McManus, Wilson win Pickens runoffs
By Bru Nimmons Staff Reporter bnimmons@thepccourier.com PICKENS — Voters in the city of Pickens returned to the polls one final More »
Blue Flame win 17th volleyball state title
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com COLUMBIA — Down 24-19 in the third set of Saturday’s Class 4A state More »
County volleyball players named all-state
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com COUNTY — The S.C. Coaches Association for Women’s Sports (SCCAWS) announced its 2024 All-State More »
This week in FOOTBALL FRENZY only in PICKENES COUNTY COURIER
DANIEL OVERCOMES SLOW START IN FIRST-ROUND WIN OVER DREHER; LIBERTY FALLS IN PLAYOFF OPENER; FLAME COME UP SHORT AT CAMDEN; More »
Hagood-Mauldin House gets major renovations
PICKENS — The major restoration work at the Hagood-Mauldin House and Irma Morris Museum of Fine Arts in uptown Pickens More »
Red Devils can’t keep up with Palmetto
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — With region play opening up on Friday, the Liberty High School baseball team hosted Palmetto on Monday night hoping to build some momentum.
Instead, the Red Devils were plagued by mistakes throughout the night on the way to a 13-2 season-opening loss in five innings.
“Things just kind of piled up on us,” first-year Liberty head coach Trey Ulmer said. “I thought our pitchers did a good job throwing strikes at times tonight, but we
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Easley boys finish 2nd in state tournament
Led by head coach Eugene Jolley, the Easley Parks and Recreation Department’s 14U boys’ basketball all-star team participated recently in the 2023 South Carolina Athletic Programs (SCAP) basketball tournament in Pickens. The boys started the weekend off strong with a 43-23 win against East Columbia in the first round on Saturday. The victory sent them to the second round, where they fell to Florence, 40-10, but the boys were able to move to the consolation bracket, where they beat Charleston Peninsula 52-44. The boys moved on to the championship game on Sunday with a rematch against Florence. Despite playing hard, they came up short once again, falling 47-32 to end their season.
Hunters who harvest a tagged coyote can earn free lifetime license
COLUMBIA — The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) released 16 more tagged coyotes statewide recently as part of the Coyote Harvest Incentive Program.
The program was created in 2016 by the General Assembly, which directed SCDNR to develop and implement a coyote tagging and reward program.
Annually, SCDNR traps, tags and releases four coyotes per game zone (16 total). Anyone who successfully takes and reports a tagged coyote will be rewarded with a free lifetime hunting license. The person reporting the tagged coyote has the option to designate anyone for the lifetime license such as a child, relative or friend.
For more information on the Coyote Harvest Incentive Program, visit dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/coyote/coyoteincentive.html.
Community supports teen heart transplant recipient
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Proceeds from a church’s fundraiser this weekend will go to assist the family of a Liberty teen who received a heart transplant last month.
Aaron Whitmire received his new heart on Feb. 2. He turned 14 while hospitalized at MUSC, according to Liberty First Baptist Church member Karin Shore.
“He’s a sweetheart,” she said. “He’s the sweetest kid.”
To help offset the family’s expenses related to the heart transplant, Liberty First Baptist Church will be sponsoring a
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Justice prevailed in the Palmetto State
If Bubba hadn’t caught that chicken and come running up with it in his mouth right when he did, Alex Murdaugh might very well have gotten away with murder.
There are probably few places in the world other than a wild-hog-hunting estate in the South Carolina Lowcountry where a hound dog and a yardbird could have 
played such a pivotal role in solving a murder mystery such as we saw unfold in a Colleton County courtroom over the past few weeks.
But it was not the good-old-boy system that won the day in this case. The villain of an entrenched rural aristocracy was unable to withstand the collective will of 12 ordinary citizens.
In the end, justice prevailed in the Palmetto State — which goes a long way toward making up for the bizarre, podunk images the Murdaugh case cast on our beloved state in the eyes of the nation, and indeed the world.
(When the judge has to send a bailiff to retrieve a dozen eggs from the jury room for a juror who is being ejected for
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Reports from the Veterans Affairs OIG
Who would have thought it … stealing diabetic test strips for profit? Apparently there’s money to be made from those medical supplies. And one Michigan woman, in charge of procurement at a Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacy, made a lot of it, stealing in excess of 7,500 boxes of the strips over the years.
She wasn’t alone in the scheme. She’d sell them to a co-thief who’d make her own sales down the line to a third
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Courier Letters to the Editor 3-8-23
Taking a stand for our children
Dear Editor,
We as parents who are raising children who have autism and developmental delays need to take a stand for our children so they may have a voice. I’m proposing to the councilmen and women to build Arc Chapter in Pickens County.
The Arc Chapter of South Carolina promotes and protects the human rights of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and activity supports their full
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Only two options — the broad or the narrow way
Those who identify with following Jesus are usually satisfied with being comfortable and cozy in their religious styles. Let’s just say that suffering for God is not on their bucket list.
When we take a peek at the last 6,000 years, we learn that countless numbers of people who loved the Lord literally gave their lives for Him. It’s only within our modern secluded religious environment that we assume persecutions and deaths no longer happen. By no means of the imagination is this true.
According to Open Doors World Watch List, in 2022 many Christians were imprisoned and killed for their faith, and
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Courier Obituaries 3-8-23
RUSSELL B. RIGGINS
PICKENS — Mr. Russell B. Riggins passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of March 1, 2023.
He is eternally healed and in the presence of his Savior and reunited with his daughter, Barbara Holcombe.
Russell was the last surviving child of the late John David and Viola Simmons Riggins. Affectionately known as “Hon,” “Daddy,” “Poppy” and “Uncle Russell,” he loved his family dearly and never failed to tell each of us at every opportunity. Russell had many loving nieces and nephews who he loved dearly. Every Christmas Eve for the last 40 years, he read the story of Jesus’ birth from Luke chapter 2 to his children and all his grands and instilled the importance of a personal
Local scouts and community help feed the hungry
PICKENS — The third annual community food drive sponsored by Scout Troop 51 and Cub Scout Pack 51 was held last Saturday, with more than 1,000 cans collected for those in need at the Pickens Amphitheater.
Financial contributions were also accepted. This year’s winner of the Golden Can Award was the Pickens Garden Club, which won with 280 cans.
All items and donations go to the Gleaning House Food Pantry. Anyone who would like to make a late donation can email pickenstroop51@gmail.com with any questions
