| PAGE LABEL EVEN | PROPERTY TRANSFERS $ 00 Who has been Vol. 117HE No. 89 OURNALThursday, May 6, 2021 1 T J buying and BLOWN AWAY: Daniel boys, girls dominate Cyclones to advance in playoffs. C1 selling Oconee SHARING SHOTS?: US backs waiving intellectual property rules on vaccines. D1 property? A3 OCONEE COUNTY LOCAL BUSINESS Proposed budget isin t te callene increases county employee raises BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR county council Budget, THE JOURNAL Finance and Administra- tion Committee meeting, WALHALLA — In her Brock presented the latest latest proposed budget for proposed budget, which the upcoming increased by fiscal year, $165,410 from Oconee Coun- OUR VIEW April for a to- ty adminis- TO READ A RELATED tal balanced trator Aman- EDITORIAL, TURN general fund da Brock TO PAGE A4. budget of bumped up $56,888,430. the cost-of-liv- Brock add- ing adjustment raises for ed revenues to the tune of many county employees. At Tuesday night’s SEE RAISES, PAGE A3 WEST UNION PHOTOS BY JERRY BEARD | THE JOURNAL Treatment center Bliss Boutique co-owner Caroline Martin hangs a dress in the store in Walhalla last month. “People want to interact instead of shopping online,” Martin said. director speaks on siness ners fin sccess enin in te aneic BY NORM CANNADA The Beau- group’s next steps THE JOURNAL ty Mark Hair Salon SENECA — No matter the economic owner Tay- BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR was unsure of the group’s climate, starting a new business can be lor Camp- THE JOURNAL next step after an exemp- a risky venture. bell has tion to locate in Oconee Upfront money for a building, utilities her hair WEST UNION — The County was denied. and products for a new business are colored director of a Utah treat- Elevated Youth Services needed before a sale is even made. by stylist ment center for adoles- was denied by Oconee Add to those concerns the effects of Olivia cents dealing with sexual the COVID-19 pandemic, and it would be McKenzie misconduct issues said he SEE DIRECTOR, PAGE A6 easy to consider rethinking the dream at the of owning a small business. business But local business owners who have on U.S. opened in the past 14 months are seeing Highway success, even with COVID-19. 123 last “My whole theory is you only have month. one life to live, and I don’t want to be at Campbell the end of my life saying, ‘What if I had took the done this?’ and I wonder what could plunge to have happened,’” said Sonya Martin, open her one of the owners of the Bliss Boutique own busi- on Main Street in Walhalla. “Even if ness in it fails, you just start over with a new December, idea. If you enjoy doing something, you in spite just need to go ahead and chance it.” of the JERRY BEARD | THE JOURNAL Martin admits it hasn’t been easy for challeng- Elevated Youth Services was denied an exemption to her family — including her husband, es of the place a treatment center for adolescents dealing with COVID-19 sexual misconduct issues in this house in West Union. SEE OWNERS, PAGE A5 pandemic. SENECA ‘New and fresh’: Publix opens in Seneca BY NORM CANNADA the first time at 7 a.m. son, looking forward to Glover added a feature THE JOURNAL Wednesday. getting the Seneca Publix of the new store is a “Welcome Publix. We opened up and getting ev- second-floor dining area SENECA — An event appreciate y’all,” Seneca erybody exposed to what above the store. that was years in the Mayor Dan Alexander Publix is all about in our The work to get to making brought Seneca said before the ribbon hometown,” Peters said. Wednesday’s opening took city officials and locals cutting. “We’re glad to Publix media manager a few years and included together early Wednesday have you here. Most of all, Jared Glover said the com- tearing down the former morning to welcome the we thank every customer pany is “more than just a Bi-Lo building and build- new Publix Super Market that’s here to help support grocery store.” ing a new 48,000-square- to the area. this business. It’s a great “Publix believes in foot store, all while keeping The grocery chain, day in Seneca.” being a part of the com- the storefronts on either which spent $100,000 in Alexander said Seneca munity, investing in the side intact. Building per- May 2018 to purchase the store manager Ray Peters community and the people mits filed with the city of NORM CANNADA | THE JOURNAL lease, permits, licens- of Walhalla came to the that are a part of the Sen- Seneca estimated the proj- Seneca Publix manager Ray Peters cuts a ribbon to of- es and fixtures for the area in 2003 and has spent eca community,” he said. ect cost at about $7 million. ficially open the new