The Greenville News du lieu suivant : Greenville, South Carolina • Page 4

UPSTATE 2C (The Cnrnurille News Thursday, July 6, 1 989 bifl Board of trustees release Watson from his contract By Alexandra Alger News Greenwood bureau GREENWOOD The School District 50 board of trustees on Wednesday released Superinten dent Dr. Robert Watson from his contract and chose Dr. Michael McKenzie as acting superinten be assistant principal at South-side. Sharon Woolbright, a principal apprentice at Southside, will become a curriculum coordinator. The salaries for all four are in the range of $34,000 to $38,000.

Trustee John Still voted against the appointments. Among the seven trustees present was Al Green, one of the two new members of the board elected in May. Evelyn Irwin, the board's other new member, and Gene Pinson, could not attend the meeting. dent. approved the appointment of three assistant principals and a curriculum coordinator.

The board voted 7-0 to release Watson from his contract as superintendent of schools so that he can accept a similar position in Traverse City, Mich. Board Chairman Bill Patrick said McKenzie would return to his post as associate superintendent for at least one year after a new superintendent was chosen. The board will begin its search for a permanent replacement for Watson by advertising the job. "The first task is to begin advertising so qualified candidates will know of the position and apply," Patrick said. There was no discussion of a deadline or whether the board would create a search committee.

Trustee Richard Stowe said after the meeting that the board would probably discuss how exactly to proceed at its July 17 meeting. "We hope to be able to fill the position as soon as possible," he said, but added, "Our main concern is to find the most qualified applicant." By 6-1 votes, the board approved the administration's recommendations for two assistant principals at Greenwood High School, one assistant princi pal at Southside Junior High School and a curriculum coordinator for Southside. Carolyn Patterson, currently an English teacher at the high school; and Ulysses Simpkins, a physical education teacher in Marlboro County; were appointed assistant principals at Greenwood High School. Brenda Boykin, a one-time assistant principal at the Belton-Honea Path Middle School, will McKenzie, who has served associate superintendent for in struction for three years, will re place Watson on July 28. The board, with seven of its nine members present, also Women prisoners could fill Cross Hill given paramedic service for holiday weekend Community may eventually require substation, official says work camps mm? By Tamara L.

Aldus News staff writer Some of the prison work camps planned for South Carolina could house women inmates rather than men, and they might include the camp proposed for Greenville County, according to local and state Department of Corrections officials. Francis X. Archibald said recently that because of a population crunch in the number of women prisoners entering the state prison system, the department must look at the work camps as a quick-fix solution. The first work camp being built in Greenwood, near the Women's Correctional Center, likely will be used at least on a temporary basis by August to house 96 female prisoners. The state's only women's pris By April Mooref ield News Clinton bureau LAURENS Even if only for one week, Cross Hill residents had claim to their own Laurens County Emergency Medical Service substation.

But as of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, residents of the community bordering Lake Greenwood could once again anticipate a 15-minute arrival time for ambulances. Preparing for Independence Day celebrations, Laurens County Council approved a request by residents to locate an EMS crew in Cross Hill over the holiday. So beginning at 5 p.m. June 30, a two-man crew including at least one paramedic was on the scene in Cross Hill around the clock.

"Everything went extremely well," said Laurens County EMS Director Tom Watson. "I was very impressed with the community's effort to make us feel welcome." County Council allocated $1,000 to cover salaries. But the rest including sleeping facilities, as well as all meals was provided by Cross Hill residents, Watson said. Usually, calls from the Cross Hill area, which includes Mount-ville and Waterloo, are handled by EMS crews from the Laurens headquarters or the Clinton substation, Watson said. "The major problem we face without a unit in that area is response time," he said.

