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Daily Archives: 01/11/2017

Joint worship service planned at Griffin Ebenezer with Pickens Presbyterian

On Sunday, January 15, members from Pickens Presbyterian Church along with their brothers and sisters in Christ at Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church will be celebrating their first ever joint worship service to celebrate unity.  During these times of national unrest between races, these churches feel as though it is vitally important for Christians to show love for one another and untitled-1unity in Christ. Griffin Ebenezer and Pickens Presbyterian have a strong history of working together to strengthen relationships with each other and building a bridge between the two churches.

As part of this ongoing effort, the two churches will worship together at Griffin Ebenezer with  The Rev. Nath Briley from Pickens Presbyterian preaching, and following worship, all will gather for a shared meal together.  This event promises to be a spirit-filled worship of our Lord, and a time of building community in the name of Christ.

Easley shooting ruled justifiable homicide

EASLEY — A shooting that claimed a man’s life last month has been ruled a justifiable homicide by the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office announced last week it was officially notified by the solicitor’s office that a complete review of the facts surrounding the use of lethal force by an Easley homeowner was conducted.

Chief deputy Creed Hashe said evidence at the scene corroborated Jeremy Sterling’s version of the events that occurred the morning of Dec. 14 and resulted in the death of 27-year-old Justin Michael Smith, of 29 Cooperfield Ave. in Piedmont.

According to Hashe, Sterling told police he found a man inside his home on Prince Perry Road after returning from work shortly after 8 a.m. The homeowner told police the intruder appeared to have forced entry through a rear door and was in possession of the homeowner’s property, including several guns.

Hashe said the man charged the homeowner when confronted, and during a brief struggle, the homeowner was able to gain control of one of the guns and fire several shots at the intruder, who fell onto a back deck while trying to leave the home.

When deputies arrived at the scene less than two minutes later, they found Smith inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds, Hashe said.

Hashe said crime scene technicians found and recovered evidence indicating that the back door of the home had been kicked in and that numerous areas within the home had been searched and rummaged through prior to the shooting. Evidence was also collected that corroborated statements by the homeowner that the rounds were discharged while both men were inside.

During the course of the investigation, the sheriff’s office also discovered unrelated stolen property that linked Smith to a break-in previously reported by the Easley Police Department.

Detectives from the sheriff’s office later presented the solicitor’s office with the evidence.

After being advised by the solicitor’s office that the homeowner has statutory immunity from prosecution under the Protection of Persons and Property Act, “as set forth in the S.C. statutory and case law,” Hashe said no criminal charges would be filed.

 

Tigers score in title game’s final second to top Alabama, earn second national championship

By Scott Adamson
Courtesy The Journal

scott@upstatetoday.com

TAMPA, Fla. — The reigning king of college football, Alabama, was unwilling to give its crown away.

So a gritty, magnificent Clemson team took it by force.

Dabo Swinney’s No. 2 Tigers reached the summit on Monday night before 74,512 fans at Raymond James Stadium, defeating the No. 1 Crimson Tide 35-31 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

It was one of the most exciting finishes in the annals of the Football Bowl Subdivision, eclipsing last year’s battle between the two teams that ended in a 45-40 Crimson Tide victory.

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Photos courtesy Rex Brown/The Journal
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and senior captain Ben Boulware celebrate after the Tigers’ 35-31 win over Alabama on Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship in Tampa, Fla. The win gave Clemson its second national title in school history.

“(Alabama) lost the wrong game this year, just like we lost the wrong one last year,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “What a fight. That has to be one of the greatest games of all time. To have to go down the field and win the game, that’s what it’s all about. They fought for every play.”

The sequence of events that ultimately resulted in a No. 1 finish will live among Clemson faithful for as long as the game is played.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers moved 88 yards in six plays to set the table for their first championship since the 1981 season.

There were big runs (Deshaun Watson rambled for 15 down to the 1), key passes (Mike Williams and Jordan Leggett both had big gainers) and clutch calls as the Tigers chipped away at Bama’s vaunted defense.

What appeared to be the clincher came when Wayne Gallman punched it in from the 1-yard line at the 4:38 juncture to put Clemson ahead for the first time.

Greg Huegel’s PAT made the score 28-24, but there was plenty of drama left.

Alabama got a big gainer off a halfback pass its next turn with the sticks, and QB Jalen Hurts did the rest, rushing 30 yards for a touchdown just 2:07 from the finish.

The PAT put the Crimson Tide up 31-28, and the Tigers had 127 seconds to win it or force overtime.

They opted for the “W,” traveling 68 yards on nine cool-as-cucumber plays, with Hunter Renfrow reeling in a 2-yard TD pass from Watson with just one second to go.

