Star & Enterprise Letters to Editors

Writer shares letter with interim administrator; He shares reply

Dear Mr. Williams,

Minutes after the county council meeting e-mails started flying back and forth about your decision to support John Rogers proposal. I would like to know why you are supporting him?

I am a resident of Marion. I met Jen Nall at the last County Council meeting. My wife and I have been helping out Jen Nall for a few weeks now — helping her pull dogs from the shelter in Marion. As a professional photographer I tried to help out by taking pictures at the shelter for the Humane Society, Paws to the Rescue, and for posting on Petfinder.

As you are aware I was stopped from taking pictures at the shelter by Jerry Coleman. When I questioned the legal right of the County to stop me from taking pictures on public property  I was told that the final decision was with you. I called your office, you never returned my call. Later when I was stopped from taking notes at the shelter I called a lawyer who advised me to ask Jerry Coleman to speak with the lawyer for the county as it is not illegal to take pictures or write notes on public property. That issue has been resolved thanks to Tim Pogue, the county attorney.

As a citizen of Marion I can not understand how you can support Mr. Rogers. Jen Nall has rescued more than 400 dogs from the shelter in the past two years. On her free time Jen works constantly with rescue groups all over the country setting up rescues and arraigning transportation for dogs and cats. What has John Rogers done? ...

Today, you and I met accidentally out at the Marion County Animal shelter. You made a comment to Jason, Kenny, and I that “the shelter looks great, a lot better than it did.” That comment shocked me. I wanted to ask you what you meant by that ...

I took this picture shortly after you left the shelter of this little puppy in one of the holding cells. It doesn’t look too great for him. Actually, what you don’t see in the picture are the 20 puppies that were in the cell yesterday. My wife and I “pulled” them from the shelter last night. The 20 puppies we pulled were taken to the temporary holding shelter in Little River used by Paws to the Rescue. Therefore, saying it looks great is partially thanks to Paws to the Rescue.

I hope you don’t lose the interest of Paws to the Rescue. There are a lot of people in this country that think she’s doing something really incredible.

I ask that you reconsider your endorsement. I think if you chose Paws to the Rescue you’ll find that Marion County will immediately have a shelter to be proud of.  Please think.

Brian Nolan

Dear Mr. Nolan,

Thank you for contacting me about your concerns for the Marion County Animal Shelter. As the Deputy County Administrator and Interim County Administrator, working closely with Marion County Council, I have been updated and involved in the quality of care our strays are receiving at the shelter.

I firmly stand by my comments that “the shelter looks great — a lot better than it did.” I was impressed by the cleanliness, appearance and improved smell around the facility. It is much more inviting to the citizens who frequent the animal shelter.

I have worked closely with Marion County Animal Shelter over the past eight years and I know that conditions have not always been ideal. However, I firmly believe that we have made tremendous strides in improving the quality of care and sanitation that is present at the animal shelter. In the past 30 days or so, county council members and their guests have visited the facility.

Most recently, one of our council members brought a past director from an animal shelter in NY to visit our facility, and they both commented that the shelter was looking the best they had ever seen it. We know it is not perfect, but as a community we are continually making progress to make our facility the best it can possibly be. Any time we see animals that have been mistreated, neglected, abused and they are captured and living in the cages at the shelter, it is disturbing to most. Unfortunately, these poor animals have been abandoned and prior to their arrival at our shelter, their chances for survival were slim.

We welcome visitors out to the facility. I know there was some confusion with your visit to the shelter and I am sorry that this miscommunication occurred.  I want to be very clear that our citizens are welcome at anytime at the animal shelter.  We are not trying to disguise or hide anything, simply trying to continue to provide improved care to our strays.

I have not endorsed any party to take over the management of our facility. This decision rests solely in the hands of our elected County Council members, if you review the minutes from the last Committee #2 meeting, you will see that I recommended that we spend additional time reviewing the proposals from both Jennifer Nall with Paws to the Rescue and John Rogers with the SPAC. Once the County Council has the chance to study these proposals, I recommended that they make a decision for the management of the facility for the next budget year, of 2008-09. I am a firm believer in due diligence, in examining all sides of an issue and making educated, thoughtful decisions.

The program and funds for this year are already in place, improvements are being made and we certainly want the opportunity to entertain all viable solutions for the upcoming year. If you review the minutes from the meeting, you will see that Ms. Nall was actually the most insistent that a decision to change be made immediately. I never endorsed neither her program nor Mr. Rogers. I simply expressed the recommendation that more research be completed.

Personally, I place the quality of care for the animals as my and the county’s primary concern, and I hope and trust that is where your priorities also lie.

