05/21 UDT Pgs 1,3,6,10:Layout 1 5/21/10 8:52 AM Page 1 Friday50¢ May 21, 2010 100% recycled newsprint The Union Daily Times To subscribe, call 427-1234 Your hometown newspaper in Union, South Carolina, since 1850 www.uniondailytimes.com Vol. 160, No. 100 Jonesville operations will Jonesville be consolidated into man drowns DISNEY’S Autopsy scheduled to Memphis location by be performed today July 2011; facility’s By CHARLES L. WARNER [email protected] employees notified of JONESVILLE — An autopsy will be performed today (Friday, May 21) on the plan Thursday body of a Jonesville man who DECISION drowned after falling off a float in a pond at his home By NATHAN CHRISTOPHEL Thursday evening. [email protected] Lonnie Joe Hughes, 47, County responds to news 154 Farm Lake Road, JONESVILLE — The more than 100 employees of the Disney Store Jonesville, was pulled from a Distribution Center in Jonesville have been notified their facility will be consoli- By NATHAN CHRISTOPHEL pond behind his house by dated with another by next year. [email protected] emergency personnel who DisneyStore.com Senior VP of Global E-Commerce Edward Kummer and the were unsuccessful in their Jonesville facility manager made the announcement Thursday morning. Union County Supervisor Tommy Sinclair was attending the attempt to revive him. “DisneyStore.com has made the decision to consolidate the Jonesville, South WBCU Senior Expo on Thursday morning when his phone began to Capt. James McNeil of the Carolina, distribution center into another Disney distribution center in Memphis, ring. Union County Sheriff’s Office Tennessee, to serve both Disney Store and DisneyStore.com,” Kummer said in a The news came as a shock to not only him but everyone else in the said a call came in to 911 just prepared statement. economic development community of Union County. before 7 p.m. reporting Kummer told The Union Daily Times on Thursday afternoon DisneyStore.com “We all were caught off guard,” said SC House District 42 Hughes had fallen off a yellow only recently made the decision to consolidate the Jonesville operations with those Representative Mike Anthony during a special press conference at float. McNeil said personnel in Memphis. Executives have been discussing the move for some time. the Union County Courthouse on Thursday afternoon. from the sheriff’s office, The decision was made for several reasons, including efficiency and customer Sinclair immediately began rallying the troops after hearing the Union County EMS and the See Decision, Page 3 See Response, Page 3 Department of Natural Resources were dispatched to the scene. The incident report states See Drowning, Page 6 Jonesville bank robber found guilty Defendant facing 25 years in prison Community reacts to proposed bridge replacement project ANDERSON — A The Lockhart resident and town council member ment of four bridges in Lockhart on SC 9. Spartanburg man who bought Lockhart residents ask questions, owns a hair styling business in the eastern Union Community members were asked to voice their a toy gun and mask from a give comments at public meeting County community and even with just those repairs opinions and concerns about the proposed bridge store in Jonesville and then to the bridge that spans the Broad River she lost replacement project at an informational meeting — used them to rob a nearby By NATHAN CHRISTOPHEL business at her shop. led by SCDOT and RPM Engineers, the engineer- bank is facing the possibility [email protected] Her customers come from several places, includ- ing firm working on the project — Tuesday night at of 25 years in prison. ing Chester and Sharon, and she said closing the Lockhart Middle School. David Lee Glenn was con- LOCKHART — Connie Porter remembers the bridges could be a detriment to her business — The proposed project has a lot of people in victed Wednesday in federal last time work was done on one of the bridges in especially if they are closed for two or three years. Lockhart talking. court in Anderson of armed Lockhart on South Carolina Highway 9. But that’s one of the six options the South “At my shop, that’s the whole conversation,” bank robbery following a jury “They had some repairs a few years ago on the Carolina Department of Transportation has devel- Porter said. trial before Senior U.S. Chester side,” she said Tuesday night. oped in the preliminary planning for the replace- See Bridges, Page 3 District Judge G. Ross Anderson Jr. Glenn faces a sentence of 25 years impris- onment and a fine of $250,000 followed by super- vised release of five years. GRADUATION He will be sentenced at a later date after a presentenc- Union Christian Day School held its 2010 commencement