SPARTANBURGJOURNAL Spartanburg, S.C. • Friday, August 10, 2012 • Vol.8, No.32
Nikki Caldwell forges jewelry from memories. PAGE 14
The state of employee health care benefits. PAGE 7
A cold case heats up
SLED joins nearly decade-old quadruple homicide investigation PAGE 8
The entrance to the former Superbike Motorsports shop in Chesnee. The quadruple homicide at the shop in November 2003 remains unsolved. (Photo circa 2007.)
100 AND COUNTING: Spartanburg native Helen Jones looks back on a century of good times, hard times and family ties. PAGE 5
Little Theatre brings in big productions PAGE 15
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2 SPARTANBURG JOURNAL | AUGUST 10, 2012
• The National Heart Gallery, a collection of life-sized photos of foster care children who need homes. Free. • The Four Hankie Triumph, Ashley Holt’s month-long exhibit of quirky illustrations. Free. • Shifting Plates, a diverse collection of original prints by 15 Upstate artists. • Racing Legends of Spartanburg, an historical exhibit of race car driving. Spartanburg Art Museum Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg Gallery Spartanburg Regional History Museum Student Galleries Tues-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 542-ARTS
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Darla Booher, owner of Deal Depot in Greer, on her early days in the car sales business.
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100 and counting Spartanburg woman celebrates centennial birthday on Sunday By CHARLES SOWELL | staff
August 10
Helen Jones will be celebrating her 100th birthday at Rolling Green this coming Sunday.
GREG BECKNER / STAFF
Helen Jones, the oldest living member of Spartanburg First Baptist Church, turns 100 on Sunday. This Saturday, dozens of friends and family will turn out for a rousing good time at Rolling Green Village off Pelham Road in Greenville to help celebrate her centennial moment. “The folks here love to eat,” said Jones’ daughter Annette Boehm, a retired Greenville schoolteacher. “They stay and stay, talk and talk.” Jones is a sprightly lady who looks a good 20 years younger than her true age. For a woman who’s lived through some of the toughest times of the 20th century, she’s doing very well, indeed. But it wasn’t always that way. Jones was born to William and Cora Turner in
Spartanburg, the next to the youngest in a family with six children – three boys and three girls, she said. When Jones was nearing school age, her dad, a part-time city constable and traveling salesman in the Lowcountry, was shot dead by a group of bootleggers he was questioning on a city street corner. “We were heading for home and Daddy told Momma to go on into the house because he’d seen a group of men he needed to talk to,” she said. “Momma herded us into the house while Daddy went back. He didn’t come home. “It was front-page news for days,” Jones said. “Of course, they never caught the man who shot him.” Also something most people only know by history books is that these were the days before Social Security. “Momma was lucky,” Jones said. “Daddy had a pension since he was a Spanish-American War veteran. It was $60 a month, but we lived on that, and did well. I never went hungry.” She and her siblings were in the family carriage with their mother some time later when the horse stumbled and flipped
the buggy over on top of the children. “It was quite startling,” she said. “Momma was driving the buggy with a babe in arms” – her youngest sister. No one was seriously injured. There was enough money in the household to send Jones to Asheville Teacher’s College in the late 1920s, where she completed a four-year degree. The tuition was
$120 a year, she said. “That was a scandalous amount of money back then,” she said. She met her husband, Clarence, while teaching in North Carolina. They eloped, and she quit teaching with the birth of her first child about four years later. The couple stayed together for nearly 50 years and raised two daughters and a son. He worked for Southern Railway until his retirement, and the couple went into retirement together. Clarence Jones died in 2002 at age 91. Jones values the closeness her family has experienced over her 100 years. Her children come to see her regularly and she still attends a few services a year at Spartanburg First Baptist. “Mostly she gets her services on TV now,” her daughter said. “There are about 700 people here at Rolling Green,” Boehm said. “Mom and Dad lived in one of the townhomes until he died. Them Momma moved to one of the apartments here in the main building. She’s been blessed to have her health. Momma only recently had to start using a walker to get around.” Contact Charles Sowell at csowell@thespartanburgjournal.com.
PH YSICIAN UPDATE
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AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG JOURNAL 5
JOURNAL COMMUNITY
OPINION VOICES FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, HEARD HERE
FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK
Death by phone call South Carolina’s persistent bike/car divide has gone on testy display once again thanks to a quartet of Upstate politicians who staged a last-minute intervention to kill a road restriping plan sought by residents and business owners who hoped to reduce accidents by slowing traffic. Bias clearly trumped policy in the Greenville case: Three of the four made it plain they deep-sixed the “road diet” proposed for Old Buncombe Road because they resent cyclists sharing streets with cars. Most telling from a public policy viewpoint was the explanation given the Journal last week by DOT Commissioner John P. Edwards, who represents Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens and Union counties on the state Transportation Commission. A single phone call can’t change a DOT project, Edwards told Journal writer April Morris, but when “two politicians call, you listen to them, because we are elected by the delegation.” So against written state and local transportation policy, a 400-signature neighborhood petition, federally vetted safety benefits and road traffic counts that meet state criteria for the redesign, two legislators can kill the restriping project without a single vote. Or public meeting, or opportunity for any kind of public input from the neighborhood. Edwards could not be clearer about whom he represents: not the people of Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens and Union counties, but the legislative delegations that give him his power. Secure in their own power, Sen. Mike Fair and Rep. Dwight Loftis brushed off safety research, state policy and community support for the project, which would restripe the stretch between West Blue Ridge and Cedar Lane roads from four lanes to two, with a center turn lane and bike lanes on both sides. “It makes no sense to reduce the number of cars because of a few bicycles,” Fair told the Journal. Decreasing driving lanes for “essentially recreational usage” gives cyclists “a free ride at the inconvenience and expense of the public,” chimed in Loftis. Most cyclists also drive cars and pay gas taxes, but the legislative prejudice above ignores the reality that some taxpayers walk and bike by necessity, especially in these economic times. Those who do so from the San Souci, Poe Mill and Monaghan Mill areas face obvious hazards on Old Buncombe Road. Neighborhood petitioners say the targeted one-mile stretch is too narrow to safely accommodate four traffic lanes. Its configuration – no buffer between opposing travel lanes; power poles flanking the outer lanes – is “unsafe for users and unsuitable for neighborhood-oriented businesses,” the petition states. Residents and business owners say motorists routinely exceed the 35-mph speed limit and near-misses are frequent as patrons try to back out of parking lots. Federal research shows road diets reduce accidents by 29 percent, according to the Federal Highway Administration, and roads with fewer than 20,000 daily car trips are good candidates. The state DOT puts Old Buncombe’s daily traffic count at 6,500 to 8,000 cars. It has been state DOT policy since 2003 to include provisions for bicycling and walking in all its “planning design, construction and operating activities.” State law classifies bicycles as vehicles and prohibits their use on sidewalks. Cyclists use Old Buncombe Road out of necessity. Minds need to change here, starting with Greenville County Councilman Willis Meadows, who is busy keeping his head down after triggering the road diet’s demise – again, not by public forum or council vote; just a phone call to Loftis and Fair. No 10-month neighborhood crusade should die by phone call. Revive the project, gentlemen. You owe your constituents better than this – motorists, walkers and cyclists.
