EASLEY — Easley Combined Utilities (ECU) customers living inside the Easley City limits received a notice in their most recent bill stating that beginning in April a new line item, called a Municipal Fee, will appear on their bill.

The Municipal Fee will equal 5 percent of the amount of the total utility bill, excluding taxes, and will be forwarded to the city of Easley.

For the last 15 years, the City of Easley has collected a fee from ECU at a rate of 3.35 percent of the total bill, but the fee has not been listed as a line item prior to April 1.

Rusty Jones of Trophies Unlimited in downtown Easley has had some concerns over the ECU’s recent rate increases and new line item.

“The city is now asking ECU for 5 percent instead of the 3.35 percent, and they have decided to just add a 5 percent fee to our bills while also raising their rates due to the higher cost of their supplier,” said Jones. “Effectively, ECU is keeping the 3.35 percent that was already built into the rates, adding the 5 percent that the city wants to our bills and then raising their rates to compensate for the new cost of energy. That is over a 10 percent increase in rates and no improvements in quality to their customers.”

SALEM — A Clemson University graduate student was killed Saturday after a gust of wind overturned the kayak he was riding in with his wife on Lake Jocassee.

Anlin Wang, 25, of Central, drowned after the accident, according to Pickens County deputy coroner Gary Duncan.

Wang and his wife, who survived after swimming for an estimated hour to shore, were in the middle of the lake when their kayak capsized at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Montrez O’Brian Jones

CLEMSON — Police arrested a suspect Saturday in a March 4 robbery and shooting at a Clemson apartment complex.

Montrez O’Brian Jones, 23, was arrested in Seneca and charged with possession of a firearm during the committal of a violent crime, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of armed robbery and attempted murder.

The Clemson Police Department received a 911 call on March 4, reporting that someone had been shot and robbed at the Goldenwoods apartment complex, located on Georgetown St.

Officers arrived to find a male victim shot in the upper leg and robbed of cash, along with two female victims who had also been robbed.

The witnesses told police a black male wearing a black hoodie entered the apartment with a pistol asking for money. After receiving money from all three of the apartment’s occupants, the suspect demanded more cash before shooting the male in the upper leg and fleeing the area in a white Ford Crown Victoria.

The subsequent investigation led to the identification of Jones as a suspect and arrest warrants being issued.

Jones was denied bond by a Clemson judge and is currently being held at the Pickens County Detention Center.

COUNTY — The School District of Pickens County’s website was recently recognized by the Sunshine Review for a 2013 Sunny Award for government transparency.

The SDPC was the only school district in South Carolina to receive a perfect “A+” rating.

The Sunshine Review is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to government transparency, and the award, which honors the most transparent government websites in the nation, went to 250 government entities nationwide.

“We’re very proud of this award,” said Dr. Kelly Pew, district superintendent. “Our staff puts a high priority on making information open to the public, and it’s an honor for our website to be recognized. We’re constantly looking for ways to make sure our district is as transparent as possible.”

John Hallman

NEW YORK CITY — In his first race in the men’s division of USA Track and Field, Jonathan Hallman of Liberty won the USATF indoor mile race walk national championship on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Hallman, 19, took the honor at the 106th Millrose Games, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious indoor track meet, held at the Armory in Manhattan.

PICKENS — Gatehouse Restaurant in Pickens will host a pancake breakfast this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. to benefit the Pickens Recreation Department’s volleyball program.

Tickets will be sold at the door for $7 apiece, with proceeds going to benefit the 39 recreation volleyball teams. The breakfast will include eggs, grits, bacon or sausage, and a drink in addition to pancakes.

As an added incentive, the team that sells the most tickets will receive free volleyball T-shirts.

Those interested or with questions are asked to call the rec department at (864) 878-2296.

PICKENS — The Pickens County Literacy Association will hold its semi-annual Book Sale at Pickens Presbyterian Church on Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23.

The event is slated to begin at 9 a.m. both days in the church’s All Saints Hall. The sale will end at 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The book sale is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Literacy Association.

It offers thousands of books, including children’s books, paperbacks, hardbacks, classics, coffee table books, cassettes, CDs, tapes, cookbooks and much more.

All proceeds go the Literacy Association, and donations are welcome. For more information, call (864) 878-9642.