Daily Archives: 03/05/2014
PCMOW participating in March for Meals
COUNTY — Pickens County Meals on Wheels (PCMOW) is partnering with the Meals on Wheels Association of America in the 12th annual March for Meals campaign.
Its goals are to raise awareness of senior hunger in America and to encourage the local community to address the need.
March for Meals focuses on the continuing importance of home-delivered meals and the growing need for resources — both financial and human — as the elderly population increases and more Americans need community-based nutrition services.
Last year, PCMOW delivered more than 56,000 meals to eligible seniors in Pickens County.
Annual banquet recognizes community, business leaders
Pickens city councilman Carlton Holley, left, receives the Duke Energy Citizen of the Year Award from Duke’s Scott Miller.
Holley earns Citizen of the Year Award
The Pickens Revitalization Association and the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce came together recently to host an annual banquet honoring businesses and individuals for their contributions to the city.
Held at The Lighthouse Restaurant on Lake Keowee on Feb. 21, the banquet offered a night of fantastic food and jazz entertainment, provided by RazzMaJazz, for more than 125 guests.
The Duke Energy Citizen of the Year Award — the night’s top individual honor — was presented
Pickens council voices cruising support
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
PICKENS — Cruising was brought up at the Monday meeting of Pickens City Council, with most members voicing support for allowing the practice.
Councilman Patrick Lark said there was talk around town about allowing cruising downtown just through summer.
“We need to look at the logistics of it,” Lark said. “It’s kind of nostalgic — the way it used to be.”
Lark said he wondered if young people today even know what cruising is. Lark said the main problem he had with cruising was that Pickens had banned the practice by the time he was old
Liberty wrestlers earn state championships
Liberty High School wrestlers and coaches, including individual Class AA state champions Darien Painter and Tanner Chambers, pose after the Devils saw all six qualifiers place at the state tournament on Saturday in Anderson.
ANDERSON — Liberty High School’s wrestling program had a historic day on Saturday, as two Red Devils brought home individual Class AA state championships and four others placed in the individual state tournament at the Anderson Civic Center.
Darien Painter pinned all three of his opponents in the 152-pound weight class to earn his first state title, while Tanner Chambers won all three of his matches, including one by pin, to earn gold in the 182-pound weight class.
The performances of Painter and Chambers, combined with four other teammates who finished in the top four of their respective weight classes, helped Liberty earn the individual state tournament team championship.
Matt Frey finished 2-1 in the tournament with a pin to finish as the state runner-up in the 113-pound weight class.
The Devils’ other three state qualifiers lost in the first round Friday night, but bounced back to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.
Tristan Oglesby won three matches on Saturday, two of them in overtime, to finish in third place at 120 pounds, while Jimmy Knott also won three matches — all by pin — on Saturday to finish third at 160 pounds.
In the 138-pound class, Garrett Whitmire bounced back with a 2-1 record on Saturday to take fourth place.
Azalea Fest to feature cooking competition
PICKENS — The 30th annual Pickens Azalea Festival, is set for April 18 and 19, in downtown Pickens. Booth spaces are still open for arts/crafters, civic non-profit organizations and businesses. Included in the Saturday afternoon festivities will be the first-ever Azalea Festival Baking Competition, hosted by Pickens’ Francine Bryson. For more details on the baking competition and festival applications, visit pickensazaleafestival.org
SDPC celebrates 2014 JetToy Challenge winners
COUNTY — A team of students from Forest Acres Elementary School took top honors in the 2014 School District of Pickens County JetToy Challenge.
The first-place winners are Forest Acres’ “Enthusiastic Emus” (Hayden Hughes, Ben Freeman, Alexis Craig, and Sydney Thompson). The second place-winners are Crosswell Elementary School’s “Wan Squad” (Dalton Blackburn, Jase Greer, Nyheem Muhammad). The third-place winners, also from Forest Acres, are the “Hawks” (Kelly Carver, Chaps Nations, and Charlie Pitts). Artistic design winners are Ambler Elementary School’s “Pumpkintown Pioneers” (Will Kelly, Abby McHenry, and James Martinez) and West End Elementary School’s “Patriots” (Raleigh Adams, Elana McMahan, Jayda Liner, Harper Wilson).
MCPC social outreach grant set to benefit Helping Hands
COUNTY — The newly formed Manufacturers Caring for Pickens County (MCPC) Forum has announced the third in a series of social outreach grants to local charities and community service organizations.
The $1,000 grant has been awarded to Helping Hands of Clemson. The organization has demonstrated outstanding community efforts to benefit the residents of Pickens County.
“We have worked with Helping Hands for years, and the work they do for children is life-changing,” said Cornell Dubilier president Jim Kaplan, a MCPC board member.
According to its website, MCPC’s goal is “to reach out to our Pickens County community, to
Courier Letters to the Editor
School board leaving debt-filled legacy
Dear Editor,
I have read that pomposity called the AdvancED report. It did make one truthful statement that warrants mentioning: “Members of the governing board reported themselves that not all of them share the vision of the district administration” (item 2, page 38).
Thankfully, Alex Saitta, Jimmy Gillespie and Ben Trotter actually have a vision of both scholastic and financial responsibility, and that is certainly contrary to the vision of the district administration. Otherwise we would have been broke before now.
The building program started at $150 million and now it is nearly $400 million, thanks to the
The times, they are a-changing
Olivia Fowler
On the Way
By Olivia Fowler
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, there’s a 50 percent probability that the last frost date for our area is March 31.
This means it’s highly likely that any bedding plants put out before that date will get zapped, except for pansies.
Even though we know this with our brains, our hearts tend to ignore this information. That’s why so many of us can be seen strolling optimistically through garden centers, greenhouses and nurseries, prematurely investing our hopes and dreams into a flat of bedding plants that may
Wendy’s in Pickens celebrates Red Cross Month with Frosty Fridays
PICKENS — Wendy’s in Pickens is celebrating Red Cross Month by donating 50 cents from the sale of any Frosty product sold on Fridays during the month of March.
“We appreciate the folks at Wendy’s in Pickens acknowledging our Red Cross volunteers during Red Cross Month,” said Sarah Dow, chief regional development officer with the Red Cross of the Western Carolinas. “They are everyday heroes who come to the aid of neighbors in need. Wendy’s financial support of our local disaster services is a great example of a business giving back to the community.”
During the last year alone, the American Red Cross assisted more than 725 families in the
