Monthly Archives: March 2020
Six Mile’s size presents challenges in budgeting
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SIX MILE — Six Mile has small town charm but the town’s small population presents challenges year after year regarding budgets.
“It gets tighter and tighter,” Councilman James Atkinson said during a budget workshop town council held before its March 3 meeting.
Proposed budget numbers presented at that meeting projected an income of $330,028 for the town for Fiscal Year 2021.
“As you know, in our budget, being a small town, population of 700, 350 homes, we’re highly dependent on pass through,” Councilman James Atkinson said. “I mean, extremely highly dependent on pass through. It seems like it gets more difficult every year. In fact we were sweating it out a few days ago as we were working on this.”
What the town earns through property taxes “can’t even really cover our garbage pickup,” he said.
“We’re very dependent on pass through,” Atkinson said. “We try to stay on top of what we do expect to come in revenue-wise. The mayor does a good job of politicking, trying to help us out with some of our pass through state revenues and so forth.
SWU business professor sees opportunities in midst of crisis
CENTRAL — The COVID-19 pandemic reminds Dr. Debra Eischen of another time of crisis.
“I was in the state of New York during 9-11. It was terrifying. We did not know from one day to the next what would happen. I had a brother in the Pentagon. Everyone started cocooning, they stayed home. This is kind of similar to that, but this enemy is unseen,” Eischen said. “One of the things I think about during these types of crises is that it’s a time where you can thank God for many blessings you have and to reprioritize. It’s just a chance to see that these material things we hold so near and dear that you don’t take with you. It gives us a chance to get in touch with our loved ones and figure out what’s really important.”
Eischen also believes these are times for businesses to reprioritize — “people, planet, then profit.” She notes instances of major businesses stepping up to the aid of humanity — 3M stepping up production of protective masks, automakers starting to produce ventilators — even whiskey distilleries shifting to producing hand sanitizer.
Ivy rain barrels on sale now through May 3
PICKENS — Anderson and Pickens Counties Stormwater Partners (APCSP) is offering Ivy rain barrels through a special program to encourage residents to conserve precious water resources as 
well as to protect water quality.
The normal retail is $129, but through the special promotion, they are only $68.
Rain barrels must be pre-purchased online by 11 p.m. May 3 at rainbarrelprogram.org/apcsp.
Pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, from 2-6 p.m. at the South Carolina Water Resources Center at 509 Westinghouse Road in Pendleton.
The rain barrel captures rainwater from rooftops by connecting to a home’s downspout. This water would typically be sent down the stormdrain and into nearby creeks carrying potential contaminants and contributing to flash flooding. The cumulative effect of
Into the jaws of death go we
In spite of everything that has happened to date, politicians still have the ability to amaze me.
Explain something to me, if anyone can.
There’s a lieutenant governor in Texas who says senior citizens — anyone over 60, I suppose — should be willing to sacrifice their lives so someone younger could use their ventilator. This is because of the shortage of ventilators. He’s willing to sign up.
Well, he can go it alone. If I am sick enough to go into intensive care at the hospital, I am definitely unwilling to give up my ventilator. And if anyone should try to remove it, I assure you I’d fight to retain it to the best of my weakened ability.
You see, if you believe in the sanctity of life, you can’t
Perspective on COVID-19 relief
The first flourishes of greenery made their appearance high in the tulip poplar trees a few days ago, 
and the azaleas are bursting with red, lavender and pink in my backyard. Spring has sprung, y’all.
I should be sitting in the stands down at Fluor Field right now, watching the Greenville Drive take on the Greensboro Grasshoppers, scarfing down a hot dog, swigging on a cold drink and letting the sweet Carolina sunshine fill me with the goodness of springtime in the South.
But alas, there is no baseball. Instead, I’m sitting here in my living room, hunkered down, doing all I can to dodge the invisible enemy.
I’d rather write about something else, but it’s hard to think of anything else that really matters or seems appropriate to write about at a time like this.
It’s hard to know how to put this situation in perspective, because it seems like my perspective on it shifts several times a day. But it’s pretty obvious that things are
The road not chosen
On Sept. 28, 2019, I became a widow. I hate the word and everything it implies. I was at home getting ready for work that morning; my husband was on his way home when I got a call from the 
hospital that he’d been in an accident.
That day and many that came after it was a blur. Shocked, traumatized and lost, I could not believe this news and the reality that I had to bear. I lost all sense of who I was, and once the initial numbness wore off, I was left with a huge gaping open space at my core that was darker than anything I could ever imagine.
I was amazed at the response I received from people I did not even know when this happened, because I was so used to just handling everything with Art, my teammate in life.