Again, I want to emphasize that I stand by comments about the improved conditions at the shelter. We appreciate the time and devotion to our local strays that Ms. Nall and Paws to the Rescue have demonstrated. By removing and placing many strays through her program, this has helped to alleviate the crowded conditions that have existed at the facility in the past. This lower population has aided the shelter as they make improvements to the animal’s physical environment. While it is important to raise local awareness to the plight of our strays, it is also important that all the facets of the issue are discussed and accurate. Please feel free to visit the county office to obtain minutes from the recent meetings on this topic.

Any future concerns about the shelter should be directed to Mr. Tim Harper, our new county administrator.

Kent Williams

Writer thanks community

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the opportunity to share with the citizens of Marion how much we appreciate each and every expression of love shown to our family during Rupert’s illness and passing. The delicious food in abundance, phone calls, encouraging cards, sweet visits, and above everything else, your prayers were all a tremendous blessing to our family. We praise the Lord for Rupert’s life and for the blessed assurance we have in Jesus Christ and we thank you for the many ways you brought comfort to our family. Your thoughtfulness will be remembered always. May God return to you the kindness you have shown to us.

With love and gratitude,

The Rupert L. Cooper Family

Swamp Foxes wrestlers need your assistance for rare New York experience

 Marion School District 1’s Marion High School wrestling team has been given a fantastic opportunity to travel to New York to wrestle in a dual match against Salamanca High School, my alma mater.  This trip will enable Marion students to be involved in a positive experience that will introduce them to many new and exciting opportunities outside of Marion, South Carolina. A few of the differences:

A difference in Climate: Typically, western New York will be between 10 to 35 degrees, with snow in the air and on the ground. Plans are being made to provide winter clothing, including jackets, hats, gloves, long under wear, etc., for the Marion wrestlers. They will learn that being properly dressed for the cold is a factor in daily life. They will also learn that with the cold, comes snow, which again, when properly dressed, can be very exciting. Besides the basic enjoyment of being in the snow for building snow sculptures (snowmen) and throwing snowballs, arrangements are being made to take everyone “snow tubing,” where you ride an air tube down a snow covered hill. If time and snow permit, cross country skiing may also be available.

A difference in Geography: The travel north itself will introduce the students to the differences between the flat lands of South Carolina, through the mountains of Pennsylvania, to the western New York foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Marion Wrestlers will visit an Alpaca farm nestled in these hills. Besides learning about these unique animals from South America they will have the opportunity to hike in the forest that covers the hillside, and perhaps witness many of the wild game that inhabit these woods, including white tail deer, coyote, fox, black bear, rabbits, squirrels and many others.

 A difference in Culture: Marion wrestlers will have the opportunity to spend much of the time with students from western New York, as activities are being planned to include wrestlers from both schools. This will be a valuable experience for both groups, in comparing the differences in language and lifestyle, realizing all they have in common besides the sport of wrestling. Salamanca is also located on the Seneca Indian Reservation, where plans are being made to visit the Iroquois National Museum, as well as being entertained by the Seneca dancers at a planned reception. The Seneca Nation is excited about hosting a group from the south, and looking for other activities to enrich their stay.

    A trip to Niagara Falls, one of the “seven wonders of the world” is planned. It is not sure yet as to whether they will be able to cross into Canada to see the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side. But no matter which side they view the falls from it is a spectacular site to behold!

The students will visit the University of Buffalo where they will attend a wrestling clinic sponsored by the coaches of the Division One wrestling program. A dual meet is scheduled against Salamanca High School. My name is printed on the wrestling mat in honor of my accomplishments at the school. The Swamp Fox wrestlers will compete against the highly ranked warriors of Salamanca. The squad has a strong history of outstanding wrestling.

In the light of recent problems regarding gang activity in Marion, this trip will afford these students the opportunity to be involved in a very positive activity and introduce them to a world outside the city of Marion.

Wrestling, by its very nature teaches young men discipline and self-respect. That will stay with them for a lifetime and enable them to apply those disciplines to higher work forces outside of High School.

This trip is a very simple way to demonstrate to our young men that the City of Marion and Marion School District One can provide a meaningful way to let them experience cultural differences outside of the classroom.

The Salamanca School District, city of Salamanca, New York, Seneca Nation of Indians,Warrior Wrestling team, and booster club are all excited about hosting this event and have dedicated themselves to making this a “special something” for all involved. Many plans have been made and more are being developed to insure that the Marion students have a pleasurable and educational experience.

THE COMMUNITY’s financial support is needed to Charter a bus for this trip. Please help in anyway that you can.  Please note: Plans and arrangements have been made, but the Swamp Foxes wrestlers need your assistance to be able to finance the trip. The squad is attempting to charter a bus and will be staying four nights in upstate New York. To help with this endeavor, contact me,

Coach Michael Steinbar

(843) 423 -8360

601 Gurley St., Marion

Writer applauds Star Academy program

Dear Editor,

As a teacher in Marion District 1 and an aunt of a successful STAR Academy student in Pickens, I see the need for this program here. My nephew has gone from failing 6th, 7th, and 8th grade to becoming a successful student who will be in the 10th grade next year, having passed 8th and 9th in one year.

