Monthly Archives: September 2018
Police: Shots fired into home
Authorities ask for public’s help to identify suspect
PICKENS — Pickens police are asking for the public’s help to find the culprit after someone fired multiple shots at a home in the middle of the night last week.
According to a news release, the Pickens Police Department dispatch center received a call at around 2:30 a.m. Sept. 18 about multiple shots
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
County time capsule to be unearthed for anniversary
SC governor to visit for grand opening next week
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A time capsule buried in 1968 will be unearthed and opened next week as part of Pickens County’s sesquicentennial celebration.
According to Pickens County public information officer Jamie Burns, the time capsule will be excavated from its location at the Pickens County Courthouse during a public ceremony from noon-1 p.m. Monday.
Following the excavation, a team of experts will begin removing the outer layers of cement and tar from the capsule.
“Teasers and updates on time capsule preparation will be provided through Pickens County’s social media handles,” Burns said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will attend the grand opening of the time capsule.
The opening is slated to occur from 2-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, on the steps of the Pickens County Courthouse. Historians and community leaders will be
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Hospital systems announce change in branding
GREENVILLE — Baptist Easley Hospital will soon have a new parent company, but officials say patients shouldn’t worry about any changes in services.
Greenville Health System and Palmetto Health announced Tuesday morning that they are uniting under a new brand — and a new name.
Officials with both organizations unveiled the new Prisma Health moniker and branding during a news conference at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
“This is really the birth of one of, size wise, one of the top 50 health care organizations in the country,” GHS president Dr. Spence Taylor said. “So
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Fall for the Arts Festival planned Saturday in Easley
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Old Market Square will host Easley’s annual Fall for the Arts Festival on Saturday.
The festival will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Easley Farmers Market manager Lisa Chapman said.
The festival is normally on the first Saturday in October, but as that’s the date of Pickens County’s “Blue-Ribbon Birthday Bash” at J.B. “Red” Owens Recreation Complex, officials decided to move the festival up a week to avoid conflict with that event, Chapman said.
This year’s festival features more than 120 vendors, she said.
“We’ve got a couple of food trucks,” Chapman said. “We’ve got some people
County collects 11 tons of litter in one-day blitz
COUNTY — Pickens County government offices were closed last Friday as hundreds of employees spent the day removing litter from county roadways for the second time this year.
Meagan Bradford/photo
Pictured during last week’s litter blitz near Easley, from left, are Pickens County Council member Ensley Feemster and his wife, Dorothy, councilman Chris Bowers, clerk of court Pat Welborn, county council chairman Roy Costner and councilman Wes Hendricks.
In March, Pickens County’s first litter blitz resulted in the removal of 17 tons of trash. Last week, that number shrunk to just more than 11 tons, a sign that county efforts to reduce litter are working, officials said.
According to PalmettoPride director Sarah Lyles, Pickens County’s commitment to litter is becoming contagious. Beaufort County and others
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Lady Blue Flame finish 7-1 at annual
ROEBUCK — On Sept. 21-22, the Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team competed in the Dorman Tournament of Champions.
Pickens had not been to the tournament in at least eight years. The tournament was started at Pickens High School by coach Peggy Anthony. Upon her retirement, and since Dorman was moving into a huge new 
facility, the tournament was taken over by coach Paula Kirkland and her Dorman Cavaliers. It has remained one of the premier tournaments in the state.
“In keeping with the spirit of the games, I have tried to maintain the same showcase of the best teams, staring first with state champions, then runners-up, then perennial volleyball powerhouses,” Kirkland said. “We especially like to invite out-of-state teams.”
The top four seeds were strong and some were undefeated going into the
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Easley event set to raise
EASLEY — Next Tuesday, Oct. 2, Bleu Voodoo and Wingard’s Jewelry will host the seventh annual Masquerade for Mary’s House.
From humble beginnings in 2012, when the event raised just $750, the Masquerade for Mary’s House has grown substantially, raising $13,000 in 2016 and 2017. Organizers hope to raise $20,000 this year, as well as bring a growing awareness to the problem of domestic violence.
Mary’s House was opened in October 2008 and has provided emergency shelter to more than 850 women, children and men, forever impacting their lives. More than 100 families have also received assistance from
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Pickens Rec Report
By Cheri Anthony
Pickens Recreation Director
canthony@pickenscity.com
I want to begin by thanking our youth football and cheerleading participants who came to Recreation Night at the Pickens High School football game against Travelers Rest. Also, special thanks to the parents for bringing your children and supporting our events.
I would also like to give a huge thank you to all the volunteers who made Super Saturday so successful. The weather was perfect, and it led to a fun day of festivities for all. Finally, I want to thank all the parents who were so supportive of the children and to our neighbors from Fountain Inn who came to play football.
I would like to commend the Spirit Queen participants for their efforts this year. The Spirit Queen contestants and their escorts were as follows: Ansley DeRossett was escorted by her brothers, Hunter and Caleb
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Land purchase will allow for Easley fire station expansion
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A land purchase will allow for the expansion of one of Easley’s fire stations.
During a special called meeting Friday morning, city council members approved a resolution to acquire the property and home located at 1093 S. Pendleton St. for $260,000.
“This is the property located directly adjacent south to Station 1,” city administrator Stephen Steese said.
The renovation, addition and expansion of Station 1 is one of the projects that will be funded by a general obligation bond earlier approved by council.
The budget already contains $250,000 for the acquisition of property, Steese said.
“It’s going to be a little higher,” Steese said. “It’ll probably be about $15,000-$20,000 higher by the time we pay the dumping fees and close on the property.”
Steese is confident the overage can be recouped, possibly through changes in the expansion’s design.
Mayor Larry Bagwell and Easley fire chief Butch Womack have been in discussions with the homeowner for the past several months.
“If we don’t purchase the property, then we don’t do the expansion on
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Pickens police receive donation to help K-9
Pamela Dodson/Courier
The Hyco Fund, based in Anderson, recently donated a Hot-n-Pop system to the Pickens Police Department to install in the department’s K-9 car, which will help ensure the department’s K-9 officer, Zenia, doesn’t get too hot. Hyco started donating after Anderson County Sheriff’s Office deputy Brandon Surratt’s K-9 partner, Hyco, was killed in 2016. Surratt and his wife, Brittany, do a lot of work to help all K-9 programs in South Carolina. Pickens Police K-9 officer Jason Dutton and his K-9 counterpart Zenia met with the Surratt family on Monday to receive the system they had purchased. The organization’s goal is to help make every K-9 unit as safe as possible and the best they can be by offering the financial assistance to purchase items and training that may not be covered by their budgets. Pictured, from left, are Pickens Police chief Travis Riggs, Zenia, Dutton, the Surratts and their children, Adylen, Bryant and Ava.
