Recording of Knowles hearing available on Ledger Web site | www.gaffneyledger.com

Gaffney Ledger readers with access to the internet can now hear audio recordings from the grievance hearing of former Cherokee County School District employee Fred Knowles.

Files in the MP3 audio format can be downloaded or played via streaming internet audio from the Ledger Web site www.gaffneyledger.com. Readers will need software that will play MP3 format files such as Apple's iTunes or Microsoft's Windows Media Player. The volume on the recordings is very low, and there are some portions where no one is speaking. It is recommended that readers adjust the volume to maximum setting on their computer and increase any speaker volume control to maximum as well. Alternately, the files can be downloaded and copied to a CD and then played in a conventional stereo or car stereo.

Four files are listed on the site with trial comments from operations director Jim Bridges, maintenance director John Burchstead, maintenance employee Greg Byars and Fred Knowles. Comments from superintendent Dr. Bill James appear throughout the recordings as well as some comments from Knowles' attorney Andrew Arnold and school board attorney Andrea White.

Dr. James gives an opening statement in the Jim Bridges file where he outlines the hearing proceeding and reiterates the purpose for the hearing.

James and Arnold have a lengthy exchange regarding the manner of the hearing and Byars' participation in it as part of the Greg Byars file.

These recordings are available free of charge on the Ledger site.