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Daily Archives: 10/25/2016

Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues Live at the Liberty Civic Auditorium

LIBERTY — On Friday, October 28, 2016 legendary Blues artist and native South Carolinian, Mac Arnold will bring the Chicago blues to the Liberty Civic Auditorium. Joined by Austin Brashier, Scotty Hawkins and Max Hightower, Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues will electrify the stage in what’s sure to be a riveting blues performance. Tickets available at www.pcmow.org.

Attendees will have the opportunity to get the full Mac Arnold Experience with an exclusive VIP meet and greet with Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues prior to the concert. From 6-7pm, a limited 150 ticketed guests ($50 each) will be treated to drinks and appetizers prepared from local ingredients and seasoned with a southern flare. They can have their picture taken with the band and enjoy the colorful stories that only Mac Arnold can share before heading to their reserved priority seat to enjoy the concert.

At 7:30pm Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues will take the stage of the Liberty Civic Auditorium. A world-class entertainment venue, the 600 seat venue provides an intimate setting for concerts and every seat is considered the “best seat in the house.” General Admission is $25 and seating is on a first come first serve basis.

untitled-1Mac Arnold’s musical journey began in the 1950s when he and his brother Leroy fashioned a guitar from a steel gas can, wood, nails, and screen wire. He has performed with world renowned artists throughout his career including: James Brown, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, The Temptations and John Lee Hooker.

Mac was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from the University of South Carolina in 2014 and was nominated for Best Traditional Blues Male Artist in 2012, Best DVD in 2011 and Best Historical Album in 2010 by the Blues Music Awards.

In addition to his passion for music, Mac Arnold also has a passion for farming. One of thirteen children, he was raised on a sharecropper’s farm in Ware Place, SC. Upon retiring from show business, he returned to his roots to be an organic farmer in Pelzer, SC. He currently serves up a mess of good food and music at his restaurant and music venue, Dr. Mac Arnold’s Plate Full O’ Blues, located in Greenville, SC.

“Meals on Wheels has a proven recipe for caring for our senior neighbors. We are a trusted community partner and our long-term success is because of the outstanding support we get from the local community,” says Meta Bowers, Executive Director. “Fundraising events are crucial to meeting our annual budget and ensure we can meet our commitment to those we serve. We are looking forward to an awesome concert event with Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues.”

According to Bowers, this signature concert event will ensure that the seniors who took care of us are not forgotten, hungry or alone. All proceeds from the event will help provide services that help hundreds of seniors each year maintain their nutritional health, independence and quality of life.

Learn more about the ways you can get involved with Meals on Wheels by visiting http://www.pcmow.org, calling Marsha Robertson at 864-712-0289 or emailing to marsha.robertson@pcmow.org.

 

 

Halloween events kick off this weekend

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — Halloween is almost upon us, and area municipalities are offering chances for kids to show off their costumes and pick up some sweet treats.

Cannon Memorial Hospital and the city of Pickens are teaming up once again for the annual Trick or Treat on Main Street. This year’s event will be held from 6-8 p.m. this Saturday.

Local businesses, organizations and churches will set up booths along West Main Street. Participants are asked to line up at the intersection of Ann Street and Main Street beginning at 6 p.m. Kids and their families will enjoy a variety of Halloween decor, candy, face painting and entertaining characters. Trick or Treat on Main Street is a smoke and alcohol free event. No animals are allowed to be part of the event.

spookyOld Market Square will be the site of downtown Easley’s Trunk or Treat. The all-ages event will be held from 5-8 p.m. Monday. Children will be able to trick or treat at participating downtown businesses. A costume contest will be held at 6:30 p.m. and a Halloween movie is set to begin by 7 p.m.

In Liberty, the annual trick or treat night will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday at the city stadium, the former Liberty High School stadium. Local businesses and organizations will line the track to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters and host games and activities.

Six Mile will host a trick or treat event from 5-7 p.m. Monday in downtown Six Mile.

Clemson will welcome trick-or-treaters 12 and under and their families to its Halloween Festival. The festival will be held in downtown Clemson from 4-6 p.m. on Monday. The festival will feature trunk or treating from downtown merchants, as well as outside businesses, a caramel apple station, a balloon artist, a Halloween green screen and more. There will be trick or treating opportunities from TD’s to Moe’s on both sides of the street.

Man facing sexual conduct charges

PICKENS — A 19-year-old Pickens man is behind bars after sheriff’s deputies say he engaged in sexual activity with at least two underage girls on separate occasions.

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Creed Hashe said last week that Brandon Cody Boyd Bundy, of Memanis Lane, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Police: Father charged after 4-month-old hospitalized

PICKENS — A 24-year-old Central man was arrested by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and charged with child abuse following an investigation into injuries discovered on his 4-month-old son.

LHS students learn of career opportunities

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

 

LIBERTY — Liberty High School juniors had a chance last week to learn more about the career opportunities available to them right in their own backyard.

Liberty High School hosted a STEM Manufacturing Day for its junior class on Thursday. Juniors gathered in the school’s auditorium to hear presentations from local employers.

“A lot of very important people, local manufacturers, have taken time out of their very busy schedules to be with us today,” LHS principal Josh Oxendine told his students.

Literacy Association director honored

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — At the start of the Pickens County Literacy Association’s annual awards dinner Thursday, the association’s director was surprised with an award herself.

Rep. Davey Hiott and association member Kayce Shusterman surprised executive director Everette Curl with a special award, recognition from the state legislature.

