Daily Archives: 12/03/2014
Board votes not to raise taxes
Final SDPC capital plan vote slated for Dec. 15
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — The Pickens County School Board of Trustees, faced with three options for addressing the school district’s capital improvement needs, have chosen — at least for now — the option featuring no tax increase.
School district spokesman John Eby said the vote on second reading was the first of two the board will make, with the final vote on third reading slated for Dec. 15. First reading in title only was given at last week’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The board selected the $3.2 million funding option, which would feature no millage increase but a plan deemed the most regressive of the three options. The option is in contrast to the district’s
‘Nature Boy’ to appear at benefit for Country Santa
PICKENS — Hide your wives and daughters. “The Nature Boy” is coming to Pickens.
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, the larger-than-life self-proclaimed “limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing son of a gun,” will be on hand this Saturday as 3 Count Pro Wrestling will present Country Santa Clash II at Pickens Middle School.
The event is scheduled to help collect toys for Country Santa to deliver to underprivileged children on Christmas.
Flair, a 16-time world heavyweight champion widely hailed as one of the greatest professional
Liberty man dies 11 days after job accident
GREENVILLE — A Liberty man died last Friday morning from a head injury sustained nine days earlier in an incident on the construction site at the Seneca Water Treatment Plant.
Charles “Chuck” Austin Keeler, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:33 a.m. Friday in the neurotrauma intensive care unit of Greenville Memorial Hospital, according to Oconee County coroner Karl Addis, who listed the cause of death as “accidental.”
Keeler was initially listed in critical condition after he was injured when a scissor lift overturned
council gives OK for new website
By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter
brobinson@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens officials voted Monday night to use GovOffice Web Solutions to maintain the city’s website.
City administrator Bruce Evilsizor presented examples of the firm’s work from other sites including Fort Mill, Windsor, Wisc., and White Oak High School.
The site would be used to keep citizens informed on city business, as well as the Pickens Revitalization Association. Council members liked that the site would be easier to update, with
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Darleen Sutton, right, lights the tree as Blue Ridge CEO Charles Dalton
Above: Local residents and officials mingle following the lighting of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative’s Christmas tree last Tuesday in Pickens. Left: South Carolina Teacher of the Year Darleen Sutton, right, lights the tree as Blue Ridge CEO Charles Dalton looks on.
Cities schedule annual holiday celebrations
COUNTY — After Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative held its annual community tree-lighting ceremony last week, the yuletide season is upon us, and local cities are kicking off Christmas with their parades beginning this week.
The first parade in the county was the Clemson Christmas parade, which was held Tuesday. The
SWU to confer degrees in pair of ceremonies
CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University will honor its December graduates in two ceremonies on the Central campus Dec. 12 and 13.
The speaker for the ceremony will be Michael Batchelor, chief executive officer of Baptist Easley Hospital. Batchelor became the CEO of Baptist Easley in March, 2013. Batchelor came to Baptist Easley from Greenville Health System, where he had served as president of the North Greenville Campus since 2005. Prior to that, he was the administrator of the Clinical and Non-Clinical Support Services at Greenville Health. Starting his career as a combat field medic in 1988 with
Ready to ride
City gives first look at Town Creek Bike Park
City of Pickens officials, Ride Garden officials and community members cut the ribbon at the city’s new Town Creek Bike Park during a recent event.
PICKENS — The City of Pickens recently gave local residents their first look at Town Creek Bike Park.
On Nov. 15, the city, in partnership with Ride Garden, hosted a volunteer day at the park to prepare for the opening. The city hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration the following day. The Town Creek Bike Park is located at 545 Sangamo Road.
A grand opening celebration for the park will be held in early Spring 2015.
Town Creek Bike Park hosts a number of features, including:
• 8’ wide paved trail called the “Appalachian Lumber Greenway” that follows most of the existing
Oh, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat
How is it possible to watch four different football games in one day? Believe me, it can be done 
with careful preparation and timing.
We were in Nashville for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time with family and friends. Our son-in-law is a University of Wisconsin alum, and Wisconsin was scheduled to play Minnesota for a spot in the Big 10 finals, or whatever they call that.
So we knew going in we’d be watching that game, and we knew who to pull for.
Also, Clemson played South Carolina. Our daughter is a dyed-in-the-wool, bread-and-buttered Clemson fan, and of course we all knew
Courier Letters to the Editor 12-3-14
A shout out for Norris restaurant
Dear Editor,
Let’s give a shout out to Margaret’s Restaurant in Norris.
They made Thanksgiving dinner plates and delivered them to the shut-in people in the Norris community. Now, how cool is that?
Rebecca Wofford
Norris
Do you want more taxes?
Dear Editor,
If you don’t want higher taxes in Pickens County, you better speak up!
A group known as “Concerned Citizens of Pickens County” (CCPC) is trying to pull a fast one on
Manufacturers ‘proud to be in Pickens County’
Tom O’Hanlan
Manufacturers Caring for Pickens County
The Manufacturers Caring for Pickens County would like to offer our support to the School District of Pickens County’s five-year maintenance plan. We have been working closely with the district and we are very enthusiastic about the quality of education and job skills that are attainable here.
While no one likes taxes and tax increases, sometimes they are necessary. We are blessed to have
