Daily Archives: 02/04/2020
Preserving the past
Clarke, Soapstone recognized for efforts to honor heritage
By Ron Barnett
Staff Reporter
rbarnett@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — For a church with only nine members, Soapstone Baptist has been getting an outsized amount of attention.
The tiny church in northern Pickens County was featured in the January edition of Southern Edge magazine, a statewide publication of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor. This spring, it will get national exposure in Eating Well magazine.
“They came down from New York to interview me,” said Mable Clarke, the great-great-
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Officials get details on proposed tax
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens County Council members learned more about the capital project sales tax 
process Monday night, including how to take a 1 percent sales tax to the voters.
C.D. Rhodes III of the Columbia-based Pope Flynn law firm gave a presentation on the process during council’s February meeting. Implementing a penny sales tax is one of many options council is considering in order to pave county roads
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Roper: Accurate census count is crucial to county
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A lot of funding is riding on Pickens County obtaining an accurate census count 
this year.
This year’s census was discussed at county council’s Committee of the Whole meeting Jan. 21.
“The census, and a lot of people don’t realize this, is required by the Constitution,” acting county administrator Ken Roper said. “You have to do it every 10 years.”
The county’s GIS department has provided the census
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County council talks mental health issues
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens County’s suicide rate is the highest in South Carolina.
“The statistic, once you know it, calls for a response,” acting county administrator Ken Roper said.
During county council’s January Committee of the Whole meeting, county officials discussed what can be done to address mental health issues.
“For the last couple of months, we’ve had meetings that involved the South Carolina
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Central planting program begins
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CENTRAL — After months of planning, Central officials are now in the process of planting 
trees in locations throughout the town as part of a beautification effort.
Mayor Mac Martin said trees are being planted on property used by the town’s parks and recreation department as well as the former Central Concrete and Plaster, the latter involving red oaks and Deodar cedars. Central Academy of the Arts, the boulevard area at Southern Wesleyan University and Sterling House are among the other sites where trees
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Local nonprofit collecting Valentine’s cards for elderly
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A local nonprofit’s drive to collect dolls to give to dementia and Alzheimer’s patients was a big success.
The doll donation drive was Warmth and Comfort for the Elderly, Upstate, SC’s project during the month of January.
Group co-chair Tammy Ferguson said the “Dolls for Dementia” drive collected more than 100 new, small dolls that the elderly can hold and cuddle.
Ferguson said studies show doll therapy is effective
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Volunteer meeting planned in Liberty
LIBERTY — To prepare for a packed year of special events around town, Liberty will host a volunteer kickoff meeting this week at the Rosewood Center.
The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the center, located at 419 E. Main St. Anyone interested in helping with events in the city is invited to attend. Those who can’t make it to the meeting but would still like to help can visit libertyscevents.com/volunteer/.
The city’s 2020 event schedule includes the Liberty BBQ Fest on May 9, Love My Liberty festival on July 4, trick-or-treating on Halloween, the Fall for Liberty Bluegrass Festival on Nov. 7, tree-lighting festivities on Dec. 4 and the city’s Christmas parade on Dec. 5.
County players honored for success on hardwood
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — The Tri-County Tip Off Club announced its December Players of the Month recently, with many of Pickens County’s best being featured.
The awards, which are given to the best high school basketball players in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties, were given to players from all four of the county’s schools.
Kicking off the list were two selections from Daniel High School in Sincere Hicks and Bobby Taylor. Hicks is averaging more than 11 points a game for a Daniel girls’ team that has recently found its stride and is sitting atop the region standings with a 5-0 Region I-4A record. Meanwhile, Taylor has been the engine behind the Lion boys’ (18-5, 4-2) success this year, scoring 16.6 points per game.
Elsewhere in the county, Skylan Swindoll was named to the team from
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Lady Flame take first region win
PICKENS — The Picken High School girls’ basketball team captured its first region victory last week with a win over the Lady Mustangs of Palmetto High School in a game played in the friendly confines of Peggy Harden Anthony Gymnasium in Pickens.
“A very exciting and fun win for us,” Blue Flame coach Rikki Owens said of the 49-39 victory. “We executed our offense, and everyone contributed to the success. We are improving every
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Courier Obituaries 2-5-20
EARLINE S. MCCALL
CENTRAL — Earline S. McCall, 87, wife of the late Talmadge S. McCall, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020.
Mrs. McCall was a daughter of the late Annie Pearle Atkinson Stephens Roach and Jim Stephens. She was a member of Central Church of God in Central.
Survivors include one daughter, Marlene Hamilton of Liberty; four sons, James (Ellen) McCall
