Daily Archives: 01/14/2020
Judge: Pipe bomb suspect unfit for trial
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
GREENVILLE — The man accused of planting pipe bombs at the Pickens County Courthouse and the Pickens Department of Social Services office last year has been declared unfit to stand trial.
Bombs caused slight damage to windows on the lower level of the courthouse on July 7. The devices planted on the roof of the DSS office were found before they went off. No one was injured.
Michael Lambert Seabrooke was arrested in Columbia on July 9.
Federal court documents filed in Greenville on Dec. 30 state Seabrooke was admitted to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles for a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.
“Following the examination, the defendant was found to be suffering from a
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Burrow, LSU too much for defending champs
By Alex Maminakis
Courtesy The Journal
alex@upstatetoday.com
NEW ORLEANS — In the end, there was no slowing down Joe Burrow and LSU’s prolific offense.
No. 1 LSU stormed back from an early 17-7 deficit on Monday night and proved to the college football world what it may have already known — that it was the best team in the nation this year — beating Clemson 42-25 to win the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and complete a perfect 15-0 season.
The loss brought an end to Clemson’s 29-game winning streak — a streak that began after the Tigers lost to Alabama in the same building two years ago.
“Obviously a disappointing night for us, not the way we envisioned it going,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “I’m thankful for our team. I’m thankful for God’s grace, for allowing me to be part of such a special group of
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SC appeals court sides with county in coal ash battle
By Ron Barnett
Staff Reporter
rbarnett@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — The South Carolina Court of Appeals has struck a major blow to a company’s four-year battle to build a coal ash landfill near Liberty, ruling that the company, MRR, misled Pickens County on its intentions and that the state Department of Health and Environmental Control erred in approving a permit change without notifying the public.
“MRR misrepresented to the County and the Pickens County Planning Commission the nature of its plan for the landfill facility and operation,” the ruling, issued Jan. 8, says.
The appellate court opinion sends the case back to the Administrative Law Court, which is bound by law to
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Newly elected Easley officials sworn into office
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The large crowd expected for the swearing-in of the city of Easley’s newest officials necessitated a 
change in venue for city council’s January meeting.
The swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Butch Womack, Councilman Nancy Breazeale, Councilwoman Pat Webb and Easley Combined Utilities Commissioner Eric Goodwin was held at Gettys Middle School’s W.M. Scott Auditorium on Monday night.
County council vice chairman Chris Bowers served as emcee.
“This is really a time of celebration for all the hard work, but it’s also a time of commitment for all of these folks that are
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The cure for what ails you?
When I found out that a study released last month showed that people who eat chili peppers at least four times a week are 40 percent less likely to die from heart attack and 60 percent less likely to die from a stroke, it brought 
to mind a subject I’ve been wanting to write about for quite a while.
If food is medicine — and the truth is, it really is — there’s a place in Easley where you can get your prescription filled with locally grown, unadulterated fruits and veggies just about any time of year, and it’s called the Farmacy.
I had been wondering about this little store at the fork in the road between South B Street and East 3rd Avenue ever since it opened about two and a half years ago. Of course the name is what caught my eye.
It was pretty obvious that they were selling a lot of good fresh produce, but being a creature of habit and always in a hurry, I never took the time to stop in and check it out until a
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County’s road paving cycle ‘worse than we thought’
PICKENS — Pickens County’s current road paving cycle is unsustainable, according to acting county administrator Ken Roper.
Roper discussed road paving during county council’s Jan. 6 meeting.
“The paving cycle for all 658 miles of county roads is more than a 75-year paving cycle,” Roper said.
“Worse than we thought,” council chairman Roy Costner said.
Roper agreed.
With the county’s current $20 road user fee, the county can pave $1.8 million a year, or about six miles of road, he said.
“The $20 road user fee was instituted many, many years ago,” Roper said. “That’s what it pays for in today’s dollars.”
The fee is on “people who own cars and other vehicles in the county,” he
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Public invited to MLK celebration breakfast event
PICKENS — The community is invited to a free breakfast Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The breakfast will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, in the fellowship hall of Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church, located at 450 Garvin St. in Pickens. Open to the public, the event is free for all.
Unlike in years past, the event will not feature a walk to the Pickens County Courthouse. Organizers said inclement weather in the past led to the decision to hold the entire event indoors at Griffin Ebenezer.
The Rev. Anthony Williams, pastor of King of Glory World Outreach Ministries in Easley, will be the guest
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The case of the missing polecat
Does anybody out there remember Pepé Le Pew? He was a fascinating cartoon skunk who was passionately in love with a kitty cat.
Sometimes, love is blind. Poor Pepé didn’t realize that his feline darling couldn’t bear to be around him because of his unfortunate scent.
Anyone who has ever encountered a skunk who has sprayed knows how she felt.
A mystery has developed on Fowler Farm. Upon reaching home rather late in the evening, I was surprised to see what looked like a
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Courier Letters to the Editor 1-15-20
Don’t lose sight or we all lose
Dear Editor,
I saw a Facebook post about people “celebrating” our military actions in Iraq, and it made me think. It reminded me of the apocryphal pictures of Muslims dancing in the streets on 9/11.
Remember, regardless of your politics, the military actions occurring in Iraq are costing real people their lives. Unlike video games, there is no reset button when it’s game over for these young men and women.
Remember that they are operating in harm’s way under direction of people who are safely thousands of miles away.
Before you start cheering about the latest bombing raid or missile strike, imagine being the mother or father of
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Courier Obituaries 1-15-20
RUTH E. CRAWFORD KELLEY
SIX MILE — Ruth E. Crawford Kelley, 88, widow of Earl Kelley, passed away on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, at her 
residence.
Ruth was born in Anderson County, a daughter of the late George and Ida Nix Crawford. She was a former employee of Elljean Textiles in Pickens. Ruth enjoyed making homemade quilts and various types of jellies.
Surviving are daughters, Diane Bryant of Six Mile and Glenora Arnold of Liberty; and a large number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, Ruth was predeceased by sons, Ricky Donald, Lewis Donald and Doug Donald; and a daughter, Brenda Lewis.
Funeral services were held on Jan. 9 in the chapel of Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, with burial following at the Kings Grove Baptist Church cemetery.
Visit robinsonfuneralhomes.com or Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home and Cremations, Central-Clemson Commons.
LOUNELLE SIMMONS
PICKENS — Lounelle Simmons, 86, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, in Pickens.
Born in Pickens, she was the daughter of the late William Franklin Nealy and Bertie Evette Nealy, and wife of the late Sherril Dean Simmons.
She was a member of Griffin Baptist church in Pickens.
Survivors include three sons, Douglas Simmons (Phyllis) of Easley, Michael Simmons of Pickens and Keith
