Monthly Archives: December 2024
‘Tis cookie time!
It’s time to roll out the rolling pin, dust your hands with flour and make all the cookie monsters happy.
Dec. 4 was National Cookie Day and officially kicked off the holiday cookie season. Cookies appeal to more than our tastebuds — they hold a sentimental place in our hearts and trigger feelings of sweet nostalgia and aromatic pleasure. People have had a love affair with cookies for more than 10,000
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Courier Letters to the Editor
Be your own Santa this Christmas
Dear Editor,
Santa Claus as most believe is a myth. Although he’s believed by most to not exist, do we truly know that he doesn’t? What if he is real, and although he can’t give toys to all of the children of the world, he gives to those truly deserving? You don’t know it could be that this may possibly be true.
Christmas is said to be about giving. Whether he exists or not, why not be your own Santa Claus this Christmas? Find some family you know who are truly in need and buy for them. Especially toys for the children. Imagine being a child and knowing that when you awake on Christmas morning that there will be no presents awaiting you, while other children are
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The OIG always comes through
Things are going to be different in 2025. If there’s one thing I hope, it’s that the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General isn’t hit with any budget or staffing reductions. As time goes on we need them more than ever to dig out, investigate and 
expose all the problems in the VA.
The PACT Act of 2022, for example, required screenings for toxic exposures — as well as training for the VA medical staff to do those screenings. Within a short time, screenings had been done on 4 million veterans out of the 9
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Our challenge for 2025
‘‘Your mission, should you choose to accept it …” Remember that quote, from the “Mission: Impossible” TV show? The show (1966-1973) tasked members of the team with stopping enemy forces, a job that seemed to be impossible but really 
wasn’t. That’s our challenge for the New Year, to stop the “enemy forces” who are the scammers that want to steal our money, our identification and our
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Courier Obituaries 12-11-24
TERRI FOWLER
LIBERTY — With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Terryl Leigh Fowler, cherished wife, mother, daughter, friend and nature lover, who left us on Dec. 3, 2024, at the age of 55.
Born on Dec. 19, 1968, in Easley, she carried the spirit of joy throughout her life, finding joy even amidst the challenges she
Clemson Extension agent talks holiday flowers
CLEMSON — ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and Clemson Extension senior consumer horticulture agent Barbara Smith has some decorating tips to help get people in the holiday spirit.
Smith says decorating with flowers and fresh greenery can help make the season bright. Some suggestions include poinsettias, florist cyclamen, kalanchoes, amaryllis, forced paperwhites and phalaenopsis orchids.
“I prefer to use flowering plants that are a little more uncommon for the holidays,” Smith said. “My favorites are cyclamens, amaryllis, paperwhites and phalaenopsis orchids.”
Smith and her family have a longstanding tradition of using live plants for holiday decorating.
“I have a wide variety of plants in my garden that provide greenery, berries, seed pods and more,” she said. “I’ve learned to use live greenery in creative ways.”
As a senior consumer horticulture agent, Smith has contributed to writing and revising fact sheets to help people decorate with live plants. These resources are available through the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC).
One popular fact sheet is Holiday Decorating with Fresh Greenery (HGIC 1753), which explains how to gather, use and maintain greenery for holiday decorations.
Smith also recommends creating garden gnomes to add holiday cheer, following the Holiday Garden Gnome fact sheet. This project involves using items including a tomato cage, zip ties or floral stem wire, greenery, a stocking hat and mittens, a fake nose, and yarn or Spanish moss for a beard.
“This is an activity that can include family members of all ages and become a tradition,” she said.
Other holiday decorating fact sheets cover projects such as making a Colonial-inspired Apple Candle Holder, How to Make a Boxwood Kissing Ball for the Holidays, Holiday Decorating with Orange Pomanders and Creative Ideas for Holiday Decorating.
More information about decorating with live plants, as well as information about landscaping, gardening, plant health, food safety and nutrition is available from Smith and other HGIC agents for people living in South Carolina. For assistance, residents can call 1-888-656-9988 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Volunteers needed to help local abused and neglected children
PICKENS — The Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program, a division of the South Carolina Department of 
Children’s Advocacy is offering free online training to those interested in becoming a volunteer Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in Pickens County. Volunteers advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children who are involved in family court legal proceedings through the Department of Social
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Business of the Month
The Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce recently announced Salvage Refined Resale of Pickens as its December Business of the Month. Salvage Refined Resale is located at 404 Johnson St. in Pickens and is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Salvage Refined Resale specializes in new and refined resale, antiques, home decor, furniture, jewelry and clothing. Pictured, front row from left, are Sam Medoro, Donna Smagala, Lori Gould, Mike Gould and Regina Harned. In the back are Harold Alexander, Brittany Chapman, Bryan Owens, Jessica Callahan and Debbie Gravely.
Community Calendar 12-11-24
• Sertoma Club invites locals to meet
The Clemson Sertoma Club invites all local residents to attend its meetings.
The club meets at noon the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Occasions at Wedgefield, located at 1551 Eighteen Mile Road in Central. New visitors are always welcome.
• Pickens Rotary meets Wednesdays
The Rotary Club of Pickens meets at 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Pickens County Museum. Guests are invited to the
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