Monthly Archives: December 2016
Courier Notice to Creditors 12-14-16
The publisher shall only be liable for an amount less than or equal to the charge for the space of the item in error in the case of errors in or omissions from any advertisement, and only for the first incorrect insertion.
Courier Trespass Notices 12-14-16
In the state of South Carolina, trespass after notice is a misdemeanor criminal offense prohibited by section 16-11-620 for the South Carolina Code. Those who enter upon the lands of others without the permission of the owner or manager shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor trespassing. All persons are hereby notified and warned not to hunt, fish, cut timber or trespass in any manner whatsoever upon the lands of the undersigned:
Courier Classifieds 12-14-16
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Wildfire ‘100 percent contained’
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — After burning for nearly a month, the Pinnacle Mountain fire is 100 percent contained, according to officials.
Pickens County Council chair Jennifer Willis delivered the welcome news to the crowd at Monday night’s council meeting.
“We are at 100 percent containment on Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain, as of today,” she said. “We are very, very grateful. The service members, the firemen, the forestry folks, the state folks, the federal folks — we’ve had people from Utah, Arizona, firefighters from all over the country have come to help us battle this.”
The public’s response has been tremendous, Willis said.
“Our people have been the best,” she said. “We stayed at the Table Rock Wesleyan Camp. We housed the firefighters up there. The camp opened up and they cooked hot meals three times a day for the duration of that project. And that was all donated, from the community, from people in the area, volunteer teams came in and covered.
“We saved in excess of half a million dollars because people in Pickens County do what Pickens County do — that is, we take care of each other and we worry about the rest of it later. I could not be more proud of the response and the way that we handled that.”
According to an update from the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued Monday evening, the decision to declare the fire fully contained was made after another heavy shower moved through the area Sunday, the fourth day of significant rainfall in the last week.
Now that the fire is contained, crews will focus on stabilizing firebreaks constructed during the height of the fire’s spread. While the fire may continue to smolder in some places, the rain saturating the forest floor has made the risk of re-ignition negligible.
The fire will be considered controlled once it is determined that firefighting resources are no longer needed at the site, the release said.
The fire has burned more than 10,600 acres. Estimated costs of fighting the fire are $4.8 million, the release said.
Pickens County administrator Gerald Wilson said Pickens County’s share of that cost has not been determined yet.
“Personnel and payroll will probably be the largest costs,” Wilson said.
He estimated costs between $50,000-$75,000.
“That’s a ballpark,” Wilson said. “I wish I could give you a better number. We’re still processing payroll.”
County council has been working on the development of emergency procedures.
“I’d like to point out how ironic it was that we were discussing this on Nov. 14, in general preparation to try and handle this better,” Willis said.
The county is working on developing a memorandum of understanding between municipalities.
“So we all have the pieces in place so that we are prepared,” Willis said.
Despite that agreement not being in place yet, “our staff and our teams did an exemplary job of managing a very difficult situation,” she said.
“Over 10,000 acres burned,” Willis said. “No loss of structure. None. Not even a shelter up on Table Rock. No loss of structure, no loss of life. Over 300 personnel fighting that fire on a daily basis during the worst of it. Over 300 people on the ground fighting that fire. No injuries.”
Every fire department in Pickens County responded to the Pinnacle Mountain fire at some point, Wilson said.
“In times of difficulty, you get the true measure of people,” Willis said. “And the measure of our people is unmeasurable. We are very blessed in this community.”
Parades and events starting to wrap up for holiday season
Photos by Pamela Dodson and Rocky Nimmons
By Pamela Dodson
Staff Reporter
pdodson@thepccourier.com
Municipalities around Pickens County got started with their Christmas celebrations last week, as Six Mile held its annual Old Fashioned Christmas and Pickens held its city tree lighting
Pickens police seek donations for K-9
PICKENS — The Pickens Police Department is still in the process of raising funds to procure a police dog.
The department had one in the past, and Chief Travis Riggs believes bringing a K-9 to the force will be an invaluable asset to the city.
The dog will go through certified training in drug detection and human tracking.
“This dog will not be a bite dog or a protection dog due to the fact that we would like to ensure safe interaction between the dog and the public at community events,” Riggs said.
Riggs said the department will request a Belgian Malinois. They look similar to a German shepherd but are much smaller and friendlier. The cost is estimated at just less than $12,000, which will cover the cost of the dog, the training for dog and handler, the home and car kennel, and other miscellaneous startup costs.
