County's Jobless Rate Falls to 2.7 percent in November

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County's unemployment rate dropped again in November, with 89,383 county residents employed, the most on record.

The county's jobless rate fell to 2.7 percent, down from 2.9 percent in October.

“One year ago, almost 4,500 of our friends and neighbors were unemployed due to the results of the pandemic” said Anderson County Council Chairman Tommy Dunn.  “I am thankful to announce today that number has declined by almost 50 percent. This stands as testimony to the resiliency of our local economy and, most especially, our people.”

Statewide, the unemployment rate was 3.7 percent for November.

Council Told 2021 a Banner Year at Final Meeting

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

During the their final meeting of 2021 Tuesday, Anderson County Council got some good news.

Over the past 12 months the county has seen $650 million in new investment and 1,190 new jobs, according to Anderson County Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson. Nelson said his fears in December of 2020 that a slow down might be coming were unfounded.

Council also approved moving forward with a study to provide a structure to secure broadband internet access to areas of the county currently underserved.

County Council Chairman Brett Sanders recapped the meeting for the Anderson Observer.

Local Ministry Offers Free Meal Christmas Day

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The holiday vision of one local couple will make Christmas a little brighter again this year in Anderson.

Matthew Merriweather and his wife Stephanie, founders of Anchored in His Grace Ministries, will provide a free Christmas lunch for those in need beginning at 11 a.m. Christmas Day at the Anderson County Farmers Market.

The to-go meals will include a full holiday meal and will be available until 2 p.m. or until all the food is gone. 

2021 marks the second year the Merriweathers and their sponsors have offered the free Christmas lunch. Last year nearly 400 were given meals as part of the event. 

“We have been doing ministry for three or four years, but about two years ago my wife Stephanie said: ‘Why don’t we put our Christmas on hold and help someone who doesn’t have anything this time of year?’” said Merriweather.

He also said his church, Living Word and Poverty Center, sponsors and Anderson County had been a big help. 

“Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns has been a huge help and and all the county councilmen have allotted some money and provided use of the Farmers Market.”

The event will also distribute coats and blankets donated for the cause. Donations can be made by calling 864-356-7719.

Mayor: Pelzer Revitalization Moved Fast Forward in 2021

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Pelzer Mayor Will Ragland talks about the restoration of the old mill site, plans for town growth, the Pelzer Light People and the Mill Town Players in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

County 2021 in Review: Housing, Recreation, EMS, Census, Growth

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns talks about a wide range of issues from 2021, including the economy and housing to Green Pond and Kid Venture to roads and sewer expansion in this long interview with the Anderson Observer.

County to Hold Final Vote on Chemtex Partnership with City

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council will vote on the final approva of an infrastructure credit agreement between Anderson County, Fair Street Partners LLC, and the City of Anderson, Tuesday at the regular meeting held at 11 a.m. due to the holiday week.

The agreement will allow the development of more than 100 residential units, retail development and othe improvements to the old park.

The county will also honor retiring Terry Gaines for his years of service and leadership at the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Complex.

Full agenda here.

AnMed Works to Fix Payroll Issues after Kronos Ransomware Attack

Observer and Wire Reports 

AnMed Health was faced with the challenge of shifting payroll to a manual system after the ransomware attack on the cloud-based human resources management company Ultimate Kronos Group (Kronos). 

Kronos is used widely around the U.S. by businesses and governments to track employees' hours and to issue pay. Its many customers include municipal governments, meida companies, university systems, nonprofits and large corporations.

Payroll management is a key part of Kronos, and companies using the service are left scrambling to get employees paid.

“Ensuring our teammates receive the proper compensation for their hard work is a top priority with the revelation of the incident that disrupted the time, attendance and scheduling system,” said Lizz Walker, a spokesperson for AnMed. “We have taken steps for our employees to receive their paychecks on time and keep track of their working hours.”

Some AnMed employees were concerned shifting to a direct payroll system based on previous paychecks could prove problematic due to the overtime and holiday pay included in the effected pay period, but one source said the health care system has promised to work with each employee to ensure they get paid for work provided.

Kronos said the ransomware attack has affected only customers that use a particular product called the Kronos Private Cloud, which includes AnMed.

