Courthouse Closed After COVID Issues
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NOT HANGING T Vol. 117HE No. 58 JOURNALWednesday, March 24, 2021 $100 THEIR HEADS T J Tigers proud of THE UBIQUITOUS ORCHID: A pandemic project with surprises. B1 season despite COLORADO KILLINGS: Suspect got assault weapon days before shootings. D1 tourney exit. C1 WALHALLA CLEMSON Fulmer wins Clemson special election BY GREG OLIVER 80 percent of the vote in remaining two years of “To win election, you’ve THE JOURNAL a three-way Robert Halfacre’s unex- got to have a really, really race with pired term. Halfacre won good team and, quite CLEMSON — The last Greg Rice and election as Clemson may- frankly, they did the job,” time John Fulmer ran for John Borick. or in November, resigned Fulmer said. “I’m total- Clemson City Council, he Fulmer his seat late the following ly appreciative of what came up 14 votes short to received 780 month and officially took they did to help me win Fran McGuire in a 2018 votes overall office in January. this election. I’m ready runoff. — compared When reached after the and happy and excited to On Tuesday night, Fulmer to 128 for votes were tallied, Ful- serve the residents and Fulmer’s latest bid left Rice and 65 mer gave all the credit to no doubt as he garnered for Borick — to fill the his team of supporters. SEE ELECTION, PAGE A6 FILE The Oconee County Courthouse will be closed for the rest of this week after COVID-19 issues within clerk of court Lisa Burton’s staff. NEWRY Courthouse closed after ‘We’re marching on’ COVID issues BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR Amanda Brock told The THE JOURNAL Journal she was con- tacted by clerk of court WALHALLA — The Lisa Burton on Sunday Oconee County Court- about a COVID-19 expo- house will be closed sure of more than half through the rest of this of her staff, with some week after COVID-19 testing positive. issues popped up on Brock said she was Sunday. County administrator SEE COURTHOUSE, PAGE A7 OCONEE COUNTY County considers development bill FILE The rendering shows an early look at the redevelopment plans for the Courtenay mill in the Newry community just to attract investors outside Seneca. BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR Committee meeting last Work underway after permit issued for mill redevelopment THE JOURNAL week, Oconee Economic Alliance BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR The permit calls for new commer- electrical, mechanical and plumb- WALHALLA — president THE JOURNAL cial construction of an apartment ing work will be done at the site. Oconee County is Annie Cag- building at the old mill, with the The building has a concrete foun- taking early steps giano said NEWRY — Redevelopment of the permit expiring Aug. 5. The appli- dation and is five stories tall. May to possibly craft an her staff old Newry mill is formally under- cation, obtained by The Journal Corporation cut a $123,040 check on ordinance that would recently way after a construction permit through a Freedom of Information Feb. 5 to satisfy county permitting encourage development met with a was issued to begin work last Act request, estimates the value of fees. at historic locations developer month. the completed project to be $20.5 On Tuesday morning, M Peters and at low-to-mod- Caggiano who was On Feb. 5, the Oconee County million. The Courtenay Manufac- Group president Mark Peters told erate-income rental interest- Building Codes Department issued turing Company, the former textile The Journal the project should take properties. At a county ed in a property and the permit to allow Triangle mill in Newry, halted operations in about 20 months to complete. council Planning and Construction to start work at the 1975. The mill was built in 1895. Economic Development SEE BILL, PAGE A5 7.12-acre site at 705 Broadway St. The permit application shows SEE MILL, PAGE A5 OCONEE SCHOOLS Walhalla Ele- mentary School second-grader Thorsland says number of virtual Armanee Murillo works on a virtual class assignment at her home in August. applications low for next school year School District of Oconee County superintendent BY GREG OLIVER board members last have a single grade of those applications we Michael Thorsland THE JOURNAL week the number of vir- level where we’ve have, how many have said recently that tual school applications exceeded that number,” the adequate technology the number of ap- WALHALLA — for next year, so far, is Thorsland said. “We’re in their home and the plications for virtual School District of “surprisingly low.” still in the process of resources they basically school next year is Oconee County su- “We were going to working with our prin- have to provide before “surprisingly low.” perintendent Michael try to open 50 slots K-8 cipals and the technol- FILE Thorsland told school (grades) and we don’t ogy staff to determine SEE VIRTUAL, PAGE A5 | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: ARRESTS A6 COMICS B2 OPINION A4 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 ENTERTAINMENT B3 SPORTS C1 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 You’re welcome, CLASSIFIEDS D2 LIFESTYLE B1 STOCK REPORTS D4 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 COLUMNISTS B2 OBITUARY B4 WORLD | NATION D1 you’re welcome ... B4 Championship Golf Course Views 3 BR, 2 BR, 2 Car Garage Open Floor-plan Great for Entertaining Deck, Sunroom, Gourmet Kitchen Amenity Rich Cross Creek Plantation melaniefink.com | 303 Rochester Hwy, Seneca | 864-888-3211 Just Listed at $347,500 | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 Tuesday’s COVID-19 numbers at a glance Confirmed Confirmed Percent cases deaths positive South Carolina 494 2 xx% Oconee County 11 0 2%* Pickens County 18 0 3.2%* * Seven-day moving average Cumulative cases NORM CANNADA | THE JOURNAL South Carolina: 460,277 cases, 7,971 deaths A fire at a home on Post Oak Lane caused damage Tuesday afternoon. Oconee County: 8,181 cases, 125 deaths Pickens County: 15,910 cases, 245 deaths Fire causes ‘heavy damage’ to home SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BY NORM CANNADA “Probably within two or three min- minutes to bring the fire under con- | CALENDAR | THE JOURNAL utes of being there, it started com- trol outside of other hot spots. ing through the roof in the kitchen. He added the house had “heavy SENECA — Officials are inves- That’s when crews got there, and damage.” The Oconee County fire THURSDAY tigating the origin and cause of a we went in and put a stop to it right investigations team is investigating WESTMINSTER AMERICAN Legion Post 107, the ladies auxiliary fire that caused “heavy damage” there in the hallway area between the origin and cause. and the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) will meet at 6 p.m. at the to a home near Seneca on Tuesday the kitchen and the den. We got “It doesn’t appear to be suspi- Westminster Legion Hut, 205 Lucky St., Westminster, Dinner will be afternoon. right in there and made a stand and cious,” Caudill said. served. All veterans invited. (864) 888-3317 The fire was reported shortly af- put a stop on it.” Firefighters from Seneca, West ter 1 p.m. on Post Oak Lane. Seneca He said a loose, live electrical Union, Walhalla and Oconee Coun- SATURDAY Fire Chief Richie Caudill, who was wire meant firefighters “had to be ty Emergency Services responded THE AMERICAN Christian Writers’ South Carolina Chapter will meet one of the first responders at the careful” for the first 10 minutes to the fire. at 2 p.m.at North Anderson Baptist Church, 2308 N. Main St., An- scene, said no residents were home before Blue Ridge Electric Cooper- The American Red Cross is finan- derson. Masks required. The meeting is free and visitors welcome. at the time of the blaze. ative officials arrived and cut the cially helping five people who lived scwritersacfw.blogspot.com “It was mostly on the back porch, power. During that time, Caudill in the home with food, clothing and and it had gotten into the back of said fire crews “focused on the front shelter. WIDOWED PERSONS Moving Forward, Oconee County will meet the house and was in the kitchen of the house.” for breakfast at 9 a.m. at The Farm Café, Route 59, Westminster. area when I got there,” Caudill said. Caudill said it took about 15-20 [email protected] | (864) 973-6680 (864) 985-0542 Seven beds open at p.m. Monday, with three of Oconee Memorial ICU those beds being used by late Monday night COVID-19 patients. There were three SENECA — There were patients on ventilators Family Practitioner or seven beds available in at the time of the report, the intensive care unit with two of the patients at Prisma Health Oconee COVID-19 positive. There Internal Medicine Doctor Memorial Hospital late were 15 ventilators avail- Monday night, according able at the time. to numbers updated by Of the 63 hospital Needed! the S.C. Department of beds occupied, five were Health and Environmen- filled by patients with Are you tired of seeing your workload tal Control (DHEC). COVID-19. There were 113 increase and your pay decrease? DHEC reported five of beds available at the time the hospital’s 12 listed ICU of the update. Are you worried that your contract will beds were occupied at 11:59 — The Journal staff not be extended? Want to get back to helping people instead of being told you need to see more patients? Want more time with your family? Want less stress in your life? Patios & Walkways Retaining Walls Outdoor Fireplaces Landscape Services If you answered yes Sod, Rock, Gravel, Mulch to any of these, then we may have Land Clearing, just what you are looking for! 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