Category Archives: News
WWII vet Pace visits Hagood Elementary for Veterans Day
By Alicia Looper
Special to the Courier
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Hagood Elementary had a unique visitor on Veterans’ Day this year. World War II veteran Jim Pace, 99 years old, came to participate in the school’s parade through the hallways.
Mr. Pace was accompanied by his wife of 78 years, Helen. Jim and Helen married on July 6, 1947 and have four daughters and a son. According to their daughter, Dona Anderson, who also attended the
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LHS football coach retires
LIBERTY — Coming off Liberty High School’s season ending loss on Friday night, Liberty head football Paul Sutherland announced his 
retirement on Monday.
Sutherland joined Liberty in 2021, bringing decades of experience and a proven track record. Before his time with the Red Devils, he led programs at Pendleton High School for 17 seasons and at Franklin County HighSchool in Georgia for three years. His overall head coaching record stands at 161-116.
“Coach Sutherland’s impact on
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This week in the PICKENS COUNTY COURIER’s FOOTBALL FRENZY Sponsored by MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERALS AND CREMATIONS
NO ANSWERS
Camden hands Daniel its largest loss since 2016 in playoff rout
Strom storms past Liberty; Clemson hangs on at Louisville all this and more in this week’s FOOTBALL FRENZY, sponsored by Mountain View Funerals and Cremations available only in the Pickens County Courier.
Do not miss a single issue by grabbing a copy at a convenience, grocery or drug store near you. You can also subscribe and have your Pickens County Courier delivered each week right to your mailbox for only $36 per year (in Pickens County).
Call us today at 864-878-6391 and get your subscription started and never miss any of the action in South Carolina’s best sports section!
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FOLKS scholarship deadline is Friday
Jack Lewis Scholarship to help
students with passion for conservation
UPSTATE — Friends of Lake Keowee Society (FOLKS) has announced the 2025-26 scholarship for high school students who show a strong interest in natural resource 
conservation and the environment.
The scholarship is named in honor of Jack Lewis, whose time with FOLKS spanned more than 20 years, and whose enthusiastic attitude, keen sense of duty and good heart were evident throughout his tenure.
FOLKS strives to turn passion for conservation into action and encourages students to work for the issues they believe in. We believe that every act of environmental stewardship — no matter how small — helps the world
become a better place. Our scholarship will engage students in their community and inspire them to be advocates for the environment, whether local or global. FOLKS awarded scholarships to three students in 2025, all of whom are actively monitoring their streams.
FOLKS would like to recognize and thank The
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Pickens sweeps Bishop England for 18th volleyball championship
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — Having dropped just one set on its way to the Class 4A volleyball state championship, the Pickens High School volleyball team prepared for possibly its biggest challenge yet with the title on the line against the Bishop England Battling Bishops on 
Saturday.
The Bishops, the national leader in volleyball state championships according to the South Carolina High School League, failed to provide much of a challenge for Pickens as the Blue Flame swept the Bishops 3-0 in straight sets to secure Pickens’ 18th volleyball state championship in school history.
“I’m just trying to let this soak in and realize what just happened,” Pickens head coach Mellie Crumpton said after the win. “We are a solid all-around team and we have grit. Our word for tonight was relentless. I told them to be relentless, and that’s what we came out and did.”
The championship win was the second straight for the Blue Flame — their first back-to-back titles since 2013-14.
“Honestly, I’ve just been praying the whole season that we would make it back,” Pickens senior setter Lily Clarkson said. “We just had to believe and trust in God’s plan, and
Balance key for state champs
Last season, when the Pickens High School volleyball team overcame a year of adversity to secure the 17th state championship in school history, I wrote that if 2024 was a
“down” year for Pickens volleyball, I hoped teams would be ready for what was to come from arguably the state’s top volleyball program.
However, it seemed nobody was ready for the Blue Flame in 2025 as they took down the competition with ease on their way to another state championship on Saturday against Bishop England. The win was
Pickens runoff set for Tuesday
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Voters from Pickens will return to the polls one final time this week to 
decide who will take the final Pickens City Council in a runoff election on Tuesday.
Jonathan “Baldo” Baker and Jessica Merrill are set to face off for the final open seat on council in the election. Baker finished with 229 votes in the municipal
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TD Bank closing one Easley branch
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A TD Bank branch in Easley is among the more than 50 locations 
nationwide that the company announced it will be closing.
According to a letter sent to account holders on Oct. 30, the TD Bank located at 5041 Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley will close on Jan. 29.
The letter said all customers’ banking information will remain the
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This week in the PICKENS COUNTY COURIER’s FOOTBALL FRENZY Sponsored by MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERALS AND CREMATIONS
DROUGHT ENDED
Red Devils take down Pelion for first playoff win since 2016
Lions survive Dreher to advance; Easley season in review; Flame fall to westside in round one; Clemson finds footing against FSU all this and more in this week’s FOOTBALL FRENZY, sponsored by Mountain View Funerals and Cremations available only in the Pickens County Courier.
Do not miss a single issue by grabbing a copy at a convenience, grocery or drug store near you. You can also subscribe and have your Pickens County Courier delivered each week right to your mailbox for only $36 per year (in Pickens County).
Call us today at 864-878-6391 and get your subscription started and never miss any of the action in South Carolina’s best sports section! You must be logged in to view this content.
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