Monthly Archives: November 2023
Project Linus gives blankets to kids in need
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — A group that provides blankets to children in stressful situations has recently expanded into Pickens County.
Project Linus was created after a mother saw that a blanket given to her sick child made her feel better.
“She thought, ‘How would other kids in strenuous situations, sick, in domestic violence situations, how would they like blankets?” Maria Anderson said.
Anderson became the Project Linus coordinator for Anderson County about a
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County volleyball stars named all-state
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Four Pickens County volleyball stars were named to the South Carolina Coaches Association of Women’s Sports All-State volleyball squads last week.
Daniel High School and Pickens High School were both equally represented on their respective classes squads with two representatives each.
From Daniel, senior outside hitter Sydney Siders and senior setter Lilli Ward for the selected to Class 3A squad.
For Siders, it was her third consecutive selection to the squad making her the first Daniel volleyball player to make it in three straight seasons since Carley Hoover from 2010-2012.
On the season, Siders led the Lions with 384 kills and was second on the team in both aces and digs. Meanwhile, Ward made her presence felt setting the table for Daniel with a team-high 889 assists.
At Pickens, senior libero Hannah Campbell and sophomore outside hitter Ava Owens both earned spots on the Class 4A squad.
Campbell took over the libero role from the graduated Macie Gentry and flourished in her senior season leading the Blue Flame with nearly 400 digs. Owens, also rounded into form in her second varsity season picking up a team-high 290 kills for Pickens helping them to reach the third round of the playoffs.
Pickens High graduate Wierzbicki hits 1000 kills
CHARLESTON — This “Cougar” recorded her 1000th collegiate kill in volleyball to match the number she hit during stellar career at Pickens High School.
Lexi Wierzbicki, a 2019 graduate of Pickens High School and graduate student at the College of Charleston recorded her 1000th kill on Aug. 26, her mother’s birthday, and was presented with a commemorative volleyball for the event.
Wierzbicki made a name for herself at Pickens earning the Class 4A South Carolina Player of the Year as a senior after leading Pickens to a 29-2 record and a state runner-up finish
For her career, she was a three-time Region I-4A Player of the Year and three-time CAWS 4A All-State selection.
Wierzbicki began her collegiate career at Jacksonville University in 2019 and transferred to the College of Charleston the next year. At Charleston, she has been a key member of the Cougars squad and earned All-CAA First Team honors in 2021.
As of Nov. 5, Wierzbicki has 1183 kills with three more matches plus the CAA Championship and is ranked 16th on the CofC all-time leaderboard.
Pickens cross country teams to compete for state championship
NEWBERRY — The Pickens High School cross country teams competed in the state qualifier playoff races at the Newberry cross country course hosted by Newberry College.
The Blue Flame boys punched their ticket for the first time since 2007 to the state championship meet on Nov. 10 at Newberry College. The Blue Flame were paced by sophomore Chase Ashe (17:36), senior Jeremy Sisco (18:01), sophomore Adam Ellis (18:02), sophomore Liam McCall (18:16), and junior Parker Hendricks (18:56).
Wes Atkins and Kadan McSweeney will also be competing for the Blue Flame boys at state.
Meanwhile, the Lady Blue Flame punched their ticket for the second year in a row to the state championship meet. The Lady Blue Flame were paced by eighth grader Ella Tetor (21:07), junior Ella Harned (21:34), sophomore Emerson McCall (21:56), sophomore Grace Newman (22:11), and sophomore Lilly Kutilek (22:11).
Allie Kutilek and Emma Grace Kutilek will also be competing for the Lady Blue Flame at state.
