WEDNESDAY

November 21, 2012

Summit tackles veterans issues

Transition to civilian life is focus of talks
By Lisa Kaylor
Staff Writer

Representatives from area governments, major employers, colleges and the medical community gathered at the Kroc Center on Tuesday to discuss the problems facing many veterans as they reenter the civilian world. The daylong summit was presented as a joint effort of the Augusta Warrior Project, the CSRA Alliance for Fort Gordon and the city of Augusta. Taking care of our veterans is something everybody should embrace, said Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Pflieger. Panels of experts addressed issues such as re-entry into family life, health care, education and employment. While Fort Gordon does a good

job of connecting veterans with services, the community could do a better job of reaching veterans who are returning home and dont know where to turn, they said. One problem, said Jim Lorraine, the director of the Augusta Warrior Project, is that veterans are returning from bases around the country and dont know where to find help in their hometowns. Im worried about the airman coming out of Moody Air Force Base and coming here, he said. North Augusta Mayor Lark Jones, Aiken Mayor Pro Tem Dick Dewar and Columbia County Commissioner Ron Cross said they would like to improve veterans services in their jurisdictions and are eager to learn how to do that. One area of concern is jobs, and governments and private employers can help by hiring veterans. Many

acquire skills during their military careers that are desirable in the civilian marketplace. Jones said North Augusta has hired several former military police for its public safety force. Veterans are able to learn new skills and concepts, work well in teams, have strong leadership skills and are experienced in technology and global concepts, but they have trouble translating those skills into terminology a civilian employer can understand. Panelists Deb Forten with ADP, Matthew Kwatinetz with Starbucks, Mike Uhl with Bridgestone and Jerry Baker with the Georgia Department of Labor said employers can help by giving veterans a little extra time during an interview to explain the duties they performed in the service. Stacie Williams, the director of

Panelists Matthew Kwatinetz (from left), Deb Forten, Mike Uhl and Jerry Baker discuss how to help veterans into civilian jobs during a veterans summit at the Kroc Center on Broad Street in Augusta.

EMILY ROSE BENNETT/STAFF

the Academic Success Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken, attended the summit to learn more about how she could help veterans enrolled in her school. USC Aiken is very interested in supporting our students who are

veterans, she said. We wanted to come today to make new connections and also learn any new things that we might be able to do for those veterans.
Reach Lisa Kaylor at (706) 828-3884 or lisa.kaylor@augustachronicle.com.

barnwell county

columbia county commiSSion

Code officers firing upheld

By Steven Uhles
Staff Writer

Firefighters battled a blaze at a home in Barnwell County for more than six hours Monday evening.

SuSAN dELK/MORRIS NEwS SERvIcE

Fire destroys familys home

Morris News Service

SNELLING, S.C. A Barnwell County family lost its home in the early evening hours Monday. Edna Pud and Jody Searson and several of their children lost clothes, furnishings, pictures and many other items. But most of all they lost their 1 -story home, which they built together. The Snelling Fire Department and the Red Oak, Long Branch and

SEE A LiSt of necessities that can be donated to help the family at augustachronicle.com.

Barnwell rural departments were called to the scene about 7:30 p.m. The Barnwell City Fire Department also sent its ladder truck to assist in fighting the large fire. Authorities said firefighters battled the blaze for more than six hours and were called back to the scene shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday after the fire re-

kindled. The cause of the fire has not been determined, said Snelling Assistant Fire Chief Neal Morris. He said it appeared the fire started in the upstairs game room area. The fire was halfway across the roof line when his department arrived, he said. Although several family members were home when the fire started, no one was injured. Donation drop-off locations are being established.

