No.28
PROAXIS FINDS NICHE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY PAGE 15
GREENVILLEJOURNAL
G IN PERIL —
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Susan Tekulve debut novel sp’san generations. PAG s E 16
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Early crop means good news for the state’s peach growers. PAGE 14
I N J U R E D V ET S F I N D
‘HE ALING WATER S’
MAKERS VIDEO POK EPRINTDIS Y R REB OOTED RANGPLA E OF Interne TALEN
Fis hin g off ers ren ew al cam ara der ie to wo un ded and wa rri ors
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t gambl thrive while Uping cafes officials look fo state shut them downr ways to . PAGE
PHOTOS BY GREG
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KEVIN CLINTON
ParITk closer. C h ’S
MASTER OF PUPPETS FOR ‘THE LIO NEW! IT’S QKING’ N UICK PAGE 24
PHOTO BY ED FELKER
gspairport.com
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GREG BECKNER / STAFF
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: Book Flights ww . , Hotelw.Ro gsom pasirp anor d t.c oml Cars. Renta
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8
Project Healing Waters parti cipant Staff Sgt. Travis Green, USMC , fishes for trout.
PAGE 16
SCHOOL CREDIT UPHELD FOR BIBLE CLASS
Greenville, S.C. • Friday, July 6, 2012 • Vol.14, No.27
PAGE 8
AGAIN.
Locally focused, Locally owned, Loyal readers. 148 RIVER STREET, SUITE 120, GREENVILLE, SC 22 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
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864.679.1200
JOURNAL BUSINESS THE FINE PRINT • INSURERS GIVE BACK • THE QUARTERLY REPORT
Tax targets thriving medical device industry
T.B.A. Word is the Greenville Textile Heritage Society wants to turn the old Monaghan Mill parking lot into a park. The property is on Smythe Street across from The Lofts... Look for Palmetto Moon, a regional retail store that specializes in South Carolina-related merchandise, to open in the Haywood Mall on Aug. 10 near the Apple Store…
By JENNIFER OLADIPO | contributor
When the federal Affordable Care Act becomes law in January, companies will see a 2.3 percent tax on medical device sales. While Upstate companies are bracing for the new tax, it is the people who use the devices who will ultimately bear the cost. The tax will affect about 100 companies in Greenville and Spartanburg counties, but the companies will fare differently depending on their size, age and the exact nature of their operations. Some companies will be bound by long-term contracts that require them to absorb the costs for the time being. Sean Regan, vice president of SC MedTech, the medical device business promotion group under SC BIO, said the tax will not only increase the cost of doing business, but will also stifle growth. “The issue that we have is that it’s a revenuebased tax instead of a profit-based tax,” said Regan. Established companies will manage, but “what it’s going to hurt is companies that are working on very thin profit margins, and this is going to eat into [them]. Then there are those that aren’t even profitable yet, the startups. Some of them won’t be profitable for two, three or 20 years.” Companies with more diversified businesses will see less effect on their bottom line, said Bill Cobb, CEO of J.M. Smith Corp. in Spartanburg. J.M. Smith’s pharmaceutical distribution systems and other products will not be taxed, but devices that are used to monitor women in labor
A Fortune 100 company is said to be looking at downtown for a large amount of office space… Beer lovers should keep an eye out for Brewery 85, another craft beer brewery slated to open in Greenville soon. Word is its chief brewer holds a World Brewing Academy International Diploma in Brewing Technology from Doemen’s Academy in Bavaria, Germany…
TAX continued on PAGE 24
We don’t.
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You’ve got better things to do than dig through your cash flow statements every day. 864.908.3062 • atlocke.com
AUGUST 3, 2012 | GREENVILLE JOURNAL 23
JOURNAL BUSINESS
Bi-Lo Center profits come with a catch All Price tag for deferred American maintenance will run in Wine Features
the millions
By CHARLES SOWELL | staff
The Bi-Lo Center’s recent profitable year may come with its own price tag for catching up on deferred maintenance at the 16-year-old facility. The Bi-Lo board is considering $15 million in new money to catch up on needed repairs, said Roger Newton, president and general manager. In the last fiscal year, profits at Bi-Lo jumped by 45 percent to about $1.4 million, up from slightly less than $1 million the year before, said Newton. The maintenance delays do not sit well with County Councilman Joe Dill, who said Greenville County Council thought maintenance expenses were factored into the bond issue the council approved two years ago to address several Bi-Lo Center financial issues. “When we passed the bond issue in
TAX continued from PAGE 23
Through the month of August! In the Retail Store! In the Restaurant! At the Tastings! At the Bar!
Menus, Featured Wines, Tastings, Stock Lists:
northamptonwines.com
NORTHAMPTON WINES & Wine Café 864-271-3919 | northamptonwines.com 211A East Broad Street, Greenville Ample Free Parking Provided
24 GREENVILLE JOURNAL | AUGUST 3, 2012
will. Cobb said there will also be “a fair amount of expense” on the administrative end just from integrating the tax into their processes. Medical device companies already pay tens of thousands of dollars in user fees to the FDA under MEDUFA, or Medical Device User Fee Amendment. These payments essentially fund the FDA oversight and approval process for the products companies develop. Wayne Roper, president of SC BIO, the life science industry group under which SC MedTech operates, said it is unfair and unwise to tax an industry that is not only generating economic growth, but also helps improve the quality of people’s lives. “Why would you pick medical devices … unless you think you can raise the revenue from there and distribute it elsewhere?” Roper said. The tax is particularly significant in the Upstate. This area has been identified nationally as one of six emerging medium-sized regions for the medical device industry, according to a 2010 report by the Battelle Institute, a nonprofit
2010 to buy out the Centerplate contract and pay off the construction bond, we were under the impression that some of that ($17 million) was to be used for maintenance,” Dill said. “That, obviously, was not the case. The money was used to pay off the bond and the vendor.” The Bi-Lo Center had been in default on its construction bonds when council took that action, Dill said, and needed to get out of its management contract with Centerplate to reduce expenses. Newton said ending the management contract with Centerplate saves more than $1 million a year. That contract was set to expire next year. In order to pull off the deal, Bi-Lo extended the concessions contract Centerplate still holds for 10 years. Newton said revenue jumped 4 percent in the last audit period and expenses were down about 11 percent, largely due to the Cen-
research and development organization that focuses on health and life sciences and technologies (Charleston was also on the list). A 2012 report by the same group shows that biotech is one of the few sectors that saw growth in the years from 2007-2010, the toughest of the recession. The medical device sub-sector contributed significantly. In South Carolina, medical device establishments grew 13.4 percent, and employment grew more than 15 percent. That is compared to just 7.7 percent growth and an overall loss of jobs in the sub-sector nationwide. Medical devices were also the only sub-sector to see wage increases. Research, testing and medical labs grew almost 50 percent. Wages in the industry grew 7.3 percent annually in South Carolina during that period, compared to just 1 percent nationally. The 2009 opening of the St. Jude Medical Inc. plant in Liberty contributed significantly to these numbers, and Roper said the industry is expected to grow 72 percent or more in the next decade. It obviously will be difficult to know the full effects of the law until it is implemented. However, most industry
terplate change, deferred maintenance and improvements at the Center that helped cut power bills. “Part of the revenue jump was due to a good year on the concert side,” he said. “We added eight events and sold out six of them. Part of that is the naturally cyclical nature of the entertainment business and part was we added better acts.” The return of the Greenville Road Warriors also helped the Center’s stature, Newton said, but not so much on the revenue side.
experts agree that consumers will ultimately pay the costs. “You’re looking to find the one person who can’t get out of it, and that’s generally the consumer. Or at least that’s the way the market tends to play it out,” said Cobb. “It’s sort of ironic to me that in an industry where we’re trying to cut costs at every possible moment, we’re adding a tax where the cost is ultimately passed down to the consumer.” He said that some companies will opt to bury the costs in the price, but he thinks it is important that consumers are able to see the tax in an invoice and know exactly how the costs break down. SC BIO has lobbied against the tax since its introduction, and Roper said those efforts are paying off: Congress voted to repeal the tax in a largely symbolic gesture earlier this month. “We believe this tax is going to be repealed regardless,” said Roper, adding that if not, it will only open the door to increased taxation as health care costs continue to increase. Contact Jennifer Oladipo at joladipo@greenvillejournalcom.
journal business “It is a plus for us to have the team financially, but also as a matter of status,” he said. “The team means a lot to the community. It would mean more financially if they have a winning season. That would fill a lot of seats.” Newton said the Center deferred maintenance last year on cooling towers and chillers in the air conditioning system and put off replacing some of the safety glass for hockey games.
“Part of the revenue jump was due to a good year on the concert side. We added eight events and sold out six of them. Roger Newton, president and general manager of the Bi-Lo Center board
“We’re very aware that we have things that can’t be put off much longer. The roof will need replacing, and that will cost $2 million to $2.5 million alone,” he said. “We also need to replace our scoreboard and video equipment, which are 16 years old,” he said. “If you think
of it like a television set and ask yourself how many people have TVs that old, you’ll have a good idea of what we’re up against. Customers and visitors expect a certain level of technology, especially when they visit newer facilities in the region, too.” The difference, of course, is that items like scoreboards run into a great deal of money. Dill said the kind of maintenance that the Center needs will run into millions of dollars. “It’s not the kinds of things you can fix with a few hundred thousand dollars.” “We presented the board with a $15 million capital improvement plan at our last meeting,” Newton said. “They’re thinking about it now before going to City Council and County Council to talk about ways to finance it.” Newton said the Bi-Lo Center “has a tremendous local economic impact” in excess of $50 million a year. “So we’re hopeful.” Dill agreed on the Center’s financial impact, particularly in the city. “I think it’s time for the city to step up to the plate on this,” he said. Contact Charles Sowell at csowell@greenvillejournal.com.
E E FR
si p Pe day h t r Bi y ! t r Pa age k c Pa
Grand Opening MD360 Greer Located across from Riverside High School at 1305 South Suber Road, this location will offer Urgent Care, Episodic care, Lab and X-ray and Physical therapy by Proaxis Therapy. Pictured from left to right: Susan Mullinax, Dr. Pat Marshall, Robin O’Connell, Dr. Jim Ellis, Jennifer Turner, Dr. Chelsea Burgin, Alan Smith.
If you live in Greenville or Laurens County and your child will be 6 years old in August, bring your child’s birth certificate to the Pepsi Plant and receive a FREE Pepsi Birthday Party Package!
Listen to the Ellis and Bradley Show on 100.5 WSSL or visit www.wsslfm.com for more details!
