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COMMUNITY NEWS (Cont.) |
The Prater's Creek Gazette 16th Issue Winter 2007 Page #3 |
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Arrest Of Local Bluegrass Band Draws Ire Of Nation And Charges Of Bias
Within hours of the verdicts, it was the talk of the town at Jenny’s Heart’s Dress Shoppe, the Six Mile Café, Bill’s Garage, the B&B BBQ, and around the cracker barrel at Livwright’s General Store. On local radio station WCCP-AM, calls were coming in all morning on Tommy Powell’s “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee” talk show. An article that first appeared here in the Gazette was picked up by the wire services. The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Chicago Tribune all ran the article. Al Sharpton, the defender of all things good, raged out against the disparate fines received by the bands. “This is an abomination of justice. This is not “justice” but “N-justice! Free the ‘Prater’s Creek Four’!” Soon the stars out in Hollywood were speaking out on talk shows and in the press about the “Prater’s Creek Four”. Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon started a fund raising drive to get money for a lawyer so that the four members of The Drovers Medicine Show could hire a lawyer for an appeal. Bono, of the band U2, immediately wrote and recorded a song to raise awareness. He went on “Larry King Live” to plead for the band’s release saying “The band has the arts (hearts) of Irishmen”. Winona Ryder was spotted on Rodeo Drive wearing a “Free the Prater’s Creek 4” T-shirt. Soon, citizens from all over this great nation were planning on coming to Prater’s Creek by the busloads to have a “Free the Prater’s Creek Four March” on Saturday, October 27. Thousands upon thousands of people started descended on our little town by that Thursday. Many celebrities, including Emma Roberts, Emma Watson, Billy Bob Thornton, Tila Tequila, the drummer for Iron Maiden, the entire cast of “My Name is Earl, Rev. Sharpton, Amy Winehouse, Demond Wilson (Lamont on “Sanford and Son”) Phil Donahue Sofia Coppola, Natalie Portman, and Don Massey, extra from the upcoming film “Leatherheads” which premieres April 4, also were in town for the march. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton raced to get here to make a speech decrying the unfair treatment of “our nation’s favorite hillbilly band”. And they debated which of them had more Drovers’ CDs. Mike Huckabee bragged that he could play their songs on the bass. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt immediately flew to Africa and adopted four little orphan boys whom they named “Grandpa”, “Dalvin”, “Uncle Carl” and “Cousin Ray”. Of course the ACLU got involved. No not that ACLU, but the American Carp Lurers United. That Saturday, as the march wound it’s way to the steps of City Hall chanting “Free the Prater’s Creek Four, Free the Prater’s Creek Four!” where Sheriff Stone and his deputies were, in what the Sheriff described as “a powder keg situation”, Mayor Allen Jones stepped to the mike to address the crowd. “What is this “free” y’all are talking about?!” his Honor asked the angry mob, “They are free, they’re not in jail! They just owe a $100 fine” “Oh” the mob answered and turned around and went home. Emma Roberts paid The Drovers’ fine and then went to Jenny Heart’s store and bought a purse. Lucky Unattached Man To Have Dream Valentine's Day Date
Volunteer Fire Department To Hold Boiled Supper The Prater’s Creek Volunteer Fire Department will hold a boiled supper to raise money to buy a fire truck. Plates will be $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Fire Chief Flint McCalister said his band, Flint and The Flattops, would be playing after the supper. The firehouse is located on Stewart Gin Road. Local Woman Wins Toilet Paper Lawsuit Flossie May Jenkins won $100 plus court costs after she sued Kmart for twice collecting sales tax on a nontaxable necessity: toilet paper. Flossie said Kmart offered to settle the case out of court before a Thursday hearing at which a Pickens County district judge sided with her. But the settlement required her to sign a confidentiality agreement, which would have defeated the purpose of her suit, Mrs. Jenkins said. "I want consumers as they shop during the important holiday to be aware of what is and what isn't taxable," Flossie said after the verdict. "I would lose my ability to spread that message if I were gagged." Flossie May sued in October after a Kmart store in Easley twice collected a 7 percent tax _ 28 cents _ when she bought a 12-roll package of toilet paper for $3.99. Although most paper goods are taxable in South Carolina, toilet tissue is listed as a nontaxable item by the state Department of Revenue. Kmart, a unit of Sears Holdings Corp., will not appeal the verdict. "We don't want to fight with our customers," Kmart spokeswoman Kim Freely said. "We apologize for the inconvenience and the problem is being corrected." Flossie May said shoppers "need to look at every line" on sales receipts when they shop. Flossie may brought the suit under the state's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. Plaintiffs can sue for the amount of the damages or $100, whichever is more.
New School Supplies After lobbying the Pickens County School Board for years to get some much need school supplies, Principal Lewis Lockabee was finally able to convince the board to give him two new abacuses. “This will definitely improve the student’s reading skills,” Mr. Lockabee said.
Library Program Draws Ire Of Parts Of Community Or: You Never Know Your Library A reading program at the Pickens County Library celebrating Halloween and the works of Edgar Allen Poe was called off this past October. The program, entitled “You Don’t Know Poe”, was to be held every Saturday afternoon during the month of October, with students hearing selected works of “the Divine Edgar”. On the last Saturday of the month there was to be a pizza party. But many people in the community who think Halloween is evil and all about Satan objected to the children hearing the works of Poe, and county tax money helping pay for it. “Why, my child don’t need to hear no stories about such thangs!” angry mother Edith Elmore told the Gazette. “Them librarians should be ashamed of trying to broaden my child’s mind!” After other objections like those of Mrs. Elmore, the library decided to cancel the program. However the pizza party was still held with Miss Lydia Heaton, long time head librarian, paying for the pizza out of her meager salary so as to avoid criticism of spending taxpayer’s money on the pizza. Chanelo’s Pizza gave her a really good deal. Lifestyles DEAR RAMONA
Had It with Mother-in-law Dear Had It Cook her a big ol’ meal of grits and hog necks for y’all’s Christmas meal and she’ll love you for it! Ramona
Dear Ramona, Is it wrong to “re-gift”? I got a Ronco rhinestone and stud setter back in 1974 that I’ve never used. I had gotten three of ‘em that year and after I used two of them writing KISS all over my shirts and jean jacket I had no use for the third one. Would it be all right to wrap this and give it to someone this year for Christmas? It’s Better to Re-gift and to Receive Dear It’s Better, Well sure! It’d be a great gift for a teen. They could put a stud in their tongue with it or put a rhinestone in their nose! Ramona |
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Two local musical groups were
arrested back in October for the same charges, but received very different
sentences from Judge Ebineezer Gantry. Bluegrass band, The Drovers Old Time
Medicine Show, and glam rock tribute band, The Prater’s Creek Dolls, both
were arrested for illegal distillation of alcoholic spirits and were tried
in the Judge Gantry’s courtroom. While the Prater’s Creek Dolls, whose lead
guitarist Jasper “Thunders” is Judge Gantry’s son, were only fined $50 for
their offense, The Drovers were fined $100.
The
Six Mile Social club is sponsoring the “Win a Valentine’s Date with Jenny
Heart” All single males between the ages 18 and
still breathing can register by going by Livwright’s General Store or Jenny
Heart’s Dress Shoppe. The drawing will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 at Ms.
Heart’s store. The winner will dine out with Jenny at the Six Mile Café and
then attend the Valentine’s Day Dance in the barn on the farm of
The Drovers
Old Time Medicine Show, who will also providing the evening’s entertainment.
Dear Ramona,