Monthly Archives: May 2025
Issaqueena Festival set for Saturday
SIX MILE — The Issaqueena Festival will return to downtown Six Mile this Saturday, May 17, promising a full day of entertainment, fitness and family-friendly fun.
Running from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., the annual event will take place along Main Street and will highlight local Native American history and folklore. Festivalgoers can enjoy storytelling, traditional foods and children’s activities,
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Coming home
Rising country music star Whiten returns to Six Mile to perform at Issaqueena Festival
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SIX MILE — After going viral on the internet and moving to Nashville, Tenn., a musician from Six Mile will be returning for a hometown show this weekend.
Blake Whiten will be headlining the Issaqueena Festival on Saturday, May 17.
The Courier spoke with his parents, Windi and Matthew Whiten, on May 8.
Blake’s mother said they bought him “his first little junior guitar” when he was 4 years old.
“By 12 or 13, he was pretty good,” Windi said.
As a kid, Blake tried to jump start his musical career.
“He tried to drop out of middle school to go to Nashville,” Windi said. ‘I wouldn’t let
him. I just laughed it off. I guess he really knew what he was going to do.”
She said her son “got all that talent from his daddy.”
“My dad, my aunts all sang and played instruments,” Matthew said. “I play
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Carter wins VA director election
COUNTY — After a two-week voting period, the results from the advisory election to 
select the next Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer finished up on Friday.
Interim Veterans Affairs director Walt Carter bested local veteran John P. Hembree by a razor-thin margin, taking
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Easley woman charged with forgery, fraud
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
STATE — An Easley woman faces multiple charges following an investigation by the 
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Jakena Edreka Barton, 47, is charged with two counts of forgery with a value less than $10,000 and presenting a false
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Pickens County Council approves ‘25-26 tax cut
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — Pickens County Council voted on a tax cut last week as part of the 
upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
The council approved the second reading of the budget during its regularly scheduled council meeting last
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Blue Flame rally to drop Wren
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — With a trip to the Class 4A Upper State District 1 championship on the 
line, the Pickens High School softball team hosted Wren on Thursday.
After building an early advantage, the Blue Flame fell behind 7-3 in the fifth inning and looked likely to fall into the loser’s bracket of the district. Instead, the Flame rallied, scoring five runs over the next two innings including a go-ahead bunt single by Kylie Thornall to
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Gasic’s late goal pushes Daniel past Hurricanes
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — As time wound down on the Daniel High School boys soccer team’s 
second round playoff matchup with Wren on Saturday night, the Lions knew they had to find the net eventually.
The Lions pressure had come close down the stretch and free kicks from
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Daniel girls fall to Dreher in round 2
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — After a lightning delay and near-disastrous start, the Daniel High School
girls’ soccer team needed to find its footing as it trailed 1-0 against Dreher at the half of Friday’s Class 4A second round playoff game.
The Lions came out of the break strong tying things up on a goal by Jaden Fleming in
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Clemson hears from developer on downtown housing proposal
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — Residents were able to get their first look at a proposal that would bring another student housing complex to downtown Clemson if approved.
Clemson Planning Commission met Monday to review a new multi-story student housing complex proposal among other items at its monthly meeting.
The proposal included a rendering of eight stories
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Remain faithful, your best life is ahead of you
The topic of the afterlife is interesting and I appreciate the comments. I want to remind myself and everyone else that I’m not necessarily dogmatic about certain Biblical 
insights and do not want to seem like an authority on subjects that we will probably not understand until
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