Daily Archives: 05/14/2014
Business’ license revoked
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
Easley city council voted unanimously Monday night to revoke the business license of Sky’s Tha Limit, one of several Upstate businesses busted recently for allegedly selling synthetic drugs.
Sky’s Tha Limit involved in massive synthetic drug raid
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
EASLEY — An Easley business at the center of a multi-county drug raid two weeks ago has had its business license revoked by city council.
City council voted unanimously at its meeting Monday night to revoke the license of Sky’s Tha Limit, located on U.S. Highway 123.
According to officials, police had been investigating the business since it opened in 2007. In October of that year, Easley police made the business owners aware of South Carolina laws concerning the sale
Six Mile hosts 25th annual Issaqueena Festival Saturday
Gov. Haley signs proclamation in honor of festival
By Ben Robinson, Courier Staff
SIX MILE — According to legend, the town of Six Mile received its name after the Cherokee maiden Issaqueena marked creeks on a ride to warn settlers in Ninety Six of an impending Cherokee attack.
This Saturday, the town will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the festival named in Issaqueena’s honor, held annually on the third Saturday in May.
In addition, Governor Nikki Haley has signed a proclamation declaring May 17 as Issaqueena Festival Day throughout the state of South Carolina.
The festival, held along Main Street in Six Mile, will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with words of welcome from
Blue Ridge Fest set for Friday
The annual Blue Ridge Fest will kick off Friday with the largest classic car cruise-in in the Upstate.
PICKENS — The 17th annual Blue Ridge Fest will be held this Friday night at the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative headquarters in Pickens.
Boasting the largest classic car cruise-in in the Upstate, along with a beach night show and dance, the festival will feature Lloyd Price, The Tams and Jim Quick and Coastline.
Last year, the festival attracted more than 6,000 people and raised more than $183,000 to benefit local non-profit organizations in Pickens, Oconee, Anderson and Greenville counties.
Since 1998, Blue Ridge Fest has donated nearly $1.6 million to numerous agencies in the Upstate area that provide individuals with basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing and health care. This year’s recipients include Developmental Center for Exceptional Children, Dot’s Kitchen, Helping Hands of
Pickens students paint mural
The Pickens High School National Art Society has worked since November to paint a mural at the Pickens Fire Department. Under the leadership of Dr. Ginger Hicks, 10 students rendered a 1987 Pierce Dash pumper owned by the Pickens Fire Department and an antique Seagrave pumper in the mural. The theme was transitioning from old to new and includes
Student Art
former and current fire department patches. Also included is a tribute to the fallen Twin Towers and the memory of September 11, 2001. Pictured with Pickens mayor David Owens and fire chief Chris Elrod are Hicks and students Breanna Miles, Kyle McManis, Alexis Day, Ally Gardner, Darra Long, Dakota Malsch and Sarah Forest. Students not pictured who contributed are Kristian Blackwood, Allison Rogers and Anne Mason.
Clements installed as 3,200 Clemson students graduate
John Bolton/BoltonPhoto.com
New Clemson University president James P. Clements presided over the first graduation ceremonies of his tenure on Friday at Littlejohn Coliseum.
CLEMSON — As part of an inauguration that spread traditional academic proceedings over three commencement ceremonies Friday, Clemson University President James P. Clements offered an address that drew inspiration from sources ranging from Thomas Green Clemson to his mother.
Through brief remarks delivered at the first of Friday’s ceremonies, Clements challenged new graduates — as well as faculty, staff, alumni and friends in attendance or watching it live online — to make a difference.
Citing the weekend’s observance of Mother’s Day, Clements said, “Today, as we stand in the presence of so many supportive parents and family members, I am reminded of some of those life lessons. My mother always told me to be a good person. She didn’t say, ‘be right all the time.’ Good people make mistakes. Good people fail. However, good people strive to do the right thing, the first time and every
If you can’t run with the big dogs
On The Way
By Olivia Fowler
Olivia Fowler
I spent several days last week with my cousins on a road trip to Alexandria, Va., for a family gathering. My cousin Becky flew into Greensboro, I drove to Winston-Salem and my cousin Liz and I picked Becky up at the airport. Liz had some really great chopped barbecue from Little Richard’s and we took a sandwich to the airport for Becky.
