Daily Archives: 05/28/2014
Birchwood Center to honor Starkey Flythe
PICKENS — Pickens County’s Birchwood Center for Folk Life and Art is presenting Remembering Starkey: A Program Of Poetry And Native American Flute Music on Sunday, June 1, at 3 p.m., on the porch of the Cherokee Foothills Visitors Center at Table Rock State Park on Highway 11.
The Center’s annual spring poetry reading will commemorate the life and work of the late Starkey Flythe, of North Augusta, a renowned S.C. poet and short fiction writer who was also a co-founder and friend of The Birchwood Center.
Flythe’s work’s have been included in numerous anthologies, including Best American Short Stories. His work was also featured in The New Yorker magazine.
The program will consist of readings selected from his poetry as well as that of other poets, along with Native American flute interludes provided by Pat Edmunds. The event is free and open to the public.
Education issues start at home
The on-time graduation rate in our school district has risen 4 percentage points the past four years to 76.8 percent. Our district is doing better than most, and I think we’ll reach our goal of 80 percent. However, the overall approach throughout the state will not yield the result that’s needed — 90 percent or more.
This statewide issue is not fully understood. Only 67 percent of eighth graders in S.C. are at or above grade level in mathematics, and 70 percent are at or above grade level in English. It is not surprising so many students then fail to amass the required 24 high school credits to graduate on time, if at all.
I don’t think the problem is an academic one, though. For years now, I’ve believed the low graduation rate has its roots in the breakdown of the family, and the social, psychological and behavioral issues that spawn from that.
An elementary student not reading at grade level, likely that’s due to his parents not reading with him at home. That has to do with relationship at home — a social issue. Not an academic one at the school.
I recently spoke with students who had dropped out and later enrolled in a GED program. I asked, why
Congratulations to Rosa
On The Way
By Olivia Fowler
Olivia Fowler
Today was a spectacular day. Rosa, our goat, has been spending time in the backyard grazing, as she is an expectant mother and needs the extra nutrition. She has a collar, and each morning she is led from the goat pen to the fenced-in backyard, where she is staked out. She has a bucket of fresh water and access to shade.
Rosa doesn’t bleat unless she has something specific to say. I was in the kitchen and heard her calling, so I stepped out the backdoor and saw she had wound her chain around the stake and couldn’t reach her water or the shade.
So, I went out and untangled her and led her down beneath the oak tree. She had turned over her water bucket, so I refilled it and carried it to her.
She was panting, and I assumed she was too hot.
Fowler was pounding stakes in the tomato rows when I looked out again to check on Rosa. She was calling out. There in the
Courier Obituaries 5-28-14
Carlyle Sutherland
Easley — Carlyle Jim Wash Sutherland, 72, of 104 Abigail Lane, died Monday, May 19, 2014 at Laurel Bay Health Care.
Born in Pickens County, a son of the late Clyde Cleveland and Annie Mae Rackley Sutherland, Mr. Sutherland retired from Gower Metal Enterprises in Greenville and was a member of Faith Independent Baptist Church in Cleveland.
Surviving are his wife, Juanita Shipman Sutherland of the home; a daughter, Judy Childs (Danny) of Easley; two sisters, Edna Mae King (Bill) and Edith Shipman (Leon), both of Easley; two grandsons, Jason Childs and Michael Childs (Joni), and two great-granddaughters, Sadie Grace Childs and Scarlett
Spring football practice ends
COUNTY — Spring football practice has ended for all four Pickens County high schools, and each team is looking for improvement from last season.
That’s going to be most difficult for Daniel, which fell one play shy of a perfect season last year, losing on a last-second field goal to Myrtle Beach in the State championship game.
The Lions wrapped up spring practice with their annual spring game Friday, and Robinson admitted after the game that his team will face an uphill battle after losing more than a dozen college-bound seniors from last year’s team, including Mr. Football finalist Jae’lon Oglesby at running back.
