Daily Archives: 02/18/2015
ICE COLD
Water Tower
Rocky Nimmons/Courier
The first major winter storm of 2015 dropped a layer of ice over the Southeast on Monday, closing schools and government offices and leaving thousands without power in the Upstate. After dismissing early Monday, schools in Pickens County were closed Tuesday.
No decision had been made for Wednesday at press time. As of the middle of the day Tuesday, more than 3,600 Blue
ICE
Ridge Electric Cooperative customers and more than 5,300 Duke Energy customers in Pickens County were still without power. To report an outage, call 1-888-BLUERIDGE or 1-800-POWER ON.
Andrew Pickens
Appalachian gathering planned
PICKENS — For the first time ever, six different non-profits in Pickens have joined efforts to host the Gathering On Appalachian Life (GOAL) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The festival and mini-conference will include an opening session, four hour-long workshop sessions, an Appalachian lunch and vendor tables and silent auction.
“We are so excited that all of these entities have come together to offer this opportunity for people to learn about our community’s history and culture and to participate in some hands-on activities,” GOAL organizer Betty McDaniel said.
The “base” for the event will be the Hagood Community Center, also known as the Pickens Senior Center, but workshops will also be held at other venues in the Pickens area, including Hagood
Bagwell set to enter SCAAA Hall of Fame
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
Easley mayor Larry Bagwell throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the 2011 Big League World Series at the J.B. “Red” Owens Complex in Easley. Bagwell was recently announced as one of seven 2015 inductees into the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame.
By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter
brobinson@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Easley Mayor Larry Bagwell will be inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame next month.
Bagwell and six other honorees will be inducted in a ceremony March 15 at 1 p.m. at the Charleston Marriott.
The others selected for entry in this year’s class are former Chapin athletic director Eddie
Ropin’ and ridin’
Every Saturday night in downtown Pickens, the Ernie Treadway Rodeo Company sponsors a bulls and barrels event. The event provides fun for the whole family and has different events for all cowboys and cowgirls. The little ones take part in sheep riding, while one step higher is calf riding. Events go all the way up to the big and nasty bulls in the open category and barrel racing for the ladies. Admission is $10, with kids younger than 5 admitted for free. For more information, call (864) 608-3807.
Easley plans annual Spring Fling for April
EASLEY — The third annual Spring Fling in Easley, hosted by the Arts Council of Pickens County, is set to be held April 11, in conjunction with the opening day of the Easley Farmers Market.
Officials have planned a fun-filled day that will entertain everyone — from art entrepreneurs to those who may be viewing art for the first time.
This year’s event will feature more hands-on activities for children, organizers said.
Activities will allow kids to get some first-hand exposure to the visual arts. Being able to create
Blue Flame earn medals at region strength meet
PICKENS — Nearly 20 Pickens High School athletes participated in the Region 6 Strength Meet hosted by the S.C. High School Strength Coaches’ Association on Saturday, with three qualifying for the state championships.
Cole Seaborn (first place, JV 205 class), Hunter Galloway (second, JV 205) and Brandon Batson (second, varsity 140) will compete in the state meet on March 14 at Lexington High School.
Other Blue Flame who earned medals were Bryce Dobbins (third, varsity 150), Dorian Butler
Letters To the Editor
Pointing out hypocrisy
Dear Editor,
Pickens County school district administration recently put forth a five-year plan that proposes raising property taxes 13 mills.
Tom O’Hanlan, speaking on behalf of the Manufacturers Caring for Pickens County (MCPC), endorsed the plan in a letter to the editor that said “The MCPC would like to offer our support to the five-year maintenance plan. … While no one likes taxes and tax increases, sometimes they
Pickens’ Dooley signs with WCU
PICKENS — Pickens High School soccer standout Sara Dooley is the latest PHS student to sign an athletic scholarship to play at the next level.
Pickens High School soccer goalkeeper Sara Dooley signed last week to play her college soccer at Western Carolina University. Pictured are Brian Dooley, Dawn Dooley, Pickens soccer coach Frank Sullivan, Jackson Dooley and Sara Dooley.
Dooley, who has guarded the net for the Blue Flame for the last three seasons, will take her talents to Western Carolina University this fall.
‘This means everything to me, because I have had so many people tell me I couldn’t do it because of my lack of height,” Dooley told The Courier. “When being a goalkeeper, short is not a good thing. Now that I have earned a scholarship, it means everything to me.”
Dooley has confidence, but said she knows the
Some things aren’t meant to be
We all do things that don’t turn out the way we planned. And on some days it’s not just a single thing. It’s everything. And that is what happened last week, when a very valiant attempt was made to attend a reading of poetry sponsored by the Birchwood Center for Art and Folk Life.
Harriet Richie and Tom Johnson, two talented regional writers, were presenting a reading of love poems in honor of Valentine’s Day at the Reserve, a gated community in the scenic area of S.C. Highway 11.
Although I’d never visited the Reserve proper, I nevertheless assumed there would be no problem in getting there.
McKinney’s Chapel is, however, a familiar destination and
Former basketball stars return to SWU
CENTRAL — A group of Southern Wesleyan University’s top basketball alumni were welcomed back to the Central campus Jan. 31, where they were recognized for their contributions as Warriors and were reunited with longtime SWU basketball coach Charles Wimphrie.
Members of Southern Wesleyan University’s top 30 basketball alumni took to midcourt at halftime of the Belmont Abbey game, where they were reunited with their coach, Charles Wimphrie third from right. They were honored by the fans Jan. 31 at Tysinger Gymnasium on the Central campus.
Wimphrie has coached more than 300 athletes and won more than 350 games during his career as head coach at SWU. The players represented the top 30 athletes to play for Wimphrie over his 22 year as head basketball coach for the Warriors. Wimphrie credited the players with demonstrating leadership ability, as well as their commitment to excellence and dedication to hard work on the court and in the classroom.
During a luncheon organized in their honor,
