Monthly Archives: November 2020
Merck: Community help key to keep kids in class
PICKENS — School District of Pickens County officials are asking for the public’s helping making sure students can stay in the classroom to complete the school year as COVID-19 cases continue to spike across the county.
In an email sent to parents last week, superintendent Danny Merck said officials “have been clear about our desire to have in-person school as much as possible” since the district began to announce plans for returning to school over the summer.
“All of our school staff — teachers, nurses, custodians, administrators and more — have been working extremely
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‘Worst rate in the state’
Administrator continues to sound alarm on county COVID-19 infections
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The COVID-19 issues facing Pickens County “are bigger than we’ve ever had,” county administrator Ken Roper said Friday.
Roper discussed the pandemic during a Facebook Live update video posted Friday morning.
“Yesterday we reached a milestone — a sad milestone — and that is we had the most active cases we’ve ever had in Pickens County,” he said. “725 positive test results in the past 14 days, per DHEC. We’ve
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VIRUS SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN IN COUNTY
COLUMBIA — With five new confirmed deaths and one probable death since last week, Pickens County is continuing to see a steady rise in the number of cases and deaths in the fight against the 
COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported the confirmed COVID-19 deaths of five elderly Pickens County residents and the probable death of one elderly
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School board approves bonus for employees
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — Although unable to give salary increases in its fiscal 2020-21 budget due to the impact of COVID-19, the Pickens County School Board on Friday morning unanimously approved a one-time 
bonus to all of the district’s nearly 2,600 employees.
During a special called meeting, the board accepted a recommendation by chief financial officer Clark Webb to award employees with the district since Aug. 24, 2020, with a one-time bonus. The employees work through payroll, agency contacts or Kudzu Staffing, a staffing agency through which
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Nonprofit asks for Christmas cards, other items for elderly in health care facilities
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Recent weeks have been busy ones for a local nonprofit that aims to assist senior citizens.
Tammy Ferguson is co-chair of Warmth and Comfort for the Elderly in Upstate SC.
“In October and November, we have collected blankets, throws, hats, scarves and gloves for our
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4-car wreck near Six Mile kills man
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SIX MILE — An Indiana man died Sunday evening after a wreck near Six Mile involving four vehicles.
Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley identified the victim as Rodriguez-Aela Manuel, 44, of
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School board picks new officers
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — The Pickens County School Board unanimously elected new officers for the next year at its Monday night meeting.
Shannon Haskett was elected chairman, while Brian Swords was named vice chairman and Karla Kelley was picked as secretary.
Haskett, a lifelong resident of Pickens and a 1990 graduate of Pickens High School, has served on
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Clemson’s semester to be virtual after Thanksgiving
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — The in-person class portion of Clemson University’s fall semester came to an end this week, and students are urged to not return to the area following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Clemson University president Jim Clements discussed the end of in-person instruction in an update he issued Friday afternoon.
“After next Tuesday, all classes will revert to online instruction, and we are strongly encouraging our students to not return to the Clemson area following the
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Nearly 500 county students in quarantine over last week
COUNTY — Although the number of positive COVID-19 cases among School District of Pickens 
County staff members and students remained steady at 35 for the second week in a row last week, the number of students across the district quarantined as a precautionary measure increased dramatically.
In its weekly update released Friday, the district said 57 staff members and 486 students had been
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Courier Obituaries 11-25-20
FURMAN SHEDD
CENTRAL — Furman Shedd, 82, the son of the late Ollie Lee Shedd and late Lawrence Shedd, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, peacefully at home surrounded by family.
He is now in heaven with his son, Jeffrey Furman Shedd.
Furman was a remarkable person. He retired from Clemson University after working there for 22
