UPSTATE — The public alert notification sirens around the Oconee Nuclear Station will be tested on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at approximately 11:50 a.m.

The 65 sirens within 10 miles of the Oconee Nuclear Station will be tested for three-minutes to assure each siren works properly. This full-cycle siren test is performed once each quarter in cooperation with emergency officials in Oconee and Pickens counties, who are responsible for sounding the sirens.

Hearing a siren does not mean to evacuate. In an emergency, sirens are sounded as a signal for residents to tune to a local radio or TV station that would carry an emergency alerting message. County officials use these stations to provide information to the public. If sirens are heard and residents are unsure if it is a test or an emergency, they should tune to their local radio or TV station.

For more information about the public alert notification sirens, residents can refer to information available on www.duke-energy.com.

CLEMSON — This new year, physical fitness expert Kellie Walters has advice for adolescent resolving to make changes to their appearance: focus on being healthy and strong and don’t worry about weight or looks.

“Remember, there are many different body types,” Walters said. “Standardizing body image inevitably creates the impression there is a right way and wrong way to look.”

Walters, a doctoral student in Clemson University’s parks, recreation and tourism management department, researches the relationship between physical activity and psychosocial health in adolescent girls and women. She offered these five New Year’s resolutions for adolescent girls and young women.

Ignore the scale — for the most part. Approximately 75 percent of adolescent girls report being dissatisfied with their bodies and a desire to be thinner. Walters also co-founded Smart Fit Girls, an after-school fitness program that teaches adolescent girls how to love their bodies. The program doesn’t measure height or weight, but concentrates on health and wellness education and improving body image and self-esteem, which usually provides longer-lasting health results.

Recognize the mother – daughter parallel. Research suggests that mothers are the primary agents of their daughters’ concept of body image, dwarfing the effect of media that is widely reported. “When a mother calls herself fat every day, they might not realize the impact they’re having on their daughter. These girls internalize it.” Walters urges adolescent girls to recognize this impact and engage parents in a thoughtful way in order to have a constructive conversation.

Practice a positive attitude. When girls and women take a look in the mirror, a majority of what they say about what they see is negative. Walters said girls only damage themselves with more anxiety and pressure with this approach, so she recommends concentrating on things they like about themselves instead.

Be aware of your digital self. Girls should be aware of the pictures they take and how they post them to social media. Duck faces, arched backs and photo filters that remove acne and “enhance” an image only further promote an attitude and perception of beauty that many feel they need to live up to. “I saw a photo on social of a student I know with a ton of health food in the background,” Walters said, laughing. “I like to think Smart Fit Girls had something to do with that.”

Get strong, share the fitness culture. The days of girls being relegated to cardiovascular exercise are long gone. Smart Fit Girls focuses on weightlifting, for example, which has been proven to attenuate bone loss later in life and lessen the likelihood of osteoporosis in both men and women.

“Weightlifting has been shown to improve adolescent girls’ and adult women’s physical and emotional health,” Walters said. “Women can achieve a sense of empowerment from strengthening their bodies.” If a service like Smart Fit Girls or Girls on the Run isn’t readily available, Walters recommends seeking out parks and recreation agencies that offer similar programs or simply forming groups of likeminded girls who want to empower their bodies while improving their self-esteem.

SIX MILE — The Pickens County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual public meeting at the community room at Six Mile Town Hall, located at 106 S. Main St., on Jan. 9.

Reports from organizations and boards will be heard starting at 5:30 p.m. The floor will be opened for public comments at 6 p.m.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions of and make comments to members of the Pickens County Legislative Delegation, and members of the delegation will comment on various issues that may be introduced in the upcoming session of the General Assembly, which convenes on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The legislative delegation consists of Sens. Thomas Alexander and Rex Rice, and Reps. Joshua Putnam, Davey Hiott, Neal Collins and Gary Clary.

For more information, call (864) 850-7070.

• Pickens Lions plan meetings each month

The Pickens Lions Club is in need of new members. The club meets the first and third Thursday of every month at Pizza Inn in Pickens.

Dinner begins at 6:40 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the club or simply finding out more about the club and how it serves Pickens.

Kenneth Randall Byers, the son of Judy and the late Donald Byers, is known as Ken. He was born at the Baptist Easley Hospital on May 28, 1973. He was raised in the Glassy Mountain area of Pickens, where he still lives.

Ken attended Ambler Elementary, Pickens Middle and Pickens High School. He graduated in 1991.

After he graduated, he enlisted into the U.S. Army Medical Corp. He took his basic training at Fort Knox, Ky. He was transferred to Fort Sam Houston Texas Academy of Health. Later, he was transferred to Fort Jackson, S.C., where he did advance individual training. From there, he was transferred to Madigan Army Medical Center, located at Fort Lewis, Wash. Six months later, he was transferred to Moncrief Community Hospital, and then back to Fort Jackson.

After his discharge from the armed service, Ken started working at Alice Manufacturing Company, where he was selected to receive a full scholarship to Tri-County Technical College in Pendleton. He earned an associate’s degree in industrial engineering, with a minor in textile management. He graduated with honors.

Ken was employed with Alice Manufacturing Company for 18 years. During that time, he held several positions, including foreman, process engineer, shift manager and department overseer.

Courtesy photo

After a stint in the military and 18 years working at Alice Manufacturing Company, Ken Byers is now the lead production coordinator at St. Jude Medical.

He left the company in 2014 and started working at GE Power and received a full scholarship to Greenville Technical College. He is now employed at St. Jude Medical. He is the lead production coordinator there.

Ken has three children — one daughter and two sons. He recently became a grandfather.

Ken’s talent is drawing and painting. He took art lessons while he was in service, stationed at Fort Lewis.

He is a good cook, and has a knack for baking. His favorite thing to bake is chocolate pecan pie.

He is also a beekeeper. He has three beehives that he tends. He likes the aroma of honey as it fills the air. He gives the honey he collects to friends and family.

Ken and his children thoroughly enjoy camping. They have camped at Destin, Fla., St. George Island, Fla. and Hunting Island, S.C.

Ken is currently engaged to Judi St. Clair from Toccoa, Ga. They have not set a date for the wedding, but they plan to get married soon.

Easley resident Carol Baker highlights interesting local residents and helps us get to know more about the fascinating people who call Pickens County home. If you have someone somewhere who you think people should know about, contact us at news@thepccourier.com.