Daily Archives: 06/23/2020
July 4 events to look different this year
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Independence Day is nearly here in Pickens County, but with the ever-present threat of COVID-19, community celebrations for the event will look very different this year.
Events will begin on July 3, with a celebration hosted by the town of Six Mile at Ponderosa Park. Unlike years past, there will be no food or entertainment, and it will be strictly a fireworks-only event.
Then, on July 4, Easley, Liberty and Pickens will all host events.
The city of Liberty will host its annual Love my Liberty Fourth of July celebration from 6-10 p.m. The event features the Emma KAPPS bike parade, free hot dogs and water, as well as activities for children, live music and a corn hole tournament. Barbecue and other food will be available for purchase, and fireworks will be shot off at nightfall. Social distancing is being
Officials: Masks essential to stop pandemic
County surpasses 500 COVID-19 cases
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell says it is essential that residents wear masks in
public and stay physically distanced from each other.
Bell released a statement Thursday on rising COVID-19 numbers in South Carolina.
“Every one of us has a role to play in stopping COVID-19,” she said. “This virus does not spread on its own. It’s spread around our state by infected people who carry it wherever they go — their work, the supermarket, the post office, a friend’s house. By not following public health precautions,
Clemson mayor: Nearly 1K people
By Riley Morningstar and Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
news@thepccourier.com.
CLEMSON — Increased levels of COVID-19 have been detected in Clemson’s wastewater, and the 
city’s mayor says almost 1,000 people could have the virus based on testing samples.
On Sunday, the city and Clemson University officials made the announcement after testing began last week on wastewater going into the Cochran Road Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“The sample was shipped to Tennessee, and it takes a few days turnaround,” Clemson utilities
County roads listed in DOT paving plans
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Portions of U.S. Highway 123 and Issaqueena Trail are among the road projects that the South Carolina Department of Transportation recommends be addressed by a statewide program.
Last week, SCDOT released a county-by-county listing of projects recommended for the 2020-21 Pavement Improvement Program.
The program contains more than 660 miles of paving projects, according to Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall.
In the introduction to the program list, Hall said the recommended projects “were selected utilizing
Easley officials hope bond will fund many stormwater repairs
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — By issuing a stormwater bond, Easley officials hope to address needed repairs and 
replacements and avoid situations like the one that plagued an Easley subdivision for years.
During their June 8 meeting, city council members passed first reading of an ordinance to allow for the issuance of a 10-year stormwater bond not to exceed $800,000.
Areas with ongoing stormwater issues include Williams Avenue, Bridgewater Drive, Dogwood Lane,
National retailers officially sign leases with Easley shopping center
EASLEY — Rise Partners announced last week that national retailers Five Below, HomeGoods, Ross Dress for Less and ULTA Beauty have signed leases for new stores at the Town N’ Country shopping center in Easley as part of the firm’s multimillion-dollar redevelopment and improvement of the property.
The four retailers — all new to Easley — will occupy newly created spaces at the former JCPenney building at Town N’ Country, which was acquired by Rise Partners in April 2019. Construction is scheduled to be complete this fall, with opening date announcements coming soon from each of the
Clemson council to vote on making masks mandatory
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — A recent spike in COVID-19 cases that has prompted three local restaurants to shut 
down and fears that the increase could continue as Clemson University students make their way back to campus in the coming weeks are forcing Clemson City Council to examine whether or not to require masks to be worn.
Mayor J.C. Cook said Monday that council plans to hold a special called meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday to further discuss the issue.
“What we want to do is urge people to wear their masks, do their social distancing,” Cook said, adding that city council wanted to have its meeting after Tuesday’s Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting took place in order to gauge input. “City council will discuss this and see if we want to implement an ordinance that requires wearing face masks in public. We’ve not gone to that yet, but if things look
23 Clemson football players test positive for COVID-19
By Eric Sprott
Courtesy The Journal
esprott@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — The news from the Clemson athletic department on Friday afternoon was less than encouraging regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The school said 23 football players are among 28 people in the athletic department who have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus at the beginning of the month. The week before, just two football players tested positive, meaning there was a 21-case jump last week.
Whether the Clemson Community Peaceful Demonstration led by the Tigers the previous weekend had an effect on the jump is uncertain.
Along with the players, two football staff members and three athletes from other sports were found with the virus. In announcing three positive cases the previous week, the school said a member of the Clemson men’s basketball team had tested positive for the virus.
The school — which said it had completed 315 tests
Rogers scholarship golf tournament winners announced
PICKENS — Twelve teams participated in the 16th annual Charles F. Rogers Scholarship Award Golf 
Tournament at Southern Oaks Golf Club on June 20.
The event, which is held annually, raised money for scholarships that will be awarded to Pickens High School basketball team members who plan to further their education. A senior from the varsity girls’ team and a senior from the varsity boys’ team will receive the scholarship awards in a few weeks.
This will be the 17th year the scholarship has been presented in honor of the late Charles Rogers, a man who gave so much to Pickens High
Land of the lost and missing
Somewhere out there, possibly in the fourth and invisible dimension, is a country with an unknown location. None of us will ever be able to go there. We are not sure, but we think it isn’t populated by 
humans.
But we know that in this strange country are the answers to many questions we have and have had.
For example, “Where are my car keys?” On occasion, a set of car keys disappears, and although a thorough search is carried out by the owner of the keys and every available person, the keys will never be found.
You may think that’s impossible. But it is not. Because this and other similar disappearances
