SHORT-NOSED STURGEON AND HARTWELL LAKE

ANCIENT FISH IN PART DETERMINES HARTWELL LAKE LEVELS

By Vince Jackson

A boney fish that has been around for more than 200 million years has a lot to say about water levels in Hartwell Lake, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The short-nosed sturgeon, a brownish fish that can grow to four feet in length, inhabits the Savannah River Basin and is one reason, cited by the Corps, for the need to provide mandated downstream flow from water impounded in lakes Thurmond, Russell and Hartwell.

The sturgeon has been on the federal Endangered Species list since 1973, according to the Department of the Interior. It spawns in the Savannah River from January to late spring when the female lays tens of thousands of eggs on gravel river bottom. The eggs need moving water to be viable. Sturgeon experts say that water velocity of 30-120 centimeters per second is needed for proper aeration and hatching of the eggs.

Billy E Birdwell, chief of public affairs for the Corps Savannah District, says that provisions of the Endangered Species Act require that the Corps maintain flow rates that will sustain the ancient fish. The Corps is currently maintaining a flow rate of 3100 cubic feet per second for the Savannah River Basin. During the past week releases from Hartwell Dam have stopped, but could resume at any time, says the Corps.

“The short-nosed sturgeon’s spawning season may require us to resume 3600 cfs outflows from the Thurmond Dam in February. It is the only one (endangered species) to impact the reduced outflows this winter. There may be other species (i.e. pearly mussel) impacted at other times of the year, but since the states (GA and SC) only requested reductions in the winter, those species do not impact our current outflow reduction,” said Birdwell.

“Our concern centers on our dedication to protecting endangered species– especially those living in the waters of the US and our wetlands,” Birdwell said.

Also known as the little sturgeon, the short-nosed is one of the smallest fish in a family that has as many as 20 members, say researchers. Their life cycle involves migrating up and down river systems and spending time at sea or in the brackish estuaries along the coast around Charleston.

William Graf, a professor of water resource management at the University of South Carolina, says that obstacles to the sturgeon’s migration, such as dams, prevent it from completing its migration cycle. Graf writes that he believes that the population of sturgeons collapsed in many east coast river systems after dams were built for flood control.

Steven Hernandez-Divers, University of Georgia veterinarian, has conducted research on the fish and has written that it is highly threatened and vulnerable to extinction. Males can live for up to 30 years and females as old as 67 years have been documented, he says.

Sturgeons are bottom feeders dependent upon insects, crustaceans and mollusks for food. They were commercially fished from about 1800 to 1900 for meat and caviar (fish eggs), but all fisheries have been closed to the short-nosed sturgeon since 2002, according to the U S Marine Fisheries Service.

HARTWELL LAKE IN TROUBLE

SOME SAY INCREASING WATER WOES NOW IN GOD’S HANDS

By Vince Jackson reporting from Anderson

Anyone who drives over Hartwell Lake knows that the water level is going down, not coming back up. If meaningful rainfall does not occur soon, the lake level could fall below the only functioning intake for the Anderson water district early next fall, experts say.

According to the US Army Corps of Engineers the current lake level is 639.58 above mean sea level. This is lower than the previous record low of 642.4 feet set in the drought of 1981. By comparison historic winter lake levels average about 657 feet, according to Corps records.

If sufficient rainfall does not occur soon Corps projections indicate that Hartwell Lake could drop to 634 feet by January 1, 2009.

Steve Wilson, manager of the West Anderson Water System says that water cannot be taken from Hartwell through the only remaining submerged intake pipe if water levels recede to 620 feet. At the current rate of water usage that low level would occur late next summer or early fall, Wilson said.

“I would estimate that we have maybe 300 days of available water left in the lake. No one knows for sure. Conservation methods have been successful and have increased the life of the existing water supply, but more needs to be done to insure the continued supply of clean, useable water from the lake,” says Wilson.

City officials in the towns of Central, Clemson and Pendleton say that their citizens are conserving and meeting the 20% reduction levels required by drought management regulations. The question becomes is this sufficient conservation?

