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Sharetta Muldrow Leads Lady War Eagles with an Eye on 2018


Submitted Photo from Samuretta Muldrow
Article by Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly

WSHS girls’ basketball coach Sharetta Muldrow is teaching the Lady War Eagles about patience and discipline, about long-term goal setting, and about self-confidence.  Coach Muldrow is teaching these ladies how to hold your head up high when you end a season 2 - 12 in the region.

“I’m not worried about what the record was, I’m concerned with their skills.”  Muldrow said.   “I can see from the first game to the last the progression they’ve made.  I had some that couldn’t even dribble the ball and now have the confidence to dribble up the floor.  I implement drills in practice for things I saw in the game that we need to work on.  I’m biding my time, being patient, taking the time to mold and shape them into good basketball players and good students as well.”

Muldrow’s right, the players are good students, most are on the honor roll.  This season’s problems were two-fold:  this year presented a young, small team and Muldrow wasn’t their coach until moments before the season when the anticipated coach, Sgt. Moses Brown was transferred from Wagener PD to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Department.  Winning is difficult when coaching time is limited and the team only has seven players.  In one memorable game, the team had only four players on the court.

Coach Muldrow is excited about the next few years.  Despite losing two seniors this year, Morgan Gunter and Wyniesha Williams, with six rising Freshmen from Corbett’s middle school team, all of which have the potential to be top athletes, Muldrow sees the opportunity to build up an unstoppable team.

Tornado Siren Information for Spring Weather

On the morning of  February 15, 2017, NOAA issued a tornado warning for areas including our area of Aiken County.  Our town followed protocol and activated our tornado siren.  The siren is activated when conditions are favorable for a potential tornado "touchdown" in our area and a Tornado Warning is issued. The siren may also be activated if the potential of wind speeds are expected to be in or near 60 to 70  MPH with rain or possible hailstorm.  NOAA will issue a "WARNING" when Doppler radar(s) indicates tornado type rotation above ground or reports of same if seen by folks on the ground.

The last time we experienced the worst of this type weather we had absolutely no warning at all.  At Town Hall, we watched with concern, clearly being told that all tornado threat activity was in the areas of Bamberg and Colleton Counties.  We quickly learned that a tornado was on the ground about 2 miles north of Wagener.  Although one home was leveled and several sustained major damage, the 1:00 pm time of (the 8 mile long) impact was lifesaving for so many who were not at home.

When the siren is activated, it is to alert people that it's best to go indoors and monitor the situation via any news media sources available.  Although possible, it does not mean that you or your home is about to be leveled by a tornado.  It does mean that there is a strong potential or possibility of a person being struck, injured or killed by flying or windswept airborne debris.

Spring is always a stormy time for South Carolina.  Check with Weather.gov for current conditions and forecasts.  Check with Weather.gov/safety for all storm information.  Follow this link for Tornado Safety Tips.

WSHS FFA Annual Plant Sale

Hours:  March 29 - 31,  3:30 - 6:00 pm.  April 1, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm.

The WSHS FFA will be selling small plants they've been growing in the greenhouse located next to the football field.  All proceeds will benefit the Wagener Salley FFA Chapter.   They will have ornamental plants like daisies, geraniums, petunias, etc. as well as Vegetables like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc.
 

Busbee's Hardware Store Changes Ownership

Pictured left to right: Doug Busbee, Mae Busbee, Jud Busbee, Paul Salley, Betty Salley, Christopher Salley
Back row: Gwen Busbee Salley, Scott Moore
Photos and Article by Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly

After 69 years serving the community in five different locations, Busbee’s Hardware and Supply Company has closed the business to reopen under new ownership and a new name, same location.  Paul and Tina Salley have purchased the store and have opened it under the name of Palmetto Hardware and Outdoors.  The Salleys have extended the store hours.  Follow them on Facebook/PalmettoHardware to stay current with the changes.

As Jud Busbee handed the keys to Paul Salley on February 9, 2017 in the presence of the store founder’s wife, Mae Busbee, his mother, the humorous spirit of store founder, the late Jim Busbee shone forth as Jud, leaving the store, took his mother’s arm saying, “Mama needs some gas money to get back home now.”

Jim Busbee would be proud.

Jim Busbee’s humor and infamous pranks will live on long past the closing of his store.  First time visitors to the store were always invited to enjoy Jim’s special “ice-cream sale of the day” and encouraged to pop open the freezer to get an ice-cream.  Locals are well aware that the freezer is stocked with a taxidermist’s dream, stocked full of larger-than-life vicious snakes and rodents killed by town residents, but new comers?  Not so much.  The screams could be heard throughout the store.

Gardening Tips from Master Gardener Rev. Jim Bennett

By Valerie Sliker

Master Gardener Rev. Jim Bennett held a gardening seminar in the Wagener United Methodist Church fellowship hall on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017.  Bennett is known for the gardening TV show he hosted before his ministry days and also for his work at Southern Living.  He currently tests seeds for the AAS , has a column in the Wagener Monthly newspaper and is in his 23rd year of ministry. 

Bennett opened the meeting discussing the new seeds he will be testing this Spring.  He has a hybrid watermelon in which the vines will remain small and a hearty tomato that is Cf-9 (I think) resistant which, he enthusiastically claims, "If you fertilize it right, you will have to cut it down to make a sandwich."  By the way, his watermelon tip?  Plant gourds in with your watermelon - deer won't eat gourds and will leave your melons alone.  And your cukes?  Plant them around an old discarded Christmas tree.  They'll climb the tree and the cucumbers will never lay on the ground, no yellow bellies.

It would take an entire website to share all of Bennett's tips, but I'll share a few here to get you started.  It's time to get your seeds started in your greenhouse.  Yogurt containers and cardboard egg cartons are great for this.  Pop a tiny hole in the bottom of the yogurt cups for drainage.  Tear the cardboard egg containers in half.  Mold tin foil under the bottom of the egg half and lay it on top of the solid top half to limit your drainage mess.  When it's time to plant them in the ground, you can plant egg carton and all since it will disintegrate.

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