Daily Archives: 01/16/2024
Courier Obituaries 1-17-24
JOE BURGESS
EASLEY — Joseph Lee Burgess, husband of Kathy Brazzell Burgess, passed away after a battle 
with heart and kidney issues on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024,
at his home surrounded by his family. He was affectionately known as Coach, JB, Pa Joe, and Pumpkin. He loved his Lord, his family, and his community. He also loved to make people happy with a good laugh at stories he could tell on himself and others.
He was a 1964 graduate of Pickens High School and played in the first football game in the opening of the original Liberty High School Stadium. After high school, Joe attended The Citadel graduating in 1968.
That same year his coaching career began at Lexington High School as an assistant football coach. He also taught at Pelion High School and served as the athletic director. There, he coached boys
Courier Letters to the Editor 1-17-24
Annexation law changes could help
Dear Editor,
You have read in the Pickens County Courier the county council passed a resolution or request of the municipalities to do the following: cease any and all annexations over the next 180 days, coordinate with the county to better manage growth and explore the idea of a joint
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Loving God is beyond religious knowledge
Our regular readers know this column is about the Christian life, but you certainly do not need to be a Christian or even a religious person to at least consider the content as thought-provoking.
Everyone has their own philosophies and interpretations about spiritual topics, and this is understandable since we all have a choice to believe whatever we want. Only God knows everything and
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Here we go again
I’m not the only one who has opted, once again, to stay home. Both the rec center and the senior 
center are cutting back on classes and hours because of the lack of participation, again, but mostly because of the sudden increase in cases of COVID, again. Of course
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Psychedelics for our military
The $883.7 billion National Defense Authorization Act for 2024 makes for some interesting reading, not only for what it left out, but what it included. What you won’t find is the medical 
cannabis pilot program for veterans promoted by many, but you will find a treatment program using psychedelics
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for veterans and active duty with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Specifically, it calls for clinical trials with the Department of Defense to create a system wherein they can spend up to $10 million on psychedelics research. It only gives them 180 days to get started. Covered conditions, besides TBI and PTSD, include depression and insomnia.
Some of the drugs to be used are psychedelic drugs psilocybin (magic mushrooms), MDMA (ecstacy) and 5-MeO-DMT (from toad glands).
There are some reported successes from using psychedelics. The Food and Drug Administration said in 2017 that they’d had positive results using LSD and the magic mushrooms. The amounts given are small and are called “microdoses.” A short report with a lengthy list of citations in the Marine Corps Gazette in 2019 describes the use of LSD, mushrooms and more to attempt to gain an edge in efficiency and productivity when it comes to attention to detail, mental processing and reasoning. The report points to the way LSD changes the brain’s method of problem solving. Maybe this explains why it might be useful in helping veterans who suffer from PTSD. By creating new ways to think about things?
Yet another study, documented in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, found that the magic mushrooms reduced PTSD symptoms. The trial combined three doses of the mushrooms with psychotherapy. After Phase 2 of the trial, 56% of participants no longer had PTSD when checked 12 months later, after having suffered for many years.
If you want to learn more, listen to a podcast on the topic that includes a veteran who participated in a psychedelics study nine years ago: news.va.gov/124415/exploring-psychedelics-treatment-of-veterans.
© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Lions beat Seneca for region lead
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Leading 42-33 at halftime, the Daniel High School boys’ basketball team just needed to hang on in the second half against rival Seneca to take control of first place in the Western 3A 
region standings.
The seventh-ranked Lions did much more than that, as they held sixth-ranked Seneca off the
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Liberty boys fall to GMC
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Boasting a 37-33 halftime lead over ninth-ranked Greer Middle College, the Liberty boys’ basketball team just needed a strong finish for its best win of the season.
However, the Red Devils ran out of gas in the second half in a 76-66 loss to the Blazers.
“I’m just disappointed with our effort after halftime,”
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Devils down Greer Middle College for first region win
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Going over a month without a win, the Liberty girls’ basketball team looked to get back on track at home against Greer Middle College last Wednesday.
The Red Devils managed to do just that, overcoming a slow start offensively to drop the Blazers
45-25 and get back in the win column.
“It feels good,” Liberty senior forward Kaylie Pace said. “It feels like we’re finally working as a team and we’re starting to come together.”
“The girls played well tonight,” Liberty head coach Gregg Thomas added. “The
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Mann, Williams shine as Daniel girls trounce rival Seneca
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — After watching her team fall behind 7-3 early against rival Seneca on Friday, Daniel High School girls’ basketball coach Cosandar Griffin turned to freshman
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South Carolina has highest flu activity in the nation
By William Kenley
AnMed CEO
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — With hospitalizations for respiratory viruses on the rise in South Carolina and across the nation, it’s important to take precautions against the spread of disease.
You won’t merely guard yourself against illness. You’ll even do more than protect others who
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