Monthly Archives: April 2018
State body finds probable cause in Neil Smith complaint probe
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The State Ethics Commission has ruled that probable cause exists to continue investigating a complaint made against former Pickens County Council chair Neil Smith, county attorney Ken Roper said.
Roper made the statement Monday during county council’s April meeting, following an executive session where council received a legal update on an investigation into the county’s recreation funds.
“The complaint alleges that Mr. Smith directed $25,000 of taxpayer funds to BMI, a private company where Mr. Smith sits on the board of
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Wreck claims Easley man
EASLEY — A 74-year-old Easley man died in a car accident Saturday morning.
Dean Warren Jones, of Sawtooth Oak Lane, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, Pickens County deputy coroner Gary Duncan said.
The accident occurred at 11:16 a.m. Saturday, according to Cpl. Bill Rhyne of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The accident occurred as Jones was traveling west on Earl’s Bridge Road, near
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Local races set after election filing closes
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — Two seats on Pickens County Council will be contested Nov. 6, as the two-week filing period for council and other local and state races ended at noon Friday.
In Pickens County Council District 1, incumbent Ensley Feemster will be challenged by Margaret Thompson, while District 2 will see incumbent Trey Whitehurst opposed by Robert McKinney.
Saying he believes in term limits, Whitehurst said this will be his third and final term if re-elected to council.
“This is not something you do because you want to, but something in which you want to give back,” Whitehurst said. “I thought long and hard about it and
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Spring Fling set for Saturday in Easley
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Easley will celebrate the arrival of the season with its annual Spring Fling on Saturday.
Spring Fling will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Old Market Square, Easley Farmers Market manager Lisa Chapman said.
“We’ve got over 130 vendors coming,” she said. “We’ve got two entertainment stages.”
The amphitheater will feature jazz bands, including the ones from Easley High School, Powdersville High School, Southern Wesleyan University and Furman
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Humane Society to host pancake fundraiser at Gatehouse on April 21
PICKENS — The Pickens County Humane Society will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser at the Gatehouse Restaurant at 116 Ann St. in Pickens on April 21.
The event will coincide with the Pickens Azalea Festival and run from 8-10:30 a.m.
Breakfast will feature pancakes, grits, eggs and bacon with tea or coffee, and to-go orders will be available.
Tickets are $10. All proceeds will go to the Pickens County Humane Society.
For more information about the organization, visit its new website, PCHumaneSociety.org.
Sunrise at Hillcrest
Local residents continued an Easter morning tradition in Pickens County, 
visiting Hillcrest Memorial Park for its annual sunrise service as the sun rises over the cemetery. The inspirational event, which was first held in 1960, is sponsored each year by Hillcrest Memorial Park and the Pickens Ministerial Association. This year, the many in attendance enjoyed the music of the Secona Praise Team and a special message by Secona Baptist Church youth pastor Chandler Moats. Rocky Nimmons/Courier
Easley receives ‘opportunity zone’ designation from governor
EASLEY — Gov. Henry McMaster recently picked Easley as one of 135 sites across the state that will become “opportunity zones” as part of a new federal program designed to create jobs in economically distressed areas.
The program makes those designated areas eligible for tax incentives to encourage business creation and the development of affordable housing.
The opportunity zone includes areas inside the Easley city limits and into downtown Easley. The zone encompasses the northwest side of downtown Easley, extending north along S.C. Highway
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County council considering Highway 11 fire substation
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — County officials are looking to one day build a Pumpkintown Fire Department substation on S.C. Highway 11, not far from the Greenville County line.
Council members discussed the issue during their March 19 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Pickens Rural Fire District chief Billy Gibson briefed council on the recommendation from the Pumpkintown Fire Board to purchase land that will one day house a substation.
“This is an acre of property near the intersection of Highway 11 and Talley Bridge Road,” he said. “We’ve done a survey of the area and we’ve got several homes up there that are outside of the
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Blue Flame volleyball players earn statewide recognition
COLUMBIA — The All-State High School Sports Report Banquet was held in Columbia in February.
Pickens High was well represented. Lexi Wierzbicki and Sydney Bolding were both named to the 2017 HSSR-SCHSL All-State Volleyball Team. Ali Pace was named to the 2017 HSSR All-Rookie Team.
Juniors Wierzbicki and Bolding led the 2017 Class 4A Upper State champion Lady Flame in kills and blocks. Together they recorded 526 kills and 158 blocks. Wierzbicki led the team in digs with
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Tethering bill meeting draws crowd
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — A Pickens County meeting drew a passionate crowd of dog owners and animal advocates who wanted to learn more about legislation in the S.C. General Assembly that seeks to
Rep. Davey Hiott
restrict tethering of dogs statewide.
Rep. Davey Hiott, R-Pickens, hosted a town hall meeting last Thursday night about Senate Bill 841.
“It’s sitting now in the House Agriculture Committee, which I chair,” Hiott said.
The portions of the bill related to tethering do not ban tethering, but would make it a misdemeanor offense to “cruelly” tether a dog
“Cruel” tethers would be those that cause injury or illness to the animal, those that are heavier than one-eighth of the dog’s weight, those that are too short to allow an unattended dog to move around or move away from its own urine or feces, and those that do not permit the dog access to adequate food, water, shade or shelter.
Reading from the bill, Hiott said “A dog tethered unattended for more than 60 minutes — one
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