Monthly Archives: September 2020
Head-on collision claims Easley resident
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A 72-year-old Easley man died Thursday morning after his pickup truck was hit head-on.
Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley identified the victim as Mark Brent Smith of Davidson Drive.
The accident happened around 11:42 a.m. on S.C. 124, three miles east of Easley, according to the
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County records 3 more virus deaths
COLUMBIA — South Carolina officials have reported three new COVID-19 deaths in Pickens County 
over the past week, increasing from last week’s total of two.
As of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Monday release, the agency had reported the confirmed death of three elderly people over the previous week. Tuesday’s numbers
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Roper applauds SDPC approach to school, safety
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — COVID-19 is “a very nuanced and intricate foe that we’re fighting,” Pickens County administrator Ken Roper said.
KEN ROPER
Roper gave an update on COVID numbers during a video posted to Facebook Friday.
As of Friday, Pickens County had 315 active cases of COVID-19, Roper said.
The county had had a total number of 2,737 confirmed positive cases during the pandemic as of Monday afternoon, according to
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District provides six-week schedule, virus update
EASLEY — The School District of Pickens County announced its second six-week instruction schedule last week amid the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to feature a mix of face-to-face and 
remote learning.
In a letter to parents, superintendent Danny Merck said the second six-week schedule from Oct. 5-Nov. 13 will include face-to-face instruction for 3-year-old kindergarten through second grade for all six weeks, face-to-face instruction for grades 3-5 for five of the six weeks and remote learning Nov.
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Candidate town hall planned this week
CLEMSON — Clemson University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will be sponsoring a candidate town hall at 5 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 24.
The candidates for Clemson mayor, South Carolina State House District 3 and Clemson City Council will speak to the public and answer a few questions about their campaigns. The League of Women Voters will also be present to help register voters and
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COVID Task Force plans virtual town hall meeting
PICKENS — The city of Pickens COVID Task Force will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 5 p.m. Sept. 30 with a panel made up of local school officials.
Dr. Geanice Holton will serve as the moderator for the event.
The meeting will be livestreamed via Facebook by Around Pickens and the city of Pickens.
Citizens are encouraged to submit questions that they may have about the virus and local schools on the city of Pickens website under the Pickens COVID Response tab.
Pickens downs cross-county rival Easley in first volleyball match as region foes
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team traveled to Easley for its second contest of the season and defeated the Lady Green Wave in an exciting match that went to four sets. This year the teams are in the same 4A Region 1, making the contest especially significant.
The Lady Blue Flame also defeated region foe Travelers Rest and played on Saturday in the Tournament of Champions at Dorman High School in Spartanburg.
The Easley match was played Sept. 15 at Easley High School, and a large contingent of fans was on hand from both sides. The Lady Blue Flame won the first set 25-19, but the Lady Green Wave stormed back and took the set second 19-25. The third set was a thriller, won by Pickens 26-24, and the Lady Blue Flame closed out the match in the fourth set 25-17.
“These girls put their words into action against Easley when we discussed the difference between hard work and competition,” said Lady Blue Flame Coach Rikki Owens. “They showed up ready to compete, and each one reached their goals they had written out in the practice before the match.”
In the Easley match, Pickens junior Caroline Lucas led her team with 11 kills, followed by junior Calie Covey with nine. Sophomores Faith Clarkson and Lauren Dow were tied with five kills apiece. Junior Bailee Earnhardt was the team leader in digs with 20, and
PRA announces new Pickens Revitalization Challenge
PICKENS — The Pickens Revitalization Association has announced the Pickens Revitalization Challenge — a new take on the Main Street Challenge of past years.
The challenge represents an entrepreneurial start-up competition for the purpose of generating 
additional retail occupancy in Pickens. At the same time, it provides a means by which local, area and regional entrepreneurs can advance their desire to expand or open a new business.
Pickens Revitalization Association will award a cash incentive up to $10,000 for start-up
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Vaccines — how do they work?
When a bacteria or virus enters our body, it attacks and multiplies. This invasion is an infection that causes us to become ill. Do we have a mechanism to fight this intrusion? Yes, it is called our immune 
system. It is a system that recognizes this invasion and sets off a response from a variety of white cells in our body that seek out and destroy the enemy. An analogy would be likened to a missile defense system in military terms. Such as, if a missile was fired at us from an enemy source, our defense system would recognize it and unleash our own missile that would intercept and destroy it, keeping us safe.
So in turn, what can a vaccine do for us? If
We can always hope for better things to come
This is 2020. Things have changed. Young women today who have children may have never been told that the reason they will not be hired for a job is because they have children.
But it used to happen. And I do speak from experience.
When our youngest child started school, a “help wanted” ad ran for a position at the radio station. They were looking for an advertising copy writer. I applied for the job and was called for an interview. Great!
When I went in for the interview, everything went well. Until I was asked if I had children. The answer was yes. And then I was told that I would have gotten the job if I didn’t have children. The station owner told me having
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