COLUMBIA — It is still unclear if nearly 200 candidates across the state will see their names on primary election ballots after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled last week that candidates should have filed financial paperwork when they filed to run for office no later than March 30.

CLEMSON — Three men were arrested last week after Clemson Police said a game of basketball ended in a shootout.
During the evening of April 30, Clemson officers responded to a call of shots fired at Dawson Park, located at the intersection of S.C. 76 and Old Stone Church Road.

PICKENS — With less than a week to go until showtime, the Blue Ridge Fest was forced to come up with a replacement act after Bobby Rydell cancelled his appearance.
Rydell is facing back surgery, and his doctor has advised him not to travel or perform.

PICKENS — The Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Aging has approved the Senior Citizens of Pickens, Inc. for a $100,000 grant from the Senior Center Permanent Improvement Program (PIP) for the renovation of their community center. After applying a required local match, the total grant amount is $125,000.

NORRIS — The Town of Norris invites everyone to attend its annual Fun Festival this Saturday.
The festival will be held at the Norris Recreational Park, located on S.C. 137, just off of S.C. 93 in Norris.
The first-ever Norris Fun Fest, sponsored by the town, will be held May 12 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. This will be a great family event that will include live entertainment all day, cake walks, games with prizes, inflatables, sack races, a hula hoop contest, door prizes, and Thomas the Train rides.

SIX MILE — Six Mile Fire Chief Ronnie Duncan has spent most of his life answering calls for help.
Duncan volunteered in his role as chief since 1986, having served as a volunteer for the Six Mile Fire Department since 1977, but retired effective May 1.
Duncan’s retirement comes as county officials assume the duties for fire safety in Six Mile, under the leadership of Mikey Barrett as of July 1.

SIX MILE — The 2012 Issaqueena Festival will be held on Saturday, May 19, from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. in downtown Six Mile.
Main Street will be closed from Liberty Highway to Six Mile Baptist Church during the festival. There will be free entertainment provided, including The Hotfoot Cloggers — children and adults who will be performing during several entertainment breaks.
There will be plenty of room to sit down and enjoy the entertainment under tents along Main Street.

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth and final installment of a multi-part series of interviews conducted between Courier staff reporter Nicole Daughhetee and SDPC board trustee Jim Shelton, a former board chair.

“When you roll all those things together, when you roll in the ongoing projects, when you roll in Gettys, you come up with $9.15 million that was the total cost of the bond,” explained SDPC board trustee Jim Shelton.
As with so many other things in life, the circumstances surrounding the bond issue are not black and white. There is always grey area, and, as Shelton continues to impart, various other elements that came into play during the discussions leading up to the adoption of the $9.15 million bond.

GREENVILLE — In what has become an annual occurrence, the School District of Pickens County is once again home to the South Carolina state champion mechatronics team.
Mechatronics programs teach students to combine mechanical and electrical engineering principles and since 2004, the team from Pickens County has won first place 7 times at the statewide SkillsUSA competition held in Greenville.

COUNTY — Those entering the Pickens County Courthouse will no longer be allowed to bring bags of any kind, including handbags and backpacks, according to Pickens County Clerk of Court Pat Welborn.
Welborn told the Courier Monday that five signs have been placed around the courthouse informing those who have business at the facility that the new policy is in effect.