***ONLINE EXCLUSIVE *** Blue Flame head to Columbia in quest for 17th State Championship
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com PICKENS — For the first time since 2021, the Pickens High School volleyball team More »
Prisma to build hospital in Easley
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com EASLEY — Prisma Health plans to build a new $138 million inpatient behavioral health More »
Blue Flame roll past rival Daniel to advance in Class 4A playoffs
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com CENTRAL — After dropping two five set battles to rival Daniel in the regular More »
Swearing in
Members of the Pickens County’s Legislative Delegation take the oath of office on the Pickens County Courthouse steps in Pickens More »
This week in FOOTBALL FRENZY only in PICKENES COUNTY COURIER
LIONS OVERCOME SLOW START AGAINST SENECA TO WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT REGION TITLE; EASLEY DROPS FINALE TO GREENVILLE; RED DEVILS FALL More »
Selugadu set for this weekend at mill
PICKENS — Every November, the Hagood Mill Historic Site observes Native American Heritage Month by holding the Native American Celebration. More »
Official: ‘This virus is real’
Roper says COVID response threatens fall events statewide
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Acting Pickens County administrator Ken Roper urges residents to listen to 
“established voices” when it comes to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and not to “fall into conspiracy theories.”
Roper discussed the pandemic during a Facebook Live update video posted Friday morning.
“Pickens County has right now, according to DHEC, 415 active cases going on in the county,” he said. “Those active cases are mainly focused around 29630, 29631, 29642 and 29640, although there are active cases as we speak in every ZIP code within Pickens County.
“There’s no area that’s not being impacted, but it mainly seems to be focused around the Central-
Woman charged with tax evasion
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — A Central woman is accused of evading taxes on more than $1 million in income.
Julie Ann Scott, 63, is charged with seven counts of tax evasion, according to a release from the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
SCDOR agents arrested Scott on July 8, the release said. The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Police Department assisted in the arrest, the release said.
Scott is an independent contractor, the release said.
Warrants allege that Scott failed to file individual income tax returns from 2012 through 2018. During that period, she earned $1,321,444, resulting in a tax
British man drowns in Lake Keowee
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SUNSET — The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating after a 24-year-old British man drowned in Lake Keowee earlier this month.
Derrick Andrew Otim drowned at a boat ramp at The Cliffs at 5:40 p.m. Friday, July 3, Pickens County deputy coroner Gary Duncan said.
Otim was from Nottingham, England, and was visiting friends at The Cliffs when he drowned,
Easley OKs sewer bond ordinance
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Easley City Council is moving forward with plans to issue a stormwater bond intended to 
allow a number of repairs and replacements to be addressed throughout the city.
During a called meeting June 30, council passed second reading of an ordinance to allow for the issuance and sale of a 10-year stormwater bond not to exceed $800,000. First reading was held June 8.
The bond will help address “systems that were designed 40, 50 years ago that are undersized for
Courier Obituaries 7-15-20
DIANE MARIE ARMSTRONG
SIX MILE — Diane Marie Armstrong passed on Saturday, July 11, 2020, in her 59th year.
Mrs. Armstrong was the daughter of the late Samuel Merashoff and Frances Verceo Merashoff. Born
in Bentleyville, Pa., she was the loving wife to husband Myrl Ray Armstrong and mother to Becky Armstrong from Cleveland, Ohio.
In addition, she is survived by her grandchild, Brian Emmanuel Vega, and many loving nieces and nephews. Diane is also survived by sisters, Frances Moses of Reno, Nev., Patty Szczyt (Thomas) of Cleveland, Ohio, Janet Benak of Cleveland, Ohio, and Paula Rock (Donald) of Glasgow, W. Va.; and brother, Samuel Merashoff of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mrs. Armstrong was predeceased by a son, Rondell Ray Armstrong, and a grandchild, Luis Emmanuel Vega Jr..
Diane will always be known by her caring nature toward others. When you saw her in her workplace, she would always ask how your family was doing and what they were up to. She loved her family and had many, many
A scary encounter with wild boars in the Pickens mountains
I am almost ashamed to recount this frightening encounter with wild hogs in this article. Some may wonder about my mental acumen. However, I will recount exactly how I planned to avoid disaster, and that might mitigate your thoughts of my possible mental deterioration — at least somewhat.
Unfortunately, wild hogs are everywhere in our state, including the Upstate. It is important to note that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources encourages the harvesting of wild boars. They are destructive to habitat and voraciously eat all the food that falls to the forest floor. They root with their snouts, make destructive gullies and cause mountain erosion.
A Serene and Successful Hunt in the Pickens Mountains
I was hunting up U.S. Highway 178 in the Pickens mountains when I found unbelievable gullies made by wild hogs while rooting for acorns that were falling. I made myself a natural blind out of downed logs in mountain laurel. I sat for several evenings waiting for a boar to appear. I was situated so I could see all the gullies. After sitting for several trips, I decided to try and call a buck since the fall deer season was underway. I would call about every 20 minutes with grunts that, I thought, resembled a big buck wanting
TCTC nursing scores surpass average rates
PENDLETON — Students in Tri-County Technical College’s associate degree nursing and practical nursing programs continue their status of surpassing state and national pass rates on the state certification exam — amid the challenges of shifting to remote learning mid-semester in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“I am so proud of our students and faculty for their dedication and resilience. These are challenging times. We all just had to do it a different way this semester,” nursing department head Jackie
Community Calendar 7-15-20
• Church leaders summit is August 12
Behavioral Health Services of Pickens County (BHSPC) and the Steppin’ It Up Coalition invite Pickens County church leaders to the Road to Recovery Through Christ Summit, which aims to educate them about the opioid problem in Pickens County. Each church is invited to send one or two people to the summit. Summit speakers are set to include baseball legend Darryl Strawberry, Southern Gospel musician Joseph Habedank and area pastors Gary Edwards and Darian Blue.
The summit will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 12 at Southern Wesleyan University. There is no
Member of the month
Butterfly Wellness Shala was named the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce’s July Member of the Month. Pictured above, Liza Holder and director Lisa Turnick of the chamber present The Butterfly Wellness Shala owner Kit Heelan, center, the banner signifing her honor. “The Shala” offers yoga, meditation, aerial swing, acro-yoga, dance and ribbon dance classes, as well as meditation Monday through Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. It also offers open floor time each day one hour prior to the first class of the day for visitors to meditate, practice yoga or hang out with Kit. Massage and acupuncture appointments and retail products are available, too. Costs are $10 for a drop-in or $49 for monthly unlimited attendance. The first class is free. The Butterfly Wellness Shala is located at 115A W. Main St. in Pickens. Call (864) 624-7747 for more information.
Local students named to Tri-County AD list
PENDLETON — One hundred and eight students have been named to Tri-County Technical College’s Academic Distinction List for spring 2020.
To be eligible for the Academic Distinction List, a student must be enrolled in six to eleven credit hours for two consecutive terms and earn at least twelve credit hours during the two consecutive