She lives in Miami and doesn’t get authentic Carolina barbecue very often. Becky had only one suitcase for our journey. Granted, it was the biggest suitcase I’ve ever seen, but as she pointed out, at least she was able to pack everything into the one bag.
We loaded up Liz’s Prius the next morning with all our luggage and hit the road. Liz and I took turns driving. We had good directions to the hotel and found it fairly easily.
We were scheduled for a tour and dinner at Arlington House and were ready to leave on time.
Another cousin from Wilmington rode with us to act as our guide, as she’d once lived in the area some years back.
We arrived within view of Arlington National Cemetery and exited onto what appeared to be the correct ramp. Halfway up the exit ramp, we realized we would wind up going the wrong way on a major highway into Washington.
If this happened, we would never recover and would miss the entire evening at Arlington House.
So Liz pulled over to the far right of the ramp and proceeded to back down the exit ramp so we could get back onto the highway.
Other cars were traveling up the ramp, and she couldn’t see clearly to back so Becky and Charlotte directed her as to when to stop and when to go. In this way, we were able to get back onto the highway, find the correct exit and arrive safely at our destination. It seemed like a good thing to do to me, and it worked. Liz made me proud. After all, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” And yes, we could have been killed or arrested, but we were not.
After a great evening at Arlington House and the best crab dip I’ve ever eaten (I got the recipe from the chef and will run it on the food page soon), we prepared to go back to the hotel. Before our group departed, I took time out to stop a cousin and ask if he would be willing to bail us out if we were arrested. He said he’d be glad to do it, as he’d brought plenty of cash with him. That’s what family is for, and I felt we’d covered all our bases.
Of course we got lost driving back to the hotel and found ourselves in a dark and deserted area beside the Potomac River. We looked for someone to ask directions of and came upon a large group of young men standing around with bikes.
Becky said, “Should we ask them for directions?” We all said, “No!” I thought they looked like a gang, although we weren’t sure gang members ride bikes, but thought that if we erred it should be on the side of caution. Just because we’re not normally a cautious bunch doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally show good judgment.
Fortunately, in just a minute we saw a police car idling in the street. We pulled up beside it and asked for directions, and the officer kindly gave us great directions back to the George Washington Bridge, and we were soon safely home.
The next day we took a two-hour walking tour of old Alexandria, conducted by an indefatigable 81-year-old guide who held up a lot better than we did.
We saw the tavern, still in operation, where George Washington ate lunch when he came into town from Mount Vernon on business. We toured the church where he worshiped and where Robert E. Lee was confirmed. And we heard a great program presented by a noted historian who specializes in the Civil War era.
The next morning we left for Petersburg to spend some time with more cousins and visit an old family home in Chesterfield County, where we were caught trespassing and confronted by the irate present-day owner. I thought it was worth taking the chance, have no regrets and we all got some excellent pictures. Becky worked hard to soothe the savage beast, and we didn’t go to jail again. Not this time, anyway. But boy did we have fun. We had many other adventures, but I’ll save those stories for another time.
Pickens public works director talks projects
By Pickens Public Works Director Cory Cox
CORY COX
About six months ago, I joined the City of Pickens as the director of public works. The goal of this short article is take a few moments to introduce myself and share with you my vision for the City of Pickens Public Works Department.
First, I would like to thank City Council, mayor David Owens and city administrator Katherine Hendricks for giving me this tremendous opportunity. I am a graduate of Clemson University’s civil engineering department and a licensed engineer. I started my career in the private sector as a consulting engineer to many of the Upstate cities, counties and municipalities. I hope to take my previous experiences with other local governments and make improvements to our current systems that not only meet the needs of the city’s residents and businesses but also fit well with the vision and direction provided by our City Council.