Currently, the Corps releases 3600 cubic feet of water per second to supply electrical generation needs and keep federally mandated flows moving downstream, according to the Corps website. Reductions in this amount have been discussed and suggested by SCDHEC and the Georgia Environmental Protection Department along with various water resource and conservation groups in the area.

Virgil Hobbs, Hartwell Project Operations Manager says that the Corps is working on an environmental assessment that could cut releases to 3100 cfs by November 22, 2008. This could mean that approximately 323 million more gallons per day would be retained in the lake through the release reduction, Hobbs said.

“Both Georgia and South Carolina state environmental protection departments have recommended reduction in flow releases to the 3100 cfs rate for the winter of 2009. They are both fully aware of the water crisis situation at Hartwell Lake,” said Hobbs.

“When people notice the generators running at the dam they think that we are only releasing water to provide saleable electricity. Actually, we are currently purchasing power from other generating sources for use in the area we serve. Over the past several years that amounts to about $60 million in off-system power purchases. We continue to generate some power during water releases, but that is because it is the most efficient manner to discharge the water,” said Hobbs.

Lakes Hartwell and Thurmond currently are providing most of what is known as conservation storage for the Upper Savannah River Basin. This is water that is specifically earmarked for use in maintaining downstream flow rates. Hartwell at present has approximately nineteen feet of conservation storage and Thurmond less than three feet. As greater demands are made on Hartwell this storage margin will decrease rapidly, according to Corps projections.

If drought conditions and current Corps water releases continue at present rates areas supplied by the Anderson Regional Joint Water System could possibly run short of water next year, said Wilson. The areas are:

Belton-Honea Path Water Authority

Big Creek Water and Sewage District

Broadway Water and Sewage District

City of Anderson

City of Clemson

Clemson University

Hammond Water District

Homeland Park Water District

Powdersville Water District

Sandy Springs Water District

Starr-Iva Water and Sewer District

Town of Central

Town of Pendleton

Town of Williamston

W. Anderson Water District

Other problems could occur if water shortages persist, says Mac Martin, mayor of the Town of Central.

“I fear we will have budget problems in Central and in other small towns if water usage is compromised. Currently we bring in about $5,000 per month based on projected water and sewer fees in Central. If water is further restricted or unavailable we will see decreases in revenues to the town that cannot easily be made-up during these austere times. Our budget is cut to the bone already,” Martin said.

“Other cities have similar water and sewer fees that account for an incremental amount of total revenues for that city. Most towns are also responsible for capital service charges that they pay to the water district. These costs do not go away just because a town uses less water. Losing revenue shares from water and sewer fees would cause hardships beyond the potential loss of the water itself,” he said.

Wilson says that the only intake from Hartwell Lake that is currently useable is the 36” pipe near Old Pearman Dairy Rd in Anderson. If water levels recede below that intake then auxiliary pumps and pipes would have to be run to deep water areas of the lake to supply the area’s needs. Wilson says this would be an emergency measure that could not sustain the district’s water needs indefinitely.

“We usually draw about 2 inches of water off the lake per month and evaporation can take more than that. During the summer water usage goes up 50% on average. Rain is the only thing that will solve this problem,” he said.

If it does not rain and the lake continues to drop Hobbs says that there is still what is known as the inactive storage. This is that deep water portion of the lake’s resources that could be tapped for water needs in a worst case scenario.

“If we reach that point next year then the states of Georgia and South Carolina would have to agree to access the inactive storage, since this is a shared water resource. Water would become more expensive and we could lose the lake, but water needs could continue to be met for some time with pumps and pipes,” Hobbs said. If we reach this point all releases will have stopped and flow in the Upper Savannah River Basin would be adversely affected. Power generation at the dam would most likely not be possible and economic impacts would occur,” Hobbs said.

“This is uncharted waters, so to speak. We can only hope that God will be looking out for us and provide some much needed rain,” said Hobbs.

ANDERSON,SC MUSEUM LOANED CIVIL WAR RELICS

OVERCAST SKIES GIVE WAY TO BLUE FOR MUSEUM ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Saturday the Anderson County Museum celebrated its 25^th anniversary with special Civil War displays, the sound and fury of battle re-enactments and plates of BBQ served to enthusiastic crowds gathered to enjoy the event.