“We knew they were going to play Cover 0 inside the five, and all we needed was a good pick by (Artavis Scott),” Watson said. “And Tay picked him and Renfrow got in the end zone and I just kind of threw the ball and made sure he caught it, and that’s what he did.”

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Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson hurdles an Alabama defender during the fourth quarter of Monday night’s national championship game.

 

 

 

Watson, the game’s offensive MVP, was 36-of-56 passing for 420 yards and three TDs and also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s the best player in the country,” Swinney said of his signal caller. “If anybody doubts that, it’s ridiculous. He didn’t lose out on the Heisman, the Heisman lost out on him. This was his Heisman tonight.”

Renfrow had 10 catches for 92 yards and two TDs, while Williams had eight catches, 94 yards and a score.

“I’m thinking, with six seconds, we’re rolling right, even if we get sacked, we can still call timeout,” Renfrow said. “Just an unbelievable play by Deshaun. Artavis Scott did a great job on the outside getting a little rub, and it was an awesome play call by our coaches.”

Ben Boulware was defensive MVP, joining Carlos Watkins and Kendall Joseph with six tackles.

Jadar Johnson had four solo tackles and three assists.

After O.J. Howard — who ran wild against the Tigers in last year’s title bout — scored on a 68-yard pass play late in the third quarter to give Nick Saban and company a 24-14 advantage, it looked as though Bama was destined for a repeat.

Clemson had other plans, though, as Williams scored on an 11-yard pass play with exactly 14 minutes remaining.

Huegel’s extra point after the score pulled Clemson to within a field goal at 24-21, and another Tide-Tiger clash was headed for a second consecutive fantastic finish.

“I think our guys played really, really hard,” Saban said. “I think they made some fantastic catches and some great throws and catches, and the last couple drives when they had the ball, and you know, we just didn’t make a play when we needed to. We needed to get a sack. We needed to get a takeaway. We needed to get a stop in the red zone, and they made the plays and we didn’t.”

With his team leading 14-7 entering the third quarter, Alabama’s Ryan Anderson stripped Gallman of the ball on the first drive of the second half, putting the Tide in business at the Clemson 16.

The Tiger defense kept the Tide out of the end zone, but Adam Griffith’s 27-yard field goal upped the advantage to 17-7.

tigersinset3At the 7:10 mark, though, Clemson made its biggest move.

Starting at the Alabama 42 after a shanked punt, the ACC champs scored in four plays — the last a 24-yard Watson-to-Renfrow TD connection.

Huegel kicked the PAT, and at 17-14 there was nothing yet settled in Tampa.

At the outset, there was little indication this matchup would fall into the “one for the ages” category.

After holding Alabama to a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, Clemson moved the markers on its first turn with the ball. However, the drive stalled at the Crimson Tide 39, and a fourth-down play went nowhere.

Bama took advantage of the gamble, going 59 yards in three plays to get on the board. A roughing-the-passer penalty helped set the table for Bo Scarbrough’s 25-yard scoring scamper, a dash that left Johnson twisting.

The kick put the defending champs in front, 7-0, at the 9:23 mark of the first quarter.

Defenses dominated the rest of the quarter, with Tanner Muse partially blocking a Tide punt and the Alabama defense recovering a fumble at the Tigers’ 35.

But the teams swapped ends of the field with no further scoring.

That all changed at the 10:42 mark of the second quarter when Scarbrough broke loose again.

Capping a 74-yard, five-play march, Scarbrough scooted around end from 37 yards out — breaking a tackle along the way — and went the distance to put the Tide up by two scores.

But back came the Tigers.

Midway through the second stanza, a screen pass to Deon Cain went for 43 yards, and a 26-yard third-down toss to Leggett gave Swinney’s team a first down at the enemy 13.

Watson capped off a seven play, 87-yard journey with an 8-yard run on a drive that took just 1:43.

Trailing 14-7 at the break, Clemson was back in it.

Thirty minutes later, the Tigers were alone at the top of the college football world.

“The difference in the game was the love we had for each other,” Swinney said. “This was a blessing, and it’s surreal. Eight years ago, (former Clemson athletic director) Terry Don Phillips gave me a chance to lead this program. We set out to put Clemson back on top. We came up short last year, but tonight the Clemson flag is flying at the top of that mountain.”

 

Council to look at recreational funding accounts

Rocky Nimmons/Courier
Judge Karen Roper swears in newly elected Pickens County Council members, from left, Carl Hudson, Chris Bowers, Roy Costner and Wes Hendricks in council chambers last week.

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — Newly elected Pickens County councilman Roy Costner was been elected council chairman last week.