"We took immediate action to investigate and mitigate the issue, have alerted our affected customers and informed the authorities, and are working with leading cybersecurity experts. We recognize the seriousness of the issue and have mobilized all available resources to support our customers and are working diligently to restore the affected services," a Kronos spokesperson said in a statement. 

Employers that used Kronos to clock employees in and out of shifts may ask workers to manually track start and end times, while companies that rely on Kronos to issue paychecks may send out paper checks so long as the service is down. 

Employers may also choose to issue generic paychecks that compensate employees for a baseline number of scheduled hours, rather than the actual hours worked — and later issue corrections as needed. 

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to track hours worked by employees no matter the timekeeping method used (in other words, via Kronos, a manual timecard or otherwise), then pay their workers promptly. Individual states may further govern exactly how often those paychecks must come.

As for personal data, what employee information is stored in Kronos — and therefore could be exposed to attackers — varies by employer. 

In statements to employees, several companies said that they believed the most sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers, had not been breached — but the city of Cleveland warned employees that the last four digits of Social Security numbers could be at risk. 

The service could be out for "several weeks," according to a blog post by Bob Hughes, Kronos' chief customer and strategy officer. The post was published Sunday, though it was later inaccessible.

Because the fix could take long enough to affect payroll and scheduling operations, the company has urged employers to seek out "alternative business continuity protocols" while it works on a fix. 

TCTC Partners with MUSC for Pharmacy Program

Observer Reports

Tri-County Technical College (TCTC) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have announced a new partnership that allows highly-qualified TCTC students to transfer to the MUSC College of Pharmacy to earn their doctor of pharmacy degree.

While admission is competitive, the many benefits for students include:

• An opportunity for rigorous instruction in courses jointly agreed to be acceptable academic prerequisites for admission to the MUSC College of Pharmacy.
• Academic advisement, professional development, and learning opportunities to prepare as candidates.
• Information programs on both campuses, such as MUSC’s Pharmacy Readiness Engagement Program (PREP).
• Guaranteed interview for qualified candidates and a waived supplemental application fee.

“We’re excited to partner with Tri-Country Technical College,” said Dr. Hall. “It broadens opportunities for their students and gives us a chance to talk with new potential contributors to the MUSC pharmacy experience. It’s a win-win situation for everybody.” 

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programs typically require two years of undergraduate coursework followed by four academic years of professional study. Tri-County’s pre-pharmacy program provides students with the same opportunities to enter a school of pharmacy that a four-year college or university does – at a fraction of the cost. In addition, class sizes are small, allowing for more student-faculty interactions.

Students interested in pursuing a degree in pharmacy can start their education at little to no cost at Tri-County Technical College this spring as part of the Workforce Scholarships for the Future initiative, where tuition and required fees at the state’s 16 technical colleges will be covered for South Carolina residents enrolled in a high-demand field for the spring 2022 semester. If the General Assembly elects to allocate an additional $124 million in federal funds for the initiative, tuition and required fees could be covered for eligible students through June 2024.

To learn more about Tri-County’s pharmacy program, visit tctc.edu/programs/career-programs/pre-pharmacy/. To learn more about the Workforce Scholarships for the Future initiative, visit tctc.edu/covered.

City Councilman Chapman to Seat S.C. House 8 Seat

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

In an emotional announcement, Dist. 2 Anderson City Councilman Don Chapman told fellow council members Monday night he is resigning his seat to run for the South Carolina House Dist. 8 post.

Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts honors Don Chapman Monday night after Chapman's announcement his is resigning his post to run for S.C. House Dist. 8.

"This is a difficult decision, because I love Anderson," said Chapman, an architect, who has served on city council for 14 years. He said he hopes to apply the same great approach to government he has partiticapted in on city council to the "broken government in Columbia."

He also said his experience designing and building complex, specialized projects as an architect will help him advocate for the specific needs of the and benefits of citizens in S.C. House Dist. 8.

"I am a conservative that believes in God first and foremost," said Chapman. "I also understand the impact that small businesses have on our community. As a businessman I have created jobs and met a payroll. As a city councilman I have learned to appreciate the power of building relationships and working hard to improve the quality of life and providing for the public safety for everyone without raising taxes."

A lifelong resident of Anderson, Chapman earned his Master's degree in Architecture and Bachelor's degree in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He worked for several architectural firms before founding his own business in 1994. He and his wife Amy have been married for 26 years and live in Anderson.

