Daily Archives: 01/29/2014
No arrests in Sunday killing
DACUSVILLE — At press time Tuesday, no arrest had been made in a Sunday-morning homicide in Dacusville, but police say there is no threat to the community.
According to Pickens County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Creed Hashe, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at 117 Devon Court in Dacusville at 3:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Deputies arrived at the home within six minutes to find a victim, identified as 38-year-old Shane A. Williams, dead with wounds consistent with gunshots. An autopsy and forensic examination Monday revealed that Williams was killed by one of multiple gunshot wounds.
Hashe said the victim’s wife and a small child were inside the home when the shooting
Man charged in home invasion
EASLEY — An Easley man faces multiple charges after his arrest following a violent home invasion and a standoff with police on Saturday.
Kelvin Bernard Smith, 42, of 214 Mulberry Lane, was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime after police allege he held a woman captive inside her home on Saturday morning.
According to a release from the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a 911 call at around 8:30 a.m. Saturday from a woman saying that an acquaintance was at her back door
Ride ‘em cowgirl
Although she didn’t come away with first-place honors, young Joleigh Galloway of Liberty stole the hearts of all who attended the Southeastern Championship Bull Riding event at Clemson University’s T. Ed Garrison Arena on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18. Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
Alexander receives historic new title
PICKENS — Longtime Pickens County historian Julia Alexander has made a little history of her own.
ALEXANDER
“Recognized for her many years of dedicated service to the historical society, her leadership and genteel character, Julia Alexander has always been a wealth of knowledge of Pickens-area history,” read a release from the historical society.
“No one deserves this unique honor more than Miss Julia,” PCHS president Ken Nabors said. “Her generosity of her time and talent to this community has always been without limit, and it does not go unappreciated.”
Alexander has lived all her life in Pickens, within a three-block radius of her first home on Ann Street, where she was born.
After her graduation from Pickens High School, Alexander attended Draughon’s Business College in Greenville and then worked for her father, Ernest Alexander, at his feed, seed and grocery store on Main Street in the
5 file for school board election
COUNTY — The field in the special election to fill the unexpired term of recently resigned school board trustee Ben Trotter ballooned to five candidates before filing ended with Monday’s deadline.
In addition to former School District of Pickens County building program director Bob Folkman and Tri-County Technical College Easley campus director Brian Swords, who both entered the race on the first day of the filing period, signing up to run before Monday’s noon deadline were Liberty-area businessman Roy Costner, longtime SDPC teacher Bonita Thomas Holland and
Baptist Easley named Gold Triple Threat hospital
Working Well manager Jen Wright, right, presents Baptist Easley CEO Michael Batchelor with a Gold Medal Award on Jan. 15. The hospital is one of only nine hospitals in the state to be named a Gold Triple Threat.
EASLEY — Baptist Easley Hospital has been recognized as the newest Gold Medal hospital in South Carolina by Working Well, a collaboration between the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) and Prevention Partners.
Since meeting and achieving the Gold Medal standard in December 2013, Baptist Easley has also been named the ninth Gold Triple Threat hospital in South Carolina. To earn the Gold Triple Threat designation, a hospital must reach the highest standard of excellence and earn Gold in all three pillars: Gold Star for tobacco-free people and places, Gold Apple for healthy food environments and Gold Medal for a culture where physical activity is the easy norm.
“I am excited that Baptist Easley has now received all three Gold awards and is one of fewer than 10 hospitals in S.C. to do so,” Baptist Easley CEO Michael Batchelor said. “I am committed to healthy lifestyles, not only for our employees but for our community as well.”
In order to meet the highest standard of excellence in creating a culture where being active is the norm, Baptist Easley implemented the four key components to a physically active worksite: policy, environment, education, and benefits & incentives. Baptist Easley’s senior leadership passed a comprehensive culture of wellness policy to create a provide resources and necessary support to ensure such a culture where the healthy choice is the easy choice, is achieved. The resolution also states that Baptist Easley encourages employees to use their paid breaks for healthy activities.
To create a supportive environment for physical activity, Baptist Easley incorporates physical activity into every aspect of their comprehensive employee wellness program, encourages active breaks in their policy, communicates the policy and practice through strategically placed point of decision prompts, educates on the benefits of physical activity through a variety of communication channels, as well as providing opportunity through onsite classes and access to the Cardiac Rehab gym during non patient hours. They have successfully woven physical activity and wellness into the fabric of their corporate structure.
“Baptist Easley continues to display their dedication to population health improvement and community focus by implementing environments and programs, supported by policy, that provide employees, patients, and community with easy access to the healthiest choice,” Working Well manager Jen Wright said. “Baptist Easley has accomplished amazing things because of their motivated wellness team and supportive senior leadership. Even more impressive is their willingness to share the lessons learned and successful strategies to lift up worksite wellness culture in hospitals and businesses throughout SC, as a Working Well Center of Excellence.”
Wright presented leadership with the Gold Medal Award on Jan. 15.
Liberty mayor prepares to tackle infrastructure
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
LIBERTY — Eric Boughman realized when he ran for mayor of Liberty he would be facing some problems left over from previous administrations, but he never dreamed about the depth of the city’s water problems.
“The majority of our sewer lines are 1925 lines,” Boughman said.
Boughman said that city employee Olin Hamlin had been talking about the water situation for years.
“It was kind of like ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” Boughman said.
But the city risks having these problems come up at once and finding the cost of repair too great.
New manufacturers group presents first outreach grant
COUNTY — The newly formed Manufacturers Caring for Pickens County (MCPC) Forum has announced the first in a series of social outreach grants to local charities and community service organizations.
This initial grant of $1,000 will be shared by the Samaritan Health Clinic and Dream Center Easley (located in the old Simpson Academy). Both organizations have demonstrated outstanding community efforts to benefit the residents of Pickens County, according to MCPC chairman Tom O’Hanlan.
“In this ever-changing medical care environment, the Samaritan Health Clinic provides a much-
School board to meet again on sale of former Gettys property
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
COUNTY — The Pickens County School Board has scheduled a meeting for 6:30 p.m. next Monday to discuss and vote on the sale of the former Gettys Middle School.
A bid from Legacy Charter School is expected to receive attention from the board. The board approved the motion to hold the meeting with a 3-2 vote at its meeting on Monday. Voting against the proposal were board trustees Judy Edwards and Dr. Herbert Cooper, while trustee
Six Mile Baptist Church to offer Trail Life usa Troop
SIX MILE — On Jan. 1 Trail Life USA (TLUSA) officially launched its outdoor adventure program for boys and young men nationwide. TLUSA is a Christian scouting-like program for boys and young men ages 5-18.
The program focuses on outdoor adventure, character, and leadership and is starting with approximately 500 troops in 42 states.
Around 60 percent of the new members of TLUSA are former members of the Boy Scouts of
