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NEWSLETTER
JULY/AUGUST 2020
Why Serving on a Jury Is a Right AND NOT AN INCONVENIENCE
Most people would agree that the right to vote is one of the most important rights given to Americans. Though I agree, I’d also say that Americans have another right that is just as important: the right to serve on a jury. Most people don’t think about serving on a jury as a right. Instead, they probably view it more like being held hostage. When you have to serve on a jury, it’s because you were sent a summons, without asking for one, to be somewhere where you don’t necessarily want to be, and you’re not allowed to leave until your captors (the courts) release you. I teach a business law course at the University of South Carolina Lancaster campus, and when the subject comes up with my students in class, I always liken serving on a jury to voting. In terms of function and importance, both acts are actually very similar. Just like voting, jury trials put the power to make big decisions back into the hands of the people. Instead of just letting a single judge (who is appointed by politicians) have the final say on a case, jury trials let people decide what they want for their own community, including safety and civility. Letting a jury of 12 very different people decide the outcome of a court case, instead of letting a judge handle everything, has a few key benefits. While judges have years of experience in the legal field, that doesn’t
mean they’re immune to biases. One judge could have a million biases against the plaintiff, the defendant, or certain issues that arise in the case that could affect their judgment. Each of the 12 jurors will also have biases, but they will more than likely discuss them throughout the decision-making process and, ideally, reach a verdict that reduces the impact of their biases. Jurors will also have a fresher perspective of the facts of a case, which is another advantage jury trials have over those decided by a judge. Jurors haven’t been working in the legal system long enough to be jaded by it, unlike some judges who may be from their years working as a lawyer before becoming a judge. Also, judges can be pretty far removed from public opinion. A jury brings a more common-sense approach to the case, fueled by real-life experiences and the jurors’ desires for the betterment of their community. Jurors come from all walks of life. You could have someone who is 18 alongside someone who’s 80. There could be an artist and a plumber sitting next to a surgeon. That diversity of backgrounds, opinions, and life experiences makes jury trials one of our country’s greatest ways for people to have a say in things that matter. It might not be as easy as leaving a case in the hands of a judge, but I’d much rather have important court decisions be decided by the people
rather than some politician, someone elected by a politician, or a bureaucrat. The people in our community are the ones who best know their own needs. Jury trials have been in practice since our country’s independence, and the fact that everyday Americans get the chance to participate in them is a tremendous privilege and part of what makes living in the United States great. You’re not a hostage; you are the button-pusher with a chance to keep making your community even better. Serve when you have the chance because everyone benefits.
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HELPING INJURED PEOPLE IS ALL WE DO.
Celebrate National Ice Cream Day By Making Your Own Sweet Treat!
What You Need to Know About Navigating the Aftermath of a Tractor-Trailer Accident
Whether you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip or just plain vanilla, nothing cools you down on a hot summer day quite like ice cream. It’s only fitting then that National Ice Cream Day lands on July 19 — right in the middle of the hottest month in the U.S. Ice cream’s history stretches as far back as 500 B.C. when Middle Eastern royalty combined sweet flavors with ice for a cool treat. Ice cream made its way to North America in the 1700s, and it remained a dessert for the wealthy and famous for years. George Washington even spent $200 on ice cream throughout the summer of 1790. (That would be $5,611.20 in today’s dollars!)
Thankfully, these days you don’t have to be rich to enjoy ice cream. In fact, you can even save money by making it yourself! Celebrate National Ice Cream Day by creating this everyday treat using these tips. MAKE IT HOW YOU WANT IT. You can flavor your ice cream however you’d like, but there are a few basic ingredients that are necessary for most batches: milk, sugar, gelatin, and eggs. Dairy-based products like milk are the most common foundation for ice cream. Sugar adds the sweet, scrumptious flavor we all love, and gelatin aids in thickening the mixture. The eggs happen to be one of the most important ingredients because they give ice cream its classic texture while reducing the rate at which it melts. This ensures your ice cream remains in near “mint” condition as you enjoy it. Healthy Alternatives: Use bananas or almond milk for dairy-free ice cream. For vegan ice cream, use agar powder instead of gelatin and eggs. For those looking to avoid sugar, honey is a naturally sweet substitute. GET TO WORK! You’ll need to heat your ingredients on the stove prior to churning and cooling your ice cream. An ice-cream churner is the easiest way to create a perfectly smooth texture, but if you’re looking for an activity to wear out the kids, then have them shake their own ice cream! Simply place all your ingredients in a small baggie, close it up, and place that baggie in a larger one with ice cubes. Shake firmly for at least 15 minutes for homemade creamy goodness.
It doesn’t seem like there would be much of a difference between getting in an auto wreck with another car and getting in one with a tractor-trailer. One way or another, your vehicle will likely be damaged, and there’s a good chance you’ll be injured in either case. However, collisions with tractor-trailers can be much more lethal than other auto wrecks, and sorting through the aftermath of the accident can prove to be much trickier as well. In a typical auto collision, you’ll most likely just have to work with the other driver, or drivers, involved in the accident. However, in a tractor- trailer accident, there’s a chance you’ll have to contend with a motor carrier — a large trucking company determined to protect its financial interests, no matter the cost. That’s because they know they might be at fault and financially obligated to you if you were injured in a wreck with one of their vehicles. To stand up to them in court, you’ll need an experienced trucking accident attorney on your side. Determining the cause of the accident and liability are two other factors that can make deciphering the aftermath of a tractor-trailer accident difficult. The four primary causes of tractor-trailer accidents in Lancaster are improperly loaded freight, inadequate inspections, a lack of maintenance, and driver fatigue. Depending on which factors led to the accident, the motor carrier or the driver may be at fault. At first glance, it’s never easy to tell. That’s why it will work to your advantage to have David Blackwell Law in your corner. If you or a loved one has recently been involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer and you’re having trouble getting the compensation for your injuries you deserve, call David Blackwell Law at 803-285-0225. We’ll help you get this sorted out.