cere- ing report is completed by the mony Thursday night. At right are this yearʼs graduating seniors. U.S. Probation Office and They are Gabrielle Cromer, Jillian Cudd, Candace Burgess, Laura submitted to Judge Anderson. Leigh Todd, Caleb Cudd, Dustin Medford, Kylie Matthews and Sid- Glenn’s conviction was ney Bennett. Below right, Dr. Greg Sloop makes his remarks to the announced Thursday by U.S. graduates and those in attendance at the ceremony. Below left, Attorney William N. Nettles. class of 2010 valedictorian Laura Leigh Todd offers her comments The case was prosecuted by about the class of 2010 and the future of her classmates. Find addi- Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Howard. tional photos from the ceremony, visit The Times Facebook page. Derik Vanderford photos/Times The robbery began at 9:39 a.m. Oct. 30, 2009, when Glenn entered First Citizen’s Bank, 408 Pacolet St., Jonesville, wearing a “Scream” mask, rubber gloves and a hooded jacket. Glenn approached the teller carrying a yellow Dollar General bag in his hand and said "Put money in the bag. You better hurry up." See Guilty, Page 3 TODAY’S OBITUARIES TOMORROW’S Man arrested following moped, foot chase WEATHER ■ Robert Ray Biggerstaff Union May 18, 2010 By CHARLES L. WARNER narcotics officers Tuesday afternoon, a pub- ■ Alex Gossett Jr. Pacolet May 16, 2010 [email protected] lic safety officer was directed by an investi- ■ Joe Lewis Kirkland Union May 19, 2010 gator to stop a red moped traveling toward ■ Fred McBeth Union May 19, 2010 A chase that began on wheels and contin- Wilson Street on Arthur Boulevard. The ued on foot ended with a man under arrest Read them on Page 2 rider of the moped, however, did not stop for for three traffic-related charges. the stop sign at the intersection. The officer Damion Lee Farr, 23, 118 Pinedale noticed the rider reach into his right front Avenue, Union, is charged by the Union pocket and drop what appeared to be a small Public Safety Department with reckless driv- plastic bag of something. Mostly Cloudy ing, failure to stop for a blue light and hav- The officer activated his blue light and ing no moped license. High Low The incident report states while assisting See Crime, Page 6 80s 60s INSIDE ANNIEʼS MAILBOX 5 COMICS 7 LIFESTYLES 5 TELEVISION 9 BUSINESS 10 CROSSWORD 7 OBITUARIES 2 VIEWPOINT 4 TODAY CLASSIFIED 8-9 HOROSCOPE 7 SPORTS 11-12 WEATHER 2 Pg2 5-21:Layout 1 5/21/10 7:52 AM Page 1 March 4, 20 The Union Daily Times 1 Have a news tip for us? hhl Friday, May 21, 2010 Call 427-1234 Union, S.C. — Page 2 Record or email us at [email protected] Today in history Todayʼs weather Obituaries By The Associated Press Robert Ray Biggerstaff late Alex Gossett, Sr. and the at 3 p.m. at The Lewis Funeral Today is Friday, May 21, Vietnam War Veteran late Bertha Rice Gossett. He Home Chapel. the 141st day of 2010. There UNION, SC — Mr. Robert attended the public schools in The family is at the home are 224 days left in the year. Ray Biggerstaff, 54, husband union count and was a mem- of his sister Sara Dunlap, 132 Today's Highlight in of Mary Ann Millwood ber of Knuckles Chapel Forest Circle Union SC 29379 History: Biggerstaff, 193 Oakland Rd., Baptist Church. He retired The Lewis Funeral Home On May 21, 1927, Charles Union, SC died suddenly from J And L Steel mill in has charge of the arrange- A. Lindbergh landed his Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at Aliquippa PA and Broome ments. Spirit of St. Louis near Paris, Wallace Thomson Hospital. High School. Sign the guest register at completing the first solo air- Mr. Biggerstaff was born in Surviving are his wife, lewisfuneralhomeofu- plane flight across the Union, SC April 13, 1956, a Annie Faye Young Gossett of nion.com Atlantic Ocean in 33 1/2 son of John Alvin Biggerstaff, the home; three sons, Lymus Fred McBeth hours. Sr and Frances Thomas D. Young of the home, Union Native On this date: Biggerstaff of Union. He was William Gist of Las Vegas, UNION, SC — Mr. Fred In 1542, Spanish explorer employed with Sonoco NV, and Fred Gist of McBeth, 67, 938 John Hart Hernando de Soto died while Products for 24 years and was Pittsburgh, PA; one sister, Rd., Jonesville, SC, died searching for gold along the a veteran of the US Navy hav- Minnie R. Bell of Jonesville; Wednesday Morning May 19, Mississippi River. ing served in the Vietnam War. eight grandchildren, eight 2010 at The Hospice Home of In 1832, the first Mr. Biggerstaff was a member great-grandchildren and a host Laurens County. Democratic National of Mon Aetna Baptist Church. of nieces, nephews, cousins Born in Union, SC, July 6, Convention got under way, in Surviving in addition to his and friends.