Tax law changes boost local economy Local economic development groups in Spartanburg County now have more money in the pot to help foster concrete business growth thanks to the recent change in the South Carolina utility tax credit laws. This change in the UTC law, along with the recent SCEDA legislation and the state recurring funds for the Upstate SC Alliance mean great things for the entire state of South Carolina. Under the amended UTC law, which went into effect in June after passing the House and Senate this year, utility companies now have the ability to set aside $400,000 from their taxes that can go directly back to the local counties they serve. That is an increase of $100,000 for each eligible utility company serving the region, but means a world of difference for the South Carolina economy. This generates economic growth without adding another tax or fee to the everyday South Carolinian. The utility tax credit funds can be used for any economic development project that serves the public good. That means helping fund new infrastructure, rail line repairs, industrial parks, office parks and spec buildings. The funds can be used to upgrade county or cityowned buildings that are used to spur economic development, or for grading and land clearing. Basically, this money will help create jobs and growth on the local level. This gives us at the Upstate SC Alliance another avenue when it comes to marketing and selling the Upstate region as a premier place to do business. Not only is this money needed to help spur development, it shows a very progressive approach from the Legislature for thinking outside the box when it comes to growing the business climate in South Carolina. It is another tool in the toolbox. This law is unique – we as a state are giving more control of economic
IN MY OWN WORDS by HAL JOHNSON
development funds to local leadership. South Carolina is leading the way. This allows Spartanburg County decision makers to address their most pressing economic development issues, as they know best what their counties need. The changes to the utility tax law could not have been accomplished without the work of Sens. Lee Bright, Shane Martin and Glenn Reese and Reps. Rita Allison, Doug Brannon, Bill Chumley, J. Derham Cole, Michael Forrester, Steve Parker and Eddie Tallon. Their votes helped tremendously to get this passed. I applaud them for their effort. This amended law also allows for utilities to have more say and be able to help out the communities they have invested workers and capital in. It allows them to be good stewards of the people. Every county in the Upstate region will benefit from these added funds. The next steps are up to each county and the utilities to make allotments from this expanded set of funds. Infrastructure improvements can make or break new development. This gives us more opportunity to show the rest of the world that the Upstate and South Carolina mean business. Hal Johnson is the president and chief executive officer of the Upstate SC Alliance, a nonprofit organization made up of public and private investors aimed at promoting economic growth. Additional information is available through the Alliance’s website, www. upstateSCalliance.com
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@THESPARTANBURGJOURNAL.COM.
6 SPARTANBURG JOURNAL | AUGUST 10, 2012
JOURNAL COMMUNITY
Health care deductibles rising for employees statewide Costs offset by HSAs, HRAs and lower out-of-pocket maximums, new survey finds By DICK HUGHES | contributor
South Carolina employees are paying less for company health benefits than the national average but paying higher deductibles, according to a survey of 138 organizations across the state by Rosenfeld Einstein. Offsetting higher deductibles are lower out-of-pocket maximums and programs putting employees in health savings accounts (HSAs) and using employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to assist employees with health care costs. Rosenfeld Einstein said businesses are addressing health care costs by expanding programs such as HSAs and HRAs, instituting wellness programs, doing risk assessments and putting a price on, if not forbidding on premises, risky habits like smoking. The survey indicates that the average premium for a preferred provider orga-
August 10
nization (PPO) in South Carolina is $406 for a single person, compared to the national average of $465. However, “South Carolina businesses tend to require higher levels of employee contributions than do most national organizations,” Rosenfeld Einstein said. For PPO single coverage, South Carolina employees pay, on average, $92 of premium costs, versus $84 nationally. The average PPO deductible in South Carolina is $1,339 for single coverage and $3,693 for a family, compared to $928 and $1,521 nationally. For high-deductible group plans, the single coverage averages $2,255 in South Carolina, compared to $1,908 nationally. That higher cost, Rosenfeld Einstein said, is partially offset by a lower out-of-pocket maximum – $1,331 in South Carolina and $2,935 nationwide. The typical state PPO maximum is $2,830. David Slade, Rosenfeld Einstein’s vice president for employee benefits, said businesses in the state are at the forefront nationally in developing HRA plans to go along with high deductibles. Under HRAs, companies contribute taxdeductible dollars to help reimburse the
employee’s out-of-pocket health care costs. Two years ago, he said, only 46 percent of surveyed plans across the state had HRAs and/or HSAs, and today 60 percent do. “It is kind of viewed as a win-win” for employers and employees, Slade said. Slade said rising higher deductibles and copays are part of a trend of controlling costs by making the cost felt by everyone who uses the system. Companies are also instituting wellness programs that involve voluntary employee participation. The best of these programs ingrain wellness and healthy lifestyles as part of company culture, Slade said. Other findings of the bi-annual survey include: Fifty-six percent of South Carolina employers offer employees the choice of more than one health care plan, and 9 percent offer three or more. Copays average $27 per primary-care visit for PPOs, up from $23 a year ago, and $43 for visits to specialists, up from $32. Seeing a specialist is becoming more costly, with 87 percent of company plans having higher copay than for primary care physicians, up from 78 percent in 2010. Prescription drug copays are compa-
rable to national averages. Companies offering 401(k) savings plans or 403(b) profit-sharing plans declined to 75 percent from 91 percent in 2010. Of those that offer 401(k) plans, 73 percent provide a company match. To compensate for high deductibles and maximum limits, long-term care insurance is offered by 19 percent of companies, cancer insurance by 35 percent and critical illness coverage by 29. Howard Einstein, principal of the Greenville insurance agency, said 139 businesses from 30 cities participated in the survey, providing data representing more than 30,000 employees and dozens of industries. The survey was conducted online and company information is held in confidence. “A key value of this initiative is in helping companies understand where they are competitively, both locally and nationally, in recruiting and retaining their best associates,” Slade said. Nationwide, 53 percent of employees rank benefits as an important aspect of job satisfaction. Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@thespartanburgjournal.com.
N E W S T H AT Y O U C A N U S E
The Great Epidemics
Considering Hip Replacement?
Thurs., Aug. 16 • 6:30-8 p.m. • Hendricks Library Branch (Simpsonville) Local historian Dave Partridge will discuss the great epidemics, such as yellow fever, cholera, polio and Spanish influenza. Free; registration required. To register, call 963-9031.
GHS Drs. Brandon Broome, Brayton Shirley, Brian Burnikel and Philip Wessinger are the region’s first surgeons to perform the anterior approach to hip replacement, which means less pain and faster recovery. Find out more at steadmanhawkinscc.com/joint.
Prostate Screenings Thurs., Sept. 13 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. • North Greenville Hospital Tues., Sept. 18 • 5:30-7:30 p.m. • Hillcrest Memorial Hospital Tues., Sept. 25 • 5:30-8:30 p.m. • Greer Memorial Hospital Men age 50+ or those with a family history of prostate disease are urged to schedule an exam. Free; registration required.
