Monthly Archives: April 2019
The sensational story of Lady Liberty
Sometimes you can tell just by looking at somebody that they have a story or two to tell.
Particularly if they’re standing by the side of the road dressed like the Statue of Liberty, waving and grinning at everybody who drives by.
And especially if they look like they’ve carried this world’s suffering inside them for a long, long time and come out singing.
Let me introduce you to Margaret Smith of Pickens.
I’ve been seeing her out there on U.S. Highway 123 in Easley, in front of the Liberty Tax office, for months now, in all kinds of weather — rain and cold, mostly. I’ve seen her pumping her fist to get big trucks to honk their horn, like I used to do when I was a kid. Clowning around for folks who honk at her. If things get a
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30 years of service
Becky Wilkerson was recently honored by the Dacusville-Cedar Rock Water District and the Bethlehem-Roanoke Water District for 30 years of service. Board member Parker Haskett is shown presenting Wilkerson with a plaque during a special luncheon held in her honor on April 3.
Watermelon Crawl Festival coming to Pickens
Event moving from Belton
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The Hagood Mill Historic Site is the new home of the Watermelon Crawl Festival.
The festival, now in its second year, will be moving to the mill from Belton, officials announced over the weekend.
The July 27 festival is a partnership between the mill and the S.C. Entertainment & Music Hall of Fame. The festival is set to begin at 3 p.m. and will feature “music all day,” according to hall of fame executive director Justin Ray Williams.
“We’re very happy to be at this wonderful facility,” Williams said. “We have blues, a little bit of rock, a little bit of country.”
Blues musicians The Carolina Beggars and Nashville singer-songwriter Kyle Mercer are set to perform at the festival. The headliner is Zack Turner, who, along with Buddy Brock, wrote
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Sarlin Branch library to host auditions
LIBERTY — The Sarlin Branch library, in conjunction with Liberty High School’s Walking Shadows Improv, will host auditions for an upcoming production of “The War of the Worlds,” the classic tale of an alien invasion that threatens to destroy humanity, based on H.G. Wells’ novel.
Audition dates are 5-7 p.m. April 15 and 9-11 a.m. April 20.
The production needs various male and female roles. Monologues are welcomed, but not required to audition.
The production is a staged presentation of the original manuscript of the 1938 Mercury Theatre broadcast of “The War of the Worlds,” which literally caused a panic.
Rehearsal locations and times will be determined soon.
The Sarlin Library is located at 15 S. Palmetto St. in Liberty.
Work, work and more work
And then there was work. Lots and lots of work to keep me out of trouble, and did for the most part.
Looking back, I find that work should be required of all kids. It teaches you how to sweat, how to do tasks you thought were impossible. Most importantly, work inspires you with a sense of accomplishment.
Daddy was a hard worker, and expected me to be the same.
The first job that I recall doing was to carry water to Daddy as he plowed with a mule. I must have been four or five years old. I remember it to be a long walk carrying that mason jar through the woods and across the branch.
I usually found Daddy, however, and he would stop and sit on
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Courier Letters to the Editor 4-10-19
Thanks from the Pickens Lions Club
Dear Editor,
The Pickens Lions Club would like to thank a few businesses in town for their support.
One of the very first endeavors that our club championed was helping those with vision problems. That was a need that Helen Keller challenged the Lions Clubs all across America to tackle back in 1925. Today, our club has helped many in our community with eye exams and getting new glasses. We also collect old, obsolete glasses that are not used anymore. So if you have a pair of glasses that you are not using anymore, please visit one of the businesses mentioned and drop them off in the Lions eyeglass collection box.
A very heartfelt thank you to Bentley Chiropractic, Bivens
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Courier Obituaries 4-10-19
DENNIS MAX HANEY
PICKENS — Dennis Max Haney, 67, husband of 48 years to Linda Haney, passed into eternity on March 25, 2019.
Born in Flint, Mich., he was a son of the late Elwood Max Haney and Marion Schmidt Haney.
Dennis was employed by General Motors for 32 years and was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Pickens.
Survivors include his wife, Linda of the home; mother-in-law, Betty Pleschakow; a son, Gary and his wife, Ruth Bruner; grandchildren, Michael, Daniel and Abigail Olivia; great-grandchild, Kira; two sisters, Libby and Candy Lynn; three brothers, Glenn, Lloyd and Ray; a nephew, David (Michelle) Haney; and a niece, Shannon Zemotel.
Mr. Haney was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Mary Ann.
Mountain View Funeral Home is serving the Haney family.
THOMAS BRIAN MCKENZIE
PICKENS — Brian McKenzie, 44, son of Thomas McKenzie and Frances Foster, passed from this life on Monday, April 1, 2019, at Prisma Health–Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Born in Pickens County, Brian was a veteran of the United States Air Force and known for his love of everything Clemson.
Survivors include his father, Thomas (Yvette) McKenzie of Greenville; his mother, Frances (Robert) Foster of Pickens; his significant other, Nicole James of Pickens; a son, Colton
Holly Springs Center expanding offerings with special events
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Holly Springs Center director Abby Baker wishes more people knew about the center and all it offers.
“Marketing this is something we absolutely have to do, have to
figure out,” Baker said. “We have to get ourselves out there.”
Not long after School District of Pickens County officials announced Holly Springs Elementary School would close, community members rallied in 2017 to discuss how the school facility could continue to serve the community.
The nonprofit center offered its first slate of summer programming later that year. It now offers School of Mountain
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Sellers named outstanding first-year teacher in SDPC
COUNTY — A Gettys Middle School teacher has been named the winner of the School District of Pickens County’s 
Outstanding First-Year Teacher of the Year award.
Laurel Sellers, an English language arts teacher at GMS, earned the honor.
“The selection process for this award has revealed great strengths in some of
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‘Electrify Your Strings’ returns to Pickens County
LIBERTY — International recording artist Mark Wood will return to Pickens County this week to perform with students across Pickens County schools.
Wood is best known as an original member of the multiplatinum selling Trans-Siberian Orchestra and creator of the Viper electric violin. He is also the founder of the Electrify Your Strings (EYS) music education program.
Wood was brought into Pickens County middle and high schools last year to introduce EYS as part of the county’s
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