Champman currently serves on the board of directors of the Homebuilders Assoication of Anderson and his previous community service includes service on the Anderson Area Transportation Policy Committee and the zoning board for the City of Anderson. He has also served on serveral community boards including the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce, Anderson Heritage, the Main Street Program, the Anderson Sertoma Club and is a past president of the Anderson County Arts Cetner and the Home Builders Association of Anderson.

The Observer Picks All-Time Best Music for Holiday Season

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer 

Growing up, nothing said Christmas is coming like the annual release of holiday albums at Firestone and Goodyear. 

Goodyear’s “Great Songs of Christmas” and Firestone’s “Your Favorite Christmas Music” shared a lot of the same artists and songs, and aimed to get dad to the tire store to look at tires while the family purchased the discounted album. 

Those records stacked to autoplay on the turntable of the massive, cherry wood, console in our den filled our house with Christmas music throughout my childhood. The sound of the stylus touching down on a record is something not easy to forget. 

Each album features a collection of holiday songs featuring such artists as the New York Philharmonic, Nelson Eddy, Julie Andrews, Andre Previn, Mitch Miller, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Shore, Doris Day, Tony Bennett and too many more to name here. 

My family drove to town the first Saturday those records were released each year, but those records were somehow lost in moves and Spring cleanings over the decades. They are collector’s items now, although some of the collections are available on what look to be questionable CD collections. 

Many of these can be found streaming at various sites online.

In the decades since, my collection of Christmas music is almost exclusively digital now, with more than 6,000 holiday songs and more than 3,000 complete albums.

My tastes in holiday music is fairly comprehensive, but many of my favorite cuts were recorded before 1960.  

The only category I generally ignore is novelty Christmas songs from any generation, none of which hold up very well (if they every did), including the abominable “Little Drummer Boy.”

The majority of today’s modern covers of classic holiday music (there are exceptions) pale in comparison to the rich arrangements and musicians whom they seek imitate. Copying vocal licks or trying to make the sound “more modern” rarely works. 

Sadly, it is these songs that start in October on the radio and leave many begging for and early Spring.  

For those who have almost given up on finding the good stuff, here’s a list of holiday albums for almost every mood that will melt the heart of almost any Christmas music Scrooge.

I have divided these records into categories that make sense to me, and hopefully will to you. There is obviously some great music not included here, and I am certain I am missing some jewels. I am also working under the assumption that most folks are streaming at least a large portion of their music now, so I extend mild apologies to audiophile fundamentalists.

But let’s start with the timeless holiday music, listed alphabetically, not ranked in any order. Too many to list top cuts, but all worth a listen. 

Vintage (this list excludes many other excellent Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra collections, all of which are worth owning) 

“Ella & Louis Christmas” Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald

Every single duet they recorded works, and they are flawless on this collection. Ella’s “Sleigh Ride” and Louis’ “Cool Yule” as good as things get. Also check out Ella’s “Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas.” 

“Snowfall” - Tony Bennett

A good holiday showcase for Tony to help you deck the halls. 

“Christmas with Johnny Cash” - Johnny Cash

Compilation of his holiday songs from 1962-1980, these are straight ahead versions of traditional Christmas songs. I wish Cash had done an “American Recordings” holiday album, but he did not, so we get this one and it’s not bad.

“Bells of Dublin” - The Chieftains 

This classic Celtic holiday album, with cuts unfamiliar to many Americans, is a shining star of holiday magic. 

“White Christmas” - Bing Crosby

No surprise here. If you can find the one with the “Jingle Bell outtake/Christmas Wishes to folks back East at Decca Records,” it’s the best. Nothing sings in the holidays like this album. 

“Merry Christmas” - Bing Crosby

Bing, who taught the world how to properly use a microphone, is at his best in the collection of traditional Christmas favorites. 

“Ultimate Christmas,” “A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra” - Frank Sinatra

Both collections of familiar tunes with Sinatra backed by some of the best musicians on earth at the time, all recorded before Old Blue Eyes was in his prime.

Newer

“Christmas” - Bruce Cockburn

One of the finest holiday albums of any era. Cockburn, a stellar guitar player and songwriter, hits so many Christmas joyful notes with both traditional and original material, it never gets old. His “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is an epiphany.

