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Note: Comments posted at the bottom of this page are not submissions for the print version of Tell Willie and are for online readers to discuss today's Tell Willie column in real time. To submit a question or comment to Willie for the print newspaper click here or call 864-882-0903 and leave Willie a message. He checks his voice mail daily.

Willie,

West-Oak High School’s Homecoming was one to be remembered for all the good things that happened! There were floats made by each class — very nice, students! The presentation of the competitors for homecoming queen and her court was well done! The JROTC Warrior Battalion Honor Guard was sharp and spot-on! The Sr. High Warrior band sounded good! The Homecoming Queen, Laicie Alexander, was beautiful and her Warrior Varsity football sponsor, Adam Cobb, was more than worthy of the honor as he is just a well-rounded student! The fireworks were also one of the many highlights of the night (these came after the announcement of the Homecoming Queen)! To top it off, the Warriors were able to celebrate with a well-deserved Homecoming win! Kudos to all the students, staff and faculty that made this wonderful evening possible! I am already looking forward to next year’s Homecoming! Go Warriors!

Willie says:

Sounds like a great celebration that whole families could enter into the spirit of! Willie’s kudos join yours!

Willie,
During the past few weeks, many, many inches of rain fell on Lake Keowee and the watershed area. Yet, in spite of all that rain, the level of Lake Keowee is the same as before the rain. All the lake levels listed in your paper have risen, except for Keowee. How much more rain must fall before Duke will let the lake level rise? Is there something Duke is not telling us as to why they are keeping the lake at the drought level? The last message on Duke’s lake Web site is dated 6/10/09. Can you get answers?

Willie says:

Duke Energy spokesman Sandra Magee gave this answer: “Recent rainfall has helped the area, but it hasn’t made up for the long drought. We have basically gotten back to more normal precipitation, but not nearly enough to recover completely. Precipitation amounts vary widely. In fact, the Greenville gauges show Greenville still 4.5 inches below average for the year. We’ve seen Lake Jocassee’s level improve, but it is still about 12 feet below full. You may recall that Lake Jocassee at one point in 2008 was down by about 28 feet. Lake Keowee meanwhile has held a fairly constant level about 4-5 feet below full, which is pretty good shape compared to Jocassee. Duke Energy manages the two reservoirs as a system. Getting Jocassee back to more normal levels has been the priority. Duke’s weather forecasting indicates a drier than normal fall and winter, so we are storing as much water as we can in Jocassee in the event this forecast holds true. We also continue to make downstream releases as we are required to do.” 
 
Willie,

I read your story about cold cases. I’m glad you put in the cold case of Mark Lee. That was my third cousin that got murdered. It’s been going on for many, many decades now and no suspects or anything. One day I hope they catch him, but only one person knows who did it and that’s the Lord Jesus Christ.

Willie says:

Maybe one day justice will be done for your deceased relative.

Willie,

Could you tell my why they have to stand right outside and smoke at the West Union Ingles? I know they have the right to smoke, but when you come in in the morning time, you don’t want to smell like smoke.

Willie says:

Tell the management how distasteful it is to have employees smoking right where customers have to walk through the smoke.

Willie,

There seems to be some new rules for the traffic signals on 123. A red light is only a suggestion, a yellow light means step on the gas and if you get a green light, pray as you go through. Drive carefully and have a great day.

Willie says:

I wonder if the police and the DMV and SCDOT, etc. all got the memo with these new laws …

Willie,

I wanted to say thank you and congratulations on the new look of your newspaper. It looks clean, well organized and it is easier to read. Well done.

Willie says:

Thanks for the compliments! Willie, too, thinks the whole team of employees involved in planning and implementing the redesigh did and is doing a fantastic job.

Willie,

I haven’t seen any comments in your column about your paper being changed so I thought I’d call in. I like the white paper and the larger print, but you dropped the horoscopes and your columns are getting smaller. Is it because you don’t get no calls or because they won’t give you any space to put all of them in there?

Willie says:

You probably discovered by now the horoscopes have moved to be located by the Classifieds. Ol’ Willie has lots of dedicated folks out there, like yourself, still writing and calling — but how many the newspaper can print each day is not my call.

Willie,

I think I fell asleep and woke up in the wrong season. I went into (several) stores this weekend and, whammo, all you see is Christmas stuff. I mean, everything you’re looking for has been moved to the back and Christmas stuff is everywhere. We haven’t even gotten to Halloween yet.

Willie says:

That’s retail for ya.

Willie,

A word on the G20 riots in Pittsburgh. The Constitution does not give us the right to assemble, it gives us the right to peacefully assemble. When the anarchistic rabble in Pittsburgh rioted they abrogated their right to assemble, period. The police using riot control tactics did so to protect private property, which is exactly what they are paid to do. Violation of the posse comitatus act only occurs when federalized troops are used against American citizens. In this particular case if only the Pennsylvania National Guard under the control of the governor and the Pittsburgh police were used, there was no violation of the posse comitatas act of 1878. The anarchists in that mob don’t believe in law and order as we understand it, unless of course it is their law and their order or lack of it. Contrast the Pittsburgh mob scene with the Washington “tea party” made up of people who put God and country first, but are only questioning some of Obama’s socialist leanings. They were seen and noted by Washington because of their responsible behavior in spite of being ignored by the liberal press.

Willie says:

Any freedom to assemble and to speak up on an issue, give speeches, carry picket signs, or whatever method one chooses is based on the word peaceful.