Daily Archives: 08/18/2015
Liberty dismisses clerk amid SLED investigation
LIBERTY — The City of Liberty is being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Davison.
SLED spokesman Thom Berry confirmed the investigation via email, saying the investigation is “active and ongoing.”
No other details have been released by SLED concerning the investigation.
Liberty mayor Eric Boughman confirmed last week that following an executive session held during the Aug. 10 Liberty City Council meeting, city clerk and treasurer Erin Lewis had been terminated by the council.
“Liberty City Council did decide to release the city’s clerk/treasurer,” Boughman told The Courier. “It was a move that was felt in the best interest of the city.
“As you know, SLED is also conducting an investigation, and when it concludes, I will sit down and issue an official statement that will hopefully explain everything that has transpired.”
Remembering…
The city of Liberty hosted a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II over the weekend. The event featured a car show, vendors, military reenactors, veterans and various other military organizations. Rocky Nimmons/Courier
Pickens, Easley open season in Food Fight Bowl
By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter
brobinson@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — It’s finally high school football season, and the season will kick off this Friday when Easley hosts Pickens in the eighth annual Sam Wyche Meals on Wheels Food Fight Bowl.
Liberty will also open its season Friday night with a visit from Crescent, while Daniel will host its annual Daniel Day Jamboree before beginning the season next week.
In the first seven years of the Food Fight Bowl, Easley holds a 4-3 advantage on the field — winning the last four in a row — but both schools will be under the tutelage of new head coaches this season. Pickens’ John Boggs and Easley’s John Windham will be squaring off in the rivalry matchup in their first games at the helms of their respective schools.
Though only two teams will be represented on the field Friday night — with the winner earning the coveted Food Fight Bowl trophy, made from the top of the trophy Wyche received in 1988 as NFL Coach of The Year — all four Pickens county high schools will have a chance to participate in the Ultimate Food Fight competition, collecting food donations for Pickens County Meals on Wheels.
The fundraising deadline for the competition will be 4 p.m. on Oct. 29, with the the winning school being presented with the Ultimate Food Fight trophy at the team’s next home game.
In 2008, the Meals on Wheels Food Fight Bowl was designed to harness the rivalry between Easley and Pickens high schools into a signature fundraising event for Pickens County Meals on Wheels.
Since its inception, the event has grown to be the largest fundraising event for Pickens County Meals on Wheels, having raised a total of $188,918, the equivalent of 37,784 meals.
The competition was expanded last year to include all four Pickens County high schools.
Proud to support the students’ efforts for a fourth straight year, Save-A-Lot of Pickens will donate $5,000 in support of the Food Fight Bowl. Each school has been credited with $1,250 toward its fundraising goal.
According to Meals on Wheels executive director Meta Bowers, this year’s fundraising goal is $20,000, the equivalent of 4,000 meals.
“We have extended the fundraising deadline this year,” Bowers said. “The students are always so creative and do a tremendous job. All the money raised will remain in Pickens County and be used to feed and care for our seniors who receive home-delivered meals or participate at the McKissick Center for Senior Wellness.”
Dwayne Goodwin, president of Goodwin Holdings Group, which owns Save-A-Lot of Pickens, said Meals on Wheels and its team of volunteers “play a critical role in feeding and caring for the elderly and disabled in Pickens County.”
“Volunteers and donations are always needed,” he said. “I am happy to support the important work Meals on Wheels does in our community every day.”
To make a donation, visit pcmow.org or mail a check to Pickens County Meals on Wheels P.O. Box 184, Easley, SC 29641. Call Bowers at (864) 855-3770 ext. 303 or email meta@pcmow.org with any questions.
Pickens County Meals on Wheels is exclusively focused on addressing the needs of seniors in Pickens County. Its goal is to provide a continuum of care for active, aging and homebound seniors throughout Pickens County. By connecting individuals to the services they need, when they need it, they are able to help hundreds of seniors maintain their nutritional health, independence and quality of life each year.
Police looking for sex offender
LIBERTY — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to find a sex offender accused of assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a home in Liberty in June.
According to sheriff’s office chief deputy Creed Hashe, James Monroe Capps III, 45, who has had addresses in Easley and Liberty, is wanted and on the run.
Capps is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and third-offense failure to register as a sex offender,
According to a warrant, Capps — who was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in 2010 and 2012 — is accused of sexually assaulting a girl by pinning her against a kitchen counter in June.
fter the girl escaped and fled to a bedroom, Capps allegedly pulled her onto a bed and tried to restrain her, but she was able to flee again, according to the warrant.
The warrant claims the alleged assault happened as the girl was babysitting a 4-year-old child.
Capps’ address is listed on the criminal sexual conduct warrant as 339 Cartee Road in Liberty. On the failure to register warrant, his address is listed as 128 McGaha Road in Easley.