CCJR
August 6th-11th, Mon.- Fri. 1pm-5pm and Sat. 10am-12pm 751 State Park Road, Greenville, SC • 864-672-2060 ext.2057
AUGUST 3, 2012 | Greenville Journal 25
journal business
Insurers give back New federal health care law requires rebates if insurers spend more than 20 percent on overhead and marketing By Dick Hughes | contributor
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26 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
Consumers in South Carolina collectively are to receive $19.6 million in rebates from their health insurance companies under a provision of the federal Affordable Health Care Act. The South Carolina rebate averages $131 per household, and 251,632 consumers should receive a refund or, if part of a group plan, receive it or some other form of benefit, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). That average includes rebates for individual policyholders and enrollees in group plans. The rebate is required under the Affordable Health Care Act that requires health insurers to spend 80 percent of premiums for health insurance on medical care and quality. Only 20 percent can be spent on salaries and marketing. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, the state’s largest health insurer, last week began refunding a portion of 2011 premiums to individual policyholders and this week was to mail rebates to small employers of two to 50 employees. “Small-group employers have the option of returning a portion of the rebates to their employees or reinvesting in the company to offset future health care costs,” the company said. In 2011, BlueCross spent only 74.8 percent of a total of $159.5 in premium dollars from individuals “on health and activities to improve health care quality,” said Jim Deyling, Jim Deyling, presipresident, in a letter dent of BlueCross accompanying rebate BlueShield of SC checks. The average Blue Cross rebate for individuals is $169, according to the HHS. The average rebate for smallgroup plans is just $6 because for that category, Blue Cross came within just
a 10th of a percentage point of the 80/20 standard. It met the 85 percent standard for large-group plans. Deyling’s letter said, “The 80/20 rule in the Affordable Care Act is intended to ensure that consumers get value for their health care dollars.” He took a less sympathetic position in a statement issued by the company. “We are complying with the law, but our concern remains that a rebate such as this not only creates a false impression of overpricing, but also reveals that fundamental flaw of the legislation, which is that it does nothing to reduce health care expense for members,” he said in the statement. Among other top insurers in South
“We are complying with the law, but our concern remains that a rebate such as this not only creates a false impression of overpricing, but also reveals that fundamental flaw of the legislation, which is that it does nothing to reduce health care expense.” Jim Deyling, president of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, the state’s largest health insurer, in a statement issued by the company.
Carolina, BlueChoice Health Plan is rebating $81 on average to individual policyholders and $160 to small-group plans. UnitedHealthcare is returning $116 to small-group employers. It does not work in the individual market. According to HHS, in South Carolina, $15.3 million is being rebated to 105,043 individual policyholders with an average rebate being $227.For small groups, the total is $4.3 million for 145,401 enrollees, for an average of $53. For large groups, the total is $54,594 for 1,188 enrollees for an average of $85. The highest average rebates are in Mississippi ($661) and Alabama ($582). Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@greenvillejournal.com.
journal business
The fine print by dick hughes
Crusty Loaves – and Jobs – for Gaffney
ACE Bakery, which makes artisan breads for retail and restaurant markets, plans to open its first U.S. bakery in Gaffney this fall, generating 51 new jobs. The company, a subsidiary of George Weston of Brownsburg, Ind., said it would invest $18.4 million in the new facility. Ed Holik, executive vice president for operations, said Cherokee County “offered us the right mix of businessfriendly environment and strong workforce that will help us be successful.” ACE, which was founded in Toronto in 1993, says on its website that “the time is right to start baking closer to our U.S. clients.” The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits, “which will be available when hiring targets are met.” The credits can reduce a company’s state corporate income tax by as much as 50 percent. The company, Gov. Nikki Haley, Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt, a county councilman, a state senator and an assemblyman made the announcement.
Michelin Spots Own Tire Flaw
Michelin is voluntarily recalling 841,000 BFGoodrich and Uniroyal tires made for light trucks and heavy vans. Quality-control workers noticed an increase in reports of tread separation, and the company “decided the voluntary recall was needed to protect the safety of drivers,” said Mike Wischhusen, technical director. The separation was reported in fewer than 150 tires. No deaths or injuries have been reported, the company said. “We caught it very early, based on a very small number of returns,” Wischhusen said. Internal tests show the problems have apparently been corrected
for tires manufactured more recently, he said. The tires, which were manufactured from April 2010 to early this year, will be replaced at no charge. The tires being recalled are BFGoodrich commercial LT 235/85 and LT245/75 and Uniroyal Laredo LT 235/85 and LT245/75 models.
Disaster Rehab Opens Shop
A franchise of SERVPRO, a cleanup and restoration company that specializes in water and fire damage, has opened in Greenville. James Pittman and Carl Holden are owners of the new franchise, SERVPRO of Northeast Greenville County. There are two existing SERVPRO operations in Spartanburg and one in Greer.
Consulting Service Arrives
The Alternative Board (TAB), a franchise organization that assists business owners, has expanded to the Upstate under ownership of David Krysh, chief executive officer of Growth Factor Group. The consulting, advisory and coaching services for business owners and C-level officers will cover Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson counties. TAB, which is based in Denver, has 130 locations in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
‘No Small’ Honor for Hubbell
An industry standards evaluator has recognized Hubbell Lighting’s data transfer system for its distribution network as the best in its class. The Independent Distributors of Electronics Association (IDEA) said Hubbell had achieved 100 percent compliance with its ability to allow distributors
to “instantly access product marketing content” for use on their own websites. Hubbell received platinum level status in the IDEA’s data warehouse bands of excellent measure – “no small accomplishment,” said IDEA. Hubbell, a major lighting fixture manufacturer, has headquarters in Greenville. The IDEA is the official standards body for the electrical industry.
A Christmas Tree (Shop) First
Christmas Tree Shops plans to open its first South Carolina store in Greenville’s Magnolia Park shopping center on Woodruff Road, the company announced. The store is not just about Christmas. The 34,000-square-foot store will offer home furnishing, housewares, food, gifts, paper goods and seasonal products, the company said. Christmas Tree Shops is based in Union, N.J., and is a subsidiary of Bed Bath and Beyond. It was founded in 1970 as a Christmas gift shop on Cape Cod, Mass., and grew into a year-round shopping destination.
Greenville Scores an AAA
Fitch Ratings has rated the City of Greenville’s $9.2 million in general obligation bonds as AAA. The bonds, which are to be used to refinance several outstanding bond issues, will go on the market Aug. 8. In its evaluation, Fitch said Greenville’s “financial management is sound, business practices are conservative and reserve levels are consistently healthy. Financial flexibility is ample.” Fitch said Greenville’s debt levels “are moderately above average; however, exiting debt is rapidly repaid and future capital needs and issuance plans are reasonable and should not stress financial flexibility.”
preVieW party Friday, august 17 5:30 until 8 p.m.
McAlister Square – 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive
$30 per person
- $55 per couple
Light hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine provided Business casual attire
adVance ticKets only! Order by August 10 at www.GreenvilleLiteracy.org or call 864.467.3556. All proceeds benefit Greenville Literacy Association. AUGUST 3, 2012 | Greenville Journal 27
JOURNAL BUSINESS
American Titanium still plans state-of-the-art Upstate mill
LOVE LIFE!
GREG BECKNER / STAFF
Local investors provide ‘critical funding at a critical time’ By DICK HUGHES | contributor
CARE. You give a little extra – a note in your child’s lunchbox, a meal for a friend, volunteer help to a cause you believe in – because you know that to care is to love life. That’s why it’s important to make your health – and prevention – a priority. Learn about stroke prevention and more with the GHS stroke team: Stroke Awareness Community Forum Sat., Aug. 25 • Noon-2 p.m. Hilton Greenville This event is free and lunch is provided, but registration is required. Please visit ghs.org/360healthed or call 1-877-GHS-INFO (447-4636). Take care of your health today, so you can love life tomorrow.
Community Journals 28 GREENVILLE JOURNAL | AUGUST 3, 2012
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With $860,000 in seed money from state and local investors, American Titanium Works is “moving ahead” on a state-of-the-art titanium plant in Laurens and a research and development center in Greenville, Thomas Sax, president and chief executive officer, said Tuesday. While the local and state investment provides “critical funding at a critical time,” he said ATW still has not completed commitments for the large sum of capital needed to build the nearly $500 million plant and development center. “To be perfectly candid, financing something this big, this state-of-the-art and industry-changing in this economic climate is a challenge,” he told investors and news media at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, where ATW’s R&D center would be located. Sax said he needs commitments of financing on the entire amount before breaking ground. “It is a challenge we are prepared to meet, and we will.” The Upstate Carolina Angel Network (UCAN) and SC Launch, an affiliate of the South Carolina Research Authority, contributed equal amounts of $430,000 to “keep us alive so we can move forward,” as Sax put it. Matt Dunbar, managing director of UCAN, said investors were willing to put their money into the project because they believe ATW’s business plan is solid and that the company will secure necessary funding to complete the project. The project was first announced in November 2008, the first year of the recession, which dried up financing and put ATW’s plans in limbo. “Our primary message today is that we are active and we are pursuing this project,” Sax said at the CU-ICAR presentation Tuesday. “Our project is moving ahead, and our plans have not changed at all.” Once completed, “this will be the most competitive, most efficient titanium mill anywhere on the planet,” he said. Sax said the time waiting for credit markets to improve was not wasted. “We spent an entire year reconfiguring how we are going to build this plant and developing a
CEO Thomas Sax announces American Titanium Works’ plans to build a titanium plant in Laurens County and a research plant at CU-ICAR in Greenville County.
turnkey process for building it.” Archer Western Contracting of Atlanta has agreed to take on the work, he said. “One contractor will take the financial risk, purchase all the equipment, build the plant, condition it for operation and deliver it to us.” Archer Western will employ 250 of its workers on the Laurens construction site and expects the job will generate another 250 jobs “for local construction,” Sax said. Three hundred workers in skilled jobs will be required once the mill is in operation, he said. Nabil Elkouh, chief technology officer, said the R&D center at CU-ICAR will be responsible for developing and advancing the technology and for demonstrating new applications to expand the market for titanium. In addition to basing the research staff at CU-ICAR, the company will locate a marketing and sales team at the center as a major component of ATW’s effort to demonstrate to other industries how titanium can be used in their products. Elkouh, who will move to Greenville from New Hampshire to direct the tech center, said 15 researchers would be employed initially with intent to “ramp up to 50.” In its first phase, the center would consist of 15,000 to 20,000 square feet and is planned in a modular design to accommodate future growth. With the mill producing titanium “better, faster and less expensively than any other plant” and the R&D center doing cuttingedge research to expand the market, “we will make South Carolina, Greenville and Laurens focal points for titanium production throughout the world,” Sax said. Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@greenvillejournal.com.
JOURNAL BUSINESS
THE QUARTERLY REPORT THE STATE OF THE UPSTATE’S BOTTOM LINE
Palmetto Bank reported a net loss of $7.2 million in the second quarter, up substantially but not unexpectedly from its first-quarter loss of $587,000. The large increase was anticipated as Palmetto deliberately cleansed its books of $40.3 million in bad loans by selling them off at a discount. “The sale of a substantial portion of our remaining problem assets will have an immediate positive benefit starting in the third quarter through the avoidance of potential future write downs from ongoing receipts of appraisals and reductions in the related carrying costs,” said Samuel Erwin, chief executive officer. The banks said it took a hit of $18 million in creditrelated costs – up from $4.4 million in the first quarter – to get rid of the troubled loans, mostly commercial real estate deals that went bad in the recession and were dragging down earnings. Palmetto said its total of nonperforming loans decreased to 43 percent in the second quarter and are down 73 percent since a peak on March 31, 2010. Palmetto, which has not been profitable since the first quarter of 2009, said it expects to be in the black before the year is out.
