By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

DACUSVILLE — Tragedy seemed to have struck the annual Farm Days celebration in Dacusville just a few years ago.

The festival had become a showcase for the family of Jimmy Robinson.

Robinson, a longtime farmer in the Dacusville community, knew about the classic tractors spotlighted in the show, and his family land seemed to be the ideal place for the festival featuring traditional farm values.

But Robinson’s oldest son, Randy, who was the heart of the festival, died unexpectedly three years ago. His middle son, Frankie, was involved in a career in the banking industry. And his youngest son, Danny, while active on the farm, was not interested in taking the responsibility for the festival.

Those factors and health problems Jim and his wife Jane were facing convinced him to give up the festival.

But several of those who displayed farm equipment at the festival came to the rescue. Tom and Jackie Turner, who had just moved into the Dacusville community into the former residence of Buck and Jean Rich, found that their new home had plenty of room to host the festival.

“I’ll be honest with you,” Robinson said. “With this festival, it doesn’t matter how hard you work, the success depends upon how much you care.

“And Tom has put his heart into the celebration, and it shows. He’s taken this farther than my family could have hoped to. It’s nice that he’s kind of kept Randy’s dream alive. Hat’s off to him for all his hard work.”

The Dacusville Farm Show is now held on Turner’s estate. This is Turner’s third show, which is still loved by the surrounding community.

Antique tools and tractors will be featured, along with a hay ride.

Vendors will be stationed across the festival grounds, selling food items such as hot dogs and cotton candy. And plenty of iced tea will be available.

Kids will enjoy the hay rides across festival grounds.

Turner was excited about a new stage for music, where he promises plenty of picking and singing from local artists will be featured.

The event will open this Satuday and Sunday at 9 a.m. each day and close at 10 p.m. each day.

Parking is free, and children 12 and under are admitted free. Adult admission is $5, and those with a military ID are also admitted free.

SENECA — A reward is being offered for information about vandalism at the Old Pickens Presbyterian Church just across the Oconee County line near Duke Energy.

According to Historic Old Pickens Foundation vice president Martha Parris, vandals in a vehicle with high ground clearance were responsible for damage to the historic church sometime between July 22 and July 26.

Parris said gravestones were crushed or moved from foundations in the church’s cemetery, a tree was damaged and a window was broken in the historic building.

The church is the only remaining building on the original site of the town of Pickens Courthouse. After the Civil War, Pickens District was divided into Pickens and Oconee counties and new county seats were established at Walhalla and the new town of Pickens, where most of the buildings from the old town were moved.

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it no longer serves a congregation.

Parris said the damage to the cemetery and church represents a setback to the Historic Old Pickens Foundation’s plans to add a kiosk for display of historical information and documents pertaining to the cemetery so they will be available every day year-round. The foundation currently welcomes visitors on Sunday afternoons during the summer, tour groups on arrangement and presents appropriate events several times each year in an ongoing effort to maintain the church and the cemetery and promote the history of the region.

The site is open to visitors from 2:30-5 p.m. Sundays from May to October, with docents present to tell the story and answer questions. The grounds are open each day from sunrise to sunset all year.

To become a member of the “Friends of Old Pickens” and receive a quarterly newsletter, send monetary donations to Historic Old Pickens Foundation, P.O. Box 149, Salem, SC 29676. Donations are welcomed and appreciated.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office at (864) 638-4111.

CLEMSON — Clemson University has joined Anderson and Pickens Counties Stormwater Partners, a regional collaborative invested in the protection of South Carolina’s valuable water resources.

As part of joining the partnership, Clemson has applied to become the first university in the state permitted as a small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. By joining approximately 120 South Carolina communities permitted under the program, Clemson will continue to closely monitor its stormwater discharges and will commit to conduct public education and outreach efforts aimed at reducing water pollution.

“This is a major improvement for Clemson University and will allow us to ensure water quality, proper resource stewardship and to better manage costs going forward,” said Brett Dalton, Clemson vice president for finance and operations.

Formed in 2009 through a partnership between Upstate municipalities and counties and Clemson Extension’s Carolina Clear program, Anderson & Pickens Counties Stormwater Partners aims to reduce the pollution transmitted to local waterways by rainfall, snowmelt and excess irrigation. Doing so is a matter of public health and safety as much of the region’s drinking water comes from surface water.