Be the Match! Save a Life! Thurs., Sept. 20 • 3-7 p.m. • Greenville Memorial Hospital Help a patient needing a bone marrow donor by joining the BE THE MATCH® registry! Just complete a registration form and give a cheek swab of cells. Must be 18-60 years old. Learn more at BeTheMatch.org.
InQuickER Holds Your Spot for ER & Urgent Care Save a place in line at any GHS MD360® or ER. Just register online at ghs.org/inquicker, wait in the comfort of your home (or wherever), arrive at your projected time and see a nurse within 15 minutes! This optional service is for non-life threatening and minor emergencies.
ghs.org
Cancer Centers of the Carolinas (CCC) Joins GHS CCC and GHS officially joined forces July 1. This acquisition combines the largest cancer care provider in the Upstate with the Upstate’s premier academic medical center. Learn more at ghs.org/cancer. 120576
AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG JOURNAL 7
journal community
Heating up a cold case SLED to enter investigation of Superbike quadruple slayings By CHarles Sowell | staff
Auto Racing Exhibit Spartanburg was once at the hub of auto racing. The Spartanburg Regional History Museum presents an exhibit featuring artifacts, trophies, and the development of the auto racing industry, Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ends: Sept. 1. Printmakers Exhibit 15 printmakers from the Upstate have come together to create a unique and vastly diverse exhibit of handmade prints in Shifting Plates. The exhibit is in support of a project that collected works for the true “art collector.” Presented by the Spartanburg Art Museum, Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ends: Aug. 25. Foster Child Photo Exhibit The Chapman Cultural Center is the only museum in South Carolina to host the acclaimed National Heart Gallery Exhibit: a large collection of 6x4-foot photos of children in foster care and in need of permanent homes. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ends: Aug. 24. Free! Campfire at Walnut Grove Plantation Gather ‘round the fire, make s’mores, and hear exciting stories of the Upstate’s past! Friday, Aug. 10, Eric Williams, re-enactor and former Chief Ranger at Ninety Six National Historic Site, will portray a doctor from the late 1700s with a special emphasis on battlefield medicine and surgery. Tours start at 7:30; campfire at 8:30. Only $5. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and bug spray. Presented by the Spartanburg County Historical Association. Invitational Contemporary Still Life Exhibit In collaboration with USC Upstate, Spartanburg Art Museum presents still life works of art by the nation’s best artists, Aug. 14-Oct. 20, Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This is a classic genre curated by Dr. Henry Fagen. ArtWalk Every third Thursday of the month, the galleries in Spartanburg stay open late for art lovers to see what is new. Thursday, Aug. 16, 5-9 p.m., be sure to stop by the Chapman Cultural Center and visit the Spartanburg Art Museum, the Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg’s Gallery, and the Student Galleries. No admission fees. Guild member Ashley Holt will host a free and public reception for his exhibit, Four Hankie Triumph.
542-ARTS ChapmanCulturalCenter.org 200 E. Saint John St. Spartanburg
8 SPARTANBURG Journal | AUGUST 10, 2012
Nearly nine years after the Nov. 6, 2003, quadruple slayings at the Superbike Motorsports shop stunned Spartanburg, the sheriff ’s office has finally requested the State Law Enforcement Division’s help in solving the case. The request was confirmed by SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson early this week. Multiple requests to Sheriff Chuck Wright and the sheriff ’s department’s public affairs office for comments went unanswered as of press time. Scott Dean Ponder, 30, the shop’s owner, who lived near the 6843 Parris Bridge Road business, was found in the parking lot just after 3 p.m. on that November day. Brian Thomas Lucas, 29, of Gaffney, the shop’s service manager, was in the front doorway. Ponder’s mother, Beverly Guy, 52, who was the bookkeeper, lay in the middle of the shop’s showroom area. Mechanic Chris Sherbert, 26, was found in the very back on the shop floor. Various theories have surfaced as to the order of the slayings, with one
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
Four Hankie Triumph Exhibit Local artist Ashley Holt exhibits his work Aug. 1-28 in the Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg’s gallery at the Chapman Cultural Center. Free and public reception: Thurs., Aug. 16, 6-9 p.m. Exhibit open daily 10 a.m.5 p.m., but closed on Sundays. Free!
In March, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright released this sketch of a “person of interest” in the investigation of a quadruple homicide at Superbike Motorsports in Chesnee.
to solve the case. That has changed as years passed. “The recent release of a new drawing of a suspect is just the latest example,” Tom Lucas told the Journal last week. “More than eight years after the event, they are now saying this is the suspect. What kind of investigation is that?” In March, when Wright unveiled the sketch, the sheriff said, “I’m going to
“More than eight years after the event, they are now saying this is the suspect. What kind of investigation is that?” Tom Lucas, father of victim Brian Thomas Lucas, on his disapproval of how the sheriff’s department has handled the Superbike Motersports quadruple-murder case. SLED has now been brought on to assist with the case.
of the major unanswered questions being whether the shooter started with the mechanic and worked his way to the front of the building or vice versa. The Superbike slayings made national news and were featured on programs like “America’s Most Wanted.” Detectives at the sheriff ’s department have spent thousands of hours working on the case, all to no avail. Tom and Lorraine Lucas, parents of victim Brian Lucas, were onetime great supporters of Wright in his drive
be bold enough to say this is my man right here.” After an initial flurry of new tips, that line of attack has gone cold, the couple said. A witness told investigators that the man shown in the sketch was acting as a customer shortly before the killings, Wright has said. Lorraine Lucas said she has heard this kind of talk from local law enforcement before. They’ve been living the case since their son’s death. Tom Lucas, a retired executive with
Timken in Kentucky, and his wife moved to Spartanburg in the wake of the slayings. They wanted answers, closure and justice served for Brian’s execution-style slaying. All of the victims appeared to be shot execution-style, the Lucases believe. “Brian was shot behind the ear,” Lorraine Lucas said. The couple believes this raises the issue of a possible organized crime or gang connection in the deaths. “This happened very quickly,” Tom Lucas said. “No one had time to flee. The surprise had to be total.” Their research into potential suspects has uncovered criminal pasts in several cases – all with gun and drug connections. “All this is interrelated in some way,” Lorraine Lucas said. She says a man they understood to be a top suspect “went missing shortly after the slayings and is presumed dead. However, one of our sources reports having seen (the man) several times in Spartanburg County in the recent past.” The source knew the suspect “quite well and is running scared now,” she said. The couple has brought in a profiler, a psychic and an outside investigator to work on the case. “The sheriff made fun of the psychic,” said Tom Lucas. “The investigator was shut out by the sheriff ’s office and threatened with arrest for interfering with an investigation.” The profiler found lots of problems with the early investigation done by former Sheriff Bill Coffey and poked holes in Wright’s new suspect sketch, the couple said. Wright has publicly acknowledged that mistakes were made in the initial investigation. The Lucases agree. There were too many people on the crime scene, some areas of the shop were not searched thoroughly and initial leads were not followed up on, the couple said. “We’ll have to see if SLED does any better,” Tom Lucas said. “This long after the fact, it’s going to be difficult.” Contact Charles Sowell at csowell@thespartanburgjournal.com.