I am proud of his accomplishments and would love to see the STAR program in Marion.

Nancy Stone, 5th Grade ELA/SS Marion Intermediate School

Writer applauds Star Academy program

Dear Editor,

Recent events involving the Carolina Entertainment Complex have compelled me to write.

Do you know the citizens of Marion County were hired to work for nothing? Well, as it stands right now (Oct. 30) that is what has taken place.

Citizens of our county were hired to perform services for recent shows at the complex,  and have yet to be paid. Numerous calls to the Complex office has led these same citizens to believe that an organization out of North Carolina is responsible for this, and that they shoulder no responsibility for it because they paid that group immediately after the shows. Our citizens have heard excuses such as, “they had to set up payrolls for over 200 people,”  “Checks for the first show were mailed Tuesday (Oct. 23) and the second one should be mailed Friday...” (Oct 25), yet nothing has shown up. As of today, the organization that the complex used to hire these people has stated that the Entertainment Complex gave them the wrong payroll information and that the checks will be mailed out late this week or early next week!  Over 200 people of our communities are affected by these actions and it is not fair to them at all!  

All I am asking of the Entertainment Complex is to step up to the plate, shoulder the responsibility, and make sure these individuals are compensated. Doing this may gain them the credibility they are going to need to be a success in our community.

I applaud the organization for bringing jobs to our area, but it may be very difficult to find someone to work for nothing in the future.

Sincerely,

Mike Hutto

Mullins

Editor’s Note:

A few of the folks who recently worked at two concerts at Carolina Entertainment Complex may have experienced a glitch in getting their pay checks. But overall, the ability to pay 300 or so temporary workers was a smooth one, and not to be confused with the non-payment of employees under previous owners.

We contacted Jeff Sasser of Workforce America in Charlotte, the group the Amphitheater owners contracted with for the payroll and venue operations. This is what he had to say.

“As of Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, all applications and time sheets have been processed and checks were mailed out on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I would simply add, as one might expect on such a huge project, we did experience some address errors and incomplete information which resulted in quite a few checks being returned by the post office. 

“We sincerely hope everyone has received their checks by now and should contact me directly  if they have not. I can be reached at (910) 578-7490.

Respectfully submitted, Jeff Sasser, CEO,  WFA Inc., (910) 578-7490.

Hutto said that as of Nov. 3, the workers he was referring to did receive a check for the second show, but still had not received one from the first show ... He continues in an e-mail: “I have been to, and enjoyed, three shows since they opened, and I want the amphitheater to be a success. But to a county that is starved for jobs, they need to gain credibility with the community so they can achieve that success...”

Support the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County

Dear Editor,

Over the past couple months there has been an effort by some concerned citizens (mostly blacks) of Marion County to establish a Boys and Girls Club for the children of Marion County. Unfortunately, I have not seen or heard any comments coming from our local elected officials (mayors, city and county council persons) and, or, the white citizens of this county voicing their opinion either for or against the idea. Is there a feeling that this boys and girls club will only be for blacks?

Are black children the only ones in this county having problems, economically, socially, educationally? Does the community not understand that the establishment of this club will be for all children? Daily we see our young children, white and black, being brought before some judge for some rule infraction, be it large or small. Daily we read that our education system is at the bottom or near the bottom compared to other states. In an article written in The State newspaper dated Oct. 30, titled “Dropout Factories,” it is indicated that more than half of S.C. high schools are given this undesirable label. At what point do we say, enough is enough and make the effort to do something about it.

I realize that the establishment of a Boys and Girls club is not a cure all for all the problems that we encounter, but, if we make the effort, there is no telling what we can accomplish. We need parent involvement, black, white or whatever your ethnic background.

As a child growing up in a segregated society, I was fortunate to live in a southern city that had a boys club. That city also had a YWCA (Young Women Christian Association). Those organizations had the backing of black leaders of that time. We had the support of our local teachers, our community and our parents. The key word to all of this is parent involvement.

As a parent of a child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, etc., are you willing to voice your support for the establishment of a Boys and Girls club? Are you willing to help your children by so doing? Are you willing to become a member of one of the various committees currently working to make this happen? If so, contact the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County, Post Office Box 1484, Marion or call (843) 615-3735.

Let us work to make this a reality.

Margie J. Lewis

Marion

Video showcases police brutality

Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter in regards to a video that has been circulating over the internet and recently received airplay on some national news networks such as CNN and the like. In my opinion, the events that transpire on this video are indicative of the steady march this country is making towards becoming an all-encompassing and oppressive police state. Although this is a trend that has been slowly growing for some time, this move has dramatically increased in the last few years.