Historic letters from the family of Anderson native Manse Jolly, a regimental flag from the famous Orr Rifles and a ceremonial sword that was presented to Civil War general Gen Barnard E Bee were on display.

The Manse Jolly letters collection was of particular interest to many who were on hand.

Manson Jolly, of Anderson said his great, great grandfather was Manse Jolly’s brother. He said he had seen the letters several times during his life before they were donated to the SC State Museum in Columbia

“I do not think Manse was a bad man. I have gone back and read newspaper accounts of the period and they do not portray him as someone who was a brutal killer. I do not think it can be substantiated that him killed as many people as they think he did,” Jolly said.

“My family’s history indicates that Manse came home from war to a home and crops that had been burned and learned that all five of his brothers had been killed in that war. Northerners were in charge of everything. That sort of thing is bound to work on you and make you a certain way,” he said.

The ceremonial sword that once belonged to Bee is one that was awarded for his valor in the Mexican-American War, where he was wounded in battle. On loan from the SC State Museum, it looked a bit like Excalibur, to some museum goers, the piece being heavily engraved and covered with inlays of silver and brass.

Bee fought in the Civil War and was killed shortly after exclaiming the line that gave General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson his well-known nickname. Bee reportedly said, “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall” to rally his troops during fierce fighting during the battle of Bull Run in 1861, according to historians. He is buried at St Paul’s cemetery in Pendleton.

Margaret Herndon and Mildred Thackson were on hand to enjoy the displays and the BBQ. Their friend Dorothy Buice said, “I recommend that everyone come and see the Anderson Museum. It is very much worth the visit.

Reporting from Anderson, Vince Jackson

GUN AT SCHOOL INCIDENT RESULTS IN EXPULSION

ELEMENTARY STUDENT BRINGS PLAY GUN TO SCHOOL

An eight year old third grader brought an unloaded revolver to the Hagood Elementary School in Pickens on Friday morning, according Anna Esuary, director of communication services for the School District of Pickens County.

The child was in the school building unpacking his book bag when he reportedly told a teaching assistant that he had a “play gun” in the bag.

Teachers believing the gun to be real advised Karen Jackson, principal of the school, who subsequently alerted the town of Pickens police.

Police investigation revealed that the gun looked real, but was in fact a collectable replica that is designed to look-like the real thing. The gun was not loaded and no ammunition was found and it was not capable of being fired, according to police. No one was injured and no threats were made, according to Esuary.

Town of Pickens police officer Brad Smith investigated the incident and transported the child to the police department, where he made contact with the child’s grandfather and made arrangements for the grandfather to pick the child up. An official incident report was filed.

The SDPC policy states that they have a “zero tolerance” for guns or weapons of any type being brought to county schools. Esuary said that the unnamed student would be recommended for expulsion. Officials at the Hagood Elementary School said they had been told not to comment on the incident.

A bi-partisan congressional committee for the 106^th Congress working on the problems of youth violence has stated that “public policy towards children has moved towards treating them more like adults and in ways that increasingly mimic the adult criminal justice system. The most recent version of this movement is the so-called ‘zero tolerance’ in schools, where theories of punishment that were once directed to adult criminals are now applied to first graders.”

Many school districts in South Carolina and across the nation have adopted zero tolerance as their way to deal with any “weapon” issues that occur in public schools regardless of the circumstances or the age of the child.

Ethan Gray 6, a student at the Ed Babe Gomez Heritage Elementary School in Omaha, Nebraska was suspended last month for bringing a family butter knife to school in a book bag. Ethan said he did not know how the knife got in the book bag.

His parents think that Ethan’s younger brother may have put the butter knife there. The school district has a zero tolerance policy and Ethan was suspended. The parents are appealing the ruling, but in the meantime their son is unable to attend school.

Vince Jackson reporting from Pickens, South Carolina

CLEMSON CLASS RING MYSTERY

CLEMSON CLASS RING MAY HOLD SECRET OF BODY’S IDENTITY

During the weekend of September 20^th of this year a man and his son were searching the dry lake bed of Smith Mountain Lake in Giles County, VA looking for anything of interest when they found human remains.

