Monthly Archives: June 2019
SDPC trustees approve budget
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — By a vote of 6-1 Friday morning, the Pickens County School Board approved its $129 million fiscal year 2020 budget, which is about $6.2 million more than last year’s budget.
District executive director of financial services Clark Webb told trustees the budget includes an increase in the state teacher minimum salary scale base to $35,000, a 4 percent increase on each cell of the teacher state minimum salary scale, one step increase for certified teachers paid on the teacher scale who are not at the top of the scale, pay initiatives for other employees, including one step increase for bus drivers and nurses and a level increase for employees paid on the classified pay schedule who are not at the top of the scale.
The budget also includes a 3 percent increase for each year of experience on the bus driver pay scale, a 3 percent increase to the classified pay scale for each band and level and implementation of a new nurse pay scale.
Webb said the budget continues support from the district for having full-time school resource
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Honoring our heroes
Former Pickens County Councilman Tom Ponder, a leading figure in the Dacusville community and a guy I enjoy talking with, wanted to put a bug in my ear about the Quilts of Valor event coming up on June 22 at the Dacusville Community Center, and 
specifically about the devotion to our local veterans expressed in the quilt-making of a group of about 30 ladies who get together twice a month to ply the timeless art of quilting.
“They’re very dedicated to what they do,” Tom said. “It’s real apparent that their work makes a difference in some of these veterans’ lives.”
You may have seen something about this in last week’s paper, but they’ll be presenting six quilts of patriotic design to veterans — three from Pickens County and three from Oconee — on that day. There’s also going to be a “Ride for Valor,” led by the motorcycle honor guard group, the Patriot Guard.
Anyone with a motorcycle who wants to donate $10 and join the ride can take part. Motorcyclists will register at 9 a.m. and head out at 10 a.m. for a ride up Scenic Highway 11. They’ll return to the community center between 1-1:30 p.m. for the quilt presentation.
I hear there will be food.
I checked in with Linda Hall, who directs the quilting corps there, to find out what motivates these ladies.
“These quilts are to thank the veteran for his sacrifice for us,” she said. “And when I say us, I’m
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COPE program helping opioid users
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Fears that a Pickens County outreach program aimed at providing opioid addicts with hope and pathways to treatment would not have funds through the summertime have proved to be unfounded.
During county council’s June 3 meeting, Bowers Emergency Services CEO Randy Bowers updated council on the Community Outreach by Paramedic Education (COPE) program.
Announced in January, the program sees community paramedics and peer support specialist from Behavioral Health Services of Pickens County visit residents who have recently received Narcan, which reverses opioid overdoses.
During the visit, the officials encourage the resident to seek services.
Pickens County was the first county in the state to launch the program.
During the launch announcement, Bowers said the “whole focus” of the program is to let users know that people do care.
“I thought I was going to come to you and say the COPE program ran out of funds,” Bowers said June 3. “We knew we had funding through April 30 and that we had new funding starting in October. We were really worried about the
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Harold Alexander joins PS&L
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens has always been home for Harold Alexander.
One of the most successful players in the history of Pickens High School football, and a stalwart in the local banking community, Alexander built a reputation as one of the best of his trade in his decade and a half working outside of Pickens.
Now, after his appointment as senior vice president of Pickens Savings and Loan, Alexander is ready to make his mark in the community that built him.
“I was born and raised here in Pickens,” Alexander said. “I went through Pickens Elementary, Pickens Junior High and Pickens High School. My roots are planted here and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Pickens High School is where things really started to take off for Alexander. A wide receiver for most of his career at PHS, Alexander’s fate changed during the third week of his senior year, when legendary Pickens coach Bill Isaacs held an open competition to find a punter.
“After practice one day, Coach Isaacs asked if there was anybody who could punt,” Alexander said. “Nobody really raised their hand, so he decided the next day to hold a little five-minute tryout. I knew how to kick a football from playing backyard football, and since I was already out there at receiver, I decided to give it a shot. Fortunately for me I was the only one to show up for the tryout and won the job.”
Alexander found his footing as a punter for the Blue Flame and used that success to earn a bid to the Shrine Bowl during his senior season. Following the season, he received offers from Appalachian State, Presbyterian and Wofford to continue his playing career on the collegiate level. Alexander picked App State, as the school promised to allow him to solely focus on punting, whereas the other schools wanted him to play another position in addition to his punting duties. The move proved wise
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Central looks close to home for new chief
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CENTRAL — When Central officials began searching for a new police chief after Khristy Justice’s resignation earlier this year, they voted to stipulate that the hire must live locally.
The city couldn’t have found a much more appropriate candidate to hand over the department’s reins, as new chief Steve Thompson was born and raised in Central and has risen through the ranks of the Central Police Department over the past eight years.
Thompson rose to the top of the ranks last week, as Central Town Council unanimously approved his hiring as chief and he began his new duties on June 4.
Thompson, who will start out at a salary of $47,000, said he is excited about the opportunity to serve his hometown.
“I’m excited to see what we have in store for our community to help it grow,”
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Pickens resident LaPierre announces bid for Senate
PICKENS — Pickens resident Michael J. LaPierre has announced his candidacy for a United States Senate seat in the 2020 election cycle.
He has recently received his welcome packet from the Federal Election Commission. The Republican primary will be held on June 9, 2020.