Courier Letters to the Editor
The South stands alone
Dear Editor,
The South stands unto itself when being unusual. Outsiders don’t understand, so maybe this will help.
Rernt or runt means ruined.
ID means idea. Uns means once.
Y’all means plural or singular, according to how it’s used. As in all of you or simply you.
Jeet yet? means did you eat yet?
Gret means great. Greer the town is pronounced grrrr as in Grrrr, South Carolina.
REAL ID deadline extended
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Residents in South Carolina and across the nation will have an extra year to meet the enforcement deadline to obtain a REAL ID to board planes, enter federal buildings or visit 
military bases.
Acting U.S. secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf announced the deadline postponement for REAL IDs Thursday, pushing the deadline to Oct. 1, 2021.
“Due to circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the national emergency declaration, the Department of Homeland Security, as directed by President Donald J. Trump, is extending the REAL ID enforcement deadline beyond the current Oct. 1, 2020, deadline,” Wolf said. “The federal, state and local response to the spread of the coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline. Our state and local partners are working tirelessly with the administration to flatten the curve and, therefore, we want to remove any impediments to response and recovery efforts.
“Extending the deadline will also allow the department to work with Congress to implement needed changes to expedite the issuance of REAL IDs once the current health crisis concludes,” he added. “Protecting both the health and national security of the American people continues to be the top priority for the president of the United States and the Department of Homeland Security.”
The REAL ID card is already available and will eventually be required to travel by plane on a domestic flight or enter a military base or federal building. It has a gold star on the right side of a driver’s license or identification card. If someone chooses not to have the REAL ID, a driver’s license or state identification card says, “Not for federal identification.” Both versions of driver’s licenses cost $25 and are valid for eight years, according to the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.
The federal REAL ID Act became law in 2005 after a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission that the federal government «set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver›s licenses,» according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.
Courier Obituaries 4-1-20
GERALD WAYNE NODINE
CENTRAL — Gerald Wayne Nodine passed from this life on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at the age of 73, at Regency LTAC Hospital in Greenville.
His caregiver, Ruth Nodine, and daughter, Cindy, were by his side.
Born to Paul Grady and Dorothy Inez Nodine in Greer on March 29, 1946, Gerald was the second of two children. He graduated from Greer High School with the Class of 1964. A Vietnam veteran, he served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1973, attaining the rank of captain. In 1970, while stationed at Fort Jackson, Capt. Nodine married Ruth Gregory. Two years later, while stationed in Clemson, they became the parents of quadruplets. He remained in Clemson/Central following his discharge to raise their family.
After working various jobs and studying at Tri-County Technical College, Gerald acquired a job with Clemson University. He retired from Clemson University after many years as a technician for the School of Mechanical Engineering in the graduate student research lab.
Gerald is survived by two daughters and two sons, Edie and husband Cheney Brunner of Cincinnati, Ohio, Cindy and husband Chris Greaves of Tallahassee, Fla., Paul Nodine of Central and Greg and wife Deb Nodine of Central; nine grandchildren: Jack and Robert Brunner, Kara, Michael and Timothy Greaves, Jacob and wife Megan, Joshua, Jordan and Joseph Nodine.
He was predeceased by both parents and his brother, James Nodine.
The Cremation Society of SC – Westville Funerals is handling details. No funeral will be held at this time. A VA service at a national cemetery will be scheduled for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Francis Foundation – Bon Secours Health System at stfrancisfoundation.com.
GERALD ELLENBURG
PICKENS — Gerald Dennis Ellenburg, 74, husband of Laura (Veda) Medlin Ellenburg, passed from 
this life on Thursday, March 26, 2020.
Mr. Ellenburg was born in Pickens County, son of the late Albert and Mary Dodgen Ellenburg. He was retired from Ellenburg Nursing Center in Anderson and he served his country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Mr. Ellenburg was a member of Roanoke Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Laura (Veda) Ellenburg of the home; his son, Dennis Ellenburg (Sandy) of Pickens; and grandson, Anthony Alexander Ellenburg. Also surviving is a sister, Marilyn Cooper of Pickens.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Ellenburg was preceded in death by a sister, Jane Ladd Hamby, and brothers, Joel and Marcus Ellenburg.
Graveside services were conducted at Hillcrest Memorial Park, with the Rev. Justin Medlin officiating.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Interim Hospice for the loving care given to Mr. Ellenburg during his last illness.
A message of condolence may be expressed to the family by visiting dillardfunerals.com.
The family is at the home.
CHARLES B. MASTERS
SIX MILE — Charles Masters stepped into the realm of glory out of this earthly world where he was