Getting to Know Jerry Mac Jones

erry Mac Jones was born at home in Westminster on May 7, 1938. He attended Westminster Grammar School and graduated from Westminster High School in 1956.

After graduation from high school, Jerry started working at J.P. Stevens Clemson Plant as the order clerk. He worked there for one year before enlisting into the U.S. Navy in 1957.

Jerry received his basic training at Great Lakes, Ill. When he completed his training, he was transferred to Norman Naval Air Technical Training Center located in Norman, Okla. He was trained to become an aviation machinist mechanic. Eight weeks later, after he completed his training, he was transferred to the VP-48 Seaplane Squadron Station in Iwakuni, Japan. He was there for six months before being transferred to North Island Naval Station in San Diego, Calif. He was there for one year as a crew member, training pilots, before being sent back to Iwakuni. He served four years in the Navy and was discharged with the rank of petty officer 3rd class.

After his discharge, he returned to his hometown of Westminster and got a job working at the Sangamo Electric Plant in Pickens. He worked in the shipping department there for three months before being transferred to the Sangamo Electric Plant in Oconee County. He worked there for three years as the shipping supervisor.

neighborHis next job was at Singer Diehl Division in Greenville. He was the shipping and warehouse manager there for 19 years.

In 1983, Jerry went to work at the Carolina Electric Motor Repair Shop in Anderson. He worked there as a motor mechanic until he retired in 2002.

Jerry met his wife, Elizabeth Wilson, in March 1962. They dated for six months before marrying on Sept. 22, 1962. They chose to live in Pickens, where Jerry still lives. He and Elizabeth were married for 54 years. Elizabeth died Aug. 29, 2016.

Jerry enjoys fishing. He said it is one of his favorite things to do. He likes to fish at Lake Keowee and at Lake Hartwell.

He said his family always enjoyed taking vacations together. They went to Cherry Grove at North Myrtle Beach almost every summer.

Jerry is a member of the Pickens Senior Center. He goes there to visit with his friends and enjoy the good food served there.

Jerry sings in the choir at Grace United Methodist Church in Pickens. He is a member there.

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.

 

Wreck kills Easley woman

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — An Easley woman died from injuries sustained in a car accident in Pickens on Jan. 3.

Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley said Sylvia Pettyjohn, 74, of Lucille Avenue, was pronounced dead at AnMed Health Cannon hospital following the accident.

According to a city of Pickens news release, the accident occurred at 5 p.m. on Pendleton Street, near Boothe Street.

The accident occurred when a Chevrolet SUV struck a Jeep Liberty from behind. The SUV then veered off and struck a utility pole across from Jefferson Street.

Pickens County EMS, Pickens city firefighters and Pickens police officers responded to the accident.

Pettyjohn died from blunt-force trauma, Kelley said. She was not wearing a seatbelt.

Two others in the Chevrolet were injured, the release said. One suffered a broken arm. The other, who had more serious injuries, was transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital.

The driver of the Jeep was treated and released from Cannon.

The accident is being investigated by the Pickens City Police Department, the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Pickens County Coroner’s Office.

 

Paying with cheesesteak

Pickens Family Chiropractic, located on Main Street in Pickens, is always up for supporting the Pickens Police Department. Owner Brian Dooley is a fan of the New York Giants and recently made a bet with Inky’s Cheesesteaks in Easley on the outcome of a recent New York Giants vs. Phildelphia Eagles game. Dooley lost the bet, but the loss was a win for the Pickens PD. The stakes were if he lost, he had to provide Inky’s authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks and hoagies to the department for lunch. Dooley is pictured making good on his bet to the smiles of the officers on duty.

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Woman dies in Friday wreck in Clemson

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

CLEMSON — A Pendleton woman died after her vehicle struck another Friday afternoon in Clemson.

Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley said Janice M. Ayers, 60, of Whitfield Drive, died at Oconee Memorial Hospital following the accident, which occurred at 12:19 p.m. last Friday.

Kelley said Ayers was driving on Tiger Boulevard in Clemson when her vehicle crossed the center line and struck another vehicle.

The accident is being investigated by the Clemson City Police Department.

 

Boomer and Baby Jesus

We’ve owned many dogs in our lifetime, and no two dogs are alike. When we lost Red Dog at age 14, we knew there’d never be another like him. But his death left a huge hole in our lives. We didn’t know it, but the children had decided, after seeing Red Dog at Thanksgiving, that they would give their daddy a puppy. They wanted a puppy as much like Red Dog as possible so that when Red Dog was no more we’d already have a young dog who had benefited from Red Dog’s wisdom and training.

Courier Letters to the Editor

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