| PAGE LABEL EVEN | ‘THIS IS MY T Vol. 117HE No. 60 JOURNALFriday, March 26, 2021 $100 CALLING’ T J Clemson’s Spiller FOR THE BIRDS: More birders sighted in Central Park this spring migration. B1 thriving in new DEADLY WEATHER: Texas death toll from storm, outages surpasses 100. D1 role. C1 OCONEE COUNTY OCONEE COUNTY SRO was under investigation for sexual misconduct with minor BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR ment of Homeland Security no victims located in Oconee expected criminal charges to THE JOURNAL (DHS) met with Sheriff Mike County or nothing connected be “forthcoming at some point Crenshaw. Earlier this month, to his assignment at Fair-Oak in the future” but didn’t know WALHALLA — A former Crenshaw told The Elementary,” Crenshaw said the nature of the charges. school resource officer at Fair- Journal the DHS Thursday. Towery met with DHS Oak Elementary School was investigation began Towery had been with the officials the very afternoon under investigation by federal “several months” Oconee County Sheriff’s Office he was fired on March 11, the officials for criminal sexual ago. since 2012 and previously separation form said. After the misconduct with an Anderson Oconee officials worked as an officer with the meeting, DHS told local law County minor under the age submitted a “sep- Edisto Beach Police Depart- enforcement Towery would be of 16 when he was fired this aration due to ment. charged with criminal sexual Check month. Towery misconduct” form misconduct with a minor “in Records obtained by The at 6:04 p.m. March CRENSHAW: CHARGES the near future,” the report Journal from the S.C. Criminal 11, terminating Towery for ‘FORTHCOMING’ added. Justice Academy show former “misconduct.” On Thursday afternoon, DHS officials have not re- out our Oconee County Sheriff’s Office “We assisted them in their Crenshaw told The Journal he sponded to multiple requests deputy John Towery was fired investigation, and based on the has continued to stay in touch for comment from The Journal. on March 11, the same day information that was presented with federal officials since Tow- officials from the U.S. Depart- to us, we felt that there were ery’s termination. He said he [email protected] | (864) 973-6685 visitor’s WALHALLA guide in today’s Journal THE JOURNAL STAFF SENECA — Subscrib- ers to The Journal will find the spring edition of the Visit Oconee Visitor’s Guide inside today’s newspaper. The 94-page booklet called “Waterfalls, Rivers and Lakes” provides information on local towns and cities in Oconee, events, shopping opportunities, parks, mu- seums, arts and culture, agriculture and restau- rants. There’s a suggestion for a Three-Day Oconee Tour, which includes waterfalls and hiking, whitewater rafting, fish- ing and a day enjoying one of Oconee’s lakes. There are also detailed descriptions of local wa- terfalls, camping areas, LAUREN PIERCE | THE JOURNAL parks, hiking and biking Seneca branch librarian Emily Whitmire places a “Wet Floor” sign near a bucket to catch any water leaking from the library’s roof and a tarp to trails, rivers and lakes. protect books on the shelf. Whitmire said the leakage has occurred for several years and “patching it up” is only a temporary fix until a new In the center of the roof is installed. booklet is a map with a variety of sites marked so you can quickly find what you’re looking for. It also lists activities in different areas of the Board gets updates on library parking lot, roof county. Whether you have lived here all your life, are a BY LAUREN PIERCE Chestnut Street and Westview Drive. come on to Westview because of additional newcomer or a tourist, THE JOURNAL Severe weather, trees and various agency stormwater runoff going into Westview. the visitor’s guide will approvals have stalled progress. Severe weather has delayed it over time.” likely show you an area WALHALLA — The Oconee County Li- “It’s been a process,” Kyle Reid, head of Library system director Blair Hinson said of the county you’ve nev- brary Board received updates on the current the county’s roads and bridges department, Walhalla officials were against removing the er experienced or maybe status of the staff parking lot at the Walhal- told the board. “When the impact of the trees trees. hadn’t heard of as you la Library and a new roof for the Seneca along Chestnut came back — saying all the “The problem was there’s all those big oak explore Oconee. facility. trees would need to be removed down to the trees, cedar trees and a couple other things Take a look at it today. A new staff parking lot in Walhalla has stop sign for sight distance concerns — it got in the lot,” Hinson said. If you are not a sub- been in the works for a few years for the put on a screeching halt. The (S.C. Depart- scriber, come by The county-owned lot on the corner of South ment of Transportation) didn’t want us to SEE ROOF, PAGE A7 Journal office for a copy. SALEM Man accidentally