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Understanding Pancreatic Cancer
Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day
Tues., Aug. 21 • 12:15-1:15 p.m. • Greenville Memorial Hospital Bring lunch and join GHS surgical oncologist Brian McKinley, M.D., for a discussion on pancreatic cancer. Free; registration required.
Sat., Sept. 15 • 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • West End Community Development Center Obtain health information and get free prostate screenings. Free clinical breast exams (this is not a mammogram) also are available. For information, visit 1073jamz.com.
Stroke Forum Sat., Aug. 25 • Noon-2 p.m. • Hilton Greenville Clinicians will discuss signs and risk factors for stroke, as well as getting treated quickly to reduce disability. Lunch provided. Free; registration required.
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Arthritis Awareness
Thurs., Sept. 20 • 6:30 p.m. • Anderson Road Library Branch John Scott, M.D., a GHS bariatric surgeon, will discuss surgical options for weight loss. Free; registration required.
Thurs., Aug. 30 • Noon-1 p.m. • Hilton Greenville Join GHS orthopaedic surgeon Brandon Broome, M.D., to learn what causes arthritis and the latest treatment options. Free; registration required.
To register, for more information or to see a full schedule of events, visit ghs.org/360healthed or call 1-877-GHS-INFO (447-4636).
Girlology & Guyology Sun., Sept. 9, 16, 23 & 30 • Times vary • Patewood and Simpsonville Medical Campuses These sessions help ease the transition into puberty through open discussion. Session fee: $50 for mom/daughter or father/son. For topics or to register, visit the events page at girlology.com. 120576
AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG JOURNAL 9
journal community
Service in action
College students gain experience while helping the elderly in Spartanburg By CHarles Sowell | staff
Seventy college students fanned out across Spartanburg last week to fix up homes for the elderly as part of the national conference sponsored by Break Away. Working with Christmas In Action, a Spartanburg nonprofit, the students spent hours hammering, trimming and fixing up three homes in depressed neighborhoods, and taking how-to courses at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Team leader Tim Holden, a senior from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, was trimming back an unruly bamboo grove at the home of James and Annie Byrd on Drymont Drive. “Break Away gives students a chance to learn the skills needed to do volunteer work in their home communities after they graduate,” Holden said. “It’s service work that means something.”
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Students volunteer for the program through their colleges and then travel to other parts of the country while on break between semesters to do the work, he said. This is Holden’s second trip and he’s using the skills he learned to supervise other students in Spartanburg. “We have kids from all over the country take part,” he said. Maya Meria, a sophomore at Middlebury College in Vermont, was sorting boards for another project at the Byrd household and said this is her first experience with Break Away. “It has been a learning experience, for sure,” she said. Break Away is a national nonprofit group that supports alternative school break programs by providing training and information to educational institutions and nonprofits. More than 100 schools are taking part in the program this summer, as well as more than 400 nonprofit partner organizations. For more information, see www.alternativebreaks2012.org.
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JOURNAL BUSINESS
Clean energy creates jobs By DICK HUGHES contributor
rarity in her field. Before entering the automotive industry, Booher worked in leasing, repossession collections and skip tracing, or locating people. After a start in New Orleans, she joined Bradshaw Automotive in 1999 and opened her own company in 2002. Deal Depot is a buy-herepay-here (BHPH) dealer-
South Carolina enterprises involved in clean energy employed 17,292 fulltime equivalent employees and generated $726 million in gross revenue in 2011, according to a survey conducted by NC State University and commissioned by the SC Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA). According to the report, Charleston County has the highest number of cleanenergy jobs, followed by Richland and Greenville. The jobs primarily are in small companies that specialize in education, services and consulting. Many were created “in the wake of the recession that began in December of 2007,” the SCCEBA said. The survey found 269 total clean-energy firms operating in South Carolina. The primary focus is on “energy-efficient design and construction, energy-efficient retrofitting, solar energy and biomass energy.” The firms focusing on clean energy generally are
BOOHER continued on PAGE 12
CLEAN continued on PAGE 13
Darla Booher, owner and operator of Deal Depot Inc., at the company’s Greer office. The dealership also has offices in Inman and Spartanburg. GREG BECKNER / STAFF
A rarity in the car business Greer woman thrives in an occupation dominated by men By JENNIFER OLADIPO | contributor
It might have been the ceiling fans that looked as if they could be in anyone’s den, or the pink flowers of the large, freshly watered plants, but something about the Deal Depot conference room felt comfortable. These were the personal touches of owner Darla Booher, whose Greer car dealership recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Booher has seen many
changes through her 25 years in car sales, but one thing remains the same: It is a business dominated by men. Fewer than 10 percent of dealerships nationwide are owned by women. A study released last month showed that the number of women owning new-car dealerships dropped from about 7 percent in 2007 to just 2.8 percent last year. Booher is a
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journal business
Booher continued from page 11
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ship, which serves a particular niche in the industry. These dealerships tend to serve customers whose credit precludes them from getting financing at conventional dealerships. Booher said surveys show that only Congress has a lower approval rating than car dealers, and BHPH dealers are sometimes accused of being predatory. To the contrary, she said she enjoys making regular positive reports to credit agencies as people pay on time, helping them build or improve their credit and open doors to other opportunities. She said Deal Depot looks beyond credit scores, income and bank accounts to get a more complete understanding of why a person has poor credit. “We try to look at what’s caused this,” Booher said. “Is this somebody who’s habitually not paid anybody, or did something happen?” The tightening of lending drove customers to BHPH during the recession, when hundreds of dealerships were shuttering their doors. Booher said her customer base changed as people who would normally have been able to get financing at conventional dealerships found themselves unable to do so. At the same time, customers of all stripes were having difficulty making their payments, which meant Deal Depot needed to be more attuned to making sure purchases fit their budgets. Booher said perhaps the greatest difference between BHPH and conventional car sales is the longer-term relationship between seller and buyer, whereas elsewhere the relationship ends when the car moves off the lot. She also emphasizes financial education, making sure that people understand all of the costs involved in buying and owning a car. “It’s almost like we have to be a tutor,” she said. In the beginning, Booher was the one on the receiving end of good advice and assistance. She found it crucial, not only as a person advancing her career, but as a single mother who had a child depending on her alone. She said she has received a great deal of support from male mentors and bosses. The problems were mostly in the early days, when male colleagues poured soda on her computer keyboard, or spit onto the earpiece of her desk phone. Customers were generally more accepting, but one man told her he would never buy a truck from a woman, no matter how much she knew. So Booher made sure to know a lot. She took every opportunity to receive extra training and information when available.
