Man dies in officer-involved shooting at Easley Walmart
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com EASLEY — Authorities said a man died after being shot by at least one More »
Welcome to the 40th annual Azalea Festival
When the Azaleas are blooming in Pickens, South Carolina, the little town celebrates!” For over 40 years, Pickens has celebrated More »
PCMOW head fears mailer may mislead donors
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com COUNTY — The executive director of Pickens County Meals on Wheels worries that those More »
Easley tops Greenville to win region championship
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com EASLEY — With a chance to take home their first region championship since 2021, More »
Candlelight vigil to be held in memory of overdose victims
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS – An event Thursday evening aims to honor and remember those who have been lost to fatal drug overdoses.
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died from overdose and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind, according to Kim Chastain with Foothills Fentanyl Fight, a newly-formed coalition dedicated to fentanyl awareness.
“I had made contact with so many parents and loved ones that had the same heartbreaking story I had so I knew we had to come together
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Two arrested on Fentanyl charges
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Two men face drug charges after an undercover investigation by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a news release issued Monday, the agency’s Special Operations Unit conducted an undercover investigation in Pickens County, which led to multiple drug warrants being issued for Brett William Ferguson.
Special Operations Unit agents and members of the sheriff’s office’s Community Action Team executed a search warrant at Ferguson’s home on Aug. 16, the release said.
Ferguson was found to be in possession of a revolver and a trafficking weight of
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Woman charged in recent burglary
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — A woman is charged with burglary in connection with an incident reported earlier this month.
According to a release issued on Aug. 24 by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Uniform Patrol Division deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress at Inside Mini Storage in Central on Aug. 13.
The suspect fled on foot before deputies arrived, the release said.
K9 officer Kona was deployed and tracked the suspect, identified as Melissa Ann Gilstrap, to a
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Keowee Lodge looks to find past members
PICKENS — The Keowee Lodge #79 A.F.M. of Pickens is planning an awards night and the group has a lot of brothers that they can’t get a hold of.
The list includes Joe Neal Dyar, Doyle John Dorsey, James Allen Rowland, James Theo Phillips, Michael Dee Chapman, Samuel Ray Grant, Thomas Vester Smith, Thurman Duncan, Wayne Fred Madden, David Lynn Durham, George William Cage, James Charlie Gilstrap, Nathan Douglas Laster, William Levi Boggs Jr., Jacob Mack Seawright Jr., Phillip Lorne Lovin and Randy Wayne Beaty Sr.
Keowee Lodge #79 A.F.M.. is located at 305A E Main St, in Pickens.
If you know any of these brothers, please contact the Keowee Lodge at (864) 414-2054.
Young Appalachian Musicians hosts camp with support from the SC Arts Commission
COUNTY —The Young Appalachian Musicians (YAM) program completed two weeks of Traditional Arts and Music Camp at the Holly Springs Center in Pickens. Sixty students attended camp each week.
While at camp, students new and old learn to play traditional Appalachian instruments by ear. They spent the mornings at camp learning their instrument of choice.
Afternoons were spent exploring other hands-on activities, such as pottery, stained
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Lady Blue Flame go 1-1 in home tri-match
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team kicked off their season on Aug. 24 in the friendly confines of Peggy 
Harden Anthony Gymnasium at Pickens High School. That evening Pickens hosted a tri-match with Wren and T.C. Roberson.
The Lady Blue Flame team began the tri-match playing against the Roberson Rams, who made the trip down the mountain from Asheville, N.C. Roberson took the first set 26-28, but Pickens came back to win the next two sets 27-
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A loony legislator, a celestial symbol, a fond farewell
Today’s topics are blazin’ hotheads, a question mark in the sky, and farewell too soon to “Little O.”
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I heard a Texas state legislator on the radio the other day talking about “activist cities” in the Lone Star state passing “job-killing” ordinances.
These progressive do-gooders were insisting that employers allow their employees who work outside in the summer heat to take a 10-minute “water break” every four hours.
This is just my opinion, but if any company would consider such a rule so overbearing that they
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Miss Queen and the judge
Frances Hagood was the youngest of nine. She was petite, pretty and precocious. Her father doted on her and called her “Queen,” and she was soon known as “Miss Queen” in Pickens County.
Her father did not want her to marry, and she cared for him until he died in 1904 — and that same year, she married Judge Thomas Joab Mauldin.
They built an addition to the house, originally built in 1856, added fluted Ionic columns and
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Letters To The Editor 8-30-23
Councilman explains his budget vote
Editor,
In a 4-2 vote, the county council passed $85.6 million in total spending for the fiscal year 2023-24, the budget that started this July 1. I voted “No” for a variety of reasons I want to explain.
Total revenue is up from $75.5 million to $84.4 million, or 12.1 percent year over year. That’s a lot.
There is lots of savings, too. The total unassigned general fund cash balance was $32.7 million, so that’s a 62 percent cash position relative to the general fund budget. The standard is 15-25 percent. Because cash on hand is so high and interest rates have gone up, the county has
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If the dark side can deceive one generation
A child’s mind is like a sponge that is constantly absorbing more information. This can be a good thing if they are learning about God and how to develop a personal relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, a Godless society along with a secular public education system moved away from the golden rules, which were considered our Heavenly Father’s standard for holy and obedient
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