shoots self while hunting in Musterground area BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR in a North Carolina man being himself in the back of the according to Lucas. The Mus- The man drove himself to an THE JOURNAL shot in the back of the leg. leg while hog hunting in the terground area is near the Bad area hospital in Transylvania Greg Lucas, a spokesman Musterground Wildlife Man- Creek Hydro Station. County for treatment. Lucas SALEM — The S.C. Depart- with DNR, told The Journal agement Area on Thursday Dispatch communication said the incident is under in- ment of Natural Resources a Transylvania County, N.C., morning. said a hunter was shot in the vestigation. (DNR) is investigating a man accidentally discharged The man suffered a back of the leg at approxi- hunting accident that resulted a black powder pistol and shot non-life-threatening injury, mately 11:15 a.m. Thursday. [email protected] | (864) 973-6685 | INSIDE | | INFO | ARRESTS A8 COMICS B3 SPORTS C1 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 LIFESTYLE B1 STOCK REPORTS D4 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 WILLIE SAYS: CLASSIFIEDS D2 OBITUARY B4 WORLD | NATION D1 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 I’ll stick COLUMNISTS B2 OPINION A4 with Uninformed Delivery. B4 | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 Outage delays Clemson University, Ingles hospital beds update SENECA — An update on how many beds were avail- able in the intensive care unit partner to vaccinate 1K at Prisma Health Oconee Me- morial Hospital was unavail- able at press time Thursday. THE JOURNAL STAFF “We are appreciative of Ingles provid- The S.C. Department of ing these opportunities to our em- Health and Environmental Thursday’s COVID-19 CLEMSON — Clemson University ployees and will continue to look for Control (DHEC) announced numbers at a glance and a local supermarket chain are every opportunity available to assist Thursday afternoon its partnering to vaccinate more than our Clemson community.” COVID-19 dashboard was Confirmed Confirmed Percent 1,000 school employees in the near The two entities said the partner- experiencing an outage. The cases deaths positive future. ship will continue into the future as dashboards are hosted by South Carolina 551 31 3.8% On Thursday, the school announced state eligibility guidance progresses. Tableau Public, which was Ingles Markets was in the process of Excluding student workers and con- also reporting outages in Oconee County 16 0 N/A directly contacting more than 1,000 tract employees, approximately 6,268 other states. Pickens County 28 0 N/A Clemson employees who were eligible people work for Clemson University. “These issues are currently and interested in setting up COVID-19 “We’re happy to partner with preventing our dashboards appointments. Employees would be Clemson to help eligible employees from fully updating and load- Cumulative cases directed to their pharmacies closest access available vaccination appoint- ing,” the state agency said South Carolina: 461,418 cases, 8,021 deaths to their home for an appointment. ments as we try to vaccinate as many on its website. “DHEC has “Clemson’s commitment to pri- members of our community as pos- been in communication with Oconee County: 8,215 cases, 125 deaths oritize the health and safety of our sible,” Ingles chief financial officer Tableau, and it has a team Pickens County: 15,965 cases, 245 deaths students, faculty, staff, and commu- Ron Freeman said. “We know every actively working to fix these nity has been a constant through the vaccine we administer helps our issues as quickly as possible.” SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL pandemic, and will continue to be our community as we move closer to herd Hospital bed informa- focus moving forward,” Clemson vice immunity, and even helps protect tion can be found online at president for external affairs Angie those who choose not to receive the scdhec.gov/covid19/hospi- Leidinger said in a news release. vaccine.” tal-bed-capacity-covid-19. | CALENDAR | — The Journal staff SATURDAY SDOC updates THE AMERICAN Christian Writers’ South Carolina Chapter will meet at 2 p.m. at North Anderson Baptist Church, 2308 N. Main COVID-19 cases St., Anderson. Masks required. The meeting is free and visitors Coroner: Homeless man’s WALHALLA — The School welcome. scwritersacfw.blogspot.com District of Oconee County said Thursday that there WIDOWED PERSONS Moving Forward, Oconee County will meet were 10 new COVID-19 cases for breakfast at 9 a.m. at The Farm Café, Route 59, Westminster. death classified as natural reported this week. (864) 985-0542 On Monday, a student THE JOURNAL STAFF On Wednesday, West Union Police from Seneca High School WEDNESDAY Chief Josh Eppes said his department and a student from Wal- THE OCONEE Board of Disabilities and Special Needs will meet WEST UNION — A 64-year-old was alerted at around 4 a.m.