Monthly Archives: April 2014
6-year-old shoots, kills woman in car
EASLEY — Police said a 6-year-old child accidentally shot and killed a woman last week in Easley.
According to Easley Police Department Maj. Tim Tollison, Alexandra Anita Santos, 22, was shot a little before 1 p.m. on Thursday.
Tollison said Santos was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car on Hastings Circle when a 6-year-old boy found a loaded gun on the floor of the backseat area of the car and accidentally fired a shot.
The shot went through the backseat, striking Santos, Tollison said.
According to Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley, Santos, of Easley, was pronounced dead at Baptist Easley Hospital from a single gunshot wound to the chest a short time later.
Police said the boy was the son of the driver, who was a friend of Santos.
Tollison said Easley Police were continuing their investigation into how the gun ended up in the floor of the vehicle.
Pickens, Easley plan Doodle Rail Trail unveiling
The master plan for turning the abandoned Doodle Rail Line into a trail between Pickens and Easley will be unveiled at a meeting on May 1 in Easley.
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
EASLEY — The plan for the proposed Doodle Trail between Pickens and Easley will be unveiled at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 1, on the campus of Tri-County Technical College on Powdersville Road in Easley.
Alta Planning will present the master plan, including renderings, phasing and budgets.
There will also be trailhead rendering available for both the City of Easley and
SPECIAL EDITION CENTRAL RAILROAD FESTIVAL IN THIS WEEK
All Aboard For Fun!
Welcome to the Town of Central and to our sixth annual Railroad Festival. This insert is your guide to everything you need for an unforgettable day of fun for your whole family. As you read it, you will find maps, schedules and information about the day’s exciting activities, as well as the details of our sponsors who have once again helped us provide all the day’s activities free of change.
The festival takes place in historic downtown Central, where Main Street is blocked off and transformed into a pedestrian friendly mall, complete with arts, crafts and food vendors, live entertainment and more. Central’s unique
Clemson police arrest suspect in high-speed chase
CLEMSON — Clemson Police have arrested a man suspected of leading officers on a high-speed chase that ended in a wreck last month.
According to a release from chief Jimmy Dixon, Frederick Roy Hamilton, 46, is charged with failure to stop for blue lights. In addition, Dixon said, the South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Hamilton with driving under the influence and other related traffic infractions.
Hamilton
Clemson police were involved in a pursuit shortly after midnight on March 13,
Anderson receives Silver Crescent
After 32 years of service to the Pickens County Registration and Elections Commission, Noel C. Anderson was recently honored with the Order of the Silver Crescent.
COUNTY — All who know him call him “Andy.”
After 32 years of loyal and dedicated service to the residents of Pickens County, commissioner Noel C. Anderson retired from the Pickens County Registration and Elections Commission on Jan. 31.
State Sen. Larry Martin, on behalf of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, presented Anderson with the Order of the Silver Crescent Award in the Pickens County Administration Facility auditorium on April 11.
The Silver Crescent is the state’s highest award for volunteer or community service. Anderson was chosen for the award for his lifetime of exemplary performance, contribution and achievement within the community.
Anderson attended Clemson University from 1940 to 1942 before serving in the military from 1942 through 1946 during World War II. He completed his studies at Clemson University in 1948 with a degree in Animal Husbandry (Science). He worked with the Clemson Extension Service as the county agricultural agent until he retired in 1981. In 1981, he was appointed to the Pickens County Elections Commission.
Anderson left the elections commission with memories and a lifetime of experience, knowledge and history that only he has to offer.
Pickens council passes city budget
PICKENS — Pickens City Council passed its 2014 budget with no changes Monday night.
After opening the floor for discussion of the budget and receiving no comment, mayor David Owens asked the council for a motion on the budget. Councilman Patrick Lark motioned that the council vote on the budget, and was seconded by Councilman Carlton Holley.
Council then approved the budget with a 6-0 vote, with Councilman Isaiah Scipio absent.
“I just want to thank all the city department heads for their hard work,” Owens said. “I know a lot of work went into presenting this budget balanced.”
Food, fun and flowers
Hannah Campbell
Despite dreary weather, crowds packed the streets of Pickens over the weekend for the 30th annual Pickens Azalea Festival, which featured various forms of entertainment, food, arts and crafts and the first-ever Azalea Festival Baking Competition hosted by Francine Bryson. Pictured 8-year-old Hannah Campbell, at left, battling a bucking bull, “Mother’s Finest” singer Joyce Kennedym below left, entertaining from the festival’s main stage, 3-year-old Rylan Stone, below right, riding a merry-go-round and baking competition grand prize winner Melody Roberts, left, with Bryson.
Rylan Stone
“Mother’s Finest” singer Joyce Kennedy
Volunteers celebrate Earth Day by teaching ‘making choices for a healthier environment’
Members of the PCBEAC beautification committee celebrating Earth Day by planting native plants to beautify the Education Center at the Pickens County Recycling Center off Old Liberty Road.
COUNTY — For more than 11 years, a team of volunteers, through the PCBEAC beautification committee, has visited all third-grade classes in Pickens County to teach them about how the earth and all the environments it contains belongs to all of us (and them), and that we are all responsible for taking care of our earth.
This project, the Traveling Trash Bash (TTB), uses six stations to engage and teach the third graders how they can help protect our environment.
Following are some key concepts/messages of the TTB:
Composting
The children learned how pervasive erosion of topsoil decreases the fertility of soil for plants and how food and plant materials can be transformed into healthy fertile soil with the help of earthworms. Compost enhances our environment and decreases waste.
Stormwater
Students were amazed at the stormwater station where they saw how rainfall runoff can pick up litter, soil, fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste, soaps, oil and grease, and then flow into our local creeks, rivers and lakes causing stormwater pollution. They were taught the difference in the sewer system and storm drains.
Beautification
These third grade students were challenged to make the environment more beautiful by planting flowers and picking up litter in their yards. It may take generations to make an impact on the litter problem in Pickens County but every child can make a difference.
Recycling
Volunteers show the students what materials can be recycled and reused and how Pickens County saves money by promoting both curbside and county recycling. This practice will in turn decrease landfill waste, generate revenue, and save taxpayers money.
Litter Control
Pickens County Law Enforcement officers encourage litter law compliance. Various examples of litter collected along roadsides are used to teach how long it takes the material to break down, and what it costs if a person is charged with littering.
The children learn that they have choices for helping or harming their environment throughout each day. Choices they make can help create a healthier, cleaner environment.
PCMOW and Darden Restaurants partner to advance hunger relief
EASLEY — Pickens County Meals on Wheels recently announced it has been selected to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the Restaurant Community Grants program from the Darden Restaurants Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of Darden Restaurants.
The grants program, now in its third year, empowers each restaurant in the Darden family of brands to help award a $1,000 grant to support local community programs. The donation will enable Pickens County Meals on Wheels’ on going efforts to help homebound individuals in Pickens County
Annual Juried SC Artists Exhibition set for Saturday
PICKENS — The Pickens County Cultural Commission announced recently that the “Pickens County Museum’s Thirty-Fifth Annual Juried South Carolina Artist’s Exhibition” will open to the public with a reception and awards ceremony on Saturday, April 26, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The announcement and presentation of awards will take place at 7 p.m. The competition was open to all artists working in any medium, 18 years of age or older and living in South Carolina. The exhibition will remain on view until
