Category Archives: News
District names teacher, support employee of year
Rex Brown/Courtesy The Journal
School District of Pickens County superintendent Danny Merck presents West End Elementary School teacher Debra Harris with a $500 check after she was named the district’s teacher of the year on Monday.
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — Although teachers reported Thursday, the School District of Pickens County officially welcomed them back for a new school year Monday at Easley High School with words of encouragement from a state representative and the return of a former student who served as keynote speaker.
While State Rep. Neal Collins and former student Tommy Preston were
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Experts emphasize safety as US prepares for solar eclipse
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — As viewers look to the skies during Monday’s total solar eclipse, they should take steps to not do long-lasting damage to their eyes.
According to Prevent Blindness, “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns, also 
known as solar retinopathy, can result from exposing your eyes to the sun without proper protection during a solar eclipse. Unprotected exposure can cause damage or even destroy retinal cells that transmit what you see to your brain. Solar retinopathy occurs with no pain
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New Beginning
Flame ready to hit the ground running in Smith’s first season
By Cole Little
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — “You think you glorify things in your mind, but, when you come back, you remember that Pickens is a different place. It’s a special place.”
Two decades removed from suiting up on the gridiron as a member of the Pickens Blue Flame, first-year head coach Chad Smith feels as if he never truly left, assimilating back into the community that fostered his love for football rather quickly.
After a successful four-season stint at the helm of the Clover High School football team, which included a playoff appearance last year, Smith opted to return to his alma mater in the offseason, taking the reins of a
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Ready For More
Numbers game key to another successful season for Red Devils
By Jimmy Kirby
Courier Sports
jkirby@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — The Liberty Red Devils and head coach Kyle Stewart are looking to build on the success of the 2016 season, in which they went 8-5, won their first-ever home playoff game and went deep into the playoffs before falling to a strong Saluda team in the third round.
Most fans look for a repeat in 2017. While Stewart is optimistic that this year’s squad can be successful, it will come down to numbers for this team. A number of questions must be answered before the Liberty faithful find out the results come week 10.
First and foremost is the fact that sheer numbers keep Stewart holding his breath. This season’s varsity
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On The Upswing
Green Wave looking for more ups, fewer downs this season
By Eugene Jolley
Courier Sports
ejolley@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The Easley Green Wave had some ups and downs last season, finishing with a 5-6 record and advancing to the first round of the 5A 
playoffs at Greenwood.
Coach John Windham’s boys will be looking for more ups and fewer downs in 2017.
The Green Wave finished third in Region I-5A behind Westside and T.L. Hanna last year.
Entering Windham’s third year, Easley lost a lot from last year’s team — 23 seniors. Tailback and 1,000-yard rusher Will Drawdy is playing at
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Moving forward
After year of improvement, Lions ready to take next step in 2017
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Heading into the season, 2016 was a year of uncertainty for the Daniel Lions.
A young team with a small group of seniors and a new head coach, they seemed destined to repeat the mistakes of the prior season, which ended with a 4-7 record.
However, Jeff Fruster instead led the Lions back to a winning record in his first season as head coach, as Daniel opened 3-0 before eventually finishing 6-5.
Fruster, now in his second season, seems poised for the team to continue its winning ways.
The lessons Fruster learned in his first year are proving invaluable
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Strength from above
More than 60 police officers and other emergency officials gathered for the second annual first responders prayer and appreciation rally at Café Connections in Pickens on Thursday, according to organizers. The turnout was more than double the number of first responders from the event’s first year. Local residents joined the first responders after breakfast for an 8:30 a.m. prayer session, and all first responders were presented with a gift bag to thank them for their service. Above, Rep. Davey Hiott and Sheriff Rick Clark bow their head in prayer at the event. Courtesy photos
Football season starts next week
John Bolton/BoltonPhoto.com
Daniel’s Cody Barnes carries the ball against Walhalla during the Bojangles’ Golden Corner Football Jamboree at Seneca High School on Saturday night.
COUNTY — With the high school football season set to begin next Friday night, local teams will spend this week getting in their final preparations.
The biggest event of the week is set to be the Green Wave Jamboree at Easley High School, scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The first half of action will feature Greer taking on West-Oak, then Liberty
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Police: Central woman had sex with teen
OCONEE COUNTY — A Central woman is charged with criminal sexual conduct after investigators said she engaged in “inappropriate sexual conduct” with a 15-year-old male.
Angelene Francesca Nicole McAnulty, 25, of Brock Street, is charged with
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SWU, county prep for eclipse event
CENTRAL — An event is coming Aug. 21 that is unlikely to repeat itself in our lifetimes, and Southern Wesleyan University will offer one of the best spots on the planet to experience it.
On Aug. 21, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun, but only those within a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina will see one
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