AVX Faces Old Pollution Issue
AVX, maker of capacitors, reported a net loss of $136.8 million in the second quarter as it set aside $266 million for potential environmental cleanup costs dating back decades to a predecessor company. The Fountain Inn-based company is in negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency over an order to remediate pollution at a federal Superfund site in Massachusetts’ New Bedford Harbor. The EPA alleges that Aerovox Corp., a predecessor of AVX that went bankrupt, caused contamination by producing liquid-filled capacitors near the harbor from the late 1930s through early 1970. Under the law, the EPA can hold subsequent owners of contaminated property responsible for cleanup costs
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if the company believed responsible for the contamination no longer exists, which is the case with Aerovox. “AVX itself never produced this type of capacitor nor does it do so today,” John Gilbertson, chief executive officer and president, told analysts in a conference call. Nonetheless, the company said it added $266 million to its potential liability set-aside pending the outcome of “mediation with the EPA and other government agencies in order to resolve this matter.” Absent that charge, AVX said its operating gross profit rose 19.5 percent to $124.5 million. Net sales were $353 million, down from $436 million. AVX recently announced plans to increase manufacturing and research operations in Greenville County. It is investing $14 million in the expansion.
Diner Chain Sees Gains
Denny’s, the Spartanburg-headquartered restaurant chain, reported net income of $4.6 million, or 5 cents a share, in the second quarter and said same-store sales, a key indicator of retail activity, continued to rise. “During the second quarter, we achieved our fifth consecutive quarter of positive system-wide same-store sales, along with the highest quarter two-year, samestore sales we have generated in almost five years,” said John Miller, president and chief executive officer. Total revenue for the period was $124.7 million, down from $136.8 million in the same quarter a year ago. The company said operating margins increased 0.8 of a percentage point for franchise restaurants and 1.5 for company-owned restaurants. Denny’s opened nine new franchise stores, including one in the Dominican Republic and one in Canada, during the period.
Record Earnings for Finance Company
World Acceptance Corp. said its net income rose 12.1 percent to $22.6 million and revenue increased 7.9 percent to $133 million in the first quarter of its fiscal year
compared to the same period a year ago. “World Acceptance’s record first quarter results benefited from continued strong loan demand, our focus on expense control, the contribution from new offices in domestic markets and Mexico and our close management of credit risks,” said Sandy McLean, chief executive officer. To reward shareholders, World Acceptance has been aggressive in buying back shares. It spent $61.7 million in the quarter to repurchase nearly 908,000 shares and in the 2012 fiscal year bought back 2.2 million shares. World Acceptance makes small installment loans to customers who do not qualify for conventional bank loans or who prefer not to deal with banks. It has 1,145 stores in 12 states and in Mexico. It is based in Greenville.
Global Slowdown Hits Local Firm
KEMET, the Simpsonvillebased maker of capacitors, said it would cut 4 percent of its global workforce to lower costs in the “continued economic slowdown.” The company said 420 workers are being laid off. The announcement came following a net loss of $17.8 million, or 40 cents per share, in the first quarter of its fiscal year. In the same period a year ago, KEMET had net income of $31.8 million, or 61 cents a share. Net sales of $223.6 million were up 6.2 percent over the prior quarter and 22.8 percent over the comparable quarter of last year, exceeding expectations. Per Loof, chief executive officer, said KEMET expects the layoffs to produce savings of $16 million in the current fiscal year and $25 million annually after that. He said the reduction in force is regrettable but “necessary to return to sustained profitability for our shareholders.” The company said it would incur a charge of $8 million to $9 million related to severance expenses. Loof said the worldwide economic slowdown “has continued to provide headwinds for us, especially in Europe.”
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AUGUST 3, 2012 | GREENVILLE JOURNAL 29
Studio 444 puts different spin on the Bard Four one-acts poke fun at Shakespeare By CINDY LANDRUM | staff
STUDIO 444 continued on PAGE 31
By CINDY LANDRUM | staff
A writer’s journey Marcia Moston’s faith leads her from writing workshop to newspaper column to memoir
Marcia Mosten, author of “Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife.”
GREG BECKNER / STAFF
Studio 444, Greenville Little Theatre’s alternative to its main stage productions, will put a different spin on Shakespeare this weekend. Studio 444 will present “Not So Shakespeare,” four one-act plays that poke fun at the Bard, on Friday and Saturday night. “Everybody had to study Shakespeare at some point, so everybody is a bit familiar,” said Katie King, GLT’s associate director, who is in charge of Studio 444 and is directing one of the one-acts. “We’re poking fun at Shakespeare, but it’s poking fun that even a Shakespeare scholar could appreciate.” “Green Eggs and Hamlet” tells the story of Hamlet as if Dr. Seuss wrote it. “Everything rhymes,” King said, “and the audience gets the whole story of Hamlet in 10 minutes.” “Shakespeare Gets an MFA” is set in present time: The Bard is working on his MFA and goes to talk to his professor about his thesis on Romeo and Juliet. The professor nixes the whole thing, saying it needed to be totally rewritten. “Romeo Revised” looks at what
JOURNAL SKETCHBOOK Marcia Moston says the problem with promising God you’ll follow him wherever he leads you is that you just might have to go. Her journey – beginning with her family’s decision to leave their middle-class life in New Jersey for a Mayan village in war-torn Guatemala – is told in the pages of her first book, “Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the MiddleClass Housewife.” Moston’s journey as an author is just as interesting as the journey she chronicles in her book. Moston and her husband, Bob, moved to Greenville five summers ago knowing no one and with no jobs lined up. “We were full of confidence; confidence in our skills and confident that God would open something up for us,” Moston said. She had a singular vision of buying a house with a pool by which she would sit and write – even though she had never written a published word before. Amidst the sheetrocking and chaos that comes with renovating a 100-year-old house and the rumbling doubts as to the wisdom of their decision to leave behind the life they had known, Moston enrolled in an Emrys writing workshop. Her instructor was former Greenville Journal editor Lyn Riddle, who offered Moston the opportunity to write a column. For four months, Moston
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JOURNAL SKETCHBOOK
SO YOU KNOW WHO: Author Marcia Moston WHAT: Book launch and signing for her debut memoir, “Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the MiddleClass Housewife” WHERE: Fiction Addiction, 1175 Woods Crossing Rd., Greenville WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
from a church mission trip and told her he really thought God was calling him to move to Guatemala, Moston resisted. She said it was another “one and a half years before we actually decided to go and I argued with the Lord the whole time.”
She thought it was too dangerous. Even the Peace Corps didn’t assign people there. They tried negotiating with God: They’d go with the promise that their daughter would not be harmed. “God doesn’t negotiate,” she said. Finally, one day, she stopped fighting the idea. She put an ad on Craigslist to rent their house and bought an SUV for the drive. After six months in Guatemala, they returned home to their middle-class existence. But Moston dreamed of returning to Central America, even considering buying a small house in Florida which would serve as home base between short-term mission trips. Then her brother called and asked if Bob wanted to be pastor at a church in Vermont. Moston immediately said no. Coincidentally, they were going to New York to take their daughter to camp the following weekend. Bob would guest-preach at the Vermont church. Moston told him that in her heart, she wanted to go south, but she would move to Vermont if she heard anyone speaking Spanish. She did. After 11 years, their Vermont journey ended. They had done what they had come to do, and they found themselves in Greenville without a real plan. But, she said, there was one thing they did know: The God who had directed their steps this far was still in control. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@greenvillejournal.com.
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would happen if the lead characters in “Romeo and Juliet” didn’t die. And, finally, “Macbeth Mixed Up” explores what would happen
if one of the three witches didn’t show up and the other two called “Rent-A-Witch.” King said Studio 444 helps GLT attract new actors and directors who might not have time to do a Main Stage show. For others who have appeared on GLT’s main stage, it provides an opportunity to play roles they Courtney Campbell and Antonio Swagler in Studio 444’s production of “Macbeth Mixed Up.”
wouldn’t normally get in the theater’s bigger shows. This is the first Studio 444 show King has coordinated, although she’s directed two other one-acts at GLT before. King, who took her first acting classes at GLT as a child and had her first role in a play in GLT’s 1994 production of “A Christmas Carol,” became GLT’s associate director last year. “I grew up here at GLT,” she said. King graduated from the Fine Arts Center after studying theater and went on to earn a theater degree with a focus in directing from Limestone College. She has been working at GLT since 2009.
There are 18 cast members for “Not So Shakespeare,” including 11 for “Green Eggs and Hamlet.” Following the four oneacts, Laughing Stock, GLT’s improv comedy group, will take the stage. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@ greenvillejournal.com.
SO YOU KNOW: What: “Not So Shakespeare” Who: Greenville Little Theatre’s Studio 444 When: Aug. 3 and 4, 8 p.m. Tickets: $8 Information: 864-233-6238 or www.greenvillelittletheatre.org
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shared the joys and struggles of “Finding Home” with the newspaper’s readers. She told of finding her first friend in Greenville through a temporary job, finding widow spiders in her swimming pool and snakes in her basement and trying to find a church in the land of churches. During a second Emrys workshop, Moston wrote about how she and her family drove from New Jersey to Guatemala to live in that Mayan village. Instructor Scott Gould told her it could make a book. “I had never even read a book on writing a book, but I sat by my pool and started writing a book,” she said. She entered the first three chapters in the 2010 Women of Faith writing contest and won. She received a self-publishing package from WestBow Press. A month after the book came out, Moston received an email from Thomas Nelson Inc., the world’s largest Christian publisher, telling her that it wanted to publish and distribute her book. She didn’t even have an agent. Life in Greenville was a struggle in so many ways, Moston said – she delivered Yellow Books, stuffed bags of chips in vending machines and even took the test to become an airport gate security worker. She flunked the test because she couldn’t read the scanner screen – but her writing career took off. “It’s been like stepping on an automatic mat and the doors open,” Moston said. Back when her husband returned
AUGUST 3, 2012 | GREENVILLE JOURNAL 31
journal sketchbook
Arts Calendar Aug. 3-9, 2012 Fountain Inn Arts Center Honk Jr. Aug. 3 ~ 409-1050 Greenville Little Theatre Studio 444: Not So Shakespeare Aug. 3-4 ~ 233-6238 Upstate Shakespeare Festival Henry V Through Aug. 5 ~ 235-6948 Downtown Alive Death of Paris Aug. 9 ~ 232-2273 Centre Stage Beehive – The 60s Musical Through Aug. 11 ~ 233-6733 Metropolitan Arts Council Mini Book Collective Through Aug. 17 ~ 467-3132 Greenville County Museum of Art Winfred Rembert: Amazing Grace Through Aug. 19 ~ 271-7570 Metro. Arts Council @ Centre Stage Photography by Tommy Wyche Through Aug. 21 ~ 233-6733 Greenville Chamber of Commerce Works by Georgia Harrison Through Aug. 31 ~ 242-1050 Greenville County Museum of Art Lowcountry Through Sep. 9 ~ 271-7570 Portrait of Greenville Through Sep. 30 ~ 271-7570 Merge Works by William Abbott and Cindy Roddey Through Sep. 12 ~ 373-9330 Main Street Real Estate Gallery Photography by Kim Sholly Through Sep. 30 ~ 250-4177 Jackson Marketing Group Visions Gallery Works by Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers Through Sep. 30 ~ 272-3000
32 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
journal sketchbook
scene. here.
the week in the local arts world
The Greenville Little Theatre will present Scot Bruce and his band in “Shake, Rattle, & Roll: A Rockin’ Tribute to the King” Aug. 16-19. Los Angeles-based Scot Bruce wows fans all over the U.S. and abroad with his 1950s- and 60sera Elvis tribute show. Tickets are $30 with discounts available for seniors, children, and groups of 10 or more. Show dates are Aug. 16-17 at 8 p.m., Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Aug. 19 at 3 p.m. For more information, call 864-2336238 or visit www.greenvillelittletheatre.org. Art and Light gallery recently opened a new space at 4 Aberdeen Drive, Greenville, featuring space for eight artists and also showcasing jewelry lines, pottery pieces and furniture and lighting. The space will be open to visitors Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, call 864-3638172 or visit www.artandlightgallery.blogspot.com. Emrys Journal, a literary magazine published in Greenville since 1984, began accepting submissions for its 30th edition on Aug. 1. Writers are invited to submit fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction online through Nov. 1. New this year: The journal is now accepting online submissions of black-and-white art or photography from artists who are residents of Greenville or Spartanburg counties. There is also a special category for emerging writers. For more information, visit www.emrys.org or the submission website, http://emrysjournal.submittable.com.
