Daily Archives: 11/10/2020
Soapstone Church pays off mortgage
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A crowd gathered at Soapstone Baptist Church Saturday afternoon to celebrate the 
history — and the future — of the church founded by freed slaves.
An effort to raise $50,000 to pay off the church’s mortgage hit its goal earlier this year, and church members celebrated by burning the
mortgage on the large soapstone rock that gives the church its name.
“To God be the glory,” Mable Owens Clarke said. “I can hear Table Rock ringing bells. I can hear
Caesar’s Head ringing bells — and what the those bells ringing are saying is ’To God be the glory.’”
The church has been part of Clarke’s entire life. Her
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Roper: Virus in county has ‘never been worse’
COUNTY — Pickens County reached “a high water mark” of nearly 700 active COVID-19 cases last 
week, county administrator Ken Roper said.
Roper discussed the county’s COVID numbers during a Facebook Live video update posted Friday.
“The truth of the matter is, ladies and gentlemen, that our COVID situation has actually never been worse in Pickens County than it is
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Pickens man, 1 other killed in shooting
SENECA — A 20-year-old Pickens man was one of two people killed in a shooting Sunday night in Seneca.
The shooting was reported just before 7 p.m., according to a news release from Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis. Addis said Christopher Hunter Todd of Pickens died at the scene on Tribble
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Murder suspect extradited in Six Mile death
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SIX MILE — A 29-year-old man charged with murder in the shooting death of a man found on the 
side of a road in Six Mile last week has been extradited to Pickens County and is facing more charges.
Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chad Brooks said in a news release that detectives extradited Daniel Michael Watkins from Johnson County, Tenn., on Thursday.
Arrested Nov. 2 in Johnson County, Watkins is charged with
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Quarantines dip in school district
COUNTY — The number of School District of Pickens County students and staff members 
quarantined due to COVID-19 concerns dropped last week, according to the district’s weekly data.
The number of students quarantined dropped from 354 the previous week to 307 last week, while the number of staff members quarantined fell from 41 to 35. The number of
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Pickens girls’ ‘incredible’ season comes to end in state title match
COLUMBIA — Pickens High School volleyball coach Rikki Owens said the Lady Blue Flame’s loss in 
last week’s state title match could not tarnish the luster of an “incredible” season.
“Losing the state championship to another excellent team does not define the incredible and memorable season we had,” Owens said. “We are extremely proud and grateful for our journey, successes and growth together as a team. Not everyone can say they have made it to the final stage four years in a row, battling through such a tough 4A region with other fiercely competitive teams. We earned every game and fought until the very end, and that shows true character and grit! I am blessed to share my passion with such incredible young women. What a special, special
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Chamber holds pair of ribbon-cutting events
The Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce held two grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremonies on Saturday. Above: Rivyve Juice Bar and Boutique owner Brandi Bray is surrounded by friends and family at her ribbon-cutting. Located inside the Market at the Mill at 225 Pumpkintown Highway in Pickens, Rivyve is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Visitors can stop in for fresh juices and smoothies, sandwiches and other goodies, and browse the boutique for gifts, jewelry, clothing, accessories and more. Below: Doodle Shoppe owner Jennifer Bridges is surrounded by friends and family at her grand opening. “At The Doodle Shoppe, we offer boutique clothing items, accessories, locally handmade items such as body and skincare, knitted and crocheted items, one-of-a-kind gift items and so much more,” she said. Located at 319 Gentry Memorial Highway in Easley, the Doodle Shoppe is open Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
County still has state’s worst 2-week virus incidence rate
COLUMBIA — After a record high number of deaths in Pickens County last week due to COVID-19, the county had only two deaths in the seven-day period ending on Monday, when the latest DHEC 
numbers available at press time had been released.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported the probable COVID-19 death of two elderly Pickens County residents on Sunday.
The county has dropped one spot to the 16th-
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Liberty planning Christmas parade
LIBERTY — The city of Liberty will be holding its annual Christmas Parade on Dec 5.
The theme of this year’s Christmas parade will be “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
This year, due to a required approval of a
large event to comply with state COVID-19 guidelines, the city’s Christmas tree lighting will be held the same day prior to the parade on Saturday, Dec. 5, beginning at 6 p.m., with the parade following at 6:30 p.m. As a result of this change, and in order to be in compliance with state requirements, there will not be
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Easley departments focus on training, goals
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for many city of Easley 
departments, but officials have taken the opportunity to increase training and focus on future planning.
Interim Police Chief Lane Byers, Fire Chief Matthew Littleton and Judge Phillip Snow discussed 2020 accomplishments, as well as future plans, during the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce’s State
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