Yearly Archives: 2020
Mom, I.O.U.
I imagine Mother’s Day is a very sad occasion when it comes around for the first time after you’ve lost your mother. For a mother who loses a son, it must be that much more sorrowful to face the day without him for the first time.
So my heart goes out to Maud Bryant, Browning Bryant’s mom, who lost the bright shining star in her life late last year.
She told me, though, that as she approaches this holiday, she has found solace in a letter he wrote to her for her 90th birthday in 2016. I later found out that the letter was adapted from a Jimmy Dean song called “I.O.U.” that reached the country top 10 in 1976.
Browning intended to read it to her at her birthday party, but it was so noisy, he didn’t get to. But she came across it the other day and offered to share it.
“Let me tell you, this letter that he wrote to me, every mother would certainly appreciate what he had to say to me,” she said.
I agree with her on that. Pretty much everything he said would apply to my mom, too.
Browning, in case you don’t know, was a Pickens native who rose to national fame as a singer in his
County receives disaster declaration
PICKENS — Oconee and Pickens counties were among seven South Carolina counties to receive disaster declarations from President Donald Trump as a result of tornado and storm damage April 12-13.
The declaration allows residents affected by the storms to get help with eligible storm-related costs not covered by insurance.
The president also approved federal aid to supplement state and local agency recovery efforts in
No details released on elderly victim
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens County’s first COVID-19-related death happened on April 17, according to officials.
“We didn’t know it because the person that was involved apparently wasn’t admitted or being treated for COVID-19,” acting county administrator Ken Roper said Monday morning during a Facebook Live video update. “It was discovered after the person passed that COVID-19 was a
School district official: No policy on minimum grades
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — School District of Pickens County spokesman John Eby said last week there is no district 
policy or recommendation for whether teachers set a floor for minimum grades based on class assignments and exams.
However, Eby added that doesn’t mean individual schools can’t have their own policy for minimum grades.
“Students can still earn down to zero on individual assignments and exams, but principals may set floors on grading for their schools,” he said. “But if principals set no schoolwide expectations, teachers have discretion on how low they may grade assignments and exams.”
When it comes to quarterly grades and report cards, Eby said
Pickens Rec holding signups for football, cheerleading season
PICKENS — The city of Pickens Recreation Department and Pickens Youth Athletic Corporation are currently registering youth for the fall 2020 cheerleading and football season.
The deadline for registration is June 10. Parents can register their children at the Pickens Recreation Center on Sangamo Road in Pickens or find the registration form online at cityofpickens.com.
The following age divisions are offered: 6 years old/100 pounds; 7-8 years old/120 pounds; 9-10
The tuxedo in the attic
Uncle Walter had lived a full life before we children came into the picture.
We thought of him as our uncle — the one who drove the car, ran a truck farm, the gin and sent us on errands and assigned tasks.
Most of his instructions began with “Run in yonder and bring me my” cane, keys, etc. or “Run out yonder and get the” corn for supper, eggs, tomatoes, mail, etc.
We thought of him as old — almost ancient. But Uncle Walter had a life we knew nothing about as children. I suppose we thought, as children do, that noting much had happened before we were there, but that belief was shaken one summer day.
Grandmama wanted to clean out the attic. We were available, so up the ladder we went with
DHEC and death certificates
When I die, I expect friends, acquaintances and perhaps strangers to ask a common question: “How did he die?”
The answer to that question for all persons who die in South Carolina is recorded on an official state 
record — a death certificate. If a death is attended by a physician, the physician states the manner and cause of death on an official form. If the death is unattended by a physician, the manner and cause of death is recorded by a coroner or a medical examiner.
Those forms must be forwarded by the physician or coroner to the embalmer or funeral director taking possession of the body, and this information is to be included in a death certificate that is filed by the
Letters to the Editor 5-6-20
Supporting Gravely for council seat
Dear Editor,
I’m the owner of small business LaRue Fine Chocolate and a lifelong resident of Pickens County. I’m not usually a letter to the editor writer, but the upcoming Pickens County Council District 3 race has me pretty excited.
I think now more than ever it is important to elect officials who actually care about their constituents and understand that they are our public servant and should always selflessly put aside their ego and their best interest to serve the interest of the community.
For years in District 3, we’ve been shuffling through the same people running the same campaigns. The current incumbent has never risen to the challenge of the office. And Alex Saitta, whose name is printed on the “Opinion” page more than most, may have a new campaign “look,” but he’s the same
Courier Obituaries 5-6-20
RANDY EDWARD WHITE
EASLEY — Mr. Randy Edward White, 62, husband of Donna Renner White for 34 years, passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2020.
Born in Kingsport, Tenn., a son of the late Ernest J.B. White and Ella Fields Justus, Randy loved to go cruising and traveling every chance he had. He also loved to watch NASCAR and basketball, and was a huge University of Tennessee Volunteers fan. He loved all his animals, and it was obvious that they loved him, too.
Surviving, in addition to his wife and mother, is a son, Jonathan White (Amanda); two sisters, Anita Hensley (Allen) and Karen Darnell (Steve); half-brother, Mark White; stepfather, Curtis Justus; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his father, Randy was preceded in death by two brothers, Roy “Ernie” White and
Blessing box in Six Mile
Nevaeh Grace Woodson, a junior at D.W. Daniel High School, is currently Little Miss S.C. Teen Miss Clemson. Woodson will be competing for LMSC Teen Miss South Carolina in July. All contestants are encouraged to do community service projects. On Sunday, April 26, Woodson opened a “community blessing box pantry” where those in need can take what they need and people can leave what they can to help others, located at the Kwik Mart at 302 N. Main St. in Six Mile. The box is for anyone who is strugging as a result of recent shutdowns or layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The box contains non-perishable food items, as well as toiletries. Her goal is to hopefully get the community involved to keep the box supplied.
