Daily Archives: 12/17/2025
Run, run as fast as you can
Butterfly Wellness spreads holiday cheer across Pickens
PICKENS — The Butterfly Wellness Yoga team faced a choice this Christmas season — enjoy a traditional company dinner or invest in