| PAGE LABEL EVEN | PROPERTY TRANSFERS $ 00 Who has been Vol. 117HE No. 74 OURNALThursday, April 15, 2021 1 T J buying and UP AND DOWN: Tigers looking to find consistency after tough loss. C1 selling Oconee IN LIMBO: Johnson & Johnson vaccine to stay paused as officials seek evidence. D1 property? C2 CLEMSON Clemson won’t mandate COVID-19 vaccine for now BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR Jones sent an email to fac- through today, we have “It will take widespread fall, the Associated Press It is unclear when the THE JOURNAL ulty, staff and students an- used masks, immunity. Therefore, we reported Monday. designation will be lifted. nouncing the school would social distanc- are strongly encouraging According to the FDA, The first EUA was issued CLEMSON — As long not mandate the vaccines ing, frequent every student, faculty, an Emergency Use Autho- for the Pfizer-BioNTech as COVID-19 vaccines are while they are under the testing and and staff member to get rization (EUA) is used to COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. available under the fed- Food and Drug Adminis- isolation/ vaccinated.” “facilitate the availabil- 11, 2020. The FDA issued eral government’s emer- tration’s (FDA) Emergency quarantine to Universities including ity and use of medical the designation again for gency use authorization, Use Authorization. keep COVID Rutgers, Brown, Cornell countermeasures, in- the Moderna vaccine on Clemson University will “Our success is depen- levels very and Northeastern re- cluding vaccines, during Dec. 18, 2020, while the not mandate its employees dent on the participation Jones low. But cently told students they public health emergen- one-shot Janssen vaccine or students receive them. of our community,” Jones knocking must be vaccinated before cies, such as the current On Friday, Provost Bob said. “From last summer COVID out will take more. returning to campus this COVID-19 pandemic.” SEE VACCINE, PAGE A5 OCONEE COUNTY CLEMSON County eyes conservative ‘Now more than ever’ approach to investments BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR THE JOURNAL WALHALLA — Oconee County administrator Amanda Brock said the “largest and most significant change” in projected revenue for the county’s first proposed budget is one largely out of its control. On Tuesday night, Brock pointed out to county council’s Budget, Finance and Administra- tion Committee the change falls under the “interest and investment income” line item. Brock recommended the county plan for $475,000 in Brock revenue to come in for fis- cal year 2021-22, the same figure that was approved last Septem- ber for the current fiscal year. JERRY BEARD | THE JOURNAL “Because we know we’re in a boom Clemson Police Department employees place pinwheels in front of the department Tuesday in honor of victims of child abuse. economy right now, and in anticipation Pictured in front, from left, are Sgt. Shunna Kelley, victim advocate Debra Shockley and Officer Mike Arflin. for a bust economy, should a worst-case scenario happen, we did not increase income for investments,” Brock said. “We still felt like it was a conservative Police department plants pinwheels to raise child abuse awareness and responsible thing to do to esti- mate those revenues to be just under BY GREG OLIVER front of the police department to plant April is National Child Abuse Preven- $500,000.” THE JOURNAL pinwheels to raise awareness of child tion Month. In FY ‘19, the county brought in abuse. Shockley reported last year alone, $982,420 in the same line item. In FY CLEMSON — After a one-year ab- Police victim services coordinator there were founded cases of child abuse ‘20, it brought in $903,344. sence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Debra Shockley has called child abuse and neglect for more than 16,000 chil- Financial information provided to Clemson Police Department officials victims “my smallest victims” and told dren in the state, and of that number, and representatives from various those gathered that “now more than SEE COUNTY, PAGE A6 organizations gathered Tuesday in ever, children need our help.” SEE PINWHEELS, PAGE A3 SENECA City holds spending while waiting on One year millions in FEMA reimbursements later ... BY NORM CANNADA In fact, it may take a couple of more reimbursements to sub- TUESDAY MARKED the THE JOURNAL years. mit to FEMA. The city has submitted $4.3 City administrator Scott one-year anniversary of the SENECA — While a fed- million in tornado expenses to Moulder estimated total reim- devastating EF3 tornado that eral disaster declaration by the Federal Emergency Man- bursements would reach $8 mil- swept through Seneca on then-President Donald Trump agement Agency (FEMA) so far, lion. About $6 million to $6.5 April 13, 2020. This week, last year allowed the city of Sen- according to assistant finance million will have been spent to The Journal is running a series of stories on the FILE eca