“I guess what I lacked in experience I made up for in enthusiasm, because I was out to show that a woman can sell cars,” she said. Booher remains an active participant in industry training, winning awards for her contributions. Her continuing education paid off when she eventually set out to start a company with her own money, a small unsecured loan, and computers that were practically rent-toown. She lived frugally and put everything back into the business. Today Booher serves as secretary of the Carolinas Independent Automobile Dealers Association (CIAD), where the board officers are all male, except for Booher. Despite the difficulty of breaking in, her gender has turned out to be an advantage. In an industry where people often expect to be ripped off, she said, women tend to be considered more trustworthy. What’s more, women make just over half of the car purchases in the United States, and influence the majority of the rest, so being able to understand, listen and relate to women is a major advantage, she said. Booher prides herself on the diversity of her own 15-member staff, which has men and women in management and support positions. She said she has seen the car business become more technical and increasingly regulated over the years. She said the regulations have led to better treatment for customers. The technological onus is upon dealers to keep up with credit websites, social media, and business development software in order to remain competitive. Booher said people also are no longer satisfied with getting just a paycheck from their jobs, requiring her to be flexible with her staff. She has worked around schedules for employees going through college, and once allowed an accountant to turn her office into a partial nursery while the employee’s child was an infant. Such accommodations are rare in the car business, which is why dealers have trouble recruiting women, said Jody DeVere, who serves on the board of Women’s Automotive Association International. Even so, women dealers tend to perform better than their male counterparts, and they are in demand, she said. DeVere also suggested that women who feel more comfortable while shopping for cars might be more comfortable selling them. In that light, the pink flowers at Deal Depot seemed less like a personal decorating choice, and more like a subtle buying cue from a master saleswoman. Contact Jennifer Oladipo at joladipo@thespartanburgjournal.com.
journal business
The fine print by dick hughes
4G Network Expands
Verizon Wireless soon will expand its 4G network in the 10-county Upstate region beyond the extension of services that began a year ago, the company said. A spokesperson for Verizon said the faster service would be made available in most areas throughout the Upstate. She said more specific areas of coverage would be announced later this month. The company initially launched 4G services in Greenville and surrounding areas “like Greer, Mauldin and Simpsonville” in June 2011. In July, Verizon said, 4G coverage was extended to downtown Spartanburg and surrounding areas. “In August, our expansion will include additional sites in the core of Greenville as well as Greer and as far south as Simpsonville,” a spokesperson said. “Currently, more than 73 percent of South Carolina’s population is able to experience the speed and benefits 4G LTE affords,” said Jerry Fountain, Verizon president for the Carolinas and Tennessee. 4G is 10 times faster than 3G, the company said.
Bearing Maker to Cut Workers
Timken Co. said it plans to eliminate 183 jobs at its Union County plant when it moves production of small bearings to other Timken plants in the Carolinas and overseas. The company said production at the Tyger River plant would be concentrated on large-bore bearings that are greater than 24 inches. Small bearings make up about a third of Tyger River production, the company said. Timken said it would eliminate 60 temporary jobs this year and 123 full-time jobs will be lost next year.
Aircraft Supplier Lands in Oconee
A.I.D. Co. has announced plans to expand manufacturing in Oconee County to make control rods used in fixed-wing and rotary aircraft in Oconee County. The company said it would invest $7 million and provide 75 jobs over the next five years. A.I.D., a division of RBC Bearings, said it would move from an existing building of 35,000 square feet at 123 Commerce Way in Westminster to a plant with 63,000 square feet. The company said it intends to be in operation at the new facility in early 2013 and said it would begin hiring for new positions in October. A.I.D. will receive job development credits, which typically provide reduced state income taxes for the company when promised job-creation goals are met.
Clean continued from page 11
small, the report indicates. “Approximately 56 percent of all clean-energy firms in 2011 reported gross revenue of less than $1 million. In addition, firms generating less than $1 million in total annual gross revenue were more than three times as likely to have reported that all of their revenue was generated from clean energy activities.” The majority of products and services end up in South Carolina markets, but approximately 70 percent of solar products and services and 80 percent of vehicle technology products and
services “are ultimately exported outside of the state.” South Carolina appears to be doing better than North Carolina in creating clean energy jobs but lags significantly behind in generating revenue. According the NC State survey, North Carolina has 14,800 full-time equivalent jobs in the clean-energy sector that “conservatively generated over $3.1 billion” in revenue in 2011. Most of the growth in clean energy in both states came between 2005 and 2009, the reports said. Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@ thespartanburgjournal.com.
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AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG Journal 13
Journal Sketchbook West Main Artist Cooperative hosts 1st annual invitational The West Main Artist Cooperative in Spartanburg is hosting its first annual Artist Invitational with an exhibition open from Aug. 16 through Sept. 15 with a reception on Aug. 16, from 5-9 p.m., in conjunction with the Spartanburg monthly Art Walk. Artists par- “Home Grove II,” ticipating in the Rick Conn invitational are: Lisa Anderson, Daniel Cvammen, Steven A. Chapp, Rick Conn, Jim Cullen, Trey Finney, Karri Isaac, Edith McBee Hardaway, Chris Hartwick, Kathy Hawk, Stacey Hettes, Geri Hurlbut, Patricia Kilburg, Valli Landrum, Larry Lathan, Christine Lawrence, Rosetta Nesbitt, Lori Seymour, Sam P. Smith, Ann Wenz and David Zacharias. Artwork displayed will be a broad spectrum of media and include paintings, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, printmaking, and sculpture. Many of the artists are from the Spartanburg community, including several art faculty who teach at Converse College and USC Upstate. This exhibition’s artists were selected by members of the Co-op and intended to represent both professional and emerging artists in the Upstate. The West Main Artists Co-op is located at 578 West Main Street, Spartanburg. The Coop is open Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., or by appointment. For more information, call 864-804-6501. WMAC is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
14 SPARTANBURG Journal | AUGUST 10, 2012
A rtistic r ef l ection
Nikki Caldwell produces unique jewelry from found objects and photographs By april a. morris | staff
Nikki Caldwell has always worked with metal, helping out in her family’s metal manufacturing business and now handcrafting metal jewelry bearing photographic designs of everything from loved ones to elements of the natural world. When her family sold the business in 2005, Caldwell sought a more creative way to work with stainless steel. “I wanted to find a way to make a lot of fun pieces out of metal,” she said. She soon created a brooch printed with a photograph of her mother,
Joan Bryant Reid, using a process that prints on sheets of aluminum. She continued creating, and in 2010 formed Mirror Mirror Image. Her business was named in honor of her relationship with her best friend, who also works in metal, Caldwell said. “We are like twins,” she said, with ideas that often mirror each other. Caldwell considers aluminum the perfect material for jewelry because it is lightweight and doesn’t tarnish. Creating a piece of jewelry can take many hours, she said. Each piece is unique; she never uses the same design twice. She begins by printing im-
ages onto the metal’s white coating, then hand-cuts the aluminum sheets into brooches, earrings, bracelets and charms. She then sends the piece through a roll press, followed by handsanding for a finishing touch. Finally, she adds embellishments, sourced from everywhere from hobby shops to customers’ antique collections, she said. “I’ve always worked in an industrial setting,” she said. “We’ve discovered a fun way to take something that’s metal and turn it into something fun for women.” Trained as an architect, Caldwell has yet to use her degree in a work
One of artist Nikki Caldwell’s creations.
