Your Pickens County

EASLEY — An Easley woman is facing arson charges following a house fire at her home on Chandler Road.
According to a release from the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Doni Faith Hale, 33, of 314 Chandler Road was arrested and charged with second-degree arson in connection with the fire.
Deputies say they believe that on August 3, a fire was started intentionally at the home follow an argument Hale had with her husband.
The Easley Fire Department told deputies that it appeared that the fire was started in three separate locations in the home.
According to the release, the Sheriff’s Office said it had received a call from the husband around 9:21 p.m. on the incident date saying that he had left the house and gone for a walk, and upon returning he saw smoke coming from the house.
The house was searched by first responders for Hale, but she was not located. Deputies believe she had fled the house after the fire was set and hid at a nearby residence.
After an investigation conducted by the PCSO, it was determined that the fire was intentionally set.
Hale was located by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office the next day after she returned to the incident location.
The PCSO and the Easley Fire Department are investigating the case.

PICKENS — A Six Mile man is dead following a late-night traffic accident in Pickens.
According to a Tuesday release from Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley, Eddie Grant, 49, of 3016 Walhalla Highway in Six Mile was killed around midnight on Monday when the Ford pickup he was driving left the roadway and flipped.
The vehicle landed in a creek after traveling west on E. Preston McDaniel Highway.
Kelley said Grant was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the truck and found submerged in the creek partially under the vehicle.
Grant was pronounced dead at the scene around noon on Tuesday, Kelley reported.
An autopsy is planned at Greenville Memorial Hospital with the results expected in 6-8 weeks.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.

LIBERTY — Liberty High School is scheduled to move into its new school in the fall of 2011, and all athletic facilities will be on the new campus.
During the 2010 football season, LHS will be honoring some of its former football coaches as the Devils play their last season at the current stadium, which opened in 1961.
“We would like to encourage former players to take the opportunity to get to spend some time with their former coaches,” said LHS athletic director Sherry Haithcock.
The coaches listed below will serve as honorary captains this season. The LHS administration invites former Red Devil players to join them on the track behind the home bench during the pre-game ceremony.
2010 LHS Football Honorary Captains
Sept. 3 (Pickens) — Larry Henderson, Former LHS Asst. Football Coach, Teacher & Asst. Principal
Sept. 24 (Landrum) — Joe Burgess, Former LHS Football Coach, Athletic Director, Teacher
Oct. 1 (Chesnee) — Tyrone Jackson, Former LHS Football Coach, Athletic Director, Teacher
Oct. 22 (Carolina) — Dennis Patterson, Former LHS Football Coach, Athletic Director, Teacher
Oct. 28 (Crescent) — Stan Honeycutt & M. J. Stansell, Former LHS Football Coaches who coached in the first game at Red Devil stadium

PICKENS — Cannon Hospital’s Auxiliary recently hosted a successful golf tournament to benefit the hospital’s Digital Mammography Campaign.
The tournament, held on August 28 at The Rock, had 107 golfers participate and raised a little more than $11,000.
“I am overwhelmed at the outpouring of support for this year’s tournament and the project at hand,” said Amanda Dow, Director of Community Relations at Cannon. “This is by far the most successful tournament to date, and there’s no way we could have done it without our sponsors and those who made donations.”
The sponsors of the event included: Progressive Builders, HMR, AIG Valic, Kelly Owens, Pickens Service Club, Jordan Healthcare Systems, Family Eye Care- Dr. William Spearman, Total Records and Information Management Systems, Corner Café’, The Peoples National Bank, Foothills Internal Medicine, Cameron Construction, Yeary Electrical, Great Oaks Dental, Pickens Savings and Loan, Pickens Dental Associates, Air-Care Home Health, Gravely Law Firm, Piedmont Pathology Associates, Sharp Business Systems, 7 Oakes Pharmaceutical, Commercial Site Solutions & Benefit Company/Assurant.
The proceeds from this year’s tournament will be donated to the hospital’s Digital Mammography Fundraising campaign to raise $365,000, which will help purchase the most up to date technology in the early detection of breast cancer for this community. The campaign to date has raised $260,000 in pledges and donations.
The first place team in the tournament was awarded to Eddie Reynolds, Andy Durham, Blake Buchanan and Zack Satterfield, who received golf for four to The Cliffs.
Second place winners Britt McNeely, Josh LaBoone, Chris Burrell and Collin Johnson received golf for four to The Reserve.