Greenville Little Theatre’s alternative series, Studio 444, presents “Not So Shakespeare” at 8 p.m. on August 3 and 4. Four one-act comedies, “Green Eggs and Hamlet,” “Shakespeare Gets An M.F.A., “ “Romeo Revised,” and “Macbeth Mixed Up,” will provide plenty of laughs. Immediately following, GLT’s resident improv group, The Laughing Stock, will provide plenty more laughs as they enlist the audience’s help for ideas. Tickets are $8 for the entire evening. For tickets, call 864-233-6238 or visit www.greenvillelittletheatre.org. Greenville Little Theatre box office is located on Heritage Green at 444 College Street and is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Fountain Inn Center for Visual & Performing Arts will present Honk Jr. on Friday, Aug. 3 at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. As part of the Simply Sensational Summer Camps, Directors Heather McCall and Hope Tinnin have worked tirelessly to bring the musical to our community through the Fountain Inn Arts Academy’s summer camp programs. Tickets are $5 and available online, at the box office or at the door. The musical is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairytale, “The Ugly Duckling.” Tickets are available at Fountain Inn Center Box Office at 315 N. Main St., Fountain Inn, online at www.ftinnarts. B:10” org, or by phone at 864-409-1050. T:10”
Bob Santanello will be the August Guest Artist at the Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville. An opening reception will be First Friday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Artists Guild Gallery, 200 North Main St., Greenville. For more information, call 864-239-3882 or visit www.artistsguildgalleryofgreenville.com. Send us your arts announcement. E-mail: greenvillearts@greenvillejournal.com
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JOURNAL SKETCHBOOK
Pam Stone’s ride from Hollywood to turkey butts By JERRY SALLEY | staff
It didn’t take long for Pam Stone to decide on a title for her book. “I could have called it something flowery like ‘Nestled in the Blue Ridge’ or ‘Peachtree Town’ or any of that crap, but no,” she said. “I wanted it funny and I wanted it memorable.” So she went with “I Love Me a Turkey Butt Samwich.” The title comes from one of her newspaper columns, recalling her visit to the feed store down the road from her horse farm near Landrum, and a conversation about the virtues of a fried turkey-buttand-bream sandwich. Elsewhere in the book, Stone shares what it’s like to spend the night in a small-town ER, select a jury pool from a group of citizens who all know each other, and try to sell a blow-up doll at a yard sale. It’s a long way from Los Angeles, as the book’s subtitle, “Finding a Farm Life After Hollywood,” suggests – but it’s not too far from home for Stone, who grew up in
34 GREENVILLE JOURNAL | AUGUST 3, 2012
Marietta, Ga., before a career that took her from touring the country as a standup comic to seven seasons on the sitcom “Coach” to a decade as a radio host. Now, when she’s not writing her column, “I’m Just Saying,” which appears in several papers throughout the Carolinas (including the Spartanburg Herald Journal, Greer Citizen and Myrtle Beach Sun), she’s pursuing what has always been her main passion: training horses and competing in the equestrian sport of dressage. “It’s the only consistency in my whole life,” said Stone. “I’ve never been without a horse.” In fact, Stone originally viewed her stand-up career as a way to earn extra money for riding lessons. She was working at The Punch Line in Atlanta when her fellow waitresses encouraged
her to go onstage during an open-mike night. That led to more stand-up sets, national tours and a move to California
in the mid-‘80s. In 1993, Stone won the American Comedy Award for best female stand-up. One night, her audience at a club in Pasadena included the producers of “Coach,” who asked her to read for the part of women’s basketball coach Judy Watkins. She stayed with the show from 1989 to 1995. At its peak, the show “was as funny as any show on TV,” Stone said. “The writing was really good, the acting was fabulous. The chemistry between Jerry Van Dyke and Craig T. Nelson was fantastic.” The best thing, though, was that “I suddenly had real cash for the first time in my life, to be able to train at the level I had dreamed of,” she said. “The other women who were riding with me were driving up in their Mercedes and their Audis, and I’m still in a 10-year-old car, and I’m still shopping at Ross, because I’m spending all my money on horses.” After she left “Coach,” she knew that, as a character actress approaching 40, her prospects for future television work were slim. “I just thought, it’s time to get out,” she said. “I’ll go do what I always wanted to do, which is to train and compete in dressage. I’ll be able to do it on my own terms, in my own place.” Her sitcom earnings helped her buy her farm, Stone’s Throw Farm Dressage, which lies on 28 acres in Gowensville in the northeast corner of Greenville County. The first night she and partner Paul Zimmerman spent on the farm was “the first night I’d slept through the night in probably 10 years,” she remembered. “Because in Los Angeles, there’s sirens all night long. And out here, it was nothing. I’ve never slept so deeply in my life.” Which is not to say there weren’t prob-
lems at first. “The house was just horrible,” Stone said. “I don’t care what you do to an A-frame, no matter how you try to make it beautiful and charming, you’re still living in an IHOP.” When radio station WLNK (107.9 The Link) in Charlotte asked her to host a late-morning show, she was at first reluctant, picturing a long commute. She agreed when she was told that an ISDN line would allow her to host the show from her farm. “The Pam Stone Show” originated from her self-described “Unabomber shack” for eight years, first on weekday mornings, then on weekends, earning its host two Gracie Awards for “Best Comedy Entertainment Program” along the way. Stone then co-hosted the faith-based “The Satisfied Life” show each Sunday morning until it ended in May of this year. Meanwhile, she had started her newspaper career when the publisher of the Tryon (N.C.) Daily Bulletin asked her to write a twice-monthly column. “I’m Just Saying” made an immediate impact among Stone’s neighbors. “It was the funniest thing,” she remembered. “People started stopping me in town. Forget ‘Coach,’ forget radio, forget anything I’ve ever done; all they ever wanted to talk about was that damn column.” This year, she decided to self-publish her collection, which is available for download on Amazon.com, or as a paperback in local bookstores. Her promotion tour brings her to Fiction Addiction’s Book Your Lunch series on Monday, August 6. Her new fame as a columnist is “just ridiculous,” she said. “And I’m very grateful.” And that turkey butt sandwich? “I’ve never eaten one,” she said. “I’m a vegetarian.” Contact Jerry Salley at jsalley@greenvillejournal.com.
SO YOU KNOW WHO: Pam Stone, author of “I Love Me a Turkey Butt Samwich” WHAT: Fiction Addiction’s Book Your Lunch series WHEN: Monday, August 6, noon-2 p.m. WHERE: Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, 1175 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville TICKETS AND INFO: www.bookyourlunch. com or 675-0540
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2–4PM
102 Sandpiper Lane, Forrester Woods Estates, Greenville A large and lovely, full brick, with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Bonus room has back stairs from kitchen area. Quality, such as large foyer, hardwood floors, stepdown den with built-in bookcases flanking the gas log fireplace. The den is open to dining room and has a wet bar and dual built-ins. Very large kitchen with center island and Jenn Aire grill, plus additional storage. A new stove was installed in June 2012. The kitchen window overlooks deck, screened porch and a dynamic inground pool with patios. The made-for-entertaining backyard is enclosed by brick walls and great landscaping. Formals for guests include a living room and dining room. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms and 2 large baths. Another half bath on the main floor services the pool area. This home has a truly oversized, side load garage with additional parking area. Full irrigation system. “First American Buyer’s Warranty”. (@ $445.) Sellers are being transferred and have to HOME INFO leave their dream home!
Price: $299,900 | MLS#1244157 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 3400-3599SF Mauldin Elementary Mauldin Middle Mauldin High Contact: Cynthia Akins 864.640.3167 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co.