Panthers’ Wiliams to host Thanksgiving dinner giveaway
CLEMSON — Former Clemson Football standout and current Carolina Panthers defensive tackle, DeShawn Willams, is set to host aheartwarming Thanksgiving dinner giveaway on Tuesday, November 14th, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Littlejohn
DeShawn Williams
Community Center, located at 644 Old Greenville Hwy, Clemson., SC 29631. This event is open to families in the SHARE Head Start-Clemson and Littlejohn Community Center Afterschool
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DAR’s National Day of Service
As part of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) National Day of Service, Fort Prince George Easley Chapter members took student school supplies and staff thank you baskets to Lakes and Bridges Charter School, Liberty Primary School and Pickens Elementary School. Each school received baked goodies and health bars, along with educational supplies. “Our chapter loves to surprise the schools,” said community classroom committee chair Darlene Levy, who organized the event. Pictured above, Liberty Primary assistant principal Joy Ellison, Carolyn Nations, Darlene Levy and school counselor Tina Kelly are shown with the goodies the school received. At lower left, DAR members Joyce Hansel and Harriet Nash at Lakes and Bridges Charter School, and at lower right, Pickens Elementary assistant principal Lacey Rogers, Teresa Efant, Darlene Levy, Lana Beckley, Carolyn Nations and Harriet Nash speak during the DAR visit.
Courier Letters to the Editor 11-8-23
Honoring the elderly
Dear Editor,
The Bible says, “Once a man, but twice a child.”
I was thinking about that the other day. When you are a child and say or do anything silly or embarrassing, it’s overlooked. Same for when you get old.
It’s like, “Y’all excuse Daddy, he’s getting old.” To which you might reply, “Old? What do you mean old? I changed your diaper when you were
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New businesses open
The Gentry Place apartments are now officially open at 144 Aspen Way in Pickens. The spacious two- and three-bedroom apartments feature new appliances in an open kitchen, cozy living rooms and walk-in closets inside the primary bedrooms. For more information, visit gentryplaceapts.com. Pictured are Bryan Owens of the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce, Chris Clemmons of First Bank, Jerry Roberts, previous owner of the land, Hugh Latimer, Pickens City Councilwoman Lois Porter, Pickens Mayor Fletcher Perry, Charlie Irick of Fitch Irick, Todd Latiff of S.C. Housing, Mike Osman of Steele Group Architects, Jay Bernstein of Fitch Irick and Will McCauley of Creative Builders.
The Porkette, also know as the Parkette, recently held the grand opening for its new, larger location at 103 W. Main St. in Pickens. The barbecue resturant and catering service is open for lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, for dinner 5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday for dine-in or takeout. Pictured are Tod Trusty, Pickens Mayor Fletcher Perry, the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce’s Bryan Owens, Pickens City Councilman Isaiah Scipio, Katherine Chen, Beth Vlener, owner Chris Durham, Britany Chapman, Pickens City Councilwoman Lois Porter, Haley Collier, Brielle Adams and Hugh Latimer.
Shear Perfection by Patrice is now open inside Savvi Pet Accessories located at 129 W. Main St. in Pickens. Potential customers are invited to stop in and see all the grooming services Shear Perfection by Patrice has to offer dogs and cats, and while there, check out all Savvi Pet has to offer. To find out more about Shear Perfection, visit shearperfectiongrooming.com. Pictured are Pickens Mayor Fletcher Perry, Ryan Roper, Catherine Roya, Corey Brown, Laci Roper and Croft, Inari Granger, Jessica Diaz Cartagena, owner Nadya Granger, Wayne Kelly, Bryan Owens, Allie Winters and Pickens Police Chief Randal Beach.
Crafts Plus Events held its formal grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 21. Owner Diane Curry cut the ribbon on her new location at 305 E. Main St. in Pickens. Crafts Plus is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Holiday hours starting this Sunday are Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Find Crafts Plus Events on Facebook for more information, special sales and events. Pictured are Pickens City Councilman Isaiah Scipio, Lynn Perry, Pickens Mayor Fletcher Perry, Vicky Miller, Diane Curry, Terri Moore, Caroline Jones, James Webb and Joyce Diaz.
Nurses have super powers
Nurses are needle-poking, blood-stealing, chart-reading, bedpan-carrying super heroes in scrubs, who will wake you up in the middle of the 
night to take your temperature.
They tolerate cranky patients, even though they are exhausted from working two shifts
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God is not only watching
Late one stormy London night in 1763, a man filled with despair was determined to end his life.
He hired a driver to take him to the river and was convinced that if he could only cast himself into the depths of the Thames, his agony could 
be finally put to an end. He was unwavering in his resolve as he stepped down from the carriage, and as it pulled away; he walked through the fog toward the pier and suddenly
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