A black bear cub caused a bit of a stir in Pickens Tuesday afternoon, crossing Main Street and climbing the large tree in front of the Blue Ridge Coop offices, where it sat for some time, attracting a large crowd of onlookers before DNR officers arrived and shot it with a tranquilizer dart. Once the bear fell asleep, officers caught it in a tarp before placing in a trailer to transport.

COUNTY — SDPC board trustee Ben Trotter and the remarks he has been accused of making concerning special needs students in the district were the topic of conversation once again during the citizen input portion of the May 29 school board meeting.
Several audience members offered their public support of Trotter at the meeting.

PICKENS — The city of Pickens will help provide the Senior Citizens of Pickens, Inc., with a portion of the needed funds to receive a $100,000 grant to help continue renovations of the Pickens Senior Center on Hagood Street.

C.J. McAnulty and his dad Tim race on a pair of motorized toilets during last Saturday’s first weekly Cruise-In & Music on Main event in Pickens. The event featured custom cars and the Marvin King Band. This Saturday will be Bike Night, as a Poker Run sponsored by Holcombe Cycles in Pickens and benefitting the Pickens Revitalization Association and MARYs House will end on Main Street. Rock and roll band The Sideman will perform. The event will continue on June 16 with classic cars on display and Ted Russell Kamp performing and conclude on June 23 with Jeep Night and country music from Katlin Owen.

LIBERTY — In a special called election with a small turnout, former Liberty city councilman Brian Petersen was re-elected to council last week.
Petersen beat out Mac Gravley in the election, which saw only 36 ballots cast out of a possible 1,828. Petersen garnered 22 votes, while Gravley received 13, with one write-in.
The election filled the vacant seat on council recently opened when councilman Eric Boughman stepped down after his daughter Emma was tragically killed after being struck by a vehicle earlier this year.

COUNTY — In what could be seen as a slightly Orwellian turn of events, School District of Pickens County board trustee Jimmy Gillespie made a motion during the board’s May 29 meeting to have district leadership meetings recorded.