The lake, which is featured in the movie “Dirty Dancing,” had not been completely dry in more than 100 years. Timmy and Chris Dalton were enjoying a fall day scavenging for old bottles when they came upon a pair of shoes imbedded in the mud. Closer investigation revealed some old coins, a silver cigarette case, silver belt buckle and a gold signet ring.

They called the local sheriff soon after they found what looked like a piece of a human skull.

From the investigation conducted so far, Giles County sheriff Morgan Millirons said, that the remains could have been in the lake since the 1930’s.

“We want to determine who this person was and how they died,” said the Sheriff.

Forensic experts determined the ring was most likely a South Carolina class ring because of a palm tree that appeared on one side. They contacted the Citadel and Clemson University to verify the information.

Nancy James, research analyst at Clemson University was contacted by Lt. Ron Hamlin of the sheriff’s office and asked to compare university records and photos of the ring to ones on display in the Clemson Alumni Center. The found ring matched rings from the year 1904.

The cigarette case has the monogram “SCF” or “SGF” on the lid in the scrawling script of the period. The shoes were made by a shoe company in New York City.

A check of the graduating class roster for 1904 revealed that Samuel James Farris, Samuel Ira Felder and Strother T Ford were in the 1904 graduating class of the Clemson Agricultural and Mechanical College.

On the sides of the recovered ring are the letters “CA” and “MC” indicating the college. The inside of the ring is engraved with the letters “CDCO”. James has found other Clemson class rings of the era with this engraving. She speculates that it could be a reference to “Company D, Corporal” indicating the cadet corps and rank of the individual.

A university investigation determined that Farris and Ford were alive in 1940 appearing in the alumni record of that year, while Felder was listed as deceased. Felder had been living in New York City. He is also listed in a 1921 alumni magazine as Samuel “J” Felder.

The investigation is ongoing and may take months to complete. How the apparent former Clemson student got in the lake and the cause of his death may never be known and could remain a mystery, according to investigators.

Vince Jackson reporting from Clemson University

EXTENDED WARRANTY SCAMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

EXTENDED WARRANTY SCAMMERS TARGET SENIOR CITIZENS

Consumers in the Upstate have recently been inundated with requests by telephone and mail to buy un-needed extended automobile warranties, say some car dealers.

Jennifer Duncan, business manager of Leader Ford in Seneca, SC said, “Our customers have brought to my attention that they have been harassed and annoyed by auto warranty phone calls from people who did not adequately identify themselves, exerted heavy pressure to buy warranty contracts and used scare tactics to entice customers into extended warranties that they did not need.”

Duncan is in the process of notifying her customers of the practice and warning them to beware of con artists. She said there is a big difference between original manufacturer’s warranties, dealership extended warranties and the fly-by-night extended warranties offered by some sellers.

“One older gentleman had been frightened to the extent that he gave out his personal information to the scammers, who then set-up a pre-authorized debit from his checking account to bill him monthly for an extended warranty. He had been told that his warranty was about to expire and he would be responsible for all repairs himself. This was not true. His vehicle was fairly new and was still under the manufacture’s warranty at the time.”

Vin Ridgeway, business manager at Clinkscale’s Chevrolet in Belton, SC said, “When times get tough it seems to bring out the scam artists. The presentation some of these individuals can give is very convincing. Some even misrepresent themselves as the manufacturer or the dealership. My advice to consumers is to verify everything. Ask who is the underwriter of these extended warranty programs? With our dealership it is the manufacturer or our authorized agent. With some of the independent warranties there is not really anyone backing up the warranty. It is all paper. If there is ever any doubt who you are dealing with, call the dealership you bought the car from and ask if it is their extended warranty program.”

Individuals selling questionable extended warranties find it easy to get the names, addresses and phone numbers from state transaction and tax records.

“It is public information and they can tap into it without any difficulty,” said Ridgeway.

An internet search of “auto extended warranty scams” reveals that the problem is rampant and seems to be centered around St Louis, MO. Missouri attorney general Jay Nixon announced earlier this year that he filed lawsuits against numerous companies that he says mislead or pressured car owners across the country into buying extended warranties that they did not need.

