Monthly Archives: November 2013
Bank robber still at large
Courtesy Easley Police Department
Police say the man pictured above robbed a bank in Easley last Friday and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash
EASLEY — Police are still on the lookout for the man who robbed an Easley bank last week.
According to Easley Police Department Maj. Tim Tollison, an unknown black male robbed the TD Bank branch at 5041 Calhoun Memorial Highway at gunpoint around 9:25 a.m. last Friday.
Tollison said the man was approximately six feet tall with a slim build, weighing between 150 and 160 pounds.
The suspect was wearing all black, including a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants, as well as black
Bomb threat made at courthouse
Rocky Nimmons/ Courier
Pickens County officials were forced to enlist help from the Anderson County and Oconee County sheriff’s offices last Friday after someone called in an anonymous bomb threat at the Pickens County Courthouse at around 9 a.m. Anderson and Oconee officers brought bomb-sniffing dogs, but no devices were founder. According to Pickens County Clerk of Court Pat Welborn, no arrests have been made in the case. Pictured above, an Anderson officer walks his dog around the perimeter of the courthouse as local officials, including Welborn and Pickens Police Chief Rodney Gregory, watch.
Police look for answers in Mobil break-in
PICKENS — Police are asking for the public’s help in finding those responsible for a break-in at a Pickens gas station last week.
Sometime overnight on Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Mobil gas station on S.C. Highway 8/Moorefield Memorial Highway in Pickens was broken into, according to City of Pickens Assistant Police Chief Travis Riggs.
The suspects apparently gained entry to the store by breaking in through a back door and made off with
Trustees give first approval to policy on digital devices
By Ben Robinson
Courier Staff
COUNTY — At Monday night’s meeting of the School District of Pickens County’s board of trustees, superintendent Dr. Kelly Pew had students display the possible results of a new program that would encourage students to bring their own electronic devices from home to learn in school.
Pew said she had hoped the policy could be approved at Monday’s meeting, so parents could possibly include needed electrical devices as Christmas presents.
But newly-elected board chairman Ben Trotter pointed out that any policy the board approves must face two readings by the board before being adopted. With the December meeting of the board canceled due to the Christmas holidays, the “Bring Your Own Device” program could only be approved by early nex
Clemson police make arrest in assault case
CLEMSON — Clemson police arrested a man last week in connection with an assault downtown more than three weeks ago.
According to police chief Jimmy Dixon, Demarcus S. Taylor, 20, of Seneca, was charged with third-degree assault and battery, petit larceny, two counts of financial transaction card theft, three counts of financial transaction card fraud and providing false information to police.
According to police, the department received a report Nov. 1 regarding a victim who had been assaulted in a downtown alley. The victim told police that a wallet and personal items were taken as well. Police said the incident occurred during the late night or early-morning hours and that officers were eventually able to
Oaktree Medical growing
EASLEY — A report to Pickens County Council last week claiming that Oaktree Medical in Easley is planning to close was untrue, according to officials from the medical center.
In fact, officials said, things are going so well that the business will soon open a new office in Spartanburg.
The company provides access to 26 different heathcare providers. A new office in Spartanburg will open soon. For more information, call (864) 855-1633.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Rocky Nimmons/Courier
A city of Pickens employee installs a bow and wreath on a streetlight on Main Street last Friday. Cities around the county are gearing up for the Christmas holidays, although rainy weather cancelled Tuesday’s lighting of the Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Christmas tree. For more about county Christmas parades see other story on the website
Cleveland man killed in wreck
CLEVELAND — According to Pickens County coroner Kandy Kelley, a Cleveland man was killed in a late-night single-vehicle accident last Wednesday, although the wreckage wasn’t discovered until the following morning.
Kelley and South Carolina Highway Patrol officers said Tyler Christian Newcomb, 21, lost control of his Chevy S-10 and crashed at around 11 p.m. Wednesday on S.C. Highway 11 about 10 miles north of Pickens, but officers were not called to the scene until around 7:40 a.m. Thursday morning.
According to Kelley, Newcomb was not wearing a seatbelt and died of blunt force trauma.
The accident is still under investigation by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
Local native named AAA Lower State Football Coach of the Year
CHARLEY B. PATTERSON JR.
Columbia — The South Carolina Football Coaches Association (SCFCA) announced its 2013 Palmetto Champions last week, and a Pickens County native has been named AAA Coach of the Year for the Lower State.
Charley B. Patterson Jr., son of Brackett Patterson of Liberty, earned the honors by leading his team, the Hanahan Hawks, to an undefeated regular season. The Hawks (11-1) made it through the first round of the Lower State playoffs before falling to Marlboro County 70-6 on Nov. 15 in round two. His team had a .917 winning percentage this season.
The Palmetto Champions, consisting of 25 high school football players and 10 high school football coaches, will be honored at a banquet on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Seawell’s in Columbia. This year’s banquet is sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union. From this list, a Palmetto Champions All-Star Lineman, Back, Specialty Team Player, and Coach of the Year will be announced live at the banquet. Also, an award for Distinguished Service will be presented to a supporter of South Carolina high school football.
Christmas parades to kick off soon in county
UPSTATE — Several local communities have made plans to usher in the holiday season with Christmas Parades and associated activities.
Easley will kick off the holiday season Dec. 7 with a Christmas Parade beginning at 10 a.m. The city will have its grand illumination at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6. For more information call Dunburks Premiere Events at (864) 423-4344.
Dacusville will hold its Christmas Parade Dec. 14, with a salute to military veterans, with an emphasis on World War II veterans. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7. For more information, call David