"Of course, it isn't any longer getting there than getting to some other areas of the county." Three EMS offices the head-' quarters in Laurens and sub-f stations in Clinton and Gray Court handle all 712 square miles of Laurens County. But because it costs $150,000 to $200,000 a year to operate one ambulance, it isn't economically feasible to locate a substation in Cross Hill. "Right now the call volume does not require that," Watson said. But it could eventually come to that, he said. A state Department of Health and Environmental Control study completed three years ago shows the Cross Hill section as being the next area in Laurens County requiring a substation, Watson said.

"That area is a high growth area because of Lake Greenwood, and the widening of S.C. Highway 72," he said. "But right now the problem is the amount of money." While in Cross Hill, the EMS crew responded to two calls. According to run sheets, one person reported respiratory distress. The second call was cardiac-related, a "I'd like to have an ambulance in everyone's back yard," Watson said.

"I think we are doing fairly well with what we have. But when call volumes start increasing, we'll have to start looking at something else." on has 233 prisoners more than the authorized number of beds, Archibald said. Although the day rooms have been converted, plans are under way to convert half of the gymnasium to house 60 more women inmates. "If the population continues to grow at the rate that it is growing overall, we're going to have to have some real problems, Archibald said. "We 11 probably have to do that, we will probably will have to use some of those NEWS IN BRIEF THE NEWS ALAN DEVORSEY UPSTATE Support work Construction workers prepare structural pleted near the end of this year, the station will steel for perimeter support beams on the 53,000 be the central transfer station for the bus serv- transfer station for the Greenville Transit Au- ice.

thority in downtown Greenville. When com- Anderson EMS study expected soon County Council wants to restructure department work camps for women." He said he does not expect any problems from making some of the work camps to house females. He said women as well as man could do the kind of tasks envisioned, such as clearing brush, cutting grass and picking up litter. Five prison camps have been approved, not including the camp officials are negotiating to build at Greenville County's Blue Ridge camp. Ten camps are proposed.

"Archibald said Greenville County is "certainly definitely in the running. They are a strong candidate because they could put the inmates to work. But it's going to depend on the availability of the fund for the construction and the operating of them." The county, too, is negotiating with the state to give it the land, while the state provides additional beds for county prisoners. we might try to do is bLiild these work camps as fast as we can because we can build them pretty quick. We're talking about the possibility of converting two more into women's places," Archibald said.

No decisions have been made about which work camps would be converted, he said. "It's just surprising to us that we're getting so many women in, but then again it is just part of the population explosion that we're facing." Archibald said Corrections Commissioners are working with the state Budget and Control Board and legislative leaders to accelerate the prison construction program. A new men's prison will open in Marlboro County this summer, while a new 384-bed women's prison will likely open in January, 1991. Anderson County has been elected chairman of the Partnership for Academic and Career Education coordinating board at Tri-County Technical College. Roy Herron is succeeding Bill Chaiken, whose two-year term expired in May.

PACE is a business-education program, organized in 1987, to implement Tri-County Tech preparatory programs in local high schools and to expand career opportunities for students who do not pursue baccalaureate degrees. Tech Prep courses prepare students for certain entry-level jobs after high school graduation or for two-year college degree programs in industrialengineering programs. Official takes Moncks Corner post Greenville County's intergovernmental affairs manager will become the city administrator of Moncks Corner, the county seat of Berkeley County. Marion Graham will begin his new job July 31 after nearly nine years with Greenville County. He will supervise 45 employees and manage a $1.3 million budget.

He said Wednesday he is leaving "with mixed feelings." He will leave his Greenville job July 21. Greenville County Administrator Bill Estabrook said, "He's been a hard worker for me. I wish him all the well." Laurens boy drowns in pool An 11-year-old Laurens County boy drowned Wednesday in the wave pool at the Carowinds theme park near Charlotte, according to the Mecklenburg County Police Department. Rodney Gerald Ligon of Cross Hill was swimming in the 8-foot-deep section of the pool at 12:50 p.m. when a lifeguard noticed him struggling to keep above water, Capt.