O P E N THE CLAREMONT
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
UPSTATE’S
THE OAKS AT ROPER MTN
SUN 2-4PM
200 CHAMBLEE BLVD - $749,000 4BR/3.5BA. Beautiful home under construction in gated community 4 car garage.MBR on main. Great Rm & Living Rm & much more. From GVL, I-385 to Roper Mtn Rd exit, turn L, go approx 5 miles & turn R into SD. Margaret Marcum/Leigh Irwin, 4203125/380-7755 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1232943
119 CHARLESTON OAK LANE - $488,500 3BR/3.5BA. Elegant hm w/bonus room is being newly constructed. From GVL take I-385 S to Roper Mtn Rd Exit, Turn L, continue across Garlington, just after light @ Feaster @ Roper Mtn turn Left into The Oaks. Cynthia Rehberg/Rhett Brown, 8849953/915-9393 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1229267
ALLISON’S MEADOW
REEDY FALLS
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
11 SLOW CREEK DR - $169,900 4BR/2.5BA. Spacious home iwth master on main, fenced backyard, great location. Woodruff Rd to south on SC 14. to SD, Home on L. Bobbie Schultz, 243-1271 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1235099
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
23 SWEET SHADE WAY - $119,900 3BR/2BA. Beautiful! Perfectly manicured lawn & tastefully decorated throughout. Features open floor plan & split BR. A must see. USDA 100% financing.385 South to R on W Georgia Exit, R on Holcombe, R into SD Carolyn Laws-Irwin,, 451-9704 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1244045
36 G R E E N V I L L E J O U R N A L | AUGUST 3, 2012
T H I S PRIMARY
ROPER MOUNTAIN ESTATES
W E E K E N D
SOURCE
SUN 2-4PM
18 W. CRANBERRY LANE - $374,900 5BR/4BA. Great Location, close to shopping, dining and more!! Beautiful, established home in great school district with room for the family to spread out. Enjoy the basement and neighborhood amenities. Shelbie Dunn, (864) 346-9922 Coldwell Banker Caine MLS#1239948
FORRESTER WOODS
FOR
OPEN
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
102 SANDPIPER LANE - $299,900 4BR/2.5BA. Large full brick home, bonus & back stairs, entertain from deck w/screened porch & in-ground pool. Quailty throughout. Eastside SD. Woodruff Rd to R on Miller, L into SD., L on Sandpiper Ln Cynthia Akins, 640-3167 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1244157
HOUSES
ACADIA
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
112 FATHER’S DRIVE - $275,000 3BR/2.5BA. This townhome is a generous 2 level, 3 BD, 2.5 BA, 2 car garage with bonus room that offers a master on the main, with 2150 sq ft of heated living space, porches and private courtyard off MBD. Shelbie Dunn, 346-9922 Coldwell Banker Caine MLS#1228417
ALLISON’S MEADOW
SUN 2-4PM (8/5)
106 SKIPPING STONE CT - $178,900 4BR/2.5BA. Don’t miss out on this home with a beautiful fenced lecel home site. Great curb appeal, very functional floor plan, 385 to 417 to Simpsonville, L on 14, L into SD, 1st R on Skipping Stone, Home on R Kathy Fleming, 918-2142 Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. MLS#1229060
HOTTEST
NEIGHBORHOODS and everything you want to know about them SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL
N E I G H B O R H O O D
P R O F I L E
R EA L E STAT E T R A N SAC T I O N S
STONEHAVEN
J U LY SUBD. CAROLINA CROSSING APTS
THE CLIFFS AT MOUNTAIN PARK THE LANDING AT SAVANNAH POINTE CLIFFS VALLEY LEDGESTONE RIDGELAND AT THE PARK RIDGELAND AT THE PARK FIVE FORKS PLANTATION
MAHAFFEY PLANTATION SUGAR CREEK NORTHGATE ISBELL HEIGHTS CREEKWOOD LAVENDER HILL KILGORE FARMS SUGAR CREEK HOLLY TREE PLANTATION PELHAM FALLS SUGAR CREEK SUMMER VALLEY MILL POND AT RIVER SHOALS HERITAGE COVE GLENS @ LEXINGTON PLACE STONEWYCK SUNSET HILLS WHITE MEADOW GREYTHORNE RESERVE AT PLANTATION GREENE BELLE TERRACE ACRES HOLLINGTON SHENANDOAH FARMS
PRICE $3,200,000 $1,850,000 $1,283,060 $1,254,964 $875,000 $709,400 $695,000 $675,000 $571,000 $565,500 $559,000 $544,000 $499,000 $474,000 $420,000 $416,900 $380,000 $379,900 $373,200 $354,000 $330,000 $323,000 $314,000 $305,000 $295,000 $293,000 $292,000 $280,000 $279,500 $278,000 $274,937 $270,000 $265,000 $264,500 $260,000 $255,000 $255,000 $253,940 $252,900 $250,000 $248,753 $246,246
16-20,
SELLER LB-RPR REO HOLDINGS LLC MCCALL ALVIN A JR STEPHENS JAMES B TRUSTEE STEPHENS ANDREW MILTON I WILLIAM MARCUS & ASSOCIA TULEY & TULEY INC STOCK LOAN SERVICES LLC TEWELL PROPERTIES LLC MCDERMOTT CHANTELE B RIDGELAND HOLDINGS LLC RIDGELAND HOLDINGS LLC MARK III PROPERTIES INC CJKS LLC MILLENIUM INVESTMENTS L TEWELL PROPERTIES LLC TRULUCK CHRIS L FRANZEN JONATHAN P HORSTMANN ERIK V VANDIVER THOMAS C (LIFEGOWAN WILLIAM H JR GRANT JAMES TRUETT (JTWR ALLEN KAREN A FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTG MALDANADO MARIA E SPAFFORD CYNTHIA M KARNS PAUL P (JTWROS) FRANTZEN MARKUS J COREY JODI MARIE HORTON BARRY STUART PETERSON RICHARD R III NVR INC SUMMERALL JEANNIE R WHITE COURTNEY L PEART KELLEY M GUNNER MICHAEL B MCCLESKEY CHARLES S MEIGHAN ROBERT J S C PILLON HOMES INC GREENE VILLAS LLC KENDRICK ROBERT S BK RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCT BK RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCT
2012
BUYER CAROLINA CROSSING OWNER YARBROUGH JAMES D CONTINENTAL 235 FUND LLC CONTINENTAL 235 FUND LLC WILLIAMS WINN F D R HORTON INC CHAN CONNIE MARRIE (JTWR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT F POWELL DAVID J (JTWROS) MENDELOW DOLORES P CONN LISA S NVR INC WAREHOUSE SERVICES NO 5 COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT F MILLER KRISTEN M (JTWROS GRANDY MATTHEW L (JTWROS LOVGREN BECKY (SURV) GUNNELLS WILLIAM CLARENC BRECKENRIDGE MARY GREY STAPLETON GREGG A (JTWRO GILBERT JOHN J (JTWROS) BOROUGHS ANN T (JTWROS) KELLER MICHAEL B SR (JTW REGIL LILIAN B (JTWROS) GUTHRIE JANE P (JTWROS) WEBB MICHAEL D (JTWROS) HARRIS GRAY B (JTWROS) BOWLING CAROL S (JTWROS) ALLEN COREY L (JTWROS) TURCOTTE GINA D CHANNELL PATRICK B SIZEMORE HUNTER D KANNAMBADI NARESH NARASI MEJIA BERNARDO STEPHENS MARCUS W (JTWRO FORD DESIREE (JTWROS) DEFALCO MARGARET (JTWROS BRUNETTO JULIETTE (SURV) DAVES JOHN N LANKFORD ADAM ROEDER CASSANDRA L
ADDRESS 2550 TELEGRAPH RD STE 200 322 E PARKINS MILL RD W134 N8675 EXECUTIVE PKWY W134 N8675 EXECUTIVE PKWY 3101 N HAMPTONB DR #1211 8200 ROBERTS DR STE 100 9 DEER VALLEY CT 801 NICOLLET MAILL STE 1700W 5 STILL CREEK CT 119 SHERWOOD ST #100 168 RIDGELAND DR #101 PO BOX 170248 58 S BURTY RD PO BOX 687 801 NICOLLET AILL STE 1700W 128 RIVERSTONE WAY 406 E HILLCREST DR 135 SUN MEADOW RD 1 MORNINGDALE DR 37 ISBELL LN 116 ARGONNE DR 120 CREEK SHOALS DR 164 MORTON RD 116 LAVENDER HILL CT 205 KILGORE FARMS CIR 100 GREY STONE CT 103 HOLLYBROOK WAY 16 BRIARPARK DR 317 S WINGFIELD RD 14 SUMMER VALLEY CT 47 CHATTAHOOCHEE ST 17 FOX CREEK CT 314 W PRENTISS AVE 1 MAN OWAR CT 105 BASALT CT 14 MEYERS DR 200 WHITE MEADOW CT 9 DAWN MEADOW CT 42 BARNWOOD CIR UNIT 4D 200 GREEN LEAF DR 15 CADOGAN DR 241 STRASBURG DR
CHANTICLEER 20 Lawson Way I-385, The Shops and Greenridge, restaurants, and more are just a few minutes from the inviting atmosphere that Stonehaven offers as one of Simpsonville’s most popular communities.
NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
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Over 1,900 neighborhoods online at SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL
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$379,338
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$342,499
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$380,912
Oakview Elementary Mauldin Middle School Mauldin High School
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$397,214
Amenities: Swimming Pool, Tennis Courts, Club House
HISTORIC HOME SALES
$413,273
12 Month Average Home Price: $399,431
20
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$1,250,000 | MLS#1237341: This beautiful home was built with attention to historic characteristics and the idea of using all its space, indoors and out, all year long. You have access to one of the lovely courtyards, gardens or patios from every room in the house, and together they create wonderful entertaining venues for groups of all sizes. Center to the home is a circular dining room. Wrought iron gates surround the home and there is a three car garage and potting shed attached.
Let me help you today! SUSAN REID
864.616.3685 | sreid@cbcaine.com
C82R
Stonehaven, Simpsonville, SC Stonehaven is an established neighborhood featuring over 400 beautiful, traditional homes with large, landscaped lawns. Enjoy time at the swimming pool or exercising at the tennis courts or spend an afternoon relaxing at the clubhouse. Award-winning schools,
AUGUST 3, 2012 | G R E E N V I L L E J O U R N A L 37
R EA L E STAT E D I G E ST PEOPLE, The
Marchant
Company
June 18, 2012 – Seabrook Marchant, Broker-in-Charge, is proud to announce that Chas Whitmire has joined The Marchant Co. Chas is a graduate of the Wyatt Institute of Real Estate and has worked with his family’s real estate company, The Whitmire Co. prior to joining The Marchant Company. While working in the development of commercial and industrial properties, Chas gained knowledge of construction,
Announces
New
AWARDS, Agent
finance, and marketing of real estate. He has over five years of experience in the local real estate market. Chas has a strong attention to detail and believes that no job is too big or too small. He is committed to streamlining the buying and selling process for buyers and sellers. A native of Greenville, Chas enjoys local history, cooking, music, and home improvement. He is a fan of Clemson Football and Greenville Road Warriors hockey.
C. Dan Joyner Co., Announces Top Producer Office Awards for June Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co., REALTORS® is pleased to announce the following Top Producer awards for June 2012. Top Producers for Listings: · Easley/Powdersville Office – Twila Kingsmore and Sanders/Thompson Team · Garlington Road Office – Sheila Smalley and Donna O. Smith & Partners · Greer Office – Paige Haney and Jan Walker Team · Pelham Road Office – Elvin Rivera and Spaulding Group · Pleasantburg Office – Melissa Morrell and Chet & Beth Smith Group · Simpsonville Office – Bob Schmidt and Cousins Team
Top Producers for Sales: · Easley/Powdersville Office – Twila Kingsmore and Sanders/Thompson Team · Garlington Road Office – Ronda Holder and Donna O. Smith & Partners · Greer Office – Paige Haney and Jan Walker Team · Pelham Road Office – Marie Crumpler and Spaulding Group · Pleasantburg Office – Bob Morgan and Chet & Beth Smith Group · Simpsonville Office – Susan McMillen and Cousins Team
R E A L
E S T A T E J U LY
SUBD. HOLLY TREE PLANTATION SOUTHBROOK RESERVE AT PLANTATION GREENE HALF MILE LAKE GREYTHORNE BROWNSTONE CROSSING BRIDGEWATER FORRESTER HEIGHTS CROSSGATE AT REMINGTON STEEPLECHASE BRADFORD NORTH RAVENWOOD THE HEIGHTS GREYTHORNE PARTRIDGE RIDGE SHADOW MOSS SUMMERWALK THE RESERVES AT RAVENWOOD SILVER RIDGE THE COVE AT SAVANNAH POINTE FORRESTER HEIGHTS FIELDSTONE THE PARK AT PENDLETON WEST COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES STONE LAKE HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW MEADOWS PACKRIDGE CHESTNUT HILL PLANTATION NEELY FARM - LAUREL BROOK THE PARK DOWNTOWN HERITAGE CREEK THE LOFTS AT MILLS MILL COLONY SUBDIVISION COPPER CREEK GRAND VIEW HILLS
PRICE $239,000 $235,000 $226,500 $220,000 $218,495 $215,000 $213,475 $213,360 $210,991 $207,500 $207,000 $205,750 $204,900 $204,368 $204,000 $197,500 $196,000 $194,818 $190,000 $189,000 $188,236 $185,330 $185,000 $182,000 $180,000 $180,000 $180,000 $178,000 $176,900 $176,400 $176,000 $176,000 $175,000 $169,000 $168,669 $164,000 $162,000
SELLER DAVIS SONYA M BENTON HEIDI B GREENE VILLAS LLC JONES THOMAS W S C PILLON HOMES INC GRACHAN JULIE M BK RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCT NVR INC D R HORTON INC DIPASQUALE KERRY L ORR LYNN J RELIANT SC LLC NVR INC S C PILLON HOMES INC FULLER RACHELLE C YEAGER JOSEPH G GALLAGHER SUSAN D R HORTON INC FIELHAUER MARY JANE ROBERT SHANNON T BK RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCT NVR INC KNOTT ROBERT J CUTMANN-SMITH LLC HARRIS DENISE MAYES METLIFE HOME LOANS WILSON SCOTT A HILL CRYSTAL A FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTG A SMITH COREY C COBLE CARLA R JOHNSON DONTE L MOBBS CHRISTOPHER K BARRATT IAIN V MUNGO HOMES INC KELLY KENNETH P COOK MARION N
BUYER WEAVER GLENN (SURV) HIRSHORN KARLA A LYNAM DANIEL WALTER BRIDGET K (JTWROS TATE NICHOLAS A BIEBER ANDREW J ALLEN MICHAEL L DURRENBERGER SEAN M JAIN RAJIV MARLAR-TINSLEY JAN HODGE PEGGY A BRACKETT NANCY L BOWDEN LARRY A JR SCOTT BRIAN L (JTWROS) CHERRETT CAROLE A (JTWRO HEJNAR ANDREW M (SURV) WRIGHT RICHARD M JR FARROW RONALD L FRALEY KRIS (JTWROS) BURGESS ROBERT GRAYSON BATTISTA KELLYANN ATTANAYAKE ANTON P WILSON BONNIE A CIRELLI ALYSSA D RENAISSANCE HOME MAINTEN DOVER GREGORY J BAGWELL CHERYL L (JTWROS FARNHAM KELSEY TAYLOR TIMOTHY SCOTT HARLAN CHARLES B EQUICENTS LLC WOOD CHARLOTTE T (JTWROS LEON BARTHOLEMEW R KONDRAT LUCAS D (JTWROS) PEACOCK HOLLY KIRSTEN COOPER GEFFREY S BURNS CAROL J
38 G R E E N V I L L E J O U R N A L | AUGUST 3, 2012
HONORS
The Marchant Company Recognizes Agents For Excellent Performance In June July 16, 2012 – The Marchant Company is known as the Upstate’s local “Signature Agency” in Real Estate, representing buyers and sellers of residential, land, and commercial properties. Seabrook Marchant, Broker-in-Charge, recently recognized several agents for their outstanding performance during the month of July.
