Daily Archives: 11/09/2016
Trump takes county; Hiott, Clary win; Saitta loses school board seat
PICKENS COUNTY — Election Day saw huge turnouts all over the country and it was no different in Pickens County as voters turned out in force with more than 65 percent of all registered voters making their way to the polls to cast votes that will shape the country for the next four years.
The election results in Pickens County were not without problems. As of 1 a.m., the Pickens County Board of Voter Registration and Elections was still trying to tally total votes. At press time, results were still not complete for several races.
Pickens County voters overwhelmingly let it be known that Republican Donald Trump was their choice for president, with Trump winning easily over Democrat Hillary Clinton by more than 50 percent of the vote. The Trump/Pence ticket garnered 34,004, while Clinton/Kaine managed 9,813 with 63 of 70 precincts reporting. Nationally, at press time, Trump looked poised to become the 45thpresident of the United States, leading Clinton 244-215 in the electoral vote.
Other candidates getting votes for president in Pickens County were Libertarian Party candidates Gary Johnson and Bill Weldwith 1,119, Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Amaju Barakawith 299, Constitution Party candidates Darrell Castle and Scott Bradley with 153,American Party candidates Peter Skewes and Michael Lacey with 218 and independents Evan McMullin and Mindy Finn with 518
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican, won his seat by picking up 35,429 votes, defeating Thomas Dixon (7,273), Bill Bledsoe(353) and Michael Scarborough(294), all with 63 of 70 precincts.
Congressman Jeff Duncan took a victory over Hosea Cleveland in the District 3 race with 35,891 votes to Cleveland’s 8,557 votes, with 63 of 70 precincts reporting.
In State House of Representative races, District 3 Rep. Gary Clary retained his seat by defeating Travis L. McCurry8,147 to 1,570 votes with 23 of 26 precincts reporting. District 4 Rep. Davey Hiott (13,245 votes) dominated Libertarian Joey Lum (1,383 votes) with 26 of 30 precincts reporting.
For the S.C. House District 10 seat, incumbent Republican Joshua Putnam faced Democrat Anna Brown. Putnam got the win with 1,576 to Brown’s 351, with 9 of 11precincts reporting.
In Clemson, seven candidates were vying for three seats on Clemson City Council. Incumbents Crossie Cox (1,871) and John Ducworth (1,791) along with newcomer Mark Cato (1,510) took the wins, with Jim Oswald(1,394), Eunice Lehmacher (1,232), Drake McNeary (1,116) and Christine Minor(1,320) falling short.
In the Pickens County School Board District 3 race, incumbent Alex Saitta lost his seat to newcomer Shannon Haskett by the slimmest of margins. Haskett took the victory with 3,857 votes to Saitta’s 3,577, with 12 of 14 precincts reporting.
In the race for a Brushy Creek Watershed District Commission seat, Eric McConnell took the win with 444 votes to Gary Nevil’s 213 and Scott Smart’s 336.
Some county voters got to weigh in on referendums.
Residents of the Shady Grove Rural Fire District saw this question on their ballots: “Shall the fire tax millage rate for the Shady Grove Rural Fire District be increased by 4.6 mils in order to correct the current operating deficit, and provide additional manpower and improve fire protection and emergency response for the District?” Voters said yes (442) to passing the referendum, with 100 casting no ballots.
Two Pickens County municipalities will now allow businesses to sell alcohol on Sundays.
Central voters said yes with 527 votes to 217 no votes. Easley voters said yes 5,627 to 4,008 no to allow sales.
All results are unofficial and will be finalized and certified on Thursday.
County, BREC partner for development
PICKENS — Pickens County and Blue Ridge Electric Co-op have partnered to enhance development in the Pickens County Commerce Park.
Pickens County Council chair Jennifer H. Willis was presented with a $300,000 check on Nov. 1 at the Alliance Pickens office.
The money comes from a utility tax credit fund that serves as an offset for taxes Blue Ridge Electric Co-op would have to pay to the state.
In 1996, the South Carolina General Assembly passed the Rural Development Act. The legislation empowered each of the state’s tax-paying utilities to defer a portion of their yearly license-tax obligation to support local job-creating projects. Normally, the funds would go directly to the Department of Revenue in Columbia. In this instance, the RDA dollars donated by Blue Ridge will help to underwrite a sewer-line extension in the Pickens County Commerce Park that will allow for more industrial development. The expenditure of these deferred taxes will have no impact on the electric rates paid by the cooperative’s members.
