Category Archives: Local News
Child development, senior project in works for Easley YMCA
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Pickens County YMCA president and CEO Sid Collins recently welcomed elected officials and others to the 
Easley facility and shared some of the organization’s future plans with the group.
The Easley YMCA location hosted a recent meeting of the Pickens United group, which gathers the area’s elected officials to share updates.
The Easley YMCA at the McKissick
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DEW: County unemployment rate falls
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — The unemployment rate in Pickens County saw a decrease during in the latest jobs report released in late December.
The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) reported that unemployment went down from 4.9 percent in October to 4.8 percent in November.
The fall in unemployment comes just one month after Pickens
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Peach State Federal holds annual toy drive
COUNTY — Peach State Federal Credit Union recently held its annual toy drive in support of the Marine Toys for Tots program.
Every year, the credit union sets up donation boxes at branches, which serve as convenient drop-off sites for members and staff to donate new, unwrapped toys.
“The credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’ extends beyond offering financial products and services,” Peach State chief administrative officer and
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Courier Community Calendar 1-8-25
• Alzheimer’s Assoc. Group meets Jan. 14
The Alzheimer’s Association Easley Caregiver Support Group will be meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, in the conference room upstairs at the Captain Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library, located at 304 Biltmore Road in Easley.
The meeting is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.. All Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers are welcome.
Contact garyandbrenda1979@gmail.com or (864) 414-7448 for more information.
For 24/7 information and help alz.org.
• Public meeting set on legislation
A public meeting sponsored by seven organizations on proposed S.C. legislation impacting public education and libraries is planned this month.
The event’s speaker will be the S.C. ACLU advocacy director, followed by a Community Advocates for Education (CAFÉ)
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Easley woman dies after being struck by car
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — An Easley woman died on Christmas Day after being struck by a motor vehicle.
According to a release from Pickens County Deputy Coroner Tommy Page, Mona Smith and another pedestrian were struck while walking in the roadway on Saco Lowell Road in Easley last Wednesday afternoon.
Smith was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the incident, the release said.
The incident is still under investigation by the Pickens County Coroner’s Office, the Easley Police Department and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
SDPC device ban to begin this month
COUNTY — A School District of Pickens County policy that will prohibit students from using their phones during the school day is set to go into effect this week.
The policy was created to conform with the state mandated Budget Proviso 1.103 (SDE: Anti-Bullying School Safety) which states that to receive state funds allocated for State Aid to Classrooms, a school district shall implement a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to
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Sworn in
From left: Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship, Treasurer Dale Looper, Auditor Brent Suddeth, Clerk of Court Pat Welborn and Coroner Andrew Wilson were sworn into office last week in a ceremony at the Pickens County Courthouse.
Delegation to meet with public, Jan. 13
PICKENS — The Pickens County Legislative Delegation plans to meet with the public for thier first meeting in 2025 on Monday, January 13.
All are invited to come and ask question. The meeting will be from 6-8 p.m. and take place in the Pickens County Council Chambers located at the Pickens County Administration Building located at 222 McDaniel Avenue in Pickens.
Clemson native holds final Turkey Drive
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — As people enjoy their Christmas leftovers today, families from the Clemson area can do the same thanks to the generosity of one man and his staff.
This past Sunday, Jaquial Durham, a native of Clemson and current doctoral student at Clemson University, held the 12th and final Jaquial and Community Turkey Drive at Littlejohn Community Center through his nonprofit, “for the love of community.”
“It’s funny for this to be the last one,” Durham told The Journal. “This is probably like the easiest one that we put
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Spirit of Christmas
Congratulations to The Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce 2024 Best Christmas Decorated Storefront winner Finders Keepers Antiques and Collectibles. The store is located at 127 W. Main Street in Pickens. Finders Keepers specializing in the hard to find antiques, oddities, vintage, primitives and more. The are open on Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., on Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and on Saturdays 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Pictured are Nathan and Amanda Gamble, Brent Fisher, Dakota Gamble and Jacquelyn Gamble.