Agent of the Month. Kathy Slayter was named Listing and Sales Unit leader of the month. Tom Marchant was recognized as Sales Volume Agent and Sales Unit leader of the month.
Chuck Werner was named Volume Listing Chuck Werner
Kathy Slayter
Tom Marchant
C. Dan Joyner Co., Announces Smith Joins Augusta Road Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co., REALTORS® is pleased to announce that Lana Smith has joined the company and serves as a sales associate at the Augusta Road office.
Office
earned her Broker’s license. “We are really pleased to have Lana join our company”, said David Crigler, Brokerin-Charge. “She is a wonderful addition to our Family.” Lana Smith
An upstate native, Smith graduated from Mauldin High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lander University with a major in Marketing/ Management. Smith has worked in the real estate industry for 21 years and has
Smith currently resides in Simpsonville with her husband, Jeremy, and children Ava, 6 and Jack, 3. She is actively involved at Rocky Creek Baptist Church where she is Preschool and Vacation Bible School coordinator. She is a supporter of Piedmont Women’s Center.
T R A N S A C T I O N S 16-20,
ADDRESS 106 LINWOOD CT 31 EMPORIA CT 45 BARNWOOD CIR 4 DEGOLIAN CT 34 LAZY WILLOW DR 228 UPPER MEADOW WAY 304 CALLIPOE CT 14 MATTON CT 106 KINGS HEATH LN 309 JOCKEY CT 9 WILLOWLEAF CT 10 CROSSBROOK WAY 4 NEVES DR 204 DAIRWOOD DR 223 SCALYBARK RD 11 HANGING MOSS LN 21 SUMMER HILL RD 249 RAVEN FALLS LN 305 N SILVER RIDGE DR 29 SIMMONS AVENUE 14 SHEEPSCOT CT 204 BARBOURS LN 41 CANTERA CIR 208 ANDERSON ST 505 RIVANNA LN 9 STONE LAKE CT 6 HOLLY FERN COURT 3 PACKRIDGE CT 602 AUSTIN WOOD CT 7 SOUTHBRIDGE CT 306 THORNBLADE BLVD 10 MORNING TIDE DR 400 MILLS AVENUE #216 2708 LOCUST HILL RD 10 KENNARD CT 243 FAIRHAVEN DR 7 ARROW HEAD RD
2012
SUBD. MERRIFIELD PARK SHADOW CREEK CANEBRAKE FOX SPRINGS GREENS AT ROCKY CREEK COPPER CREEK WYNDHAM PLACE ALLISON’S MEADOW HERITAGE HILL STILLWOOD AT BELL’S CROSSING SHADOW CREEK HASELWOOD COOPERS LAKE THORNBLADE CROSSING MEADOWS @ BLUE RIDGE PLANTATION ORCHARD FARMS CHRISTOPHER MEADOWS BUTLER STATION PLEASANT VIEW ESTATES FAIRVIEW CHASE SHADOW CREEK HALF MILE LAKE POWDERHORN PEBBLECREEK ONEAL MEADOWS ESTATE WINDSOR FOREST FAIRVIEW CHASE RIVER RUN WEXFORD
TALL PINES RICHMOND HILLS PEPPERTREE
PRICE $161,500 $160,868 $160,000 $159,000 $158,950 $155,515 $153,000 $150,000 $150,000 $149,000 $148,771 $147,625 $147,000 $146,500 $146,000 $145,000 $145,000 $144,000 $143,000 $142,906 $140,873 $140,000 $139,500 $136,500 $135,000 $132,500 $132,000 $131,873 $128,640 $125,400 $125,000 $123,000 $120,000 $114,900 $110,000 $108,400 $107,400
SELLER POWELL ROBERT M SK BUILDERS INC DIXON STEPHANIE LAUREN B KERN HENRY JR BRUNS BRENT D MUNGO HOMES INC CARDONA HELEN EXPOSITO MARIA CAIN SUSAN BUKO RUSCHAK JOSEPH T SR EASTWOOD CONSTRUCTION LL BALL WILLIAM L ANDERSON RONALD H TONON ROBERT A JR LOONEY AMANDA D MCCLELLAN NORMA J DIBENEDETTO MICHAEL T CAICEDO ALEJANDRO GUEST JONATHAN D MUNGO HOMES INC EASTWOOD CONSTRUCTION LL HAMMOND HARRY C HORTON DEDREA HENSEL ALICIA A SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND ALLISON JAMES M PITTMAN MIRANDA D FINLEY JOSEPH H MUNGO HOMES INC FOWLER ARTHUR CARROLL DUNANN JENNY L BOROUGHS BENJAMIN L (JTW ISS PROPERTIES LLC BOBKO DANA BAGWELL WALTER WAYNE JR MYERS SUSAN A A TO Z PROPERTY CONNECTI
BUYER TAYLOR JIM A (JTWROS) HURD ELIZABETH ANN HOULE MICHELLE HEBERT SMATHERS IAN KEITH (JTWR BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST WHITE DANIEL E (JTWROS) OAKLEY BILLIE G TRUST MCDOWELL THEA L DAVIDSON ANNE F HILL’S SIDE PROPERTIES L HIGGS AUSTIN L BERTINI JAMIE L MAYFIELD SUSAN D PAULK CASSANDRA B GOLPE KARLA ANNE (JTWROS ATWELL ASHLEE N OXENDINE CHASITY R MCLAUGHLIN RODNEY TAYLOR KIMBERLY F TWILLEY CHARLES KULIKOWSKI PATRICIA A HOLLEY MELISSA F (JTWROS DEAN CHARLENE L (JTWROS) GAYNOR JOANN CRUICE MICHAEL DAVID JR ALLISON JAMES M JOHNSON RICHARD S PNC BANK NATIONAL ASSOCI BOYKINS LOLITA DEANNA 3 BROTHER PROPERTIES LLC MOORE SAMMY L O’NEIL ADAM F CJKS LLC SNOW RACHAEL M PRUITT JOSEPH E BROOKS JINNA H COOPER RICHARD TYLER
ADDRESS 222 PARLIAMENT RD 273 APPLEHILL WAY 208 SARATOGA DR 10 WHIPPLE LN PO BOX 1847 6 WISNER CT 125 HIGH CREST CT 2 OLD TREE CT 6 WILDWOOD RD 600 PINE LOG FORD RD 264 APPLEHILL WAY 518 MELLWOOD DR 9 DOVE HAVEN DR 411 CLIFFVIEW CT 34296 ELDORADO ST 2 CANDOR PL 100 DAY BREAK CT 23 POPLAR SPRINGS DR 38 RAYNES CT 315 RIVERS EDGE CIR 268 APPLEHILL WAY 106 COLD BRANCH WAY 101 LEXINGTON CT 300 APPLETON LANE 105 SASSAFRAS DR 109 E NORTH ST 3740 HIGHWAY 101 3232 NEWMARK DR 313 RIVERS EDGE CIR 452 FLYNN RD 46 REEDY RIVER WAY 21 BRANDT DR 408 HIDDEN HILLS DR 5 CASTELL DR 3 DRINKARD CT 103 LURAY DR 1411 WINDING WAY
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL
journal sketchbook
THE DESIGNATED LEGAL PUBLICATION FOR GREENVILLE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, AT 6:00 P.M. (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS IN REGARD TO AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE MONAGHAN MILLS SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND MILLAGE LEVY FOR TAX YEAR 2013; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURES OF THE REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE MONAGHAN MILLS SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT DURING THE TAX YEAR. THE MONAGHAN MILLS SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT COMMISSION HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVE AN INCREASE OF EIGHT AND FOURTENTHS (8.4) MILLS FOR A TOTAL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY OF THIRTEEN AND FIVE-TENTHS (13.5) MILLS AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR. THE REQUEST OF THE MONAGHAN MILLS SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT COMMISSION REPRESENTS AN EIGHT AND FOUR-TENTHS (8.4) MILL INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY. HERMAN G. KIRVEN JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, AT 6:00 P.M. (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE A SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT IN THE LATOSCA SUBDIVISION; TO DEFINE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT IS CREATED; TO ESTABLISH THE LATOSCA SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF GREENVILLE COUNTY; AND TO IMPOSE A TAX LEVY OF NOT MORE THAN NINETY NINE DOLLARS ($99.00) ANNUALLY ON ALL REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE DISTRICT. HERMAN G. KIRVEN JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that The Cliffs Members Club, intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license/permit that will allow the sale and ON premises consumption of BEER, WINE & LIQUOR at 250 Knightsridge Road, Travelers Rest, SC 29690. To object to the issuance of this license/ permit, written protest must be received by the S.C. Department of Revenue no later than August 5, 2012. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and, (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protest must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P. O. Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214; or faxed to: (803) 896-0110
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) AT 6:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, TO CONSIDER THE MILLAGE REQUEST BY THE BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR.
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) AT 6:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, TO CONSIDER THE MILLAGE REQUEST BY THE GREENVILLE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR.
THE BOILING SPRINGS BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF S.C. CODE ANN. SECTIONS 6-11-271 AND 6-11-275, AS AMENDED, HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL MAINTAIN THEIR PRESENT MILLAGE RATE OF TWENTYONE AND ONE-TENTHS (21.1) MILLS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS ABOVE THE TWENTY (20) MILLS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE FOR THE BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT.
