Central Railroad Festival is this weekend

Special Edition in the week’s Courier

CLICK TO READ THE RAILROAD FESTIVAL EDITION

Welcome to the 10th annual Central Railroad Festival! We’re glad to have you and your family with us and hope that you will have a wonderful, fun-filled day. If you’ve been to the Railroad Festival before, we appreciate your continued attendance and support. If this is your first time with us, you’ve got a lot to see, do & enjoy: great food, craft vendors, and a wide variety of free entertainment and attractions. Best of all, WE HAVE TRAINS!

This insert is your guide to everything you and your family need for an unforgettable day of fun. We’ve included maps, schedules and information about the day’s exciting activities. You’ll also see details about our sponsors, who have once again helped us present this

PICKENS — An Easley man was found guilty last week of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2016, 13th Circuit solicitor Walt Wilkins said in a news release.

Matthew Jamie Bryant, 36, of 100 Hidden Acres Drive, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in April 2016, when police said he forced the teen into a bedroom at a home in Easley, threw her onto a bed and assaulted her against her will.

Bryant was found guilt and sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime on the sex offender registry, according to the news release. Wilkins added Bryant won’t be eligible for parole until he serves at least 85 percent of his 15-year sentence.

Wilkins’ news release said Bryant denied being at the girl’s home when

he was interviewed by Pickens County Sheriff’s Office investigators, but DNA testing later proved he committed the assault.

SIX MILE — The historic Town of Six Mile will be buzzing with happenings over the next week, as the public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony for a historical marker for the Cherokee Trading Path on Tuesday, April 30.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. and feature many guest speakers, including Ehren Foley of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, James B. Jeffries of the Clemson University Department of History and Geography, associate director of the USC Lancaster Native American Studies Center Christopher Judge, Pickens County Historical Society president Ken Nabors and Dennis Chastain, a well-known local historian.

The marker will be unveiled by Six Mile Town Councilman James Atkinson and Nabors.

On display will be a collection of 1720-1760 British Army artifacts found at researched camps located along the Cherokee Trading Path presented by Russ Hebert III.

Light refreshments will be offered afterward by Select Bank in

recognition of the four-year anniversary of Our Bank in the Six Mile Community Room. There will also be tours of Our Bank and other refreshments at the bank site downtown as well.

This Thursday, April 26, things will get started leading up to the marker dedication with the season opening of the Six Mile Farmers Market. The market will offer fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, plants, goat milk and cheese, fudge, crafts and other locally produced farm items. The event will kick off at 4 p.m. and run until 7 p.m. with music and free food. The farmers market will continue until September every Thursday. Spaces are available for $5 per week or $25 for the full season. Contact Rita Martin at Six Mile Town Hall at (864) 868-5078 or visit sixmilesc.org for more information about getting a space.

On Friday, April 27, the Six Mile Music Festival — part of the Clemson Music Festival — will kick off at 6 p.m. with Buffalo Barfield. The Eric Scott Band will take the stage at 7 p.m. The event will benefit the town and is a free event, with donations for a plate supper.

EASLEY — A long-anticipated project to extend S.C. Highway 153 in Easley is finally getting underway.

The purpose of the extension is to alleviate congestion on U.S. Highway 123 and to provide an alternate route through the eastern and northern portions of the city of Easley, according to South Carolina Department of Transportation officials.

The project is scheduled to connect S.C. 153 from its current ending

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