Greg Beckner / Staff
journal sketchbook I can use it,” she said. She told the story of a client in Greenville whose father died when she was a girl, but who still had some of his fireman’s gear. Caldwell Nikki Caldwell, p h o t o g r ap h e d metal artist the fireman’s hat and created a keepsake bracelet for the woman and her sister. At this point, Caldwell doesn’t have a storefront, but sells directly to clients online and to a few wholesale accounts in the state and beyond. Some are devoted clients, too, she said, like the group of women who she met at a Charleston craft show who now place large orders every two weeks. Caldwell just returned from a 10-day craft show in Beaufort and is gearing up to showcase her work at the upcoming Upstate Women’s Show and Holiday Fair. Someday in the future, she said, she would like to establish a studio space and work at her art full-time. “Right now I’m a one-woman manufacturer,” she said, “but would love to have a studio space outside my home.” And though Caldwell’s hands bear the scars of working so many hours so closely with metal, she smiled as she showed off her creations, saying, “It’s scary, but fun.” See Nikki Caldwell’s work at Mirror Mirror Image, www.mirrormirrorimage.com. Contact April A. Morris at amorris@thespartanburgjournal.com.
Greg Beckner / Staff
setting, but said her background helps her with spatial challenges and combining embellishment colors. She also confessed to being a fashion lover, incorporating fashion trends and colors into her designs. Since deciding to concentrate on making bracelet cuffs in late 2011, Caldwell said her business “exploded” in March. In between her full-time job in sales, the mother of three now spends each evening and weekend in her studio in the family dining room, crafting up to 20 cuffs in an evening and completing about 60 a week. In addition to clients in Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson, where she lives with her family, Caldwell has made pieces for clients in Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Switzerland and Belgium. The images pressed into the jewelry can come from anywhere, she said, pointing out one piece that featured a print from scrapbooking paper edged with a closeup photo of a wall covered in graffiti. Earlier this year, Caldwell’s daughter gave a bracelet to her teacher as a birthday gift. This gift led to a connection to Orian Rugs’ chief operating officer, who happened to be the teacher’s husband. Caldwell was soon commissioned to create pieces to distribute to clients and customers at the Orian Rugs markets in Atlanta, Ga., and High Point, N.C. She used photos of the company’s carpet patterns on the bands. Many of Caldwell’s works are commissioned as memory pieces created from family photos that she prints onto charms, dog tags or necklaces. “I love to have people brainstorm with me. If there’s something they like colorwise or if there’s something significant,
Spartanburg Repertory Company announces season lineup The Spartanburg Repertory Company, founded in 1987 to bring opera, operetta and musical theater to the Spartanburg community in an affordable, familyfriendly way, recently announced the lineup for its 25th Anniversary Season. The fall production will be a staging of “Little Mary Sunshine,” a musical comedy that parodies old-fashioned operettas and musicals. The show will be directed by Spartanburg native Michelle Dover, and will star Converse College graduate student Scarlett Hendricks as Little Mary. It is set to run Oct. 12-14, 2012, at the Chapman Cultural Center. The spring production will be a full production of Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus,” a comedy of errors set in Vienna, Austria. The show will be performed in English, and will run March 8-10, 2013, at Broome High School’s District 3 Community Auditorium. An added event this season will be a 25th Anniversary Gala Fundraiser set to take place Jan. 26, 2013, at the Chapman Cultural Center. It will be an evening of music featuring special guests Daryle Ryce and Rebecca Turner along with past and present artists of the Repertory Company. A wine and cheese tasting will be held during an extended intermission. For ticket information, or to find out how to support performing arts in the community, please visit www.spartanburgrepertorycompany.org or call 864-583-2776, ext. 518.
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journal sketchbook
our community
community news, events and happenings
The First Tee of Spartanburg has awarded “Successful Kids” scholarships to three students, affording them the opportunity to learn character education and healthy activity through golf. Scholarship winners are recommended based on character traits, physical aptitude and financial need by local PE teachers participating in The First Tee National School Program. Winners receive paid-in-full tuition for one year of afterschool and summer programming at The First Tee of Spartanburg, affording them the opportunity to build on what they have learned in school through The First Tee Life Skills Experience, taught at The Creek and Woodfin Ridge Golf Clubs. “Successful Kids” Matt Garra (Pine Street Elementary), Audrey Foster (Inman Elementary) and Chavis Burrell (Jesse Boyd Elementary) are sponsored by Interflex LLC, the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Upstate Turfgrass Association. For information on school or student sponsorships, visit www.TheFirstTeeSpartanburg.org. The Glendale Outdoor School will sponsor Waterfall Hikes on August 25, featuring Riley Moore, Cedar Creek and Blue Hole Falls. The hikes are led by Master Naturalist Bobbie Whilhite. Riley Moore Falls includes a moderate, 2.4mile hike and is a 12-foot high waterfall with a large pool at the base of the fall that is perfect for swimming or a refreshing dip on hot summer days. Cedar Creek is located just above Blue Hole Falls. A moderately difficult, one-mile hike takes you to this stunning 75-foot waterfall. The hike begins at 10 a.m. and cost is $10, free for Palmetto Conservation Foundation members. For more information, call 803-771-0870 or visit www.palmettoconservation.org. Spartanburg Day School recently announced the appointment of Rita Harrell as athletic director. Harrell will oversee 13 sports, 24 teams, the school’s physical education program, and intramural and recreational activities. A native of Pittsburgh, Harrell has a career in athletics spanning 40 years. She is the former athletic director at Shannon Forest Christian School in Greenville, S.C., a school she joined in 1999 in the role of assistant AD and PE instructor and where she was promoted to athletic director in 2003. Harrell’s tenure was filled with impressive statistics, including seven North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) State Championships, 66 NCISAA All-State Players, 22 NCISAA Final 4 appearances, and 5 CAA Conference Championships. Harrell is also known for her own athletic career, having been inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Slippery Rock University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. If you are sponsoring a community event, we want to share your news. Submit entries to spartanburgcommunity@thespartanburgjournal.com
scene. here.
