Category Archives: News
County library director fired
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Just four months before her firing last week, Pickens County Library 
System director Stephanie Howard was honored by a statewide library group for her “leadership and commitment to protecting the right of all individuals to read, learn and think freely.”
The South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) awarded Howard with the Intellectual Freedom Award, which “honors those who have advanced awareness and defense of the right to seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction through advocacy, education
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Hinton to succeed Lovinggood as Blue Ridge President, CEO
PICKENS — The Blue Ridge Electric Co-op announced last week that President and 
CEO Jim Lovinggood is set to retire at the end of 2026 after more than four decades of distinguished service, but a familiar, local face is set to succeed the respected CEO.
The Blue Ridge Board of Trustees unanimously named Zachary Hinton as Lovinggood’s successor — only the fourth in the cooperative’s history, a testament to the organization’s long-standing stability. Hinton will step into his new role in January 2027.
“This is the right time for my family and me to enter into this next phase of life, and it’s hard to put into words just how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to work with so many great people,” Lovinggood said. “I will have more
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Hagood Mill Foundation asks county to continue support
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Members of the Hagood Mill Foundation are asking Pickens County Council to continue to fund the Hagood Mill Historic Site, but the council’s chairman says such funding to private organizations is based on need.
In a press release issued Feb. 27, the foundation urged continued funding for the site, “a County-owned historic property and public asset managed by the Hagood Mill
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Liberty wrestlers win state titles
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
FLORENCE — Nearly two dozen wrestlers from around Pickens County descended upon on the Florence Center looking to make their mark at the South Carolina High School League individual state wrestling championships on Feb. 20 and 21.
Liberty High School had the most successful day on the mat of the local schools with six
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Daniel boys ousted by Lancaster in round 3
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Having watched a double-digit second half lead slip away, the Daniel High 
School boys basketball was in dire straits down 65-57 with three minutes remaining in their third-round matchup with Lancaster on Tuesday night.
With the season on the line, junior guard James Epting caught fire for Daniel hitting a pair of threes and a putback to cut the deficit down to
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Library youth programs canceled for book review
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Users of the Pickens County Library System will experience changes in services offered going forward for a time, including the cancellation of many of its youth programs as library staff begin to review more than 86,000 books after a change in the librarie’s collection policy.
The changes are necessary due to the need to reallocate staff time to implement recent
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County plans new ambulance facility in Pickens
By Mike Pulley
Special to the Courier
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens County is planning to build a new ambulance staging facility in the city of Pickens.
At its Feb. 17 meeting, council discussed one of two locations for the new facility, known 
as EMS Medic 1. The new facility will replace a temporary home for Medic 1 that operates out of a manufactured building adjacent to the Rescue Squad 7 station at 121 Ann St. in
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