“When (Alliance Pickens director) Ray Farley approached us with the idea of using these tax dollars for this project, we were excited to keep the money local and see it used in a way that benefits our service area,” said Zach Hinton, Blue Ridge’s manager of government and community relations. “We are very pleased about the next round of economic development announcements in the commerce park.”
Willis said Pickens County and Alliance Pickens are grateful for the support of Blue Ridge Electric in economic development activities.
“Their current utility tax credit contribution of $300,000 is a tremendous asset in our newest announcements at the commerce park,” she said. “Blue Ridge has been a great partner with these credits in the development of the Pickens County Commerce Park, which ultimately gives our citizens great jobs, improves our communities, and creates opportunities for each and every one of us. It is my honor to accept this check on behalf of all the citizens of Pickens County.”
Season Ends for Flame
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
The Pickens High School volleyball team came up short in their quest to play for the Class 4A state championship with a 3 games to 1 (15-25, 25-22, 12-25 and 15-25) loss to Aiken in the upper state championship on Tuesday night at Pickens. The Lady Blue Flame had knocked off South Pointe, North Augusta and South Aiken on their road to the championship match. Above, Pickens sophomore Sydney Bolding goes up to serve against South Aiken last Thursday.
Sheriff presented with memento of agency’s past
Rocky Nimmons/Courier
Pictured, from left, are Pickens County Historical Society members Nancy Pace and Ken Nabors, county administrator Gerald Wilson, Pickens County sheriff Rick Clark and PCHS member Wayne Kelley during the presentation of a historical document on Tuesday.
PICKENS — As voters around the county, state and nation took to the polls Tuesday to put an end to a historic presidential campaign, members of the Pickens County Historical Society commemorated Election Day in their own special way — with a presentation exactly 124 years in the making.
Officials: No charges coming
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The State Law Enforcement Division has concluded its probe into the Pickens County Museum of Art and History.
County administrator Gerald Wilson told county council members Monday night that the SLED investigation had concluded.
County attorney Ken Roper read a release concerning the investigation during the council meeting.
Officials with SLED informed the county that the inquiry into the finances of the Pickens County museum concluded “with no finding of criminal wrongdoing,” Roper said.
SLED officials informed Roper last month of “the lack of any negative findings in its accounts,” Roper said.
The inquiry was opened after Gilda Hendricks, a member of the Pickens County Cultural Commission, spoke before county council earlier this year, alleging that donations made to the museum and the Hagood Mill were being diverted into the county’s general fund.
County officials denied those allegations. SLED began a preliminary inquiry into county finances. That inquiry expanded into a full investigation.
“The county fully cooperated with SLED at the outset, confident these allegations were not valid,” Roper read. “’The conclusion of the investigation supports the county’s understanding of the matter.”
Roper said that Wilson has met with the cultural commission “to reiterate the county’s commitment to the museum and to support the commission in its fundraising and event promotion goals.”
“‘Wilson believes that better communication between county staff, commission members and volunteers could have avoided this misunderstanding from the outset,’” Roper said.
At an earlier meeting, council had considered a recommendation to dissolve the cultural commission, but rejected that recommendation unanimously, with members saying they believe the commission still had a purpose to serve.
Pickens County “continues to work to make local government more transparent,” Roper read. “‘As a proactive response to the matter and to avoid confusion with the public going forward, Pickens County has begun the process of establishing separate 501(c)(3) organizations to support the museum and the Hagood Mill.
The release said that the previous system of donations “was confusing and led to misunderstanding.”
The release also said that the county has received positive feedback from the Secretary of State’s office regarding its plans to move forward.
“When this began, we were confident in the accounting procedures of this county,” county council chair Jennifer Willis said. “We’ve have 13 or 14 years of exemplary audits.”
Officials: Elk should not be approached or fed
UPSTATE — A young bull elk is still roaming around Upstate South Carolina, but wildlife biologists are warning residents and visitors that it should not be approached or fed.
“This elk is a wild animal and not domesticated,” said Tammy Wactor, wildlife biologist with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources based in Clemson. “It has become accustomed to people, so it will allow people to approach it, but it is unpredictable, and this behavior can create dangerous situations. We are asking the public to respect the elk’s presence by keeping their distance.”