The St Louis based companies sent out official looking postcards with captions such as “Final Notice of Interruption” and “Important Dated Material Concerning Your Warranty” that appear to be from the dealership or the manufacturer. These are sometimes followed-up with phone calls or emails advising that warranties will expire unless high-cost extensions are purchased immediately. Caveat emptor, buyer beware, is the best policy when faced with any high pressure sales tactics, say the experts.

South Carolina attorney general Henry McMaster’s office has set-up a toll free number especially for reporting fraud aimed at seniors. Call Fraud Protection For Seniors at 888-878-3256 to report suspicious phone calls and mailings.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs at 800-922-1594 is another agency that can help with consumer fraud and offer advice to anyone who has been scammed.

Vince Jackson, reporting from Anderson, SC

If you have been victimized by an extended warranty scam please post a comment. vj

CNG THE ANSWER TO HIGH FUEL PRICES ?

EXPERTS SAY CNG COULD BE THE ANSWER TO HIGH GAS PRICES

T Boone Pickens suggests it is a good idea and questions why there are not more on the road. The question he says, why are we not driving more compressed natural gas vehicles?

Almost everyday we hear reports of the benefits of flex-fuel cars and how foolish we have been for not converting our vehicles to this technology. CNG is a flex-fuel that has been around since the 1930’s. News reports indicate that the Saudis and the Iranians plan to convert more of their cars to CNG so they will have more oil to sell on the world market.

Many of us have seen film of the venting of gas in oil fields in places like the Persian Gulf and Texas. That bright burning flame, known as a gas flare, seems omnipresent in any picture of oil production. That flare is fueled by natural gas. There is so much of it being produced as by-product that it is burned as waste. Current reserves of natural gas in the US are at all time highs, according to government estimates and the US has a tremendous capacity to produce the product if needed, says the Energy Information Administration.

David Trusty, a spokesperson for Piedmont Natural Gas, says he drove a CNG Ford Fairmont company car 25 years ago and it had very good performance, was safe to drive, had cleaner emissions and was a little more economical than a gasoline powered vehicle.

Trusty said the company uses 30-35 CNG vehicles in Piedmont’s service area and they work very well. The company has a refueling station for its vehicles and they are gased-up each night ready for use the next day.

The Car Talk guys Tom and Ray Magliozzi, aka Click and Clack, say that if you want to convert your present car to CNG or buy a new one from the factory it can be a bit pricey. A factory ready CNG automobile will cost 3,500 to 7,000 dollars more than the same model designed to just run on gasoline.

Conversion of an existing gasoline car to CNG could cost 3,000 to 5,000 dollars according to the Magliozzi brothers. Since gasoline costs roughly twice as much as CNG the cost/benefit could work out to be 5-6 years for the average driver.

The downside of CNG is that the tank needed for the fuel takes-up a lot of space in the trunk and there are presently few CNG “gas stations”. If you have natural gas piped to your home for heating or cooking then you could have your own fueling station in your garage. The fueling port would have to meet local building codes, but is not unreasonable or ultra-expensive, says the International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles.

On the upside CNG costs less than gasoline and gives better fuel mileage. Mechanics report that CNG cars run cleaner with fewer emissions and require less maintenance than gasoline burning cars on average. CNG cars can also run on hydrogen, flex-fuels and regular gasoline.

The Energy Information Administration estimates that there are currently over 30,000 CNG powered cars and trucks in the US today. Nearly all US auto manufacturers are presently test marketing a CNG car.

Trusty said that he thinks the biggest obstacles to CNG being mainstreamed is the lack of infrastructure; fueling stations, increasing production, CNG delivery systems and re-tooling to manufacture the cars themselves.

“I believe we would have to make a commitment as a nation to do more natural gas exploration in the West and the continental shelf, open-up government lands with proven reserves of natural gas to drilling and relax legislative limitations on the production of CNG. It is all very possible, but the commitment would need to be there for it to succeed,” Trusty said.

