Years-Long Saga Ends with Removal of Ramey's Cabin
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| PAGE LABEL EVEN | ‘NOT VERY POPULAR’ T Vol. 116HE No. 356 JOURNALTuesday, December 29, 2020 $100 Tigers’ Swinney T J doubles down WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA: Volunteers honor veterans at cemeteries. B1 on Ohio State TENN. EXPLOSION: Bomber tells neighbor world is ‘never going to forget me.’ D1 ranking. C1 SENECA Moulder: Kellett demolition likely in spring or summer Seneca BY NORM CANNADA the first six months of termined at this point. of Commerce through officials THE JOURNAL 2021. My guess is sometime federal funds allocated hope the City administrator in late spring or early for the state. The city former SENECA — While Scott Moulder said bids summer, we should have is getting help from the Kellett Ele- delays because of the for the project went out something moving.” Appalachian Council mentary COVID-19 pandemic last week and will close The city was awarded of Governments going School will kept Seneca officials in February. a $500,000 Community through the process to be torn from completing plans “Obviously, there Development Block receive the funds. down next to demolish the former will be an evaluation Grant (CDBG) for the The grant and $183,400 year and Kellett Elementary time before it’s select- project from the U.S. De- in local matching funds turned School and turn it into ed, and then we’ll have partment of Commerce already approved by city into green greenspace and ball- to approve the bid and in December 2019. The council will be used to space and fields in 2020, the project contract with council,” grant is being admin- demolish the dilapidated ballfields. is moving forward with he said. “The construc- istered by the South FILE a goal of being done in tion schedule is unde- Carolina Department SEE KELLETT, PAGE A6 WASHINGTON CLEMSON Duncan part of ‘surprise’ medical ‘Sky’s the limit’ billing legislation BY BRIAN GRAVES pay would get counted THE JOURNAL toward their in-network annual de- WASHINGTON — U.S. ductible. Clemson set to lease Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) The said a newly signed compromise Twelve Mile Beach from agreement on “surprise” legislation medical billing achieved involved two its top priorities in pro- years of work Army Corps of Engineers tecting patients. from dozens Clemson City Coun- The compromise Duncan of lawmak- BY GREG OLIVER Twelve Mile Beach cil recently entered bipartisan, bicameral ers of both THE JOURNAL Recreation Area. into an agreement agreement reached Dec. parties and key commit- The proposal with the U.S. Army 11 and included in the tees, including Energy CLEMSON — includes the initial Corps of Engineers COVID-19 relief/spend- and Commerce and Ways Clemson City Coun- costs for setup, two for the lease and ing bill signed by Pres- and Means in the House, cil has approved an full-time employ- maintenance of the ident Donald Trump on and Health, Education, agreement with the ees, one part-time Twelve Mile Beach Sunday night limits what Labor and Pensions in U.S. Army Corps of employee and Recreation Area. patients can be billed for the Senate. Engineers to lease GREG OLIVER | THE JOURNAL out-of-network services Duncan, whose Third and maintain the SEE BEACH, PAGE A5 to a fee that’s based on Congressional District in-network charges. The amount consumers SEE DUNCAN, PAGE A6 THE JOURNAL 10 8 6 4 2 staff chose the Top 10 stories of 2020 in our area, and we will be counting them down over a 10-day period. 2020 9 7 5 Westminster mayor’s cabin saga 3 1 Years-long saga ends with removal of Ramey’s cabin BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR city council called on THE JOURNAL Ramey to move the cabin on Chauga Shoals Drive Mayor vs. city — a timeline WESTMINSTER — In off city-owned property. a saga dating back more After council ordered THE JOURNAL STAFF he bought in 2006 and than 14 years, Westmin- Ramey to move the cabin 2008. ster Mayor Brian Ramey’s by Sept. 28, 2017, the • June 7, 2006: Brian • 2008: Westminster be- hand was forced to move mayor said he would have Ramey buys four tracts of gins talking with Upstate a cabin he had built on to submit a professional land totaling 7.6 acres on Forever, a nonprofit, and city-owned land off of the forest management plan Chauga Shoals Drive for the South Carolina Con- property on the banks of before moving the cabin $85,000. On May 22, 2008, servation Bank to create the Chauga River earlier to remove trees at the site, Ramey would buy anoth- a conservation easement this year. protected by Upstate For- er 2.52 acres for $21,000 to on the 89.46 acres of city- ever through a