The Columbia County Commission voted Tuesday to uphold the firing of Code Compliance Officer Jimmy Vowell, overturning an earlier decision by the countys Civil Service Commission. Vowell was fired after he entered the home of Erica Masters without permission on July 2 while serving a code violation notice. The Civil Service Commission voted unanimously in October to overturn the firing. That decision was appealed by Columbia County Development Services Division, the department that employed Vowell. After hearing arguments from representatives of both sides, the commission ruled Vowell would not get his job back. The Development Services Divisions case was built on confirming that Vowell entered the home without permission and later

rEAD pASt stories about the incident at augustachronicle.com.

provided false information to supervisors about what happened. Vowells case centered on the appropriateness of the punishment. Melissa Detchemendy, Vowells representative at the hearing, requested a demotion and/or transfer to another job. She said the independent nature of the Civil Service Commission added credence to its decision. To give him the death penalty for this violation is extreme, she said. We believe that, as did the Civil Service Commission. Detchemendy also said that Vowell entered the home because he was concerned about the occupants safety. He was at this house having been there before, she said. The car did not appear to have been moved. There
See FiriNG on pAGE 5B

emanuel county

Last 2 of 6 inmates caught after escape

By Susan McCord
Staff Writer

nuclear power

Companies cooperate on reactors

By rob pavey
Staff Writer

Owners of new reactors being built in Georgia and South Carolina told regulators this week they are putting competition aside and working together to make the first U.S. commercial nuclear projects in a generation as safe as possible. We are joined together in this task and we have commitments as licensees to continue our collaboration, said Ron Jones, the vice president of new nuclear operations for S.C. Electric & Gas Co., which is adding two reactors to its V.C. Summer plant. Jones and officials from Southern Nuclear, which is adding two similar reactors to Plant Vogtle in Burke County, met with senior U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staffers to provide a status report on both projects. Because both utilities are using the modern Westinghouse AP-1000 reactor design, sharing information has helped improve oversight and compliance at both projects, he said. We have folks in our organizations, who, literally, talk to each other between the two projects on a daily basis, he said. That is not unlike what we see on the operating side of the industry, where we focus on that and incorporate lessons learned. Pete Ivey, Southern Nuclears vice

Southern Nuclears Plant Vogtle (above) and S.C. Electric & Gas Co.s V.C. Summer plant are adding new Westinghouse AP-1000 reactors.

EMILY ROSE BENNETT/FILE

MOrE ONLiNE
StOriES: Read about the reactors at augustachronicle.com. tOpiC pAGE: Find information about vogtle Nuclear Power Plant at augustachronicle.com/topics.

president for regulatory affairs, said that level of collaboration will also benefit federal regulators who evaluate future nuclear licensing requests. Having two reactor construction

sites so close together in location and scope is unusual, he added. It is unique in our industry in the context of using a similar design to build two sites simultaneously. Larry Burkhart, a senior project manager with the NRCs Division of New Reactor Licensing, said maintaining a high level of communication with both licensees helps streamline the process of evaluating license
See rEACtOrS on pAGE 5B

The last two of six inmates who escaped the Emanuel County jail Nov. 10 were captured Tuesday by U.S. marshals in Iowa, Sheriff Tyson Stephens said. Matthew Findley, 24, and Jeffery Webb, 26, were taken into custody about 2 p.m. by the marshals service Eastern Iowa Fugitive Task Force. Stephens said none of the escapees committed other crimes while on the run. It is extremely fortunate that no further crimes were perpetrated by any of the escapees and that no harm came to any citizen, officer or inmate during this ordeal, he said in a statement. We are glad that we can enter the holiday season knowing that these inmates have been returned to confinement. Findley and Webb were hiding out with an acquaintance in Iowa, according to Rocky Davis, the chief investigator for the sheriffs office. The six inmates escaped by getting into a plumbing and mechanical area in the jail after a worker neglected to lock a door, Stephens said. The room has a stairwell that leads to the roof, where they broke the lock on a second door. Once on the roof, the men were able to climb down to freedom, Stephens said.

Three escapees, John Stephen Powell, 27, Dante Jamial Latimore, 27, and Eric Lashawn Barney, 32, were back in custody by the next day. The fourth, Cecil Red DeWitt Nelson, was caught Nov. 12 at his mothers house in Pembroke, Ga. Nelson pleaded guilty Aug. 16 in federal court to one count of conspiracy Findley to kidnap for his part in a scheme to kidnap two Bryan County businessmen and hold them for ransom. T h e F B I Webb had offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information that led to his capture. Findley, 24, was being held on murder and felony murder charges stemming from the slaying of Payton E. Collins, who was stabbed on Dec. 11.
Reach Susan Mccord at (706) 823-3215 or susan.mccord@augustachronicle.com.

rEAD pASt stories about the escape at augustachronicle.com.