“We are asking for support from the community and business owners to attain the required funding,” Riggs said. “We will be looking into donations, fundraisers and grants. I have been approached by many citizens and business owners already willing and able to donate to our cause.”
After the initial cost, there will be a minimal cost for food and checkups, which the department can support with its current budget. All donations can be made out to the Pickens Police Department K-9 Fund at P.O. Box 217, City Hall Pickens, S.C. 29671.
Post 11 donates money to help support Pickens K-9 officer
PICKENS — American Legion Pickens Post 11 public relations officer Joe Acampora handed over a check of $250 to Pickens Police K-9 officer Braden Wimpey for a new K-9 dog and trainer program to be initiated in the upcoming months.
The dog will be not be used as an attack dog, but rather for bomb and drug detection, along with comforting assignments.
The American Legion funds came from the citizens of Pickens County during a recent fundraiser on Veterans Day at the Pickens Wal-Mart to be used for community projects such as this, Boys and Girls State, and Honor Flights. Post 11 urges all eligible veterans to join and participate in all community help efforts.
Post 11’s Joe Acampora hands a check of $250 to Pickens police officer Braden Wimpey for a new K-9 dog and trainer program.
Legion members also issued a special thanks to Teresa and Ed Lewis of Aunt Sue’s Country Restaurant, who fed firefighting teams during the past two weeks of the relentless Pinnacle Mountain fires and then donated a wholesome meal to American Legion Post 11’s November meeting.
Pickens squads win Western District
Two Pickens Recreation Department volleyball squads advanced to play in the SCAP State Volleyball Tournament at Myrtle Beach over the weekend, winning the Western District on Saturday, Nov. 19. Both the 9U and 12U squads beat Liberty and Easley to win the Western District title. Pickens’ 4U team also competed in Myrtle Beach, but no Western District tournament was held because there were no other 14U teams in the Upstate. The Pickens 12U Volleyball All-Stars, pictured on left include — back row, from left: Rylie Swett, McKenzie Daves, Tensley Gowens, Madison Smith, Caitlyn Nicholson, Aaliyah Martin and Anna Beth Duncan. Front row: Sarah Hendricks, Sierra Muse, alternate Olivia Wade, Kinsey Fowler, Kora Eggert and coach Eddie Wade. Absent: Shelby Parvis and coaches Jennifer and Jim Parvis. The 9U all-stars, pictured at right, include — back row: coaches Jaimon and Kelly Perry. Middle row: Breeanna Adams, Julia Thompson, Britain Dunn, Anna Claire Durham, Allison Hendricks and Lily Clarkson. Front row: Kylie Thornall, Sadie McKinney, Alexis Catlin, Kelsey Perry, Aven Slusser and Morgan Crawford.
Courier Letters to the editor 12-7-16
The Pickens County Courier gladly accepts letters to the Editor. Letters must be no longer than 500 words. All letters must be signed, including first and last name, address and phone number in order to be considered for publication. Only the name and city where you reside will be printed. Submission does not guarantee publication. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. No slanderous or obscene material will be accepted. Letters to the Editor and columns do not necessarily the Courier’s opinion. Send letters to news@thepccourier.com
What your shoes can tell you
When is the last time you looked at the bottom of your shoes? If it’s been more than a year, you might be surprised. You could discover uneven wear or spots that are nearly worn through. Both of those can cause balance problems and lead to slips or falls.
The fix, however, isn’t as simple as going out to buy another pair of whatever you’re currently wearing. If, like some of us, you haven’t bought new shoes in many years, you’ll be surprised at how your feet have changed and what’s available now.
If you have any problems with your feet or don’t know what type of shoe to buy, your first step should be to ask your doctor for a referral to a podiatrist. There, you’ll be examined and have a shoe type suggested.
If you have your doctor or podiatrist recommend a shoe type, you’ll know that you’re getting something that will help, as opposed to hurt you. At the same time, there are shoes that Medicare may pay for if you have diabetes. If it turns out that you need a little arch support, a podiatrist will be able to advise you on what will work best.
One walking shoe that comes to mind is the New Balance 577. It comes in all sizes and three widths. Not only are they a popular walking shoe for all ages, but they come with both laces and tab closures.
When you go to buy shoes, shop at a regular shoe store where trained clerks will know how to measure and fit you for the right shoe. This is not the time to try to grab a bargain at a big-box store.
(c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