to be eligible for millions of director Danielle Smith. As of rebuild two and a half circuits An electrical worker carries a line as dollars in reimbursements for the end of March, she said only of the Seneca Light and Water tornado and its lasting he walks in front of a destroyed house expenses from the April 2020 about $40,000 of those reim- electrical system, something effects on the community, in Seneca after a devastating tornado tornado, those funds are not bursements had been received. both positive and negative. swept through Seneca last April. expected to come quickly. Smith said the city still has SEE MILLIONS, PAGE A5 | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: ARRESTS A6 COMICS B3 SPORTS C1 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 ENTERTAINMENT B4 STOCK REPORTS D4 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 There’s only so much CLASSIFIEDS D2 LIFESTYLE B1 TELL WILLIE B5 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 COLUMNISTS B3 OPINION A4 WORLD | NATION D1 money to go around. B5 An advanced mobile device that can really move you. The 2021 A 220 Sedan CARLTON MOTORCARS www.CarltonMB.com 2446 Laurens Road (864) 213-8000 Greenville, SC 29607 | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 SDOC announces graduation guidelines BY GREG OLIVER member and not be allowed to enter THE JOURNAL areas where graduates will report. Wednesday’s COVID-19 Dodd said attendees will not be WALHALLA — The graduation permitted to leave seating areas to numbers at a glance ceremonies for the School District take photos. School photographers Confirmed Confirmed Percent of Oconee’s three high schools have will be taking photos during grad- cases deaths positive been set. uation, and photos will be available Seneca, Walhalla and West-Oak at no cost. South Carolina 466 15 8.6% high schools will have graduation No bags will be allowed in the Oconee County 12 1 1.8%* ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. May 29. stadium, and attendees are asked to On Monday, the district an- leave all handbags, backpacks and Pickens County 16 1 2.9%* nounced specific health and safety other items locked in their vehicles. * Seven-day moving average guidelines for the events. No noise makers of any kind will be Cumulative cases District spokeswoman Jennifer allowed. Dodd said the three high schools Dodd added the information South Carolina: 472,786 cases, 8,192 deaths will have graduation ceremonies at FILE provided is subject to change due Oconee County: 8,462 cases, 126 deaths their respective football stadiums. A Seneca High School graduate to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Each graduate will receive one wears a Class of 2020 mask during Specific details on social distanc- Pickens County: 16,474 cases, 250 deaths ticket that allows up to eight guests last year’s ceremony. School District ing and mask requirements will in the stadium. Guests must enter of Oconee County officials recently be released closer to the time of Oconee Memorial Hospital ICU occupancy and sit together as a group, and no announced guidelines for this year’s graduation. Beds available: 12 Beds taken: 11 guests will be allowed into the sta- graduations, set for May 29. Graduation ceremonies will be dium separately or without a ticket. livestreamed for those unable to Beds occupied by COVID patients: 2 Dodd said gates will open at 7:30 other gates will be locked. Seating attend. In case of rain, ceremonies SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL a.m. will be on a first-come, first-served will be moved to 8 p.m. The entrance will be through the basis. She said guests will be main gate on the home side, and all escorted to their seats by a faculty [email protected] | (864) 973-6687 | CALENDAR | SMS student tests TODAY positive for COVID OCPL FRIENDS of the Library book sale every Thursday in the DHEC to offer free STD testing Walhalla Library basement from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. No more than WALHALLA — The nine customers at a time. Masks will be required. THE JOURNAL STAFF the importance of STD safe- ty partners and public School District of ty, including prevention outreach efforts, our Oconee County said FRIDAY SENECA — The S.C. and treatment, which is program is committed to Wednesday a student at DEMENTIA SUPPORT group at 11:30 a.m. at the walking trail Department of Health and what National STD Aware- providing the resources Seneca Middle School picnic tables in front of Oconee Memorial Hospital, 298 Memorial Environmental Control ness Week is all about.” that make a difference in was the only person in Drive, Seneca. Email [email protected] for more (DHEC) is set to offer The Centers for Disease preventing the spread of the district who tested information. free sexually transmitted Control and Prevention sexually transmitted dis- positive for COVID-19 disease (STD) testing this (CDC) reported there were eases,” he said.