Category Archives: Local News
Pickens to begin talks on salary study results
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — City of Pickens officials are set to begin discussing recommendations from a firm tasked with conducting a 
study of city employee pay rates next month.
City administrator Tim O’Briant discussed the salary study in both his report to council during its Dec. 9 meeting and his written report included in the council packet.
“The work is largely complete on the Evergreen Solutions market comparison,” he said.
Council members went over “peer cities” with the goal of determining “what cities we
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Pickens musician Gantt plays the Grand Ole Opry
NASHVILLE, TN – Local musician and singer Jack Gantt of Pickens got to live a dream once again on Dec. 9 when he took 
the stage at the Mecca of county music, The Grand Ole Opry.
The appearance marked the fourth time that Gantt was asked to perform on the most prestigious stage in country music.
Gantt plays lead guitar and band leader as well as sings vocal harmonies for Country Music Association international
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Local ties to the Battle of the Bulge on the 80th anniversary
By Tom von Kaenel
Special to the Courier
news@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — The 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge is an important milestone because it allows us to honor and 
reflect on one of the most significant battles of World War II, which played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the war and demonstrating the resilience of those who fought in it. Here are some reasons why remembering this anniversary is essential:
Commemorating the Sacrifice and Bravery
The Battle of the Bulge, which took place from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, was the last major German offensive on the Western Front. It involved brutal combat in harsh winter conditions and cost thousands of lives.
Local residents like Douglas Bradbury, from Seneca, Clemson Class of 1940, and
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Ex-officer gets 20 years in shooting
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A former Pickens County detention officer was sentenced last month to two decades in prison for shooting his 
estranged wife.
In a release, 13th Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins said 31-year-old Joshua Scott Bradford of Liberty pleaded guilty to domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, unlawful conduct
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Bicyclist killed by car in Easley
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY – A bicyclist is dead after being struck by a vehicle on Saluda Dam Road in Easley.
Pickens County Chief Deputy Coroner Andrew Wilson identified the victim as John Adrian Reese, 25, of Easley.
Wilson said 911 was called for an unconscious victim on 8:10pm Monday, Dec. 9.
Bystanders began assessing the victim and started CPR before EMS arrived and began
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Man struck, killed by train
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — A 21-year-old Liberty man was hit and killed by a train Saturday afternoon.
Pickens County chief deputy coroner Andrew Wilson identified the victim as Carter Adams.
In a release, Wilson said the Norris Fire Department, Liberty Fire Department, Pickens County EMS and Pickens County Sheriff’s
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County approves funding for public safety building
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — Pickens County Council approved funding for the county’s new public safety building during a meeting last week.
The building — which would be built behind the Pickens County Administration Facility located at 222 McDaniel Avenue in Pickens — will be 34,000 square feet and include the following features: Six emergency vehicle bays, 14 individual offices, a 48-person training room, two breakout rooms for current and future
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Christmas card contest winners announced
LIBERTY The Liberty Community Scholarship board announced the winners of its 2024 LCS Create Our Christmas Card Art Contest earlier this week.
Liberty High School student Elizabeth Thrasher took first place in the contest. In a release from the LCS board, her
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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.
