Category Archives: Local News
Long-time reunion
Nearly 43 years after getting a basketball scholarship to play at South Carolina State University, Pickens Mayor Isaiah Scipio was reunited with his college coach John Jones during Monday night’s Meet the Mayor and Council event at the Pickens Village Library. Jones, who came to the event from Raleigh, N.C., with his wife Matie, recruited Scipio to play for the Bulldogs after stellar career at Pickens which saw the Pickens Mayor twice earn all-region nods. As a junior in 1980, Scipio was a key member of the 22-2 Blue Flame that advanced to the state quarterfinals. Pictured from left: Matie Jones, Isaiah Scipio, John Jones and Pat Mulkey.
Greater Pickens Chamber pairs with Discover SC’s Front Porch Program
PICKENS — The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) has named the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce a partner in Discover South Carolina’s Front Porch Program.
The Front Porch Program connects local visitor centers and destination marketing
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Robinson is named Employee of the Year
PICKENS — Southern Home Liquidators in Pickens is proud to announce that Barbara Robinson has been awarded the prestigious title of Employee of the Year. 
This esteemed recognition is a testament to Barbara’s exceptional dedication, outstanding performance, and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Employed since 2022, Robinson has consistently exhibited exemplary professionalism and a
Upstate Forever completes four Pickens County projects
COUNTY — Local conservation nonprofit Upstate Forever announced that the organization’s nationally accredited land trust finalized permanent conservation easements on a total of 783 acres across the region last year. The conserved properties include forests, farmlands, waterways, and green space in some of the
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Courier Community Calendar 1-31-24
• Legion Post 52 to meet on 4th Tuesday
American Legion Post 52 officials invite all military veterans to join them in Easley. Meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Post building at 310 Pope Field Road in Easley.
• Pickens Rotary meets Wednesdays
The Rotary Club of Pickens meets at 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Pickens
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CALLING ALL MODEL TRAIN FANS!
CENTRAL — The Central Railway Museum, located at 108 Werner Street in Central, is open for model train enthusiasts of all ages on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 
2 p.m. In addition, the museum is open by reservation to home
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Child brings gun to school
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A West End Elementary student brought a gun to school Thursday.
After the incident, School District of Pickens County chief communications officer Darian Byrd shared a safety update with parents and local media.
Byrd said a student told school officials they had brought a weapon to West End
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Local men charged with sexual abuse of minors
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Two Pickens County men face charges in unrelated cases connected to 
the sexual exploitation of minors, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Monday.
Logan Tyler Smith, 20, of Central, and Sergio Eduardo Salinas Maradiaga, 20, of Easley, were arrested on 13 total charges, Wilson said in a release.
Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that led them to both Smith and Maradiaga, Wilson said.
Wilson said investigators allege Smith and Maradiaga both possessed files of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these “heinous and abusive crimes.” CSAM is replacing the term “child pornography” globally, as “pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant, he said.
Smith was arrested on Jan. 11 and is charged with three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count, Wilson said.
Maradiaga was arrested the next day and is charged with 10 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, Wilson said.
Wilson said Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office made the arrests. Investigators with his office, which is also an ICAC Task Force member, assisted with the investigations, he said.
Wilson said his office will prosecute both cases and stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. Using the CyberTipline, the public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism and child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names and misleading words or digital images on the internet.
Find the CyberTipline at missingkids.org or report.cybertip.org.
Pickens principal Duncan taking job in SDPC office
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens principal Jeff Duncan is set to move to a new role within the School District of Pickens County after being named the next Assistant Superintendent for Human Resource
Services on Monday by the SDPC Board of Trustees.
“Mr. Duncan brings a tremendous set of knowledge and skills to this position,
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League of Women Voters, Oconee/Pickens Counties discuss election challenges
UPSTATE — A panel of Oconee and Pickens Election Officials discussed 2024 election challenges 
at the January meeting of the League of Women Voters, Oconee and Pickens Counties. Issues included increasing the number of registered voters and turnout on election day and striking the right balance between security and accessibility.
An audience of about 40 people expressed support for election personnel but concern for the underfunding of these functions, especially in Oconee. Election Officials reminded the audience of the need for poll workers and expressed appreciation for those who do the work. For more information about voting or being a poll worker, call 864.898.5948 (Pickens).
