What are you looking forward to the most about becoming mayor?

A: Working with our town council, in the capacity of kind of a mayor-manager to develop a specific plan of action on a number of issues to address town problems (such as traffic control) and identify opportunities to improve our town, such as annexation, improved transparency, and creating more opportunity for citizens to get involved.

What’s the one thing about you few people know?

A: I love to restore old things. That has been limited so far to a 65 mustang convertible (I drove it in the Catfish stomp parade) and a Victorian style home, circa 1920, that I own in my hometown of Branchville SC.  There is something rewarding about restoring something to its original beauty (and rescuing it from the junk heap or the wood pile).

Who are your heroes?

A: All combat veterans. In particular my uncle Bubba Newsome and my Dad, Eddie (I’m a jr.). We lost uncle Bubba in WWII, a radio-gunner in the Pacific, lost off of Henderson  Field, Guadalcanal.

My Dad served in the army infantry as a First Lieutenant in WWII, fighting in Italy, and other places, in the Allied drive up the Italian peninsula to Monte Cassino, eventually being held 9 months as a POW.

And my Granddad, Irving Newsome, who ran a bus line to Charleston Naval Shipyard during the War, and some kind of restaurant or country store for 60 some years in Branchville.

What are the top three artists on your iPod?

A: I don’t have an iPod and I like too wide an array of music types to narrow it down to 3 artists so here is a list: I listen to a lot of CDs and satellite radio – rock, top forty, alternative, country, some oldies, soul. I like the BoDeans, Jack Ingram, Bocephus, Sublime, Smokey R, Gin Blossoms – I could go on, but those are some favorites.

What are you doing for your wife on Valentine’s day? 

A:  Probably a card (not a funny one), a rose, cook for her or dinner out and a gift if I can think of one.