“Christmas in the Heart” - Bob Dylan

This record was the but of many jokes when it was released in 2009, and at first listen it is easy to dismiss or even, for some, ridicule. But upon multiple listens, this is a sweet, wonderful Christmas gift from our greatest living songwriter. His voice has the wear of age, and it works here. Those who have little or no appreciation for Dylan are allowed to skip this one, but you are missing a little gem. 

“Cee Lo’s Magic Moment” - Ce Lo Green

An odd, interesting album I expected to hate, but grew more fond of with every cut. Something different, but festive in its own way. 

“Light of the Stable” - Emmylou Harris

Add Neil Young, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt to the best Nashville musicians of the day and you have a sweet, mellow Christmas record fro the ages. 

“Christmas” - Low

I first heard Low’s cover of “Surfer Girl” and have been a fan ever since. Their harmony is a perfect holiday tonic, slow and quiet.

“The McGarrigle Christmas Hour” - Kate & Anna McGarrigle

Recorded in 2005, this record with family and friends - including Emmylou Harris, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Beth Orton - was the last recording before Kate’s death. It is a wonderful and unusual collections of songs for the holidays, featuring not only a couple of traditional carols, but original songs and even Jackson Browne’s “Rebel Jesus.” 

“The Mills Brothers Christmas” - The Mills Brothers

Family harmony has never been better, and their take on holiday music is fine indeed.  

“Snow Angels” - Over the Rhine

A bit melancholy, but some wonderful original songs of really blue Christmas emotions and Winter darkness. Excellent.  

“A She and Him Christmas” -She & Him

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward bring a relaxing record, with excellent, gentle arrangements. The Deluxe 10th Anniversary includes “It’s Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas.” 

“Christmas ’64 (rereleased as Christmas Cookin’)” - Jimmy Smith

This one is from 1964, and is full of interesting arrangements with hot Hammond organ solos.

“Songs for Christmas” - Sufjan Stevens

From 2006, this has been on many “best Christmas records” lists ever since and with good reason. Stevens covers so much territory in a joyous holiday journey it’s hard not to smile and sing along. 

Instrumental

“Silent Nights” - Chet Baker

Another compilation of one of our finest trumpet players holiday music. Surprised it is not more widely heard. 

“A Dave Brubeck Christmas” - Dave Brubeck

Piano music to make the holidays merry, bright and chill. A good collection. 

“The Charlie Byrd Christmas Album” - Charlie Byrd

Byrd was not a flashy guitar player, and this understated holiday record shows why he never needed to show off.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” - Vince Guarraldi Trio

This San Francisco jaaa group hit pay dirt with this record and deserve every penny and every award it earned. It is seamless and is a part of almost everyone’s holiday experience for the past almost 60 years. 

“Six String Santa” - Joe Pass

Joe Pass, maybe the best guitar player of my generation, could not be better in his cover of these Christmas tunes.

“An Oscar Peterson Christmas” - Oscar Peterson 

Cool Jazz from 1955. This guy is one of the kings of the jazz piano and takes a lighter touch here with his six-piece troupe. Fine work. 

“The Ventures Christmas album” - The Ventures

Recorded in the 1964, a surf music spin on the holidays. It grows a bit tiring with each cut, but is something different and fun. 

“The Sound of Christmas,” - The Three Suns

This hard to find record is just plain fun all the way through. 

City of Anderson 2021: Hotel, Events, New Housing Highlight Banner Year

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

A new hotel and parking garage downtown, improvements at Carolina Wren Park and looking ahead to 2022 are all part of this Anderson Observer interview with Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts.

Pendleton 2021: New Housing, New Businesses, Oil Mill Cleanup

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

New housing, the growth of the town both on the U.S. 76 coridor and downtown were substantial in Pendleton in 2021.

Mayor Frank Crenshaw talks about these and the cleanup of the old Pendleton Oil Mill site in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

Mayor: Belton Had Good Year with Return of Events, Economy

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The return of such community traditions as the Standpipe Festival and S.C. Chili Cookoff marked a great year for events in Belton after 2020 slowed things down.

Mayor Eleanor Dorn also announced a series of new summer music events for 2022 in this interview with the Anderson Observer.