| PAGE LABEL EVEN | NEVER MIND Two days after T Vol. 116HE No. 352 JOURNALWednesday, December 23, 2020 $100 accepting bowl bid, Gamecocks KEEPING KIDS WARM: First Steps hosts annual children’s clothing drive. B1 bow out amid GRIM YEAR: US deaths in 2020 top 3 million, by far most ever counted. D1 virus strain. C1 MOUNTAIN REST SOUTH CAROLINA Two charged with murder BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR in Seneca, have been allege each suspect pos- fingerprints on Tuesday THE JOURNAL charged with sessed less after his body was found murder in than a gram down an embankment MOUNTAIN REST — A the death of of meth. midday Monday in the man and woman have 71-year-old Additional- area of Wigington Road been charged with mur- James Wayne ly, Steven at S.C. Highway 107 and der after police allege the Wilson, also Wilson was the Whitewater Falls woman beat the man’s of Durham charged as overlook. brother to death. Brown Road. an accessory Steven Wilson is James Steven Cecil Wil- The two were Larson S. Wilson after the fact Wilson’s brother, accord- ASSOCIATED PRESS son, 59, and Samantha also charged of a felony. ing to Oconee County Seen here together during an election night watch par- Denise Larson, 40, both with possession of meth- James Wilson was ty in 2018, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and of Durham Brown Road amphetamine. Warrants identified through SEE MURDER, PAGE A6 his wife, Peggy, have both tested positive for COVID-19 in the past several days. The governor is experiencing “mild symptoms,” according to his office. HOLIDAY TRAVEL Gov. McMaster tests positive Holidays for COVID-19 BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR night and was experi- THE JOURNAL encing “mild symptoms on the with a cough and slight COLUMBIA — Just fatigue,” according to days after his wife tested his office. positive for COVID-19, In a statement made South Carolina Gov. midday Tuesday, Mc- Henry McMaster also highways tested positive Monday SEE MCMASTER, PAGE A5 SENECA LAUREN PIERCE | THE JOURNAL Seneca meeting Judi Matalik of Westminster pumps gas in Seneca earlier this week. S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Hovis expects the usual holiday traffic problems increasing “at least through Jan. 1” despite the COVID-19 pandemic. with chief hopefuls State troopers advise sobriety, responsibility on roadways BY NORM CANNADA The city is working to THE JOURNAL replace John Covington, BY BRIAN GRAVES so far as the holidays get ready to especially this year,” Hovis said. who retired Nov. 26 after THE JOURNAL start in earnest. “But whatever traffic problems SENECA — Seneca of- 35 years in law enforce- And Hovis cautions there should we’ve had this year, they’re going ficials are interviewing ment, including the past SENECA — Trooper Joe Hovis of never be a reduction in the respon- to increase at least through Jan. 1.” candidates and moving 12 as Seneca police chief. the S.C. Highway Patrol says there sibility of drivers to pay attention, The annual top-of-the-list advice ahead to select a police Casey Bowling is serving doesn’t appear to be any reduction stay alert and stay sober. chief sometime next in South Carolina traffic volume “You never know about traffic, SEE TROOPERS, PAGE A5 month. SEE SENECA, 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 peried. 2020 9 Cotton, Dixon resign on same night 7 5 3 1 Clemson starts year with top officials leaving on same night BY GREG OLIVER session at the Jan. 6 city other department head City council elevated as- and the fallout from the ation Center, Clemson THE JOURNAL council meeting. Cotton’s departures. Public works sistant city administrator COVID-19 pandemic on Police Department and departure was director David Andy Blondeau to acting city operations. Littlejohn Community CLEMSON — The new later deemed Conner, city administrator. During the Cotton has remained Center. year had barely started mutual by a engineer Kent past year, Blondeau has under contract this year, Last summer, an effort when Clemson lost two memorandum Guthrie and dealt with a moratorium with the expiration set to end the memorandum longtime leaders in a of under- municipal on large-scale multi-fam- to take place next month. of understanding with single night. standing with judge Tere- ily residential develop- During that time, he has Cotton was narrowly The resignations of council, while sa Daniel ments containing 200 or worked with Blondeau defeated 4-3. Several city administrator Rick Dixon’s was retired, and more bedrooms approved on the city’s 2021 fiscal council members said Cotton and Clemson Cotton classified as a Dixon CATbus gen- in January, the formation year budget, as well as they thought they were Police Chief Jimmy retirement. eral manager of a steering committee construction projects approving