conserva- bring his total property owned land on the Chau- THE BACKGROUND tion easement. on Chauga Shoals Drive ga River that runs past Ramey’s cabin was a Ramey originally en- to 10.12 acres. Ramey’s Ramey’s land on Chauga contentious topic first tered into a dollar-a-year, log cabin, which was lo- Shoals Drive. The land discussed publicly in five-year lease for the land FILE cated on city-owned land for the conservation ease- 2016, shortly after he was with the city in 2010. The Westminster Mayor Brian Ramey boarded up his cab- along the Chauga River, ment is located upstream elected mayor. Between in on the Chauga River in 2017 before finally moving would eventually be built then and the fall of 2017, SEE CABIN, PAGE A5 it off city-owned property last year. in front of the five tracts SEE TIMELINE, PAGE A5 | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: CALENDAR A2 ENTERTAINMENT B3 SPORTS C1 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 I CLASSIFIEDS D2 LIFESTYLE B1 STOCK REPORTS D4 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 COLUMNISTS B2 OBITUARIES B4 TELL WILLIE A8 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 veto your suggestion COMICS B2 OPINION A4 WORLD | NATION D1 as ridiculous. A8 A rewarding view of what’s next. The 2021 GLA 250 SUV CARLTON MOTORCARS www.CarltonMB.com 2446 Laurens Road (864) 213-8000 Greenville, SC 29607 | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 Scout troop plans trail at Clemson park BY GREG OLIVER smaller trees that wouldn’t THE JOURNAL be worth saving in the first place, but no major re- CLEMSON — A Clem- moval of trees, and that’s son scout troop is plan- the whole point — keep the Monday’s COVID-19 ning to create a small greenspace like it is and trail at Shanklin-Sams preserve it,” he said. numbers at a glance Park from North Clem- Troop 235 has approxi- son Avenue to Hillcrest mately 80-85 scouts, and Confirmed Confirmed Percent Avenue. Halfacre said its members cases deaths positive Mayor-elect and scout are excited about pre- South Carolina 1,540 18 28.5% troop leader Robert serving the space for the Halfacre said the project community to use. Oconee County 13 0 27.2%* started with comments “The city is ultimately Pickens County 41 2 28.8%* made by neighbors near responsible, but hopefully * Seven-day moving average the park, located close this will engage the com- to University Lutheran munity as well,” Halfacre Cumulative cases Church. That area rep- GREG OLIVER | THE JOURNAL said. South Carolina: 275,285 cases, 4,782 deaths resents the largest greens- Shanklin-Sams Park on North Clemson Avenue in Clemson Councilwoman Crossie pace in Clemson. will soon feature a small trail, thanks to Scout Troop 235. Cox asked whether any Oconee County: 4,884 cases, 57 deaths “There were comments kind of seating area was Pickens County: 9,507 cases, 128 deaths that it would be nice to enough to help the city “Anyone who has been in considered for the project. utilize the park a little while putting in volunteer that park, the ivy grows Halfacre said that while SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL more, and some sugges- labor at the site either as very quickly.” benches have been dis- tions were made about a an Eagle Scout project or Scout Troop 235 will cussed, he added, “That’s trail,” Halfacre told city troop project. City council handle the project. Cut- a discussion with Tony council during a recent has given its support to ting the trail is expected (Tidwell), our city horti- meeting. the effort. to take at least a day. culturist.” | CALENDAR | Halfacre, scoutmaster “It’s not only being uti- Plans are to begin some- Acting city administra- Vic Shelburne and a cou- lized, but also protecting time in January. tor Andy Blondeau said WEDNESDAY ple of neighbors walked greenspace in downtown “You want to wait the city has $7,000 in its NOT MEETING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE – DAV veterans advocates the site to determine if it Clemson as well,” he said. at least until it gets a budget that could be used Terry Neale (864) 647-4227 or (303) 501-4273, Michael Brown (678) was possible to expand “We’re excited about uti- little cooler, because that for furniture at the site. 858-6052 or Mike O’Shields (864) 247-1577 will be at the Knights of the approximately three- lizing this space, and this makes it a lot easier to cut “There’s more than Columbus meeting hall, 112 E. North 2nd St., Seneca, from 1-5 p.m. tenths-of-a-mile area. is the first step.” a trail,” he said. enough to put there,” to assist veterans with VA benefits. Please bring your DD214 and any “There used to be Halfacre said the project Halfacre said some large Blondeau said.