Monthly Archives: September 2017
Murder suspect found guilty
Gibbs charged in 2015 Clemson shooting that killed man
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — It took less than two hours last week for a Pickens County jury to find Jaron 
Lamont Gibbs, 25, guilty of murder in the 2015 shooting of Robby Porter in Clemson.
Circuit Judge Leticia Verdin sentenced Gibbs on Thursday to 35 years in prison on the murder charge, with credit for 780 days already served, as well as five years for possession of a weapon during a violent crime, which will run concurrently with the murder sentence.
During deliberations, the jury of seven women and five men asked Verdin for a written legal definition for murder, as well as a definition for involuntary manslaughter. They re-emerged with a verdict a short time later.
Clemson police reported the incident took place on Aug. 1, 2015, when Gibbs fired shots that hit two men, killing Porter and injuring Hunter
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60 years of service
Brock’s celebrates 6 decades in business
PICKENS — Glenn Brock believes it’s the specialized service he can give his customers that lets his store stand out from the competition.
Brock’s Department Store is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The store opened in August 1957.
It’s always been a family business. The store was formerly operated by Glenn’s aunt and uncle, J.J. Brock and Venie Brock Worrall.
Glenn began working at the store in November 1959, when he was 18.
“I’ve been here 58 of the 60 years,” Brock said.
The Pickens store wasn’t the only Brock’s.
“We had five stores,” Brock said. “This is the last one of five.”
The first store was the Gaffney store, and the others were in Cowpens, Chesnee and Inman.
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Bids for jail project come in high
By Justin Lee Campbell
Courtesy The Journal
justin@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — Pickens County must now come up with additional money to fund construction of a new jail after bids for the project indicated bond revenue county council approved to pay for the facility falls more than $3 million short of the total estimated construction costs.
The low bid of $25.7 million by HG Reynolds Construction for the detention center the county broke ground on in February brings the total cost to $29.8
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Wreck claims Pickens resident
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A Pickens man died after a single-vehicle wreck Sunday morning.
Pickens County coroner Kandy Kelley said John Thomas McCombs IV, 24, of Fox Squirrel Ridge Road, was pronounced dead at the scene following the
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District announces days for hurricane make-up
PICKENS — Students in the School District of Pickens County will attend school on Friday, March 16, and Friday, March 30, to make up for days 
missed due to Hurricane Irma.
Both days were built in to the school calendar to use in case of inclement weather.
According to South Carolina law, schools must make up the first three days
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Annual Pumpkin Festival planned Oct. 14
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PUMPKINTOWN — Festival chairman Buddy Cox expects another big 
crowd for this year’s Pumpkin Festival
“Last year, we had the largest crowd we’ve ever had — around 35,000 people or so,” he said.
Each year’s festival is sponsored by the Pumpkintown Community Club. The
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Harward earns quilting honor
UPSTATE — The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail of South Carolina is planning a reception to honor Lucy Harward of Pickens as the 2017 UHQT Quilter of the Year.
The Quilter of the Year Program was initiated in 2010 to recognize a quilter who has provided community service and leadership through their quilting.
The public is invited to the Pickens Community Center at 10 a.m. on Friday,
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Pickens’ Venture Outdoors Day set for this weekend
PICKENS — The city of Pickens will host an all-day family-friendly outdoor festival this Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
The event, called Venture Outdoors Day, will highlight all that the Pickens area has to offer residents and visitors alike when it comes to outdoor sports.
The event will begin at 8 a.m. on the Doodle Trail with a half marathon. At 10 a.m., there will be a 5K trail run at Town Creek Bike Park, behind the Pickens Recreation Department on Sangamo Road. At 2 p.m., also at Town Creek Bike Park, there will be a mountain bike race hosted by Upstate
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Grow old along with me
There are 14 left. It’s hard to believe seven of us aren’t there anymore. At least in life. Their graduation pictures were mounted at the memorial table, 
and they were just as I remembered them, young and full of life.
And though I know they grew older, just as the rest of us did, and they became a little battered by life, I’ll always remember them as young, laughing and full of energy.
The rest of us are for the most part recognizable. Solid citizens all, who have led and are still leading productive lives. Yes, there are wrinkles, vanishing hair
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Courier Letters to the Editor
Spreading the word
Dear Editor,
I just want to talk about what a great place Pickens County is and what we have going for us.
There’s one really cool thing, and that’s tourism. We have a great museum,