a resignation Dixon were announced But both departures Keith Moody took a job in and hiring of a consultant involving additions to the following an executive triggered a string of the private sector. to develop a strategic plan Central-Clemson Recre- SEE CLEMSON, PAGE A5 | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: ARRESTS A6 COMICS B3 OPINION A4 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 ENTERTAINMENT B4 SPORTS C1 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 You gotta do what CLASSIFIEDS D4 LIFESTYLE B1 STOCK REPORTS D3 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 COLUMNISTS B3 OBITUARIES B2 WORLD | NATION D1 you gotta do. B5 May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter. melaniefink.com | 303 Rochester Hwy, Seneca | 864-888-3211 Merry Christmas | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020 Governments announce holiday closings THE JOURNAL STAFF SENECA — Local gov- Tuesday’s COVID-19 ernment agencies, includ- numbers at a glance ing libraries, parks and recycling centers, will Confirmed Confirmed Percent be closed at times over cases deaths positive the next few days for the 2,055 15 18.1% Christmas holiday. South Carolina Oconee County 35 0 25.9%* OCONEE COUNTY Pickens County 72 1 28%* Oconee County offices * Seven-day moving average are scheduled to be closed Thursday, Friday and Cumulative cases Monday. County recycling FILE centers will be open from Seneca City Hall will be closed today through Friday for the Christmas holiday. South Carolina: 257,340 cases, 4,602 deaths 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Oconee County: 4,511 cases, 54 deaths but will be closed Friday SENECA have their garbage collect- and the county’s recycling Pickens County: 8,756 cases, 118 deaths and Saturday. The county Seneca City Hall, other ed on Mondays will have centers will be closed landfill and transfer city offices and Seneca it picked up on Tuesday. Thursday and Friday. station will be open until Light and Water offic- SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL 11:45 a.m. Thursday and es will be closed today WESTMINSTER CLEMSON will be closed Friday and through Friday for the Westminster offices Clemson City Hall will Saturday. holiday. Garbage col- will be closed Thursday be closed Thursday and All branches of the lection will remain on through Monday. Gar- Friday. Thursday’s gar- | CALENDAR | Oconee County Public its normal schedule on bage pickup is tentatively bage pickup was done on Library system will be Thursday, but those who planned to move up a day Tuesday. TODAY closed Thursday through usually have their gar- from its normal schedule. NOT MEETING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE – DAV veterans advocates Monday. Book returns will bage picked up on Fridays CENTRAL Terry Neale (864) 6474227 or (303) 501-4273, Michael Brown (678) be open during the holiday will not have it picked up WEST UNION Central Town Hall will 858-6052 or Mike O’Shields (864) 247-1577 will be at the Knights of closures, and e-books on Christmas Day. They West Union Town Hall be closed Thursday and Columbus meeting hall, 112 E. North 2nd St., Seneca, from 1-5 p.m. and e-magazines can be will instead have their will also be closed Thurs- Friday. Residential sanita- to assist veterans with VA benefits. Please bring your DD214 and any accessed on the library’s garbage picked up on day through Monday. tion collection will remain other correspondence already received from the VA. virtual branch, oconeeli- Monday. Garbage pickup will not on its normal schedule. brary.org. Wi-Fi is also change. THURSDAY available in the parking WALHALLA SIX MILE OCL FRIENDS of the book sales every Thursday at the Walhalla lots of all locations, even Walhalla City Hall will SALEM Six Mile Town Hall will Library, 501 W. South Broad St., by appointment only by emailing when the library is closed. be closed for the holidays Salem Town Hall is be closed Thursday and [email protected]. All three county parks Thursday through Mon- closed through Monday Friday. — South Cove, High Falls day. Garbage collection for the holidays. Trash and recycling JAN. 27 and Chau Ram — will for Thursday and Friday pickup won’t be affected by OCONEE BOARD of Disabilities and Special Needs will meet at 9:30 be closed Thursday and has been moved up to to- PICKENS COUNTY the holidays and will be on a.m. in the administration building at the Tribble Center. Open to the Friday. day. Those who normally Pickens County offices its usual pickup schedule. general public. ISHBOOK WFURNISHINGS — LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1985 — Call for Private Appointments • Mask Required We Are Hometown. Friendly Staff• Fast Turnaround Hormone Saliva Testing provides a true picture of hormone levels and allows us to make recommendations.