Previously the city operated the streets/sanitation and water maintenance departments separately. The
Ancestral Civil War Letters
During their down time, Civil War soldiers often spent time writing letters to their loved ones, even though many of them never received proper schooling.
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Civil War letters from Courier contributor Dr. Thomas Cloer Jr.
By Dr. Thomas Cloer, Jr. – Special to The Courier
How many mementos do you have of your grandfather? I have two or three, and cherish them as if the objects were solid gold. I have one object that belonged to my great-grandfather, Jacob Miller Cloer, a tool he used in making wooden white oak shingles for roofs. It very well could have been used by his daddy, William Marcus (Mark) Cloer, the Confederate soldier described in this article. These Civil War letters are like that tool. For my grandchildren, these letters go back eight generations!
Introduction
Pickens and Oconee counties of South Carolina contain part of the Blue Ridge Escarpment that joins the rugged mountains of South Carolina with the Appalachian Mountains of North America, running from Georgia to Maine. The writers of these Civil War letters lived in mountainous, undeveloped Macon County, N.C. Macon County includes the mountain towns of Highlands and Franklin, lying immediately northwest of our beautiful South Carolina mountains.
There is one question I had to try to answer before sitting down and doing the most tedious, but for me
Courier Obituaries 5-14-14
Nelson Cureton
Easley — Nelson Kennick Cureton, 85, wife of the late James Henry Cureton, Jr., died Wednesday, April 30, 2014.
Born in Lebanon, Ill., Mrs. Cureton was a daughter of the late Mark H. and Nelson Scott Kennick. She was a homemaker and past vice president of Jaycettes in Chester as well as a charter member of the Chester Jaycettes. She was a member of Easley First Baptist Church, where she sang alto in the choir faithfully, during her active membership.
Surviving are two sons, James Henry “Hal” Cureton III (Rose) of Anderson, Mark Scott Cureton of Greenville; two daughters, Teresa C. Lusk (Michael) and Michelle C. Mauldin (Danny) all of Easley; seven grandchildren, Eric Nelson Cureton, Jennifer Mauldin Mitchell, Stacey Mauldin Gravely, Bradley William Mauldin, Amber Lusk Bivens, Kiley Hope Lusk, and Ryan Michael Lusk; and eight great-grandchildren with one on the way.
In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Cureton was predeceased by two brothers and one sister. Memorial services were 3 p.m. Friday, May 2 in the sanctuary of Easley First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dr. John Adams officiating. Memorials may be made to Pickens County Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 184 Easley, SC 29641 or United Ministries.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson
SWU honors outstanding faculty, staff
JACHENS
CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University recognized Daryl Jachens as Faculty Member of the Year and Emily Bloxdorf was named Staff Member of the Year during Honors Convocation April 23 on the school’s campus in Central.
Jachens, professor of music and coordinator of studies in music for the Fine Arts division, has served SWU for 27 years, teaching courses in music education and aesthetics in the traditional and adult evening programs. Since 1995, Jachens has been conductor and music director of the Greenville Concert Band. He also received the Ken Dickens Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dickens, a 1953 graduate and a retired educator, established this award to recognize an outstanding faculty member each year. Nominations for Jachens’ honor are submitted by students, faculty and staff, then selected by a committee.
Bloxdorf, an admissions counselor, was recognized for going “above and beyond” in her service to the university students, faculty and the SWU community and for her commitment to students long after the admissions process is done. She was also recognized for opening up her home to lead a discipleship group for students.
Bloxdorf
“Emily is a great representation of what Southern Wesleyan is — a community of people sold out for Jesus and reaching out to the community to shine His light through knowledge, service and positivity,” a SWU colleague wrote of Bloxdorf in a nomination.
Each year, the executive committee of SWU’s Staff Council accepts nominations from employees and selects the Staff Member of the Year.