LaPierre is a former business executive who specializes in Christian leadership training and development. Over a 32-year business career, he worked with top-tier companies spanning a range from Fortune 50 to Fortune 500 organizations.
A former minor league baseball player, his executive experiences include vice president of sales, global strategist, director of sales and marketing, director of sales strategy, entrepreneur, church servant/deacon and community leader. His diverse executive background and nonprofit experiences have allowed him to gain a comprehensive understanding of the principles of leadership development. Those experiences include leadership positions with UPS, Arnold Industries, Lily Transportation and Roadway Express. He is the founder and current president of Christian Leadership Worldview International (clwi.org). He is also the author of four books: “A Covenant: Responsible Citizenship and Godly
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Courier Obituaries 6-12-19
DONALD R. RIPPY JR.
EASLEY — Mr. Donald Ray Rippy Jr., 60, husband of Jennifer Myers Rippy, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2019, at his home.
Born in Charlotte, N.C., a son of the late Donald Ray Rippy Sr. and the late Hazel Hager Rippy, Mr. Rippy was a graduate of Minor High School and was retired from King Asphalt. Donald loved woodworking and was an avid Alabama Crimson Tide Football fan, but most of all he loved his family and his grandbabies.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are four daughters, Ashley Morrison (Kevin) of Liberty, Alycia Avery (Jason) of Jacksonville, Fla., Kathryn Mills (Travis) of Birmingham, Ala., and Carmen Shaw of Easley; a son, Noah Shaw of Easley; a brother, Bobby Rippy (Lisa) of Pineville, N.C.; a sister, Wanda Welch (Jeff Baumgarner) of Concord, N.C.; four grandchildren, Samuel Mills, Reece Mills, Caroline Mills and Loghan Morrison; and one grandchild on the way, Jesse Mills.
The family will host a memorial service at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at 5 Point Church in Easley.
Memorials may be made to the 5 Point Church Food Pantry Fund, P.O. Box 1827, Easley, SC 29641.
Condolences may be expressed online at robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, Easley, which is assisting the family.
ROSS CRUM
EASLEY — James Ross Crum, 89, passed away on Monday, June 10, 2019, at his home.
Born in Pickens County, he was a son of the late James Edgar Crum and Georgia Ellen Ross Crum.
Mr. Crum proudly served his country during the Vietnam War, retiring from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of dedicated service. Following retirement from the Air Force, he was a self-employed electrician. He was raised in Arial United Methodist Church and was a member of Morningstar Independent Baptist Church. He was also a member of the Mountain Springs Masonic Lodge #302 A.F.M., the American Legion Post #172 and the Columbia Lions Club.
Surviving are his wife of 10 years, Peggy Thomas Corn Crum of the home; daughters, Linda Ellen Smith (Roger) of Six Mile and Judith Crum Henderson and April Marie Crum Stewart (Chad), all of Easley; sons, Ronald Edward Crum and Michael Wayne Crum,
Summertime fun
For several reasons I always looked forward to summertime. The last day of school was greatly anticipated. Kinda like saying “Amen” to a six-month-long prayer or blessing, or eating the last morsel of cake or pie. A time of adventure, a time of discovery — and sadly a time to be Daddy’s slave or convict, at least in our minds.
I might add that a dad’s mind and a boy’s mind don’t work — did I say work, there’s that word again — the same. He’s thinking “look 
at the pulpwood in that pine,” while the boy is thinking, “this pine tree would make one heck of a treehouse.”
Speaking of treehouses, Joe McCollum and I constructed our best-ever treehouse in the pine thicket immediately above the yonder side of the lake. It had it all — a roof, floor, window and a hinged door, all of which were compliments of a certain George W. O’Shields. However, somehow we forgot to ask him if we could borrow all that extra building material.
The entry up to the house was via several small wooden boards attached to two spindly pine trees adjacent to the house. One afternoon, I discovered that No. 8 nails were not long enough to support oneself while climbing up and down this contraption called a ladder. One of the steps pulled free as I started to descend, and I vaguely recall examining it during the nanosecond it took me to fall the 15 feet to the ground, knocking
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It’s coming, and nobody can stop it
It’s coming, and nobody can stop it. We know it’s out there, just beyond the horizon. But we can already hear the rumble of the approach.
Can we stand another one? It isn’t a tornado, a hurricane, a typhoon, an earthquake or another world war. It’s the 2020 election 
looming.
There’s nothing wrong with having an election. We have had many in the past, and hopefully more to come, unless we regress and embrace a monarchy. I welcome the debates. They are often interesting, if somewhat predictable, unless we have to suffer a rogue candidate.
We have problems, and we need some thoughtful, practical solutions.
I don’t look forward to a blitz of negative political ads. And the blame game doesn’t take us far above third grade.
It essentially consists of grown-ups saying that it isn’t their fault things went wrong. It’s
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Courier Letters to the Editor 6-12-19
Dear Editor,
Last week, I wrote on obvious solutions for Hagood Mill. Those solutions included a $5-$10 admission charge for the third Saturday events, with children 12 and under getting in for free.
In addition to those options, they could set up a GoFundMe page to raise money. The animal shelter in Liberty did that last year, and it paid them the money they needed.
They could also apply for grants.
Diane Finley
Easley