the week in the local arts world
The Spartanburg Regional Historical Association presents an opportunity for the public to visit Seay House, the oldest house in Spartanburg, on Saturday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Located at 106 Darby Road just off Crescent Avenue, this home showcases the dwelling of a local farmstead managed and maintained by three maiden Seay sisters in the late 1800s. The event is free, but donations are much appreciated. For more information, call 542-ARTS. The Spartanburg Youth Theatre is offering an audition workshop for “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” on Saturday, Aug. 18, 9 a.m.-noon, to help children and teenagers get over their pre-audition jitters. Actors will have an opportunity to read from the script and work with the director. Grades 3-12 welcome. $25, and pre-registration is required. In addition, The Spartanburg Youth Theatre will hold auditions for its production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 20 and 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Chapman Cultural Center. Auditions are open to third through twelfth graders. Participants must bring a photo (headshot) and arrive at least 15 minutes early to fill out necessary information sheets. Actors should wear clothes and shoes that are comfortable to move around in and must present a one-minute monologue. Callbacks will be held on Thursday, Aug. 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information, call 542-ARTS. As part of its Music Sandwiched In series, The Music Foundation of Spartanburg presents Fayssoux McLean, who will play country music at this free lunchtime concert at the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters on Wednesday, Aug. 22, starting at 12:15 p.m. Bring your lunch or buy one there. For more information, call 542-ARTS. The Spartanburg County History Museum will present a lunch and learn event on Friday, Aug. 24, at 12:30 p.m. at the Chapman Cultural Center. Guest speaker Tom Wingo will share how he has traced his Spartanburg family roots and some surprising connections along the way. Cost is $5. For more information, call 542-ARTS. The Spartanburg Little Theatre recently announced its upcoming 2012-2013 season, featuring enduring favorites by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Tennessee Williams and modern classics like “Chicago” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Scheduled shows include “The King and I,” Sept. 7-16; “Moonlight and Magnolias,” Nov. 2-11; “Chicago,” Jan. 11-20, 2013; “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” March 8-17, 2013; and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” May 3-12, 2013. The theatre is offering a season ticket package that includes tickets for all five shows for the price of four. Seniors and students will get all five shows for less than the price of four. Call the Spartanburg Little Theatre at 864-585-8278 for more information or to order season tickets. Send us your arts announcement. E-mail: spartanburgarts@thespartanburgjournal.com
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MENDEL HAWKINS BUILDER INC REGIONS BANK LAUER, JOSEPH L MENDEL HAWKINS BUILDER INC S C PILLON HOMES INC SLOAN, TRAVIS K ENCHANTED CONSTRUCTION LLC RUEGG, JOHN STARKEY, DAVID SOTO, JEREMY ADAMS HOMES AEC LLC TAYLOR, GARY SMITH JR, LARRY WAYNE BOTTSFORD, JANE G BREWER, RONNIE A WILLIAMS, ROBERT D WOODWARD, WENDELL OLIVER MIDFIRST BANK ARBUCKLE, ANNE C MELNIK, GENANADIY FAULKNER, JASON C FICKEN, SUSAN F BROWN SR, TIMOTHY J LECLAIR, EUGENE F SISK, DAWN W MANN, JACKIE K TAYLOR, JARED GLENN MENEFEE, AMANDA BROWN, JANE B RODGER C JARRELL REAL ESTATE FANT, STANLEY E FANNIE MAE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CLARDY, JOYCE C FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE SWAFFORD, JESSE W DILL, CHRISTOPHER B PALMER, ERECK D DECKER, RICHARD A HSBC MORTGAGE SERVICES INC METZ, CHRISTINE J ESTATE OF PHILLIP A SEIFERT
HAWK CREEK DILLARD CREEK CROSSING HOLLY BELLE GLENLAKE BENT CREEK SALEM ESTATES RIVER FALLS PLANTATION SPRING LAKE MILLSTONE KINGSLEY PARK COBBLESTONE HOLLY HILLS EVANWOOD THE ARBOURS ARBOR CREEK MONTGOMERY LAKE SEAY RIDGE FARMS WELLINGTON ESTATES RIVER RUN JOHNSON FIELDS WILLOWBROOK RIDGE CRESTVIEW HILLS FAWN BRANCH PINEWOOD SOUTH STILLPOINTE STARCREST TYGER WOODS SUMMER COURT FAWN BRANCH WADSWORTH HILLS WEST FOREST FAWN BRANCH WOODSBERRY
BUYER
ADDRESS
WILKINS, HUBERT E 567 VERDAE DR PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE DEVELOP 2210 BOILING SPRINGS RD MONTGOMERY, WILLIAM J 368 CONNECTICUT AVE STARKEY, DAVID 429 SOUTH OAKLEY LN JACQMEIN, WILLIAM R 523 HORTON GROVE RD POLSON, LONNIE R 550 HOLLY BELLE DR MELENDEZ, OSCAR VAZQUEZ 105 DEWFIELD LN HSBC BANK USA NATIONAL ASSOC 401 ROSEHAVEN WAY MENDEL HAWKINS BUILDER INC 105 COTSWOLD AVE RHODEN JR, WILLIAM G LOT NUMBER: 321 RIDINGS, KATHY M 332 THORNAPPLE DR PASCHAL, JAMES MATTHEW 115 FOSTER MILL RD VOGEL, KEVIN T 244 KINGSLEY PARK DR RUFF, MARK C 1000 SEVEN SPRINGS RD FORTNER, LUTHER W 420 COBBLESTONE DR SMITH, SHANTI SNEAD 145 HOLLY CIR GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG AIRPORT 3021 TAYLOR RD HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT 668 SHADOW DANCE LN BORNSTEIN, BETH LOT NUMBER: 85 HOLMES, JONATHAN W 570 ARBOR CREEK DR WELLS FARGO BANK NA 331 CONGAREE RD CUMBEE, JESSICA 139 SUMMER LADY LN BEAL BANK SSB 302 S SPRING ST GILLESPIE, JOHN CHARLES DAVID 168 MOSS LN FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE 253 RIVERRUN DR FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE 360 GRANNY DORIS BLVD NORWOOD, CRYSTAL L 210 COOL WATER CT SANDLIN, ROY T LOT NUMBER: 32 ELMORE, DANIEL C 439 LYMAN LAKE RD YEAGLIN, PAULA 578 FAWN BRANCH TRL QUESNEL, WAYNE 114 WOODRUFF CT CREEL, BRANDON 318 FISHER LAKE RD IREY, BRIAN J 103 BIG DIPPER PRUITT, JENITA A 25 RAVENWOOD LN CARROLL, CASEY J 114 FERNWOOD DR NATIONAL RESIDENTIAL NOMINEE 9 SUMMER CT FARRIS, MATTHEW W 107 SHINING ROCK CT BELL, WANDA 104 MANCHESTER DR COLEMAN, LOREN 140 WEST FOREST DR PADRON, HUMBERTO 112 SHINING ROCK CT FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE 522 FOREST SHOALS LN HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMEN 215 EMERALD WAY
18 S P A R T A N B U R G J O U R N A L | AUGUST 10, 2012
W i l s o n F e r r y, M o o r e , S C Look forward to coming home to Wilson Ferry located on the Tyger River! With great amenities such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, and tennis courts, you may never want to leave home. But, if you do, you’ll find yourself just minutes
away from schools, shopping, restaurants, and more. Wilson Ferry features established homes, new construction, and beautiful wooded and/or waterfront lots from which you can choose.
NEIGHBORHOOD INFO 12 Month Average Home Price: $210,000 Amenities: Clubhouse, Swimming Pool, Tennis Courts Schools: River Ridge Elementary Berry Shoals Intermediate James F. Byrnes High School
HISTORIC HOME SALES $2
80
1 $2 $1
0,0
40
$7
,00
00
,00
0,0
0
0
00 0 20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
$108,533
SELLER
$525,000 $512,000 $330,000 $310,000 $243,977 $191,500 $187,900 $175,500 $174,000 $173,500 $171,634 $156,500 $156,000 $152,500 $150,000 $148,500 $142,500 $138,181 $136,900 $136,000 $135,000 $133,500 $129,978 $125,000 $125,000 $120,000 $112,000 $110,000 $110,000 $109,900 $108,000 $102,500 $98,500 $98,000 $98,000 $98,000 $97,300 $97,000 $96,000 $95,750 $95,000 $89,225
$180,240
PRICE
WOODRIDGE
$200,713
SUBD.