Ronnie O’Kelly of Leader Ford in Seneca says that at present they are not selling CNG equipped cars, but they “are on the horizon.” Rich Kirby of Piedmont Honda in Anderson says that California and Ohio are the only states that Honda is testing the market for CNG cars. Kirby said a customer might be able to purchase a CNG equipped vehicle in Anderson, but it was more likely in larger cities like Atlanta or Charlotte.

Vince Jackson, reporting from Anderson, SC

EMERALD ASH BORER HEADING SOUTH ?

ASH BORER THREATENS LOUISVILLE SLUGGER BASEBALL BATS

Anyone who loves to hear the crack of the famed Louisville Slugger baseball bat will be saddened to hear that sound may soon be silenced; maybe for good.

The world famous bats are made from North American ash trees grown in abundance in Canada and the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Carolinas .The Louisville Slugger baseball bat is the official bat of Major League Baseball, according to the company.

The Emerald Ash Borer, an intruder from Asia, has infested ash trees in the Northeast and threatens to invade the South, according to Sherry Aultman of the Clemson University department of plant industry.

Clemson University is currently monitoring state forests for evidence of the borer through the month of September. Clemson scientists are hanging large purple traps to capture the EAB, if and when they decide to show up in South Carolina.

The borer kills the ash trees when the larva bore into the wood, interrupt the vascular system and cut-off the tree’s water and nutrients.

In the state of Michigan over 40 million ash trees have been killed by borers. It is a serious problem and may be heading our way, says Aultman.

The United States Department of Agriculture has quarantined affected trees in the states infected with Emerald Ash Borer, but the pest persists.

Charlie Travis, owner of Carolina Western, Inc. of Greenville, a local lumber wholesaler, said that he has not heard of any EAB in the area. “Our primarily business is in oak and hickory. We sell ash on occasion. We certainly hope that EAB does not become a problem here,” he said.

Homeowners report that smaller trees on their property have responded to insecticide treatment with chemicals available at plant and nursery stores, but the trees must be treated each year to prevent re-infestation.

Ash is used commercially to make furniture and wood flooring, as well as baseball bats. The Louisville Slugger company says that ash makes the best bat for use in the game known as “America’s Pastime.” The company says they are looking at other woods that their bats could be made from just in case.

The EAB larva is a small grub about the size of a grain of rice. The EAB beetle, which does little harm, is an elongated bright green bug. Homeowners should be on the lookout for the EAB and also look for the tattletale signs of the larva by the “S” shaped tunnels they excavate just under the bark of ash trees.

Reporting from Clemson Forest, Clemson, SC Vince Jackson

SPITTOONO

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Spittoono celebrates 28 years in Clemson

Vince Jackson/Special to the Independent-Mail
Saturday, August 23, 2008

Photo Gallery

Spittoono Festival

The 28th annual Spittoono Festival was held this weekend in Clemson.

Enlarge photos |

If you noticed the smell of funnel cake, polish sausage and kettle corn in the air or heard the sounds of music this weekend near the National Guard Armory in Clemson may have experienced Spittoono.

The annual festival, somewhat jokingly referred to as “the redneck festival,” had its start in 1981 at Clemson’s Esso Club when tobacco spittin’ contests and other rural competitions were in style. Having long outgrown the venue and the redneck contests, the event now calls the baseball field behind the armory home. The three-day 28th annual Spittoono ended Saturday.

Spoofing the highly refined Spoleto festival in Charleston, Spittoono has changed slightly over the years, said George Hurley, a member of the charity event’s board of directors, which is known as the Redneck Performing Arts Association.

“The Old Guard who started all this — Punk Bodiford, Larry Atkinson, Jamie Preston, Ted Balk and others — ran this festival for 25 years, and it was great,” Hurley said. “After they retired some of the younger people took it on. Some adjustments were made to keep it fresh, and folks say it is even better.

“I have been busy for the last two weeks getting things organized and doing the electrical work. I bet I have strung over 2,000 feet of cable, wiring and drop cords in the last few days.”

The laid-back atmosphere has not changed, and Spittoono will remain “critter- and kid-friendly,” Hurley said.