THE GREENVILLE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF S.C. CODE ANN. SECTIONS 6-11-271 AND 6-11-275, AS AMENDED, HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL MAINTAIN THEIR PRESENT MILLAGE RATE OF FOUR AND SIX TENTHS (4.6) MILLS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS ABOVE THE FOUR AND FIVE TENTHS (4.5) MILLS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE FOR THE GREENVILLE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT.
THE REQUEST OF THE BOILING SPRINGS BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY.
THE REQUEST OF THE GREENVILLE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY.
HERMAN G. KIRVEN, JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
HERMAN G. KIRVEN, JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) AT 6:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, TO CONSIDER THE MILLAGE REQUEST BY THE LAKE CUNNINGHAM FIRE DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR.
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) AT 6:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, TO CONSIDER THE MILLAGE REQUEST BY THE SOUTH GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR.
THE LAKE CUNNINGHAM BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF S.C. CODE ANN. SECTIONS 6-11-271 AND 6-11-275, AS AMENDED, HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL MAINTAIN THEIR PRESENT MILLAGE RATE OF THIRTY-TWO AND SEVEN TENTHS (32.7) MILLS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS ABOVE THE FIFTEEN (15) MILLS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE FOR THE LAKE CUNNINGHAM FIRE DISTRICT.
THE SOUTH GREEVNILLE BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF S.C. CODE ANN. SECTIONS 6-11-271 AND 6-11-275, AS AMENDED, HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL MAINTAIN THEIR PRESENT MILLAGE RATE OF THIRTY-SIX AND TWO TENTHS (36.2) MILLS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS ABOVE THE SIXTEEN (16) MILLS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE FOR THE SOUTH GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT.
THE REQUEST OF THE LAKE CUNNINGHAM BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY.
THE REQUEST OF THE SOUTH GREENVILLE BOARD OF FIRE CONTROL REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY.
HERMAN G. KIRVEN, JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
HERMAN G. KIRVEN, JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
PUBLIC HEARING A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012, AT 6:00 P.M. (or at such time as other public hearings are concluded) IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 301 UNIVERSITY RIDGE, GREENVILLE, SC, 29601, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS IN REGARD TO AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND MILLAGE LEVY FOR TAX YEAR 2013; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURES OF THE REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT DURING THE TAX YEAR. THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY COMMISSION HAS REQUESTED THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVE AN INCREASE OF NINE-TENTHS (0.9) MILLS FOR A TOTAL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY OF THIRTEEN (13.0) MILLS AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT FOR THE 2013 TAX YEAR. THE REQUEST OF THE CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT COMMISSION REPRESENTS A NINE-TENTHS (0.9) MILL INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR’S AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE LEVY. HERMAN G. KIRVEN JR., CHAIRMAN GREENVILLE COUNTY COUNCIL
GREENVILLE COUNTY ZONING AND PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING There will be a public hearing before County Council on Monday, August 20, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. in County Council Chambers, County Square, for the purpose of hearing those persons interested in the following items: DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-28 APPLICANT: Reichert Consulting, LLC CONTACT INFORMATION: reichertconsulting@gmail.com or 270-3397 PROPERTY LOCATION: Scuffletown Road and Lee Vaughn Road
NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license/permit that will allow the sale and ON premises consumption of BEER, WINE & LIQUOR at 1127 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC 29607. To object to the issuance of this license/ permit, written protest must be received by the S.C. Department of Revenue no later than August 5, 2012. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and, (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protest must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P. O. Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214; or faxed to: (803) 896-0110 PIN: 0554020102014, 0554020101701, and 0554020102009 EXISTING ZONING: R-S, Residential Suburban REQUESTED ZONING: NC, Neighborhood Commercial ACREAGE: 3.7 COUNTY COUNCIL: 27 – Kirven DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-29 APPLICANT: Kimberly A. Haines CONTACT INFORMATION: kahaines33@yahoo.com or 243-2388 PROPERTY LOCATION: Old Hundred Road and Reedy Fork Road PIN: 0596010100500 EXISTING ZONING: R-R3, Rural Residential REQUESTED ZONING: R-R1, Rural Residential, and C-1, Commercial ACREAGE: 2.3 COUNTY COUNCIL: 26 – Rawls DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-30 APPLICANT: Mike Kiriakides CONTACT INFORMATION: mike@kdsproperties.com or 242-4200 PROPERTY LOCATION: Eldorado Drive PIN: B006000101402 (portion) EXISTING ZONING: R-MA, Multifamily Residential REQUESTED ZONING: C-2, Commercial ACREAGE: 0.5 COUNTY COUNCIL: 19 – Meadows DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-31 APPLICANT: Lynn Solesbee for Joel Kirby and James Burriss CONTACT INFORMATION: joelkirby1@gmail.com or 2846260 PROPERTY LOCATION: Feaster Road PIN: 0547030101200 EXISTING ZONING: I-1, Industrial REQUESTED ZONING: NC, Neighborhood Commercial ACREAGE: 2 COUNTY COUNCIL: 21 – Burns DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-32 APPLICANT: Savannah, LLC CONTACT INFORMATION: renee@gandp.us or 901-1101 PROPERTY LOCATION: Pelham Road and Boiling Springs Road PIN: 0533040101501, 0533040102000, 0533040101700, 0533040101600 EXISTING ZONING: PD, Planned Development, and R-20, SingleFamily Residential REQUESTED ZONING: FRD, Flexible Review District
NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that The Cliffs Members Club, intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license/permit that will allow the sale and ON premises consumption of BEER, WINE & LIQUOR at 200 Fire Pink Way, Landrum, SC 29356. To object to the issuance of this license/permit, written protest must be received by the S.C. Department of Revenue no later than August 5, 2012. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and, (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protest must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P. O. Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214; or faxed to: (803) 896-0110
ACREAGE: 6 COUNTY COUNCIL: 21 – Burns DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-33 APPLICANT: Manisha G. Shah CONTACT INFORMATION: theshahlawfirm@yahoo.com or 627-3647 PROPERTY LOCATION: 2432 Brushy Creek Road PIN: 0538050102800 (portion) EXISTING ZONING: C-1, Commercial REQUESTED ZONING: C-2, Commercial ACREAGE: 0.02 COUNTY COUNCIL: 21 – Burns DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-34 APPLICANT: Inland Western Greenville Five Forks, LLC CONTACT INFORMATION: 630-218-8000 PROPERTY LOCATION: 2607 Woodruff Road PIN: 0531020102507 (portion) EXISTING ZONING: C-1, Commercial REQUESTED ZONING: C-2, Commercial ACREAGE: 0.08 COUNTY COUNCIL: 21 – Burns DOCKET NUMBER: CZ-2012-35 APPLICANT: Greenville County Council CONTACT INFORMATION: slimbaker@greenvillecounty.org or 467-7425 TEXT AMENDMENT: Text amendment to amend Table 6.1 Uses Permitted and Section 6.2 Use Conditions of
the Greenville County Zoning Ordinance to add Condition 29 to permit the raising of chickens under specific conditions on properties containing singlefamily detached and two-family dwellings in specified districts DOCKET NUMBER: CP-2012-02 APPLICANT: Greenville County Planning Commission CONTACT INFORMATION: tmeeks@greenvillecounty.org or 467-7270 TEXT AMENDMENT: Amendment to the Imagine Greenville County Comprehensive Plan to include the Coordination Element All persons interested in these proposed amendments to the Greenville County Zoning Ordinance and Map are invited to attend this meeting. At subsequent meetings, Greenville County Council may approve or deny the proposed amendments as requested or approve a different zoning classification than requested. PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on 08/18/2012, at 9:00 a.m. at East North Storage, 4329 East North Street, Greenville, SC, the undersigned, East North Storage will sell at Public Sale by competitive bidding, the personal
LEGAL NOTICES Only $.79 per line
property heretofore store with the undersigned by: 1. Unit: A020, Sean Silvestri, 2123 Old Spartanburg rd, #282, Greer SC 29650 Furniture, boxes, clothes, misc. 2.Unit: A036,Sylvia Gallman, 105 Trent Dr. Taylors, SC. 29687 Furniture, boxes, misc. 3.Unit: A054, Nathan M. Dery, 494 Feemster Ln. Rock Hill SC 29730 Tv, microwave,misc 4.Unit: A157, Heather Mclean, 428 Wheeler Ln. LaFollette, TN 37766 furniture, misc. 5.Unit: B261, Oscar Lopez, 260 Pelham Rd. Apt C4, Greenville, SC 29615 Furniture, pictures, misc. 6.Unit: B264, David Francis, 85 Century Cir. Apt 1600A, Greenville, SC 29607 Type 547 Oscelloscope, misc 7.Unit: C0214, Richard Washburn, 2504 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, SC 29615 w/d,furniture, misc. 8. Unit: C032, Demeris J. Dirton, 215 Brantford Ln. Greenville, SC 29605 Tires and wheels, boxes, misc
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NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that Warehouse Theater, intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license/permit that will allow the sale and ON premises consumption of BEER, WINE & LIQUOR at 37 Augusta Street, Greenville, South Carolina 29601. To object to the issuance of this license/permit, written protest must be received by the S.C. Department of Revenue no later than August 12, 2012. For a protest to be valid, it must be in writing, and should include the following information: (1) the name, address and telephone number of the person filing the protest; (2) the specific reasons why the application should be denied; (3) that the person protesting is willing to attend a hearing (if one is requested by the applicant); (4) that the person protesting resides in the county where the proposed place of business is located or within five miles of the business; and, (5) the name of the applicant and the address of the premises to be licensed. Protest must be mailed to: S.C. Department of Revenue, ATTN: ABL, P. O. Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214; or faxed to: (803) 896-0110
www.greenvillecounty.org/acs AUGUST 3, 2012 | Greenville Journal 39
journal sketchbook
TOWN
Pick up the August issue at MAGAZINE these locations:
2 Chefs 2 Chefs 2 Go Asbury Automotive Barnes & Noble Bella Bridesmaid Bennett's Frame & Art Gallery Brew and Ewe Café at Williams Hardware Camille's Sidewalk Café Carlton Mercedes Carolina Consignment Carolina Furniture CertusBank Chocolate Moose cocobella Coffee and Crema Coffee to a Tea Coffee Underground Courtyard Marriott Dicks Brooks Honda Earth Fair Ethan Allen Even a Sparrow Fowler's Pharmacy Foxfire Fresh Market Garner’s Geiss and Sons Glow on Main Gold Collections Greenville County Library Gregory Ellenburg Hales Hampton Inn & Suites Harrison Lighting Hub City Book Shop Hyatt Regency Greenville JB Lacher
Jeff Lynch JP Collections Julie's Jewels & Gifts Labels on Augusta Lighting Showroom llyn strong Martin Nursery Mast General Store Mayme Baker Studio Millie Lewis Monkees of the West End Muse Shoe Studio Northampton Wines & Wine Cafe Old Colony On On Tri Pace Jewelers Paisley & Paper Petals Boutique Pickles & Ice Cream The Pickwick Pink Bee Plaza Suite Postcard From Paris Proaxis Professional Party Rentals Roots Of Greenville Rowan Company Rush Wilson Limited Saffrons Café Saige Consignment Boutique Skin Kare Soby's on The Side Spill the Beans Strossner’s Sutton Shoes The Clothing Warehouse The Cook's Station The Lighting Center The Market @ The Reserve Tony's Liquor Twigs Vignettes Westin Poinsett Wild Birds Unlimited Wilson's on Washington Wish
PLUS TOWN Magazine is available at over 200 locations. For a complete list, visit TOWNgreenville.com 40 Greenville Journal | AUGUST 3, 2012
WEDDINGS
❦
ENGAGEMENTS
❦
ANNIVERSARIES
SPECIAL OCCASIONS Stewart – Martina Jamie Stewart and Sage Martina met at the College of Charleston where they both played soccer for the school, but it wasn’t until after they graduated that they really “kicked off” their 7-year relationship. While on their favorite hike, the Green Loop trail in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Sage surprised Jamie with an engagement ring. In the fervent excitement, their dogs Posh and Max, encircled them, barking and jumping to help celebrate the good news! An outdoor wedding ceremony will be held on March 22, 2013 at Alhambra Hall in Mount Pleasant, SC to the delight of their parents, Carol and Jim Stewart of Simpsonville and Steve and Mary Martina of Edgewater, Florida.