Publix Super Market on Rochester former Bi-Lo building 31 years with the compa- “We’re excited to be here, Publix signed a 20-year Highway in Seneca with help from Seneca City Council- on Rochester Highway, ny. excited to be good citizens man Dana Moore, left, Mayor Dan Alexander and Coun- opened its doors for “I’m a hometown per- of Seneca.” SEE PUBLIX, PAGE A3 cilman Stuart Pohl, right. | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: ARRESTS A6 COMICS B3 OPINION A4 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 ENTERTAINMENT B4 SPORTS C1 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 Just drive in the CLASSIFIEDS D3 LIFESTYLE B1 STOCK REPORTS D4 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 COLUMNISTS B3 OBITUARY B2 WORLD | NATION D1 dang right lane! B5 All-digital cockpit. That responds to your digits. The 2021 CLA 250 Coupe CARLTON MOTORCARS www.CarltonMB.com 2446 Laurens Road (864) 213-8000 Greenville, SC 29607 | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 School districts update COVID-19 case numbers WALHALLA — The School District of Oconee County said Wednesday that four Wednesday’s COVID-19 people across the dis- trict tested positive for numbers at a glance COVID-19 on Monday Confirmed Confirmed Percent — one student each at cases deaths positive three schools and an employee at Orchard South Carolina 397 11 5.5% Park Elementary. Oconee County 13 0 4.3%* The students who tested positive attend Pickens County 16 0 2%* LAUREN PIERCE | THE JOURNAL Walhalla Middle, Ke- * Seven-day moving average owee Elementary and Cumulative cases Westminster Elementa- At least one person airlifted to hospital after wreck ry, the district said. South Carolina: 483,975 cases, 8,396 deaths According to the Oconee County: 8,807 cases, 127 deaths At least one person was airlifted to an area hospital after a wreck Wednesday afternoon on School District of Pick- Ebenezer Road in West Union. Dispatchers sent emergency responders to the scene near ens County’s weekly Pickens County: 16,860 cases, 258 deaths Welcome Wesleyan Church at around 3:55 p.m. A helicopter airlifted at least one person update released Friday, from the church parking lot. The S.C. Highway Patrol had not responded to a request for eight students and two Oconee Memorial Hospital ICU occupancy more details by press time Wednesday. staff members tested Total ICU beds: 12 Beds occupied: 10 positive for COVID-19 last week, while 105 Beds occupied by COVID patients: 0 students and five staff SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL members were quaran- tined. Ceson ofii eeends Among Daniel-area schools, the Central Academy of the Arts | CALENDAR | reported no positive tests, with four stu- TODAY us t ee ie r dents quarantined. OCPL FRIENDS of the Library book sale every Thursday in the Wal- Clemson Elementary halla Library basement from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. No more than nine BY GREG OLIVER has been cleaning the site Twelve Mile Park is reported one staffer customers at a time. Masks will be required. THE JOURNAL and emptying trash cans, predominantly used for tested positive and four including 60 in one day. swimming, boating and students quarantined. MAY 13 CLEMSON — Twelve Tidwell also mowed the picnics. Councilman John Six Mile Elementary WIDOWED PERSONS Moving Forward, Oconee County will meet Mile Park has experienced grass, swept the parking Ducworth said he is excit- and Edwards Middle for lunch at 1 p.m. at Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe in Seneca. For more a high volume of weekend area and blew off limbs. ed to see the city assume reported no cases or information, call Rita at (864) 985-0542 traffic as of late, according “That crew has worked operations at the park. quarantines. to Clemson’s parks and to clean every Monday “It’s a great asset to the Daniel High report- MAY 15 recreation director. and will check the beach city and a long-term goal ed one student tested FLEET RESERVE Association, Branch 15, will meet at 8:30 a.m. for Director Jay Bennett every other day, because we’re working toward,” positive and six were in breakfast followed by a business meeting at 9 a.m. at Chicopee told city council recently people have been walking Ducworth said. quarantine. United Methodist Church, 403 S. Catherine St., Walhalla. Open to that the park is averaging on the beach during the all former and enlisted active U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine and U.S. Coast 500 people on Saturdays week,” Bennett said. [email protected] | (864) 973-6687 — The Journal staff Guard personnel. [email protected] or (864) 638-7553. and Sundays.