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PEOPLE MATTER: Making Lives Better by Design
Julie H. Walters is hardworking, energetic, and compassionate, and she has an infectious enthusiasm about her, which, combined with a lifetime of leadership experience, makes her the perfect person to help some of the most vulnerable members of our community. She is currently the executive director of the Women’s Enrichment Center (WEC) in Lancaster, which helps women struggling with unplanned pregnancies find employment and become the best mothers they can be. Julie is also the executive director of Lotus Boutique and Designs, an organization within the Women’s Enrichment Center, which offers the most current retail designs from Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles in women’s apparel, shoes, jewelry, home decor and gifts. Lotus also offers custom floral designs, custom sewn draperies, and interior design services. As for her leadership experience, Julie has been in charge of several efforts and organizations throughout her career — many of which actively help other vulnerable groups in Lancaster. She worked for Founders Federal Credit Union for 18 1/2 years in the executive office, as well as the audit, loan administration, and financial counseling departments. She has also owned her own interior design and Teleflora shop called Ambience Interiors. These
positions have made her more than qualified to run the business side of things at WEC and Lotus, while her positions on the board of directors for the Lancaster Children’s Home and the Advisory Board for Springs Memorial Hospital have prepared her to care about the humanity behind it all. Julie’s work hasn’t gone unappreciated. She was a member of the design
team that decorated the White House for Christmas in 2019, and her work was featured on HGTV. She has also been selected to serve on the design team for the 2020 Republican National Convention. That recognition doesn’t distract her from what’s really important, however. Through it all, Julie strives to use her gifts and talents to make her community and country a better place.
Pagan’s Puzzle
In the Kitchen With Dana
Inspired by GrainChanger.com
NO-CHURN S’MORES ICE CREAM
July is National Ice Cream Month, so why not cool off with some sweet, homemade s’mores ice cream? You don’t even need an ice cream churn!
INGREDIENTS
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 10 graham crackers, crushed
• 1 chocolate bar, chopped • 2 cups whipping cream, chilled
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, graham crackers, and chocolate.
CAESAR FIREWORKS GRILLING INDEPENDENCE LARKSPUR PEACHES
PICNIC POPSICLES RUBY SPARKLER SUNGLASSES SWIMMING
2. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat whipping cream until peaks form, about 3 minutes.
3. Fold whipping cream into the condensed milk mixture. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 8 hours.
4. Serve and enjoy on a hot summer day. It’s especially delicious in a waffle cone!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 The Most Valuable Right Next to Voting?
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National Ice Cream Day Prompts Homemade Creations Navigating the Aftermath of a Tractor-Trailer Accident People Matter: Julie H. Walters Homemade S’mores Ice Cream The Wacky Evolution of the Knock-Knock Joke
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FRANK’S COLUMN Knock Knock! Who’s There?
because at their core, knock-knock jokes are a quintessential American experience — and the perfect homegrown fodder for International Joke Day, which falls on July 1. But where did they come from, and why do so many people knock the knock-knock joke today? Well, according to NPR, knock-knock jokes have had a roller coaster of a history. Near as we can tell, they actually evolved from another kind of joke: the “Do You Know” joke. This style of joke was popular in the early 1900s, and according to an Oakland Tribune article NPR dug up, this was a typical one:
Macbeth (though it likely wasn’t intended to be funny), or it could be a reference to 1936 vice presidential hopeful Frank Knox, whose name made “knock knock” irresistible wordplay for the radio. Whatever the reason, knock knocks were all the rage in the 1930s, to the extent that people formed knock-knock clubs, businesses held knock-knock contests, and orchestras set them to music. However, the heyday was short-lived. In the following years, people started getting sick of knock knocks, and even psychologists turned against them. According to NPR, “people who loved knock-knock jokes were said to have social problems.” Today, knock-knock jokes are still around, but they’re mostly considered a game for kids or demoted to the realm of “bad dad jokes.” Maybe you think that’s warranted, maybe you think it’s tragic — either way, odds are the format will continue to evolve and probably outlive us all!
Knock knock! Who’s there? Theresa. Theresa who? Theresa crowd!
Joker: “Do you know Arthur?” Listener: “Arthur who?” Joker: “Arthurmometer!”
Not very funny, is it? Well, over the years this style of back-and-forth jesting evolved into knock-knock jokes. The popularity of the “knock knock” bit of the joke could harken back to Shakespeare, who BestLife credits with “the first-known occurrence of a knock knock, who’s-there dialogue” in Act 2 of
Unless you’re living under a rock, odds are you’ve laughed, grumbled, or groaned in response to a knock-knock joke. You may have even told a few yourself before you realized knock-knock jokes had gone out of style in favor of sarcasm and memes. That’s
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