Monthly Archives: May 2023
Grants awarded for water, sewer improvements
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
STATE — Area municipalities and utilities are among the local governments and public water and sewer utilities slated to receive $1.369 billion in grants from the S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority.
The South Carolina Infrastructure Investment Program grants were announced on April 24. The funds are intended to assist with
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improvements for clean drinking water, sanitary sewer and stormwater resilience, according to a release from the authority.
“The vital infrastructure improvements these funds will deliver across South Carolina will be a game changer,” Gov. Henry McMaster said. “The availability of critical services not only improves the immediate quality of life for our citizens, but it also makes our state more attractive for impactful and sustained economic development.”
The S.C. Infrastructure Investment Program (SCIIP) was created by RIA as a major, one-time initiative designed to have a transformative impact on water, wastewater and stormwater systems in small and disadvantaged communities, as well as larger, growing communities, using federal funds allocated by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the release said.
“Today, we are making a huge difference by investing in our future,” RIA executive director Bonnie Ammons said. “The funds awarded throughout the state will go a long way in addressing the sustainability of water and sewer systems for the long term. In many cases, these funds will transform communities.”
Projects selected by RIA’s board of directors are designed to address a range of needs that will protect public health and the environment and build capacity for the future, the release said.
Priorities for project selection included regional solutions involving multiple utilities, protection of public health and water quality, resilience and storm protection, modernization of aging infrastructure, capacity development and economic opportunities, the release said.
Liberty Mayor Erica Romo Woods announced her city’s award in a special video message to residents.
“We were awarded — drum roll, please — just over $1.6 million to help replace our aging water lines,” Woods said.
Liberty was awarded $1,630,136 for water system improvements, the authority said.
Easley Combined Utilities will receive $10 million for the Georges Creek trunk sewer line, the authority said.
The city of Easley will receive $433,951 for Lakeshore Drive drainage system upgrades, the authority said.
The city of Pickens was awarded $4,947,268 for water system improvements.
The Pickens Regional Joint Water System was awarded $10 million for water transmission and storage.
The Pickens County Public Service Commission was awarded $163,803 to replace the filter at the 18 Mile Creek Middle Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Six Mile Water District was awarded $3,933,440 for water improvements, the authority said.
Except for those requesting grants for planning, all recipients were required to provide matching funds for the grant request, the authority said.
Applicants that serve fewer than 30,000 people, or are located in a county designated as Tier III or IV by the S.C. Department of Revenue, had a 15 percent match requirement. Large utilities, serving more than 30,000, were required to provide a 25 percent match requirement. In all, the SCIIP awards will leverage an additional $900 million in matching funds — local and other dollars committed to implement the projects, the authority said.
According to the city’s Facebook page, the city of Pickens will use bonds for the grant match, for a project total of $6.2 million. Rosier Engineering assisted the city in receiving the funds.
Recipients of the funds will be able to get started on their projects in the next couple of months, with a deadline to spend all funds by Dec. 31, 2026, the authority said.
At least one project in every county in the state is slated to receive funding, the authority said.
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Gun manufacturer coming to Pickens County
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
LIBERTY — Global firearms manufacturer FN America LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal S.A., which initially opened operations in Richland County more than 40 years ago, formally unveiled plans last week for a new production facility in Pickens County.
The company will invest $33 million for its approximately more than 100,000-square-foot facility, to be constructed over two phases, at the Pickens County Commerce Park in Liberty. The facility will accommodate FN America’s expanding manufacturing operations.
CEO Julien Compere said the creation of a new plant “is always a very special and unique moment,” and that the project “is a strategic investment for our company, and the choice of the
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Marker dedicated at grave of Revolutionary patriot Miller
By Ann Warmuth
For The Courier
news@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — John Miller was an English printer who believed in a free press, and because he was rather outspoken regarding many political topics in London, he ended up in jail.
Miller was fond of saying “laziness in politics is like laziness in agriculture — it exposes the soil to noxious weeds.”
He immigrated to South Carolina in 1783 and found his American dream — a free press.
Miller’s sixth-great-granddaughter, Sandy Foster, wanted Miller to receive the recognition he
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Jones sworn in in Easley
New Easley City Councilman David Jones, left, was sworn in during a ceremony Monday evening at City Hall. Jones was elected in a special race last week to finish the unexpired term of late Ward 4 Councilman Terry Moore. Jones received 154 of the 225 votes cast in the election to beat Gene Patterson for the seat.
New documentary film tells stories of deadly fentanyl
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — It’s hard to imagine that such a tiny thing has caused such havoc.
Picture a penny. An amount of the synthetic opioid fentanyl that could be lethal is so small it would not fully cover President Lincoln’s nose.
Yet the devastation caused by fentanyl cannot be denied. In 2021, more than 71,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The drug, which is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, is mixed in and disguised as other drugs such as
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Lions knock out Southside to begin state title defense
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — On an extremely windy evening, the Daniel High School boys’ soccer team began its state championship title defense at home
against Southside on Monday in round one of the Class 3A playoffs.
While the wind seemed to throw the Lions off at times, that didn’t stop them from pulling out a dominant 3-0 win.
“I had no doubt in my mind that this was ours,” Daniel head coach Thomas Izaguirre said. “The biggest factor in this game was the wind. There were a lot of
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Liberty falls to Blacksburg
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — With a chance to stay atop the region standings, the Liberty Red Devil baseball team hosted Blacksburg last week.
However, the Red Devils were never able to put things together against the Wildcats, falling 5-0 to put them on the road for the majority of the Class 2A playoffs.
“It hurts, for sure,” Liberty head coach Trey Ulmer said. “That’s a good team we lost to. I have no doubt about that, I just don’t think we gave them our best tonight.”
The disappointing result for Liberty came as errors and a huge three-run third inning gave the Wildcats the advantage while the Red Devils struggled to string
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Daniel, Pickens seniors recognized for signing with colleges
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — With graduation nearing at the end of the month, multiple Pickens County high school student-athletes made their final decisions and signed with colleges in ceremonies last week as they prepare to compete at the next level.
Daniel held the first ceremony on April 25, which saw basketball star Destiny Hoover sign with Hollins University.
Hoover was a three-time all-region selection for the Lions and also earned a spot in the North-South All-Star Game following her senior
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Political symbolism? From James Madison to Jesse James
Strap on your six-shooters, boys. Let’s go downtown and exercise our Constitutional rights!
Wait, you mean it’s legal to go walking around town toting a pistol, right out in the open?
Yes sir! The right “to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” the Second Amendment says.
… Hold it right there, fellas. Before we go any further on this, let’s move into the 21st century.
I don’t think walking the streets with a loaded rapid-fire handgun poking out of your pocket at a time when mass shootings have become commonplace was what James Madison had in mind.
But apparently there are some who are afraid their right to go around with a Saturday night
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Courier Letters to the Editor 5-3-23
Ex-member weighs in on library board
Dear Editor,
I served on the Pickens County Library Board for about two years, 2019-21. During my tenure, I met wonderful people who I enjoyed getting to know, however, it seemed that every board meeting had another “urgent decision to make,” another “hot-button topic to address” or another “fire to put out.” This does not make sense to me. After all, it is a library, not an emergency room.
In my opinion, the library board, although having all the responsibility, never really functioned with authority, for almost all items on the
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