WEDDINGS ENGAGEMENTS ANNIVERSARIES Make your announcement to the Greater Greenville Area
WEDDINGS 1/4 page - $174, Word Count 140 3/8 page - $245, Word Count 140 ENGAGEMENTS 3/16 page - $85, Word Count 90 For complete information call 864-679-1205 or e-mail aharley@communityjournals.com
journal sketchbook
the week in photos
look who’s in the journal this week Lead Academy Charter School recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Upstate Circle of Friends building. Founded in 2010, the school had outgrown its original location. The school serves grades five through eight.
Campers at Furman University’s StarTalk Chinese Language Camp got a chance to learn traditional ceremonial dances. Teacher Suchuan White, on left with back to camera, gives students instruction while they walk with the dragon. The students are, from left: Austin Everett, Manu Amin, Sarah Walsh, Allison Ivak, Rebekah O’Connell, Symonne Burkhart, Graham Nichols.
Greenville Hospital System’s Children’s Hospital patient Chloe Cavanaugh, 6, is cheered on by her mother, Brandi Burke, during Chloe’s attempt at the Olympic egg carry. Chloe completed the course to win her first medal. StarTalk Chinese Language Camp participants Sarah Walsh, left, and Songmin Na try their best to control the dragon.
David Fair controls the head of the dragon while learning a Chinese ceremonial dance.
StarTalk Chinese Language Camp participants dance with the dragon. Photos by Jeremy Fleming / Contributor
Heading down the hallway at the Greenville Hospital System’s Children’s Hospital during the Olympic opening ceremony party and torch run is patient Abrum Moore, 4, and his father, Chris Moore.
Allie Brittain gets a little help from her father, Chris Brittain, with the Olympic marshmallow toss at the Greenville Hospital System’s Children’s Hospital Olympic opening ceremony party. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
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Crossword puzzle: page 42
Sudoku puzzle: page 42
AUGUST 3, 2012 | Greenville Journal 41
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1 Madison Ave. figure 6 DEA employees 11 Convert into an anesthetic 19 Much of Egypt 21 Hawaiian welcome 22 “I like your invention!” 23 *Like Disneyland, visà-vis theme parks 25 *Perform efficiently 26 Rd. atlas listings 27 Dessert cart array 28 Friars Club main courses? 30 Tokyo-based electronics giant 31 Dancer Falana 32 Crochet loop 34 “Take a shot at it” 37 Meal 40 Amy Winehouse’s reaction to rehab, in the song 41 British Invasion drummer 42 Baker with the breakout album “Rapture” 43 Oft-quoted Yogi 44 Unwanted tabloid fame 48 *Tryst venue 50 Mad as __ hen 51 Berry touted as a superfood 52 Old Russian ruler 53 “WKRP” costar with Gary, Gordon, Howard et al. 54 __ Island: NY/NJ
landmark 55 Hearty partner 56 Current designation 58 DNA shape 61 “May It Be” singer 63 __ Wolf: Disney comics kid 64 “They’ll Do It Every Time” cartoonist Jimmy 67 *Bit of campaign nastiness 69 Green course 71 Drop the ball 72 First-year law student 75 Wreck 76 Job particular 78 Letters to creditors? 80 Central Florida city 82 They may stay till closing time 84 Four-ring-logo company 88 “The lady __ protest ...”: “Hamlet” 89 Lake __, Blue Nile source 90 *Get-rich-quick buy 93 Oscar winner’s words 95 Nebraska’s largest city 96 Physicist Bohr 97 Twix or Trix, e.g. 98 “Permission granted” 100 “Juno and the Paycock” playwright 101 Boil 103 Caterpillar rival 104 Some faux outerwear 105 Routine 106 Ahab’s kingdom 109 Confirmation, e.g.
110 __TV: Court TV, since 2008 113 *Writer’s bottom line? 116 *1978 Commodores hit 120 Joined the Navy 121 Rob of “90210” 122 St. Francis’s birthplace 123 Six-pack units 124 Score notations 125 Prop for Monet
as thinking 32 White House entrance 33 Memo starter 35 Stick in a scull 36 Dickens baddie Heep 37 Lose control 38 Baseball’s Slaughter 39 Pocket bread
40 Light on Broadway 41 Oktoberfest purchase 43 College QB, often 45 Barn baby 46 Sylvester’s “Rocky” co-star 47 Triangular sign 49 Honorary legal deg. 54 K-12
57 Bit of 48-Across talk 59 Other, in Oaxaca 60 The Bengals of the Big Sky Conf. 62 Widow in “Peer Gynt” 64 Alpine heroine 65 Forster’s “__ With a View” 66 “Honestly ...” 67 Flier 68 In “Wicked,” say 70 Trees favored by giraffes 73 *”Zilch” 74 Online greeting 76 Ancient public walkway 77 SFO setting 79 Brief 81 Fancy-schmancy 83 Emperor after Galba 85 Luau instruments 86 Take-out order? 87 Wee 90 Lesser-of-evils situation 91 “A Book of Verses underneath the Bough” poet 92 Bump up 94 Slangy turndown 99 Seesaw 100 “I’m __ here!” 101 They may be blown or cracked 102 Low-budget lead-in 104 In good shape 107 British submachine gun 108 Wine list heading 109 Supreme leader? 110 Speaker of Cooperstown 111 It’s romantic to give one 112 Condo expense: Abbr. 114 __ Maria: liqueur 115 Presidential policy support gp. 117 There are two of them in each starred ans. 118 Worked (up) 119 Flight safety org.
Crossword answers: page 41
Down
1 Deadly snakes 2 Blowgun missile 3 P-like letters 4 Enjoy, with “up” 5 Offer 6 Afternoon breaks 7 “American Gladiators” co-host Laila 8 Mythical bird 9 Patio bagful 10 Tavern 11 Nog basics 12 Traffic sound 13 *Absolutely perfect 14 Shogun stronghold 15 Score slow-up: Abbr. 16 “Remind me” 17 Not as many 18 ‘50s TV adventurer __ Derringer 20 Leaning 24 Vote for 29 Like some 20th-century music 31 Indirect and creative,
Hard
Sudoku answers: page 41
journal sketchbook
in my own words By ashley holt
Health and swellness It’s bad enough the women featured in all those health and fitness magazines are completely devoid of excess fat. Bad enough they insult the average stuffed-crust American with their perfectly shaped buns and abs. But do they have to look so together? They all have this sparkle in their eyes, this look of perfect, alert contentment, which says, “I have attained optimal health and well-being at a level once exclusive to Buddhist monks and select Osmonds.” There’s an inner fire to these gals – probably applied with a Photoshop filter not available to lesser mortals – that indicates that they’re eating all the right organic foods, bicycling regularly, and focusing healing energies to any potential trouble spots. It’s a look I vaguely recognize as “happy.” These women, grabbing life by the barbells as they are, appear to be extroverts. There’s a lot of buzz these days about the extrovert/introvert divide, and it stirs up an ongoing confusion for me: I have no idea if I’m an introvert or an extrovert. Yeah, I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs and various other psychological tests (I’ll take any quiz that seems to revolve around me in some way), but they always put me in some uninspired mid-region of mental banality: too introverted for Broadway, not introverted enough for computer chess. All I know is that I deeply resent perky, well-adjusted people who seem blissfully free of this kind of inner confusion. Especially if
they have toned glutes. I started out as an extrovert; first to volunteer for show and tell, most eager to deliver an oral report on a book I hadn’t read. I had the makings of a cult leader as a child. I attained no credentials through academic achievement – avoided any and all scholastic effort, in fact – yet I maintained the charisma to convince other children to shoplift Snickers and start gasoline fires. My friends sought my counsel on their relationship and bedwetting problems. I coasted through middle school, my classmates repeating my catchphrases and obsessing over the Crumb comics and Emerson, Lake and Palmer albums I recommended. I was somewhere between Cool Hand Luke and Dale Carnegie. Cool Hand Carnegie.
So what happened? Puberty happened. You’ve seen it kick the kindergarten out of many a kid, I’m sure. One minute they’re bright, cheerful tykes, full of hope and Fruit Roll-Ups, the next minute the darkness comes. They come to understand that life isn’t all dirt bikes and Dad’s porno stash, but is, in fact, an incredible bummer. What’s worse, their entire generation has discovered, all at once, that they are all too fat and too flatulent to ever dream of seeing another person pantsless. So everyone makes a vow to stop talking to anyone else, lest their undiagnosed cases of terminal Melvin be discovered. For me, this meant my Oprah-like hold on my classmates was faltering against the lure of their chess clubs and cheerleading squads and any other potential roads to social acceptance. My fart noises and Couch Spurlock impressions, once the rage in all the finest cafeterias, now meant nothing. My classmates avoided me. Gloom began to set in. I stayed in my room alone most of the time. Pretty soon I had been reduced to poetry and Doors LPs. I was overcome with a level of anxiety and self-doubt that no John Hughes movie could validate. And that’s more or less the sorry state I remain in today. Along the way, I learned to hate extroverted people. I learned to resent these chipper little rays of sunshine who somehow survived all this adolescent turmoil with their self-esteem intact. Who eagerly chat up people they’ve just met, secure in their dental work and personal aro-
ma. These Chatty Cathy go-getters who, given a chance, would strap on stilts and juggle in public to raise money for children with chronic hiccups – how I’ve learned to loathe them. How dare they spew all that confidence while I remain locked indoors, curtains drawn, engaging in the last refuge of the lonely introvert: blogging? My only hope is that our current trend in spotlighting the plight of the introvert may even the score somewhat. Maybe we can start a magazine of our own, dedicated to depressive shut-ins and angry loners (I hear business is booming for print periodicals these days). We’ll call it “Death & Taxes.” It’ll be full of microwave Hot Pocket recipes, plus tips for bedsores and Vitamin D deficiency. Best of all, we’ll counter the scourge of the fit and vivacious cover girls with photos of me, unwashed, bleary-eyed, working on my fifth bowl of Cocoa Pebbles in my black Snuggie. I’ll become the public face of the introverted sad sack. On second thought, get that #*$# camera out of here and leave me alone. Ashley Holt is a writer and illustrator living in Spartanburg. His neurotic quirks and extreme sensitivity to broad social trends are chronicled in The Symptoms, an illustrated blog. Check out his website at www.ashleyholt.com.
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