“This is Daniel, so I expect our kids to rise up to the challenge,” Robinson said. “We don’t deny we lost
Bakin’ with bacon
Francine Bryson putting Pickens on the baking map
By Olivia Fowler, Courier Staff
Pickens resident Francine Bryson was standing in the kitchen cooking pork chops on a Wednesday night when the phone call came.
She didn’t pay any attention to it. When she saw the California area code, she assumed it was a telemarketer and said, “Don’t need any, already have some.”
But when the phone rang again, she answered and found out she was being asked to try out for a new national TV show, “America’s Next Great Baker.”
They wanted her to go to Nashville on Saturday and bake her first-place winner from the National Pie
Easley High school NJROTC erects wood duck houses
EASLEY — Easley High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) orienteering team in conjunction with South Carolina Department of Natural Recourses (DNR) erected four wood duck houses in the marsh area behind Easley High School. The NJROTC orienteering team spends many afternoons roaming the woods that back up to the marsh between the J.B. “Red” Owens Recreation Center and Easley High School. When the opportunity arose to assist the DNR with wildlife preservation, the team jumped on it and proceeded to identify four locations along the marsh that met the suggested placement, matched up the supporting mounting poles, installed the required hardware and erected the four houses.
Members of the the Easley High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) orienteering team are shown erecting one of four wood duck houses in the marsh area behind the school.
“The cadets were really excited about this project when I informed them that they had a special project to accomplish,” instructor Chief Mark Stauder said. “They worked great as a team and that teamwork reinforced the strong bonding that is required for a successful competitive team.”
The cadets involved in the project were Brandon Marsh, Jacob Davis, Hunter Nix, Freddy Juarez, Floyd Horne, Chase Wengerd, Leo Avedano, Ryan Jeanes, Eric Crenshaw, Brenda Lopez Perez, Tyler Burton, Justin Hill, Blake Hughey, Jordan Watt, Joey Sigler, Matt West, Natanael Lopez, Cassie Nix, Griff Von Schnittou and Savannah Kalainski .
Benefit planned for Charles Garrett family
SIX MILE — Gap Hill Baptist Church will host a community-wide benefit for the family of Charles Garrett on Saturday at the Roper building in Six Mile.
Garrett, who passed on April 21 following a courageous battle with cancer, affected the lives of many people who are interested in helping in this way.
The day-long event begins with a yard sale at 9 a.m. Ready-to-sell items will be accepted just before the sale time, and unsold donations will be collected and donated to a local charity.
Children’s outside games will begin at 10 a.m. Inside, barbecue plates will be sold from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Silent auction items will be on display for bidding from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. All events will then focus on the live auction, called by Billy Burton, beginning at 5 p.m. Auction items and homemade cakes will be accepted just before the auction. Everyone is invited to help by attending or donating items.
Baptist Easley Hospital Foundation names new board members for 2014
EASLEY — The Baptist Easley Foundation announced recently that Justin Benjamin, Mario DiPietro, Jeff Fogle, and David Whittemore, all of Easley, have agreed to serve three-year terms on the foundation board of directors.
In addition, the foundation announced that Dr. Samer Joudeh and Jennifer McAlister have each agreed to serve an additional three-year term on the board.
“We are thrilled to have these fine individuals bring their expertise and perspective to our Foundation,
Courier Legals 5-28-14
NOTICE OF SALE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF PICKENS
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
CASE # 2013-CP-39-1142
Pickens Savings and Loan Association, F. A., Plaintiff, vs- Joseph Terry Stewart, a/k/a Joe Terry Stewart; Tim Randolph Stewart; Melanie Suzanne Richards; Ken Towe, Emma Towe, Jose Abel Estrada Citi Bank, N.A., and Discover Bank, Susan Gayle Minyard; Steve Allen Stewart, Lesley Stewart, Olivia Stewart, Zoe Stewart (a minor over the age of Fourteen years) and all other persons unknown claiming through Tony Marvin Stewart, deceased any right Title, estate interest in orlien upon the real estate
