Monthly Archives: August 2014
Food Fight Bowl set for next week
PICKENS — The seventh annual Meals on Wheels Sam Wyche Food Fight Bowl, presented by Save-A-Lot of Pickens, will take place at the Pickens High School stadium on Friday, Aug. 22, at 8 p.m.
Since 1923, Pickens and Easley have enjoyed a rivalry that is widely known as one of the fiercest high school rivalries in South Carolina. On the night of the big game, the football teams will compete for ownership of the coveted “Food Fight Bowl” trophy, a prestigious award made from the top of coach Sam Wyche’s 1988 NFL Coach of the Year trophy. Easley has proven itself a winner on the field over the last three years.
Last year, first-year Green Wave coach Grayson Howell secured his first win in the rivalry. Pickens and Easley are
Clemson field day brings crop, livestock info to Upstate farmers
CLEMSON — For South Carolina farmers, a new semester’s education starts even before classes begin.
Clemson University’s annual Livestock, Forage and Crops Field Day at the Simpson Experiment Station on Saturday, Aug. 23, will provide visitors an update on issues affecting agriculture in the Palmetto State as well as a firsthand look at Clemson research and Extension programs.
“We try to cover the breadth of work Clemson is doing at the Simpson Station and at the university to support the state’s agriculture industry,” said Matt Burns, an Extension beef specialist and among the organizers of the event.
Pickens Rescue 7 Rodeo rescheduled for Aug. 22-23
PICKENS — Heavy rains in the Pickens Area last Friday and Saturday forced the Pickens Rescue 7 Rodeo to be rescheduled. The event will now take place on Aug. 22 and 23.
Local barrel racer Holly Scruggs will be one of the area participants in the Pickens Rescue 7 Rodeo, to be held at the Pickens Bargain Exchange Flea Market on August 22 and 23
The Pickens Bargain Exchange Flea Market and Pickens Rescue 7 will host the rodeo.
The event will kick off both days at 8 p.m.
The rodeo will be a fundraiser for Pickens Rescue Squad 7 to help with operating expenses. Many local cowboys and cowgirls will participate in the rodeo..
Rodeo fans will also get the chance to see a special exhibition by nationally renowned roper Jack Fullbright. Fullbright specializes in trick and fancy roping. The Mountain View Baptist Church Youth will be selling concessions.
The rodeo will be produced by the Ernie Treadway Rodeo Company and will be great fun for the entire family.
New state guidelines could affect schools’ fundraisers, canteens
PICKENS — School officials are anxiously awaiting word from state officials on the effect new nutritional guidelines will have on canteen sales at high schools.
An Aug. 4 memo received from the state board of education limits the amount of junk food that can be sold, either as a fundraiser or as a canteen item. The memo promised more details later.
District spokesman John Eby said at this point officials don’t know exactly what that means.
“We don’t think it will help,” Eby said.
Eby looks for the next memo to include exceptions.
Meals on Wheals Food Fight Bowl coming up
Pickens County Meals on Wheels is hitting the fall running. The Sam Wyche Food Fight Bowl, sponsored by Save-a-Lot Food Stores, is scheduled for Friday night, Aug. 23, when the Pickens Blue Flame host the Easley Green Wave. 
The game dates back to October 1923, when Easley beat Pickens 7-6 at Pickens’ home field.
This year all four Pickens County high schools will compete for the Ultimate Food Fight Bowl Trophy. The trophy goes to the school that collects the most money for Pickens County Meals on Wheels. This is the first year that all four county high schools will join hands to help PCMOW reach more shut-in residents by renovating the former Liberty Middle School kitchen and cafeteria.
This is a pivotal year for the future of PCMOW, which is renovating the former Liberty Middle School kitchen so meals can be prepared more effectively and services to other senior citizens can be extended.
Time to lose some weight
OK, it’s time for me to do something about this weight problem.
I was down as thin as I’ve been since college. That’s not too thin, but its bearable. As I went through my long unemployment problem, I just kept adding and adding pounds. My bathroom scales finally gave up and said, “One person at a time” when I tried to weigh.
I suddenly found pants that I used to joke and say, “I’d better be careful or I will have to wear those,” were now too tight on me.
I need to get back to exercising every day, and that means more than walking to the bathroom twice a day.
I need to play basketball, which I did daily while growing up. I was the star then, dribbling the ball on our driveway.
Signs of the times
There are times when I can’t believe what I’m reading. For example, did anybody see the headline saying, “Marijuana issue goes to joint committee”?
How about this one? “Homicide victims rarely talk to police.” And, from the Associated Press, “Missippi’s literacy program shows improvement.”
I always wonder if this kind of thing is done unknowingly or on purpose. Personal experience has taught me not to be smug about other’s mistakes. Even spellcheck won’t protect you if you write, “Lighting kills cows.” One of my very own, and not the only one. Often these things happen late at night before going to press, and everybody who should catch it just doesn’t. We sometimes read what we expect to see rather than what is actually on the page.
Courier Obituaries 8-13-14
Lendon Richard Simmons
Pickens — Lendon Richard Simmons, age 81, husband of Patricia Ann Childs died Monday Aug. 4, 2014 at Cannon Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Simmons was born in Griffin Community Pickens, a son of the late Jesse Marion Simmons and Artie Lee Hayes Simmons. Mr. Simmons was a member of TurnPoint Community Worship Center of Easley.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, two daughters; Sherree Robinson and husband Wayne of Pickens, Sharon Nealy and husband John of Pickens, four sons; Richard Simmons and wife Georgia of Easley, Ronnie Simmons and wife
Residents invited to attend Dacusville Area Crime Watch meeting Saturday
DACUSVILLE — All local residents are invited to attend the Dacusville Area Crime Watch Meeting with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21 at the Dacusville Community Center
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Dacusville Business Association will host a community-wide crime watch meeting for the greater Dacusville-area.
The meeting follows the Dacusville Area Crime Watch’s hugely successful kick-off meeting in July, where nearly 130 residents signed up to participate and support the initiative.
The purpose of the meeting is to set up the crime watch areas, sign up area watch captains, and establish the Dacusville Area Crime Watch leadership team.
Marys House to benefit from Upstate Jeep club fundraiser
UPSTATE — Lake Keowee Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Upstate Legends Jeep Club will be hosting their annual fundraiser on Aug. 16 from 10 a..m.-2 p.m. at the Lake Keowee dealership on U.S. Highway 123 in Seneca.
The charity for the event is MARYS House in Easley.
All proceeds will benefit the organization, which assists victims of domestic violence. MARYS House is a non-profit group that relies heavily on donations to maintain the facilities and meet the demands of the women and children who seek shelter from violent situations.
Upstate Legends Jeep Club first sponsored MARYS House in 2012 after an event in which a member was directly affected by the death of a coworker who was a victim of domestic violence. Members of ULJC have dedicated severa
