Monthly Archives: December 2021
Thomas Alexander elected SC Senate president
By Norm Cannada
Courtesy The Journal
ncannada@upstatetoday.com
COLUMBIA — An Oconee County native who also represents a portion of Pickens County is now the elected leader of the South Carolina State Senate.
State Sen. Thomas Alexander of Walhalla was unanimously elected Senate president during a special meeting Monday afternoon.
He is the second Senate president in a position that was formed in January 2019 after a change was instituted allowing senators to elect one of their own as president after the lieutenant governor became the governor’s running mate.
State Sen. Harvey Peeler resigned as president earlier in the meeting Monday to
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Clemson takes no action on expiring mask mandate
By Riley Morningstar
Courtesy The Journal
rmorningstar@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — An emergency ordinance requiring students in schools and similar settings inside Clemson city limits is now set to end in less than two weeks.
With no action taken, a mask mandate that has been in place since August will end on Dec. 18 after Monday night’s Clemson City Council meeting. In October, council extended the ordinance requiring masks at indoor locations at schools, preschools, kindergartens and daycares within city limits in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19. Essential businesses and other
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Quilt raffle fundraiser
A cross-stitched flower quilt measuring 72 inches by 94 inches is being raffled by the fiber arts program at Hagood Community Center. The cross-stitch squares were donated in the fall of 2018 by an anonymous donor. Throughout 2019, quilters met to hand-stitch the quilt. The project leader was Lucy Harward, who has since passed away. The quilt is the first one completed by Lucy’s Granger Fiber Arts Quilting Bee. The lucky winner will be drawn during lunch at the center on Wednesday, Dec. 22. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and can be obtained at the center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
Pickens church to host benefit for area man battling cancer
PICKENS — A hot dog benefit with prizes and singing will be held this Saturday, Dec. 11, to help with medical bills for Brad Curtis at Amazing Grace Fellowship, located at 229 Pearl St. in Pickens.
Hot dogs will start being served at 10 a.m. in the church fellowship hall, and the singing will begin at 6 p.m. inside the church.
Curtis was diagnosed in 2014 with renal cell carcinoma in the kidneys. The doctors did a partial kidney removal. In 2018, it metastasized into his right femur. He underwent radiation. There was a rod inserted in his right leg to
Hospitals clarify employee vax policies after ruling
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Local hospitals have issued statements outlining their positions on health care workers and COVID-19 vaccines following a ruling on the federal government requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
On Nov. 30, Federal Judge Terry A. Doughty with the U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana (Monroe) issued a preliminary nationwide injunction that blocked the federal government from requiring health care workers to be
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Courier Community Calendar
• Happy Hooves set to host fundraiser
This Sunday, Dec. 12, Happy Hooves Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting its 18th annual Christmas at the Barn fundraising event at Eden Farms located, at 4700 Dacusville Highway, Marietta, SC 29661. The all-outdoor event is from 2-5 p.m.
Guests will enjoy “Reindeer Rides” (the horses are dressed up with red noses, glitter and antlers), outdoor visits with Santa, a Nativity scene and Christmas music, a Candy Cane Garden, a variety of arts and crafts to make, a “Peeplechase” jump course for children and plenty
Celebrating a century of Aunt Eileen
Yesterday, Dec. 7, 2021 — a date which will live not in infamy, but in love in my heart — my dear, sweet Aunt Eileen, who was like a second 
mother to me and my brother when we were babies, hit the century mark.
Happy 100th birthday, Aunt Eileen!
Her birthday is easy to remember because she was born exactly 20 years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the date President Franklin D. Roosevelt said would live in infamy.
Yet it is she who always remembers my birthday and sends me a card.
I got lazy and quit sending out Christmas cards a few years ago, and
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The uninvited guests
It was a beautiful December morning. The sun was shining on the horses, who were grazing in the pasture.
I was looking out the kitchen window at the scene when I noticed two dark figures walking through the fallen leaves beneath the oak. It 
took a moment to realize what I was seeing. There were two large black hogs ambling around the horses, snuffling and rooting through the leaves.
Apparently they were eating acorns, which we have an ample supply of.
I hadn’t seen them before and have no idea where they came from.
At first, I was afraid we had an invasion of wild boars. But a closer look revealed that these
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‘Twas just weeks before Christmas
T’was just weeks before Christmas and all through the town, people hurried and scurried, faces scrunched in a frown.
No dolls or toys for good girls and boys, no holiday deals or red-hot sales ploys.
There are no “steals” or squeals of delight ‘cause the shelves are all empty,
it’s a frightening sight.
The ships are trapped way out in the sea, unable to unload because of COVID, you see.
The supply chain is clogged up just like I-85, and everyone’s hoping that they can survive a
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Courier Obits 12-8-21
CHARLES EUGENE BURKE
EASLEY — Charles Eugene Burke, 83, of Brushy Creek Road, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2021, at his 
youngest son’s home in Raleigh, N.C., after an extended illness.
Born in Cenchat, Ga., he grew up in Flintstone, Ga., and was a son of the late Frederick Eugene Burke of Cenchat, Ga., and Mary Kirksie Suit Cooke (Robert E. Cooke, stepfather) of Cenchat, Ga., and the grandson of the late John I. and Fanny P. Suit, both of Cenchat, Ga.
Mr. Burke retired as a master dergeant of the United States Air Force. After his military retirement, he attended Tri-County Tech and graduated as a manufacturing engineer. After graduation, he worked at Platt Saco Lowell and then later at Specialty Bar Products Company.
He was a member of Brushy Creek Baptist Church and the We Care Sunday School Class.
He enjoyed military history, aviation, playing guitar, listening to music and spending time
