Category Archives: Local News
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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Pickens PD to take part in Wreaths Across America
PICKENS — The Pickens Police Department invites the public to join officials for the National Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremony this Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. at Sunrise Cemetery, located on East Cedar Rock Street in Pickens.
Visitors are invited to join in to remember and honor those who served as Pickens PD holds a ceremony to place a wreath
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Get Ready for a Magical Journey into the Heart of the North Pole
PICKENS – The City of Pickens is delighted to announce the highly anticipated 2024 Pickens Christmas Parade, bringing 
the spirit of the season to life on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. on Main Street, Pickens.
This year’s theme, “Santa’s Workshop,” promises to transport attendees into the magical heart of the North Pole. Parade-goers can look forward to dazzling floats featuring elves hard at work crafting toys, reindeer gearing up for their global journey, and Santa himself preparing for his magical Christmas Eve flight.
Grand Marshal Announcement
The Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce proudly names Betty McDaniel as the 2024 Grand Marshal. A lifelong Pickens resident, Betty is a celebrated educator, cultural preservationist, and community leader.
Betty founded the Young Appalachian Musicians (YAMS) program in 2008, introducing over 400 students across Pickens County to the rich traditions of Southern Appalachian music. Her dedication to preserving local heritage through initiatives like YAMS and Preserving Our Southern Appalachian Music (POSAM) has earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award.
Special Musical Guest: The Chicago Pipe Band
This year’s parade will also feature the world-renowned Chicago Pipe Band, blending the timeless sounds of bagpipes and drums with holiday cheer. Known for their vibrant performances, the band promises to deliver an unforgettable experience as they march through the heart of Pickens.
Event Details
Parade Route:
The parade begins at Legacy Square and concludes at Pickens Presbyterian Church.
Roper reviews past two years
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Monday night’s Pickens County Council meeting marked the last official meeting for the current county council.
It was the last regularly scheduled meeting for councilmen Roy Costner and Henry Wilson.
Pickens County administrator Ken Roper gave a “high-level overview” marking some of the achievements of the current county council and county staff over the past two years.
“This is a particularly special meeting for this county council, as it concludes the scheduled
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Man dies in vehicle fire
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — An Easley man has died after his vehicle ignited following an accident on Monday night.
Charles Dennis Youngblood, 63 of Easley, was involved in a traffic accident that caused
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Officials urge winter weather preparedness
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — With hard freezes predicted for this week, officials are urging the public to be ready for the cold weather.
Gov. Henry McMaster has declared Dec. 1-7 S.C. Winter Weather Preparedness Week for 2024.
In a video posted to the Pickens County SC Facebook page Monday, county emergency services director Billy Gibson shared some winter weather tips.
“With winter weather coming along, we want to make sure you’re ready,”
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Annual Turkey Trot gathers donations for local children
By Andrea Kelley
Courtesy The Journal
akelley@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — Though a downpour Thursday morning had some people worried, the sun came out in time to shine over the starting line at the 13th annual Turkey Trot.
More than 500 people lined up to participate in the 5K, hosted by Gotta Run Clemson.
Ashton Deriso took overall first place with a record-breaking 16:06, while Michaela Hylen took first place for the women with 20:17.
Amber McKenna finished just a few strides behind Hylen, but her second-place finish was still a personal win. McKenna finished chemotherapy treatment in
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World of Energy kicks off Festival of Trees with canned food drive
UPSTATE — Duke Energy’s World of Energy education center is gearing up for its annual Festival of Trees display and voting contest with a canned food drive to support Oconee County feeding programs.
Now through December, the public is encouraged to drop off canned goods at
the World of Energy during normal business hours (10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Friday) to support the Duke Energy Foundation’s monthlong campaign to fight hunger in South Carolina. Canned goods will be used to build a canned food tree as part of the Festival of Trees, and all collected
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