By Zack Mauldin
Editor
EASLEY — There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “You are your own worst critic.”
For Daniel head football coach Randy Robinson, that statement was perhaps never truer than it was Friday night, after his Lions stumbled their way to a 6-0 season-opening loss at Easley.
After the contest, Robinson openly expressed his displeasure with his team’s performance not only against the Green Wave, but throughout the preseason.
“We got exactly what we deserved tonight,” Robinson said. “We haven’t had a good day of practice this whole August. This team has been the most difficult to get to realize that you’ve got to work to be successful. I’ve pushed them, and they’ve done just enough to survive the practices instead of taking the challenge to get better.”
The Lions entered the contest riding a 27-game regular-season winning streak, while the Green Wave registered just their second win since 2007 a week ago against West-Oak.
Robinson had told his team that the streak would not last if their attitude and work ethic didn’t change, and his prediction came true Friday night.
“I have been preaching that it was going to happen,” he said. “It just happened to happen tonight against Easley.”
The Daniel defense dominated the Green Wave, giving up only 81 total yards of offense and two first downs, but the Lions’ deficiencies on offense and special teams were too much to overcome, Robinson said.
“Defensively we did the job, but it’s a team game,” Robinson said. “They beat us in special teams and they killed our offense.”
Easley’s lone touchdown came on a short field after a David Gammon punt from his own 8 yard line sailed out of bounds at the Daniel 33. On the third play after the punt, Green Wave quarterback Zach Lappin, facing immediate pressure from DeShawn Williams, flicked a short desperation pass to running back Malcolm Arnold, who cruised into the end zone for a 29-yard score.
“It came down to one play, and we made it and they didn’t,” first-year Easley coach Chad Smith said. “In a great high school football game, it comes down to stuff like that.”
Smith, who has the Green Wave 2-0 for the first time since 2006, was extremely proud of his team’s effort.
“What makes this win so special, it really means something when you beat a team wearing those gold helmets,” Smith said.
The Lions more than doubled the Green Wave’s offensive output, amassing 207 yards, but were unable to capitalize on opportunities, losing two fumbles and failing to convert on two fourth downs. After the Easley score, Daniel embarked on a 16-play drive that eventually ended at the Green Wave 11 yard line on an incomplete fourth-down pass. The Lions’ next possession also ended on a fourth-down stop in Easley territory.
“The better team won tonight,” Robinson said. “I don’t have a very good football team right now.
“I have four or five kids who would do anything to be successful, but the rest of our seniors and most of our other guys are just going with the flow. They just want to ride the train from last year, and last year’s over.”
Robinson said the problems with his team start at the top and trickle down.
“It’s poor coaching and poor discipline by our team,” he said. “We’re not doing a very good job right now, so we’ve got to find some guys who want to play and do it the right way.
“Something’s going to have to wake them up. I’ve tried everything I know. I’ve tried physical practices, short practices, long practices, but this team doesn’t want to respond.”
Robinson said his offensive line is a major source of the offensive inconsistency.
“There’s a lack of leadership,” he said. “Our offensive line has a lack of discipline. I’ve got three offensive line coaches and me down there coaching them, and we’re not doing a good job.”
The Lions will face a tough test this week, as they travel to historic Sirrine Stadium to face the Greenville Red Raiders.
Daniel met Greenville in the third round of the 2009 state AAA playoffs, registering a 14-7 win at Sirrine.
“Greenville’s physical,” Robinson said. “They’re bigger at every position up front. We’ve got our hands full.”
Robinson said fans may see some new faces when the Lions take the field Friday night against the Raiders.
“After we watch the film (of the Easley game), there will probably be some changes in personnel,” he said. “We’re going to find some guys who want to do it our way.
“We might not be able to run more than two offensive plays, but I’m going to find somebody to do what we teach them.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. this Friday night.