Yearly Archives: 2020
Local COVID cases hit new record
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Pickens County had nearly 700 active COVID-19 cases as of Friday morning, according to county administrator Ken Roper.
“That’s the most cases we’ve ever had active in Pickens County,” Roper said during a Facebook Live update video posted Friday morning. “It is more widespread in our community now than it has ever been. We actually have more positive, active cases in Pickens County right now than we have had
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Pickens County schools will be closed due to inclement weather on Thursday, October 29,
October 29, 2020.Roper: County virus cases at highest level yet
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Data released by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control 
late last week showed that Pickens County had “the most active cases we have had since this thing first started,” according to county administrator Ken Roper.
Thursday was “a grim day in the nation as whole,” Roper said in a Facebook Live video update posted Friday.
“Yesterday, we had more cases of COVID-19 reported in the nation than any other given day in this pandemic,” Roper said.
Many people, including Roper himself, have felt at times that the pandemic may have turned a corner or lightened, he said.
“The facts just do not support that,” Roper said. “We had more
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County incidence rate worst in SC
COUNTY — With two new confirmed and two more probable deaths since last week, Pickens County is continuing to see a steady number of cases and deaths in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported the probable COVID-19 death of two elderly Pickens County residents on Oct. 25 and Oct. 23, while also
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Positive cases down slightly in school district
COUNTY — Positive COVID-19 cases in the School District of Pickens County were down slightly last week from the previous week, though nearly 3 percent of all students attending in-person learning were quarantined.
In its weekly update issued Friday, the district said 24 students and nine staff members had tested positive over the week, down from 25 and 17, respectively, the previous week. The district also had 48 staff members and 349 students
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Blue Ridge takes first steps for high-speed
PICKENS — Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative will soon take its first steps toward supplying high-speed internet across its five-county service territory.
Blue Ridge president and CEO Jim Lovinggood announced this week that the cooperative has entered into a partnership with WCFIBER to proceed with the project.
“WCFIBER is a subsidiary of West Carolina Telephone Cooperative, headquartered in Abbeville,” Lovingggood said. “This co-op is already a well-established provider of broadband. Its employee team has a proven record of accomplishment in delivering high-speed internet service to rural areas,
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Absentee balloting still open as Nov. 3 election closes in
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — After one of the strangest election cycles in recent memory, Election Day is almost here, with November’s general election set for next Tuesday.
However, Pickens County voters still have a few more days to cast an absentee ballot if they don’t want to head to the polls on Election Day.
According to the Pickens County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, absentee voting is well underway. In-person absentee
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Easley coming back from impact of virus
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The city of Easley is recovering from the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to city administrator Stephen Steese.
Steese and other city officials spoke at the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City event, held virtually on Oct. 16.
The previous fiscal year “actually ended up being a really great year for the city,” Steese said.
“It was one of the best budget years we’ve ever had,” he said. “We saw lots of increases in revenues and growth throughout the city. All of that
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Clements: Clemson going online after Thanksgiving
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — The final two weeks of fall semester instruction at Clemson University will be online only.
University officials announced the decision Thursday following consultation with the university’s 
COVID-19 public health strategy team and external health consultants, president Jim Clements said in an update issued Friday.
“We will revert to online-only instruction following the Thanksgiving holiday for the final two weeks of the fall semester,” he said. “The final day of in-person
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