The video mentioned above is the dash cam recording of a police officer brutally manhandling a 15 year old girl for being out after curfew. From beginning to end the video shows several instances in which the officer pulls and contorts her arms nearly to the breaking point, applying pressure to a wristlock, punching her, and pepper spraying her in the face so that she was no longer able to breathe. All the while, the girl is screaming in pain and calling for help. It is a classic example of police brutality and of how our society has allowed law enforcement agencies to gain entirely too much power.

Aside from the fact that Curfew Laws are entirely unconstitutional and bear a striking resemblance to laws enacted by Nazi Germany and other police states, this young girl was clearly too frightened by this officer to obey his incessant orders to place her hands behind her back. In light of the upsurge in this kind of behavior by police in this country, is there any wonder why so many people react out of fear when confronted by them?

Even so, in this case the victim was in no way reacting violently. Only after suffering wristlocks designed to cause intense pain as well as numerous contortions of her arms did she “bite him.” This reaction seems a normal one to me after the violence she was being subjected too. Nevertheless after this alleged biting, she was punched several times by this officer who then proceeded to pepper spray her until she was unable to breathe. In the end, and as always, the police chief determined that the officer “acted appropriately.” This girl was then charged with the original curfew violation, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer.

I cannot express in words the disgust I feel towards the officer involved or with this state sanctioned gang we call law enforcement. Yet it confounds me even further to describe the disgust I feel towards America’s reaction to such incidents. To my knowledge, there has been no public outcry over this event and, in fact, there seems to be a large portion of Americans who feel that the officer was justified in what he did.

I encourage everyone to take a look at this video for yourself and imagine that this girl is your daughter or sister, etc. because someday soon she might very well be. These incidents are not rare and isolated but occur everyday and go unpunished and unquestioned. Marion County is not an exception. Police are virtually never convicted in situations such as this,where excessive use of force is used. Even when caught on camera a jury rarely hands down a guilty verdict. In this country, the odds are stacked against the citizens, especially if he/she is poor. I ask that you wake up and see the light before it is too late. America must end its’ love affair with the cop and force these people and agencies to be accountable for their actions while we still have the ability to do so.

Brandon Turbeville

Mullins

Progress Energy official clarifies company’s tree trimming practices

Dear Editor,

Recently, there has been much written and discussed about Progress Energy’s tree trimming practices in Marion. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify why this practice is important to the region.

Providing our customers with safe, reliable, and affordable power is a primary goal at Progress Energy, and we must do so under state law. Trees and vegetation around power lines are the leading causes of power outages that affect us all. Therefore, Progress Energy has developed and implemented a comprehensive rights-of-way vegetation-management plan that includes tree pruning, tree removals, brush cutting, herbicide application, and tree-growth regulators. Progress Energy understands that implementing this plan requires balancing our responsibility to provide safe and reliable power with concern for the environment.

One of the best ways to reduce outages for customers is to maintain adequate clearance between trees and power lines by pruning on a regular basis. Pruning helps to ensure that your power stays on during normal weather days, as well as during gusty winds, thunderstorms, and wintry weather.

In addition to outage reduction, another reason to prune trees is customer safety, as well as the safety of Progress Energy employees and representatives. Tree limbs that are too close to, or in contact with, power lines may become energized. Limbs close to the lines may break and fall, bringing the power lines to the ground with them.

There are a number of critical facilities such as the Marion County Medical Center, public schools, fire and police stations, manufacturing plants like AVM and Blumenthal Mills, and other important city infrastructure that are served by the distribution lines, and keeping them clear of trees and branches helps ensure that the power stays on for everyone.

Managing trees in Marion and throughout a 34,000 square-mile service area requires continuous planning and implementation of proven techniques.

To maintain the health of your tree while establishing acceptable clearance between energized wires and tree branches, Progress Energy generally uses a technique called “directional pruning.” This technique was developed by the National Arborist Association, approved by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI), and adopted by the pruning industry as its standard. It is endorsed and promoted by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the International Society of Arboriculture. 

Our professional tree contractors are trained to perform the work to safely balance the need for reliable electric service while maintaining the health of our region’s beautiful trees.

If you have a concern about a specific tree on your property that is within a Progress Energy right of way, please call our customer service center at 1-800-452-2777 and schedule an individual appointment.

Moving forward, we will continue our long-standing commitment to serving the people of South Carolina - working closely with our local neighborhoods, community leaders and municipalities to ensure that we strike an appropriate balance between providing essential electric service and protecting the natural beauty of our region.

Mindy Taylor

Community Relations Manager

Progress Energy Carolinas