D.L. Skipper said. Lifeguards pulled him out of the pool and began trying to resuscitate him, Skipper said. He was transported by helicopter to Charlotte Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:42 p.m. Officials drop murder charges WALHALLA Charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and assault against a West Union have been dismissed, according to the 10th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Officials have determined that 29-year-old Donnie Donald was not a willing participant in the shooting of 22-year-old Cecil Ray Rogers last November, Deputy Solicitor Tommy Edwards said. Group selects Anderson official PENDLETON The superintendent of School District 3 in long run," Cahaly said. "And it will give them (EMS) a budget they can count on." County Administrator David Watson said he was waiting on the committee's report before any changes are made in the EMS system. "I think we've got adequate coverage now," Watson said. "I don't see the need for any dramatic changes." In the meantime, EMS Supervisor-Training Director David Stastny will continue to handle the day-to-day administrative duties in the department, Watson said.

A permanent department head may be appointed later, Watson said. "I think there's a genuine interest on the part of the council in trying to do what is right for EMS," he said. When council decided to By Elaine Ellison News Belton-Honea Path bureau BELTON A study on how to restructure Anderson County's Emergency Medical Services as a department should be completed within a month, County Council member Elise Cahaly said Wednesday. As part of the study, Cahaly said EMS systems in other Upstate counties are being examined to determine how Ander-son County's new EMS department will function. The County Council voted two weeks ago to decrease most of the EMS Commission's authority, and change the EMS system to a department under the council's control.

Cahaly and Councilman David Hooper are on a committee appointed to study the changeover. "I think it will be better in the change the EMS system to a county department, it took EMS commissioners by surprise. Most commissioners did not know about the change until several days after the council had voted, commissioners said. Until June 20, the EMS commission had the authority to set up a budget, consider squad problems and set policies, officials said. Now, the commission is only an advisory committee.

Councilman David Hooper said the change was partly a reaction to the commission's request to go under the control of the Anderson County Legislative Delegation instead of the County Council. In June the EMS commission had asked the delegation to assume budget control of EMS early. Post in limbo as council decides whether to rehire ex-manager News bureau listings Nws Circulation Anderson 225-6666 231-9978 Atlanta 404-378-1088 Betton-HonM Path 338-8023 231-9978 Clemson 6644342 882-7243 Clinton 833-3576 833-2070 Polumbta 256-7367 771-4902 Easley 859-0071 298-4100 Greenwood 223-9616 223-6769 Grew 879-7924 298-4100 Laurens 833-3576 833-2070 Lymerv-Welltoro-Ouncan 877-3720 583-6285 Oconee County 885-0636 882-7243 Pickena 868-2815 878-7784 Spartanburg 591-3356 583-6285 Washington 202-737-4092 Wtltiamston-Pcmttorwnta 947-1 383 231-9978 description of the downtown manager was changed to include performing some duties as a regular town employee, Shumacher said. The downtown managerplanner will work half time for the association in administering the Small Towns program, and half time for the town in searching for grants to benefit Walhalla, Shumacher said. la has participated in the Small Towns revitalization program.

The town government has provided funding to the Walhalla Downtown Association, a private organization, to pay a downtown manager. The council recently agreed to continue providing funding for the manager's salary in the town's 1989-90 budget, but only if the job By Randall Holcombe New Ocons buraau WALHALLA The new downtown managerplanner position in Walhalla will remain vacant until the Town Council decides whether to rehire the former manager, officials said Councilman Craig Schumacher, chairman of the council's Fi- nance Committee, said the committee might meet later this week to discuss filling the position, and make a recommendation to the full council. Vickie Satterfield, Walhalla's downtown manager for the past two years, found herself without a job Saturday when the town's new budget went into effect. For the past four years, Walhal The council chose to go through the advertising and hiring process for the new position because the downtown manager's position has never been legally advertised, Shumacher said. The town accepted applications for the managerplanner position through noon Monday.

Mrs. Satterfield was the only applicant for that job, according to town ClerkTreasurer Lamar Bailes..