“In recent years the emphasis has been on musical entertainment,” he said. “We have a full slate of rock and roll, bluegrass and blues bands performing nightly. This is great local talent, and it is free for the listening. We actually audition bands to play the festival and have a waiting list of groups wanting to play Spittoono.”

Diana Palmer from Seneca said this year that she has been coming to Spittoono with her family for several years.

“We love to come to this event. It is all about the rock ‘n roll, baby,” Palmer said.

Joy and Jack Wilson from Fountain Inn run a catering service called Backyard BBQ, but at Spittoono they are famous for their shrimp and grits.

“We have been coming here as vendors for three years, but we would come to Spittoono and Clemson anyway, because we were married here and just love the place,” Jack Wilson said. “Joy and I particularly enjoy the music. It is the best!”

Hurley said, “This event has benefited charities like Helen’s Hugs, a horse rescue center, Helping Hands and Community Care of Clemson and the Collins Children’s Home in Seneca. Last year we gave $6,000 to these and other charities.”

Crowd sizes for Friday and Saturday nights were estimated to be 3,500 people each night, organizers said. Many vendors agreed that the cooling breezes and lower than normal temperatures had brought many people to the event to enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

“If I had to pick one thing this event is about, I would say family and friends,” Hurley said. “It is like a family reunion each year and everyone seems to enjoy that,” he said.

HELP SOLVE THIS MURDER

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Unsolved murder of Clemson student still haunts police, friends

By Vince Jackson/Special to the Independent-Mail
Thursday, July 31, 2008

The former Suds and Duds Laundromat on Hwy 93 in Central.

Norasaadah Husain

CENTRAL — It has been just over 16 years since the disappearance and subsequent discovery of the body of Clemson University graduate student Norsaadah Husain.

The 30-year-old doctoral student was attacked on June 16, 1992, in the Suds and Duzs Laundromat on Highway 93 in Central while she was washing and drying clothes.

Police reports stated that the crime scene was covered in her blood and that Husain’s bloody handprints could be seen on a steel pole that helped support the building, an indication she was alive during the abduction, trying desperately to cling to live.

“Husain’s laundry was in a dryer and her car keys were nearby on a washing machine,” said Dewey Smith, a captain in the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and an investigator on the case 16 years ago.

In front of the laundromat was her white Datsun sedan, with the engine still warm. About 8:45 p.m., a laundromat employee arrived and found the scene.

Police formed a task force of about 75 officers and investigators and began the search for Husain. It would be nearly three months before investigators got a break in the case, but it was not the break they had hoped for.

A deer hunter found Husain’s leaf-covered skeletal remains not far from the Oconee Nuclear Station near Salem.

According to police reports, the clothing that she was wearing at the time of her disappearance was piled nearby, an indication she may have been sexually assaulted.

“This did not appear to be a robbery because we found all of the personal effects that we expected to find with her body. Since this happened 16 years ago it seems unlikely this could have been a hate crime against a Muslim person,” Smith said. “I believe this to be a crime of opportunity. This case still bothers everyone who worked on it even now. To this day I still have a photo of Norasaadah on my computer.

Her autopsy records indicate a groove cut into a vertebra in her neck, which may mean she was stabbed in the neck or throat. Police have followed hundreds of leads in this case, all to no avail. Soon after the recovery of her remains her two brothers came from Malaysia and took her boyd home.

For those who knew her, she was pursuing her dreams.

“She was a 30-year-old doctoral student from Malaysia pursuing a degree in food science,” said Ron Thomas, her professor and advisor at Clemson University.

“She was very personable, spoke English well and was not what I would consider a shy person,” he said.

“Her area of study was tea. I remember how she and another student traveled with my family to Charleston to visit a tea plantation. It was a relaxed and interesting trip for everyone. I was shocked to hear that she had been murdered,” he said.

Central police Chief Kerry Avery said authorities have not given up on the case.

“We depend on citizen input with a case like this one,” he said. “Someone knows something that will help solve this murder. Someone may have seen something at the time that will be the missing puzzle piece that we need, because we never close a case like this one until it is solved.”

Anyone with information on this should call Crime Stoppers at 864-898-5677.

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