The collaborative educates the general public, youth, builders, developers, homeowners and government officials about how to keep water in the state’s streams, rivers and basins as clean as possible. The university has hired Charly McConnell as an Extension agent to serve as the partnership’s outreach coordinator on campus. Extension agent Cathy Reas Foster is the outreach coordinator in Pickens County, and Rachel Davis is the outreach coordinator for Anderson County.

Anderson and Pickens Counties Stormwater Partners is just one of the regional partnerships Carolina Clear has established to protect South Carolina’s water quality. Five similar partnerships are protecting water resources in the Lowcountry, Grand Strand, Pee Dee, Midlands and Upstate.

In the Upstate, Clemson University joins Anderson and Pickens counties; the cities of Pickens, Easley, Liberty, Anderson and Clemson; and the towns of Belton, Central and Norris in the collaborative.

COUNTY — This school year, seven Pickens County Elementary schools will begin offering hands-on, project-based science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum to students in grades K-5 as part of its implementation of the Project Lead The Way’s (PLTW) elementary school program PLTW launch.

Clemson Elementary, Croswell Elementary, East End Elementary, Forest Acres Elementary, Holly Springs Elementary, Pickens Elementary and West End Elementary are joining more than 6,500 schools across the U.S. in offering PLTW programs to their students.

Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they are good at, math and science. Engaging them at a young age builds confidence, grows interest, and puts them on course for strong accomplishments in middle school, high school, and beyond. Through PLTW Launch, students become problem solvers. They engage in design problems that encourage collaboration and use touch technology, robotics, and everyday materials to explore topics such as energy, light, and sound, motion and stability, and gravity. PLTW Launch inspires in students a passion for STEM subjects, encouraging them to continue their learning in middle school, high school, and beyond.

“PLTW has a long history of successfully engaging students in STEM subjects,” said Dr. Brian Richard, coordinator of career and technology education for the School District of Pickens County. “We are excited to offer PLTW Launch to our students, giving them a chance to get excited about math, science, and STEM concepts and pursue these subjects as they continue their educational careers”

PLTW programs have been expanding in SDPC’s middle schools for several years, so the next step for students participating in PLTW at elementary schools is already in place.

“Project Lead The Way is proud to partner with the School District of Pickens County to excite and engage students in math and science from the earliest ages,” PLTW president and CEO Dr. Vince Bertram said. “Together, we’re helping students make connections, understand how the world works, and develop a strong foundation that will prepare them for success in their education, and ultimately, their careers.”

In addition to providing world-class K-12 STEM programs, PLTW provides high-quality professional development training that equips teachers with the content, skills, and pedagogy required to teach each PLTW course. PLTW schools also benefit from the organization’s engaged network of Fortune 500 companies, educators, and partners. School-based PLTW Partnership Teams complement the curriculum by recruiting local business and industry professionals to serve as mentors and share their real-world experiences with students.

PICKENS — The Pickens Touchdown Club will host a former national championship-winning college football coach at a community luncheon this Friday.

The luncheon, scheduled to coincide with the Blue Flame’s visit from county rival Liberty on Friday, will run from noon-1 p.m. at the GateHouse Restaurant at 116 Ann St. Cost will be $12 per person.

The guest speaker for the event will be former Furman University coach Jimmy Satterfield, who led the Paladins to the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA national championship.

Attendees will be able to watch highlights from last week’s Pickens game, and players of the week will also be recognized.

Luncheons will also be held on Sept. 25 and Oct. 9 and 30, the days of Pickens’ home games with West-Oak, Seneca and Belton-Honea Path, respectively.

Proceeds from the luncheons will go to support all levels of Blue Flame football.

DACUSVILLE — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office worked quickly to ease fears after an Upstate TV station aired a news story about crimes in the Dacusville community last week.

The station “led citizens to believe that there has been an increase in residential burglaries of epidemic proportions,” chief deputy Creed Hashe said in a statement to the media. “Sheriff’s office stats do not support this notion.”

Hashe said sheriff’s office officials were not interviewed or asked for input prior to the story being aired early last week. Instead, he said, officials had only received a request for copies of incident reports from two home break-ins last month in the Dacusville area, which the sheriff’s office defines as within the Dacusville fire district.

A more detailed snapshot of the activity within the area showed that during the months of June, July and August last year, the sheriff’s office investigated 12 burglaries within the county typically referred to by locals as the Dacusville community, Hashe said.

“In comparison to the same time period for this year, there have been nine burglaries reported to the sheriff’s office in the Dacusville community, which reflects a 25 percent reduction or decline in the number of reported incidents of this type,” Hashe said. “Currently, sheriff’s detectives are following several leads in an attempt to identify the individuals involved in these thefts.”