“‘She’s the backbone of the organization,’” Hiott recalled Shusterman telling him. “‘She wants to make sure everybody’s happy. She wants to make sure everything’s going right, and I want to do something for her.’”[cointent_lockedcontent]

Getting to know Ron Day

Ron Day was born Nov. 2, 1945, at Greenville General Hospital. His father was in the Army and did not get to see him until he was 10 months old. Ron was raised in the Pickens Mill Village. He lived on Jones Street.

He attended Hagood Elementary School from the first through the seventh grade and graduated from Pickens High School in 1963. While he was in high school, he worked at Finley’s Supermarket, located on Main Street. He was 17 years old when he graduated from high school, but was able to get a job working at Winn-Dixie.

roninsetWhen he turned 18, he started working at the Singer Plant. He worked there while he attended Tri-County Technical School in Pendleton. The school had just been completed. He graduated from there in 1968 with a degree in engineering. He was in the school’s first graduating class.

Carol Baker/Courier
Ron and Deborah Day have a band called Four Him that sings at nursing homes, churches and other venues.

While he was working at Singer, he was promoted five times within two years. He went from spray painting to quality control to production control to engineering. He worked there for five years before enlisting into the Navy.

He took his training at Great Lakes Boot Camp in Michigan. He was there for 12 weeks before being transferred to Jacksonville, Fla., for training to do electrical work for the aircraft. He was then transferred to Pensacola, Fla.

Ron flew with the Navy Blue Angels Skipper Harley Hall on the F4 Phantom from 1969 to 1970. He was the Skipper’s crew chief. He got that position because he had studied the plane and learned so much about it. He was able to work on it if necessary. They flew all across the United States, Canada and South America. After leaving the Navy Blue Angels, Harley was transferred to Vietnam. He was the last person killed there.

Ron’s ship was the Independence (CVA-62). He sailed to Europe — going to Spain, Athens, Greece, Scotland and Turkey. He served in the Navy for four years and was discharged with the rank of E5.

A talented musician, Ron taught himself to play the guitar. He said he picked up his dad’s old Gene Autry guitar and played his first chord when he was 12 years old.

His wife, Deborah, sings, and they have a band called Four Him. Deborah said they play and sing at nursing homes, churches and wherever God leads them. They are members of Northside Baptist Church on Sangamo Road in Pickens.

Ron and Deborah dated for eight and a half years before they married on Aug. 17, 1985. They live in the house that Ron bought when he was 18 years old. He has a recording studio in the backyard.

They have three children together, four grandsons, three granddaughters and one great-granddaughter. They have another great-grandchild due in May. They are very proud of their family.

rondayright

Photo courtesy Ron Day
Pickens native Ron Day, right, goes to Pensacola, Fla., every other year for the Navy Blue Angels reunion.

Ron retired from Easley Custom Plastics in 2007. He worked there for 33 years as an electrician. He took a state test and received his master’s electrical license that allows him to do electrical work anywhere in the state of South Carolina. Even though he is retired, he said he stays busy doing electrical work for anyone who needs him.

Ron said he is proud to be a veteran. He has so many memories of his time in the Navy. He keeps in touch with a lot of the friends he made while he was in service. Every other year, he and Deborah go to Pensacola, Fla., for the Navy Blue Angels reunion.

Easley resident Carol Baker highlights interesting local residents and helps us get to know more about the fascinating people who call Pickens County home. If you have someone somewhere who you think people should know about, contact us at news@thepccourier.com.

 

Hoops signups now open at Pickens Rec

PICKENS — Basketball registration is open through this Friday at the Pickens Recreation Center on Sangamo Road in Pickens.

The following age divisions are offered: 5-6 coed instructional, 7-8 boys and girls, 9-10 boys and girls, 11-12 boys and girls and 13-14 boys and girls, provided enough girls register.

Following registration, a skills/evaluation day will be held for each age division. The registration fee provides a jersey to be kept.

The fee is $45 for in-city residents and $55 for out-of-city residents. Birth certificates are required at registration. Birthdate cut-off is Sept. 1, 2016.

If you are interested in coaching or need additional information, call the Recreation Department at (864) 878-2296.

 

‘Facing Our Shadows’ the topic of sixth Rensing Center Healing Conversation

COUNTY — In the middle of a contentious election season, there’s a palpable fear and anxiety about the future not only of this country but the lives of our communities.

And inside of every deeply held fear there lurks a “shadow,” or the piece of the equation that’s easy to miss: ourselves. At every level of our culture people are grappling with intractable questions: Will we face our fears of the “other”? How do we express our personal and political beliefs and convictions in a way that supports life, fosters connection, and moves beyond partisanship and divisive rhetoric?

Come prepared to share stories and ideas about how we might channel the anxious energies of this time to communicate, act, and coexist on behalf of our communities, culture, and planet.

The event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. at the Rensing Center Library at
1165 Mile Creek Road in Pickens. Those attending are asked to bring food or drink to share.

The suppers are facilitated by nurse, nutritional expert and author Ellie Taylor. Seating is limited. RSVP to rensingcenter@gmail.com or (864) 380-1267 by Oct. 27.

This will be the sixth in a series of potluck suppers to be held the last Sunday of the month on the theme of healing, both personal and community. Healing Conversations is a monthly gathering to listen, learn, ponder a theme, and share ideas and supper. Readings are welcomed, as are suggestions and exploration of the Rensing Center’s library. The center explores patterns as the are seen and experienced, with an eye toward healing and in a spirit of creativity and spirituality. The center hopes to gather a diverse group of participants and listen to each other’s ideas with respect.

 

Courier Obituaries 10-26-16

The Pickens County Courier runs In-County Obituaries free of charge. Please ask your funeral home about this service.