2012
$246,572
15-21,
$101,143
MARCH
20
11
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AUGUST 10, 2012 | S P A R T A N B U R G J O U R N A L 19
JOURNAL SKETCHBOOK
Less than an inch. The difference between off and on. For you, there is no in-between. Just today’s grass to trim and game to watch. You don’t think about everything that goes into powering that switch. Because we do.
20 SPARTANBURG JOURNAL | AUGUST 10, 2012
journal sketchbook
the week in photos
look who’s in the journal this week
megan rudolph/contributing
Crossword puzzle: page 22
Sudoku puzzle: page 22
megan rudolph/contributing
megan rudolph/contributing
Dressed for Harry’s Magic Camp are, from left, Molly Jones, Susie Wright and Clara Lowe.
Zachary Van Pelt, Porter Martin and Grayson Atkins came to Harry’s Magic Camp at the Spartanburg Science Center as Harry Potter. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office brought its bomb disposal robot to the Spartanburg Science Center’s Introduction to Robotics summer camp to demonstrate how the robot did its job. The weeklong camp introduced campers to robotics and let them build their own robot.
ONE Loan. ONE Lender. ONE Location. A Construction/Permanent Loan Saves Time & Money.
Kids who participated in Spartanburg Parks’ summer playground program were treated to a fun day at Cleveland Park complete with lunch, games, inflatables and a concert. Here participants from the program perform one of the songs they learned this summer.
Greg Beckner / Staff
Greg Beckner / Staff
Jayden Camp, 10, right, lets the inland bearded dragon climb on her while her friend Kadence Jones, 6, left, pets the lizard and Zi Bonds, 10, center, looks on. The three were on a field trip to the science center with their class from Piedmont Community Actions Jump Start Camp.
Building your dream home? The ONE loan you’ll need is a Construction/Permanent Loan from CBL. It’s conveniently structured so that the construction financing converts to a permanent mortgage when your house is finished. Plus you have the ability to lock in a favorable interest rate during the construction period. Instead of spending time and money finding a second loan or paying a second set of closing costs, apply for one loan, from one lender at one location. Call one of CBL’s loan specialists, Donna McMakin or Selena Ridings at 877-2054 for details.
David Hunter, summer intern with the Spartanburg Science Center, keeps an eye on an inland bearded dragon. Native to Australia, the lizard eats a combination of meat and plants.
(864) 877-2054
•
229 Trade Street
•
Greer, SC 29651
AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG Journal 21
journal sketchbook
figure. this. out. Beg your pardon?
By John Lampkin
Shop local. It Matters. BehindTheCounterONLINE.com
COMING AUGUST 17-26
FEST
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Feed Your Inner Food Enthusiast 22 SPARTANBURG Journal | AUGUST 10, 2012
Across 1 Greengrocer’s stock 8 “Piano Man” singer 12 Head honcho 16 Down-in-the-mouth org.? 19 Classic mouthwash 20 Sell short 22 L.A. Times section? 23 Slapstick comic’s apology ... or is it? 25 DJIA stock 26 British peer 27 Actor Morales 28 Smashing target 29 Suckling babe 31 Western evergreen 33 CD-__ 35 __ Plaines, Illinois 37 Muskogee’s st. 38 N.Y.C. medical facility grantor 39 New Year’s Eve techie’s apology ... or is it? 44 “Mad Money” network 46 Certain 47 Gave the nod 48 Tempo 51 Conducted 53 Fruit zest 55 Sneaky 56 Kind 59 Proud liberal’s apology ... or is it? 63 Soccer ball juggler 64 Dragonfly snare
65 Albatross’s milieu 66 Prefix with gram 67 Composer Rachmaninoff 69 First name in Prohibition history 71 Sciences’ partner 73 Ball girls 75 Agreements 76 Bubbly drinks 78 Tavern in the same city as Krusty Burger 80 Capital of India 82 Slowing, in scores 83 111 digits 84 Army cook’s apology ... or is it? 88 Cartoon canine 89 Half a cocktail 90 City near Provo 91 Ditty syllable 92 “Remote Control” host Ken 93 Muscular jerks 96 Shorten, as nails 98 Auto designer Ferrari 100 Zen Buddhist’s apology ... or is it? 104 Newton with laws 108 Writer Ephron 109 Orbiter until 2001 110 67.5 deg. 111 Inedible buffet jelly 112 Shell shooter 115 Frat frock 118 Set down 120 Gear components 121 Lyric poem
122 Nostalgic seismologist’s apology ... or is it? 126 Boom lead-in 127 Saying “You can say that again!” again, say 128 Victim of river diversion in Asia 129 Lunar New Year 130 Mounted on 131 Prevent littering? 132 Tailgaters’ carriers Down 1 Nut grippers 2 San __, city near San Francisco 3 Go too far 4 Like young Shirley Temple 5 Surfer’s destination 6 Apple product 7 Those, to Juan 8 Subordinates 9 Lennon’s lady 10 Poet __ St. Vincent Millay 11 Riga native 12 Doc wannabes 13 British rule in India 14 British prep school 15 Indian cattle 16 Aleutian Islands crustacean 17 “Go on” 18 Star-shaped 21 __ Island
24 Annie, vis-à-vis Daddy Warbucks 30 “__Cop” 32 Country retreat 34 Cry over 36 Hidden supply 39 Summer cooler 40 Overly fussy types
Very Hard
41 Booth Tarkington kid 42 Sword handles 43 Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 45 Faction 48 Desire intensely 49 Barbershop quartet sweetie
50 Vigilante’s collar 52 Greg’s sitcom wife 54 Bistro patrons 57 Current with the wind 58 Tush 60 Something to take or play 61 From A to Z 62 Lose it all 63 Malay Peninsula’s Isthmus of __ 68 Fencing weapon 70 U.S. pint’s 16 72 Go through 74 Church points 77 Sound of breakers 79 Refine, as ore 81 “Thirteen” star __ Rachel Wood 85 Stereotypical sidelines greeting 86 Author Zola 87 Hunter’s bull attractor 89 Yoga class need 94 Coll. prep exam 95 Gets dressed for the launch 97 Fine, for instance 99 Complexion spoiler 100 Like the hub, relatively 101 Stereotypical surfer’s wagon 102 Mature 103 Hawk 105 Excite 106 One playing the bass? 107 Sportscaster Bob 111 Start to foam? 113 Gillette Mach3 forerunner 114 Art of publ. speaking 116 Gallivants 117 “Hurry!” 119 Apple on a desk 123 Agreement to enter an institution? 124 Literary collection 125 Schwarz of toys Crossword answers: page 21
Sudoku answers: page 21
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.
Beat the Heat!
(Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff!)
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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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-
AUGUST 10, 2012 | SPARTANBURG JOURNAL 23
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