Anyone with information on Capps’ whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (864) 898-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC. Police ask residents not to approach Capps, but to instead notify authorities immediately.
Back to school
Holly Springs Elementary School second-grade teacher Ann Bowen helps students create labels for their books and pencils on their first day of the new school year on Tuesday.
Ben Robinson/Courier
Holly Springs Elementary School second-grade teacher Ann Bowen helps students create labels for their books and pencils on their first day of the new school year on Tuesday.
Man killed when trailer crashes through Easley thrift store wall
EASLEY — A man was killed after a trailer detached from a truck and careened through the wall of the shop in which he was working on Saturday.
Pickens County coroner Kandy Kelley said 48-year-old Brian Keith was waiting on a customer inside the Home with a Heart Resale Store at 249 Saco Lowell Road in Easley shortly after noon when he was struck by the trailer.
Keith was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt-force trauma.
According to South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Gary Miller, a 1999 Ford F-250 was traveling east on Saco Lowell Road when the trailer detached from the truck, ran off the side of the road, sideswiped a parked vehicle, went down a hill and smashed into the metal store building.
No charges have been filed in the accident, although the incident remains under investigation by state troopers.
Home with a Heart officials expressed their grief on Facebook on Sunday.
“Keep us in your prayers, as we lost a great man to a tragic accident yesterday,” the post read. “Brian Keith was an all-around good person and had a radical love relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Hamilton addresses county council
By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter
brobinson@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens County Humane Society president Pree Hamilton appeared before Pickens County Council to advocate for her organization and its struggles to get funding.
“Thank all of y’all for letting me come back,” Hamilton said. “You’ll notice I don’t have any notes, because this is coming from the heart.”
The main need Hamilton spoke of was for a new computer and printer.
“I know I can’t get one from y’all because of the hard drive,” Hamilton said. “But if there’s any way y’all can help us with that, because with the Internet, Facebook and all that available, you wouldn’t believe how we’re matching up dogs with their owners.”
Hamilton said the Humane Society has benefitted from recent county funding.
“We’ve got doors, we’ve cleaned up the place — we just want to keep doing what we’re doing,” Hamilton said.
Interim county administrator Ralph Guarino reported that the remodeling of the former high school building in Liberty into a magistrate’s office is almost complete.
“Next week we’ll have all the furniture delivered,” Guarino said. “The office will be open 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. starting Sept. 1.”
Because of the late moving of the furniture, there will be no open house or grand opening, Guarino said.
“I’d like to thank the staff for all the work they’re doing,” Guarino said.
Council held two public hearings about the definition of junkyards and one about a proposed industrial park in Oconee County. No speakers were present for any of the public hearings.
Council also passed third reading of an ordinance transferring ownership of the former Liberty Middle School gymnasium and football field to the city of Liberty.
Council approves 2015
Justice Assistance Grant
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council members voted unanimously to approve the 2015 Justice Assistance Grant.
Sheriff Rick Clark said the grant was a pretty usual one that his department gets every year.
“It’s pretty much just rubber stamped each year,” Clark said.
The grant has been very helpful to the sheriff’s office, Clark said.
Last year it was used to pay to place cameras inside the Pickens County Courthouse.
“This year, we’ll probably use it to pay for some self-defense training,” Clark said.
Application deadline approaching for Pickens police chief opening
PICKENS — The deadline for applications for a new Pickens police chief is approaching, though city administrator Bruce Evilsizor hinted an extension is a possibility.
“We have a good number already,” Evilsizor said. “We just want to make sure we find a really good candidate for the city of Pickens. It may take more time.”
The application deadline is Sept. 4.
“It’s more about the process and how many interviews we have to do,” Evilsizor said. “We will be working on that end of things.”
The anticipated appointment date is Oct. 19, Evilsizor said.
The position became available after chief Rodney Gregory announced his retirement in June.
SWU receives approval for Read to Succeed courses
CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University’s School of Education has been approved to offer graduate-level Read to Succeed courses.
The university will offer four courses for endorsements in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education and one for the Read to Succeed endorsement at the middle and secondary school levels. The courses satisfy requirements set forth by Read to Succeed legislation that requires teachers in South Carolina to complete the endorsement.
Southern Wesleyan has earned a statewide reputation for preparing quality educators in South Carolina, as evidenced by the many graduates who have won awards at district and state levels.
These courses can be taken fully online, and can be taken as stand-alone courses or as electives within the M.Ed. in classroom leadership program.
For details about Read to Succeed, go to swu.edu/readtosucceed or contact Donna Pittman at dpittman@swu.edu.
For details about Southern Wesleyan degree programs, go online to swu.edu.
Hudson reunion set for August 23
EASLEY — The annual Macajah Hudson reunion will be held August 23 at the Moose Lodge on S.C. Highway 8 west of Easley.
Lunch will be at 1 p.m. Paper goods and ice will be furnished.
All friends and relatives are urged to attend.