Numbers provided by the sheriff’s office showed 646 burglaries county-wide in 2013, with 223 cases solves for a clearance rate of 34 percent. In 2014, 190 of 594 county burglary cases were solved — a clearance rate of 32 percent. So far in 2015, officers have cleared 31 percent of burglary cases, with 117 solved out of 372 reported.

According to the latest data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, Hashe said, the clearance rate for burglaries was at 13.1 percent as a national average in 2013.

“The sheriff’s office is quick to point out that a single incident of crime is one too many, but realistically looking at crime across the Southeast region and more specifically the Upstate, we see that Pickens County has not been forced to reckon with the crime levels plaguing surrounding jurisdictions,” Hashe said. “Pickens County residents have become stakeholders in the vision to eradicate crime at all levels from our county, and it is through the partnership between the sheriff’s office, city municipalities, businesses, the media and most importantly our citizens who live here that we continue to see positive efforts in the quest to reduce crime.”

Hashe pointed to the recent arrest of a convicted sex offender accused by police of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl as an example of the partnership between the sheriff’s office and Pickens County residents. Deputies received numerous leads and information after local media outlets spread the word that the sheriff’s office was looking for the man, and he was arrested several days later at a home in Anderson County.

The sheriff’s office encourages Pickens County residents to attend local crime watch meetings and to contact the sheriff’s office with questions concerning issues within their respective neighborhoods, Hashe said. The chief deputy said social media is “a great tool” for connecting with friends, family members and daily entertainment, but residents should not depend on postings online being the absolute truth.

“The sheriff’s office has received numerous calls this week from area residents who have read or seen false and embellished information stemming from social media,” he said.

Pickens County sheriff Rick Clark, a lifelong resident of Pickens County said he has “faith and trust that our citizens will not be lured into the pitfalls of misinformation.”

“Our local media outlets work very closely with law enforcement, and I truly believe that they want to keep viewers informed; however, technology such as social media has oftentimes been the pathway to spread unverified information, leading to panic and paranoia which ultimately leads our communities to develop the wrong perception,” he said. “It is no secret that all counties have burglaries, thefts and drug problems, but together through a strong partnership with our citizens and small business owners, we will continue to keep the criminals in Pickens County on the run.”

PICKENS — The Pickens County Taxpayers Association will hold a meeting on September 15 at the Pickens Farm Bureau on U.S. Highway 178, 2.5 miles south of Pickens.

The meeting, which starts at 7 p.m., will feature Pickens County director of tourism and marketing Helen Hockwalt as guest speaker.

Attendees will learn about the county’s growing tourism industry and its economic impact. Tourism brings $95.5 million annually to the county and provides 1,260 jobs.

The Pickens County Taxpayers Association welcomes the attendance of all who share pride for Pickens County.

CLEMSON — The Clemson Farmers Market will host First Friday at the Market from 3-6 p.m. this week at Patrick Square, located at 578 Issaqueena Trail in Clemson. The market is open rain or shine, and all activities are free.

Shop for fresh, locally grown produce, grass-fed beef and pork, berries, honey, artisan breads and fresh-baked goodies, herbs and spices and a variety of unique, hand-made arts andcrafts. There’s something for everyone In addition to regular market vendors a variety of activities are planned to make your trip to the Market fun and educational.

Here’s what is happening at the Market:

2-3 p.m. — Free Workshop sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).

Beverly Weatherford from “All Things Made New,” will show you how to give new life to something old. For information, contact OLLI at (864) 633-5242.

2-3 p.m. — Market Open Market Vendors offer demonstrations and product sampling. Free giant inflatable compliments of Patrick Square.

Healthy living cooking expert Tim Morgan shows you how to cook fast and prepare easy, healthy meals while saving time and money. Watch, learn and taste as Tim prepares a delicious seven veggie garden salad.

3:30-5:30 p.m. — Music by Betsy Bish — Covered Pavilion. Listen as hometown favorite Betsy Bish performs her bluegrass-infused vocals and guitar playing style with stories and experiences for audiences of all ages.

Market Partners are City of Clemson, Patrick Square, and the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce.

Market Sponsors are AgSouth Farm Credit, Clemson Area Transit (CAT), Clemson Downs, Greer State Bank, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – Clemson (OLLI) and Rick Erwin’s – Clemson.

For more information, contact market manager Kathi Dimmock at (864) 654-3918 or kathi.dimmock@att.net.

Vendor information and directions are available at www.clemsonfarmersmarket.org.