| PAGE LABEL EVEN | INSIDE: MORE THAN $58 IN COUPONS AND SAVINGS IN TODAY’S ISSUE! Vol. 117 No. 12 www.upstatetoday.com WEEKEND January 16-17, 2021 $1.25 TTHEHE JJOURNALOURNAL Clemson senior Aamir Simms raises a fist during the Tigers’ most recent game — a 74-70 win over N.C. State at Littlejohn Coliseum on Jan. 5. Since stretching its win streak to four games with the victory over the Wolfpack, the No. 12 Tigers have been sidelined by a COVID-19-related pause, missing scheduled games against North Carolina and Syracuse. Clemson will return to the court tonight, however, taking on 18th-ranked Virginia at home. To read more, turn to page C1. COURTESY OF THE ACC ‘THIS ISN’T THEIR FIRST SHOW’: In pandemic era, older adults isolated but resilient. B1 CLEMSON CU spends more than $220K on Greenville graduations Local busi- monies. Officials later nesses are opted to hold ceremonies hoping Clem- No update on spring ceremonies over the weekend of Oct. son Univer- 9-11. Those plans were sity keeps its scrapped after a revised graduations BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR The COVID-19 pandem- monies for graduates. ACC football schedule in town this THE JOURNAL ic forced higher educa- Clemson went through was released in late July spring after tion institutions across multiple plans to honor that slated Clemson to the school CLEMSON — After the country to adjust its graduates, as ceremo- host Miami on Oct. 10. spent more Clemson University spent academic schedules and nies are typically held In September, Clemson than $220,000 more than $220,000 to graduation ceremonies inside Littlejohn Colise- announced its intent to to move hold multiple graduation on the fly last year. Other um, which has a capacity host seven graduation ceremonies ceremonies in Greenville universities, such as of 9,000 people. ceremonies at the Bon to Greenville last year, local businesses the University of South When the pandemic be- Secours Wellness Arena last year. are hopeful the school Carolina and the Univer- gan last spring, Clemson in Greenville from Nov. SPECIAL TO won’t leave the area — sity of Georgia, opted for indefinitely postponed THE JOURNAL again — come May. virtual graduation cere- commencement cere- SEE GRADUATIONS, PAGE A7 CLEMSON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY MONDAY, JAN. 18 Clemson police meet with bars ‘Urgency of the moment’ Tavern closes indefinitely Local leaders BY RILEY MORNINGSTAR down,” one bar official ‘Now is the THE JOURNAL said. “We’re going back time to make real more toward the 50 per- talk about CLEMSON — Clem- cent capacity and way the promises of son police met with heavier restrictions downtown bar repre- again.” democracy. Now the future of sentatives on Thursday The meeting was held to review current state in reaction to a series is the time to rise and local COVID-19 of issues that sprung mandates after a litany up last weekend, begin- from the dark and social justice of failures last week- ning Jan. 8 at a packed end. concert at the Study desolate valley BY NORM CANNADA Chief Jorge Campos Hall Restaurant and THE JOURNAL confirmed there was a Bar downtown. Clem- of segregation to meeting held after bar son University’s in-per- SENECA — During his owners requested one. the sunlit path of “I Have a Dream” speech “They’re cracking SEE BARS, PAGE A7 in August 1963, the Rev. racial justice. Now Martin Luther King Jr. talked about the “urgency of is the time to lift the moment” that shouldn’t our nation from be ignored in efforts toward SOUTH CAROLINA social justice for all. the quick sands of “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of racial injustice to God’s children,” King said. “It would Focus turns to the solid rock of be fatal for the nation to over- brotherhood. Now look the ur- gency of the virus mitigation is the time to make moment.” More justice a reality than half THE JOURNAL STAFF change as virus cases a century “continue to increase at for all of God’s later, as SENECA — The record levels.” the nation state Department of “As COVID-19 con- children. It would remembers Health has shifted tinues to spread in the slain civil its focus in the fight our communities at be fatal for the rights leader against COVID-19 from staggering rates, we on Monday’s containment to “com- are calling on South nation to overlook national holiday, munity mitigation,” Carolinians to take im- the urgency of the all of King’s dream according to an an- mediate actions to stop hasn’t been fulfilled. nouncement from the the spread of COVID-19 moment.’ agency. in our communities,” SEE URGENCY, PAGE A6 The S.C. Department DHEC interim public of Health and Environ- health director Bran- Martin Luther King Jr., 1963 mental Control (DHEC) announced the mindset SEE VIRUS, PAGE A7 ASSOCIATED PRESS | INSIDE | | INFO | WILLIE SAYS: ARRESTS A8 ENTERTAINMENT B5 SOUTH CAROLINA D1 DELIVERY (864) 882-2375 CALENDAR A2 LIFESTYLE B1 SPORTS C1 CLASSIFIEDS (864) 882-2375 CLASSIFIEDS D2 OBITUARIES B2 STOCK REPORTS B6 ADVERTISING (864) 973-6305 Rest in peace, COMICS B4 OPINION A3 WORSHIP B3 Mr. Trebek. B8 THE KEOWEE LIFE 318 Cleveland Ferry Road MLS #20235222 Beautiful Lake Hartwell waterfront home in Heritage Shores 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths! Covered two-level party dock for entertaining! | PAGE LABEL EVEN | A2 THE JOURNAL SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2021 School districts update COVID numbers THE JOURNAL STAFF learning. The two classes joined a seven students testing positive and Ravenel Elementary third-grade three of the positive cases attending WALHALLA — The School Dis- class, a kindergarten class at West- school. Among other Daniel-area Friday’s COVID-19 trict of Oconee County said Friday minster Elementary, a first-grade schools, Central Academy of the that 13 new COVID-19 cases had class at Northside Elementary and Arts had three staff members and numbers at a glance been confirmed across the district a second-grade class at Blue Ridge 11 students quarantined, with Confirmed Confirmed Percent the previous two days. Elementary in moving online since no positive cases, while Clemson cases deaths positive On Wednesday, a student each school resumed Jan. 4. Elementary had four staff members from Walhalla High, Keowee When the school district is made and 26 students quarantined, with South Carolina 1,845 93 16.5% Elementary and West-Oak Middle aware of a positive case in an early one of each testing positive, and Oconee County 56 3 31.2%* tested positive, while on Thursday, childhood classroom, the class is Six Mile Elementary had six staff four students at Seneca Middle and moved to distance learning for a members and 20 students quaran- Pickens County 98 4 32.7%* one each at Walhalla High, a Fair- period of 10 days from when the pos- tined, with four staff positives and * Seven-day moving average Oak Elementary and Blue Ridge itive staff member or student was one positive student. One of the five Cumulative cases Elementary tested positive. One last in the classroom. cases at Six Mile attended school, employee each Walhalla Elemen- According to figured released Fri- the district said. Edwards Middle South Carolina: 341,597 cases, 5,513 deaths tary, Northside Elementary and day by the School District of Pickens School, meanwhile, had two staff Oconee County: 6,167 cases, 75 deaths James M. Brown Elementary tested County, 78 students and 24 staff mem- members and 37 students quaran- positive on Thursday. bers tested positive in the district tined, with one staff positive and Pickens County: 12,351 cases, 165 deaths Two classes from James M. this week, while 760 students and 102 four students testing positive. Brown Elementary — one 4-year- staff members were quarantined. The South Carolina Department of SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL old kindergarten and the other Daniel High School had 65 stu- Health and Environmental Control 5-year-old kindergarten — became dents and two staff members quar- (DHEC) publishes lists of school cas- the latest to be moved to distance antined, with one staff member and es at scdhec.gov/COVID19schools. | CALENDAR | TODAY No change in Oconee FLEET RESERVE Association, Branch 15, breakfast at 8:30 a.m., fol- ICU bed capacity lowed by a business meeting at 9 a.m. at Chicopee United Methodist SENECA — Prisma Clemson rezoning hearing set Church, 403 S. Catherine St., Walhalla. Meeting is open to all former Health Oconee Memori- and active U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard per- al Hospital had just two BY GREG OLIVER be rezoned to, in addition provide input are asked sonnel. [email protected] or (864) 638-7553. intensive care unit beds THE JOURNAL to conventional residen- to call (864) 653-9886 and available for a second tial development, allows follow the instructions. MONDAY consecutive day in a CLEMSON — Although for patio home, zero-lot- Questions and comments ALL BRANCHES of the Oconee County Public Library will be closed row, according to num- not allowed to physically line housing and two-fam- may also be submitted to for Martin Luther King Day. bers updated Friday by attend due to COVID-19 ily dwellings on smaller the city’s planning and the S.C. Department of restrictions, Clemson lots with a minimum lot codes administration TUESDAY Health and Environ- residents will have an size of 7,000 square-feet. department prior to the POWERFUL CLUB of Toastmasters will meet via Zoom from 6-7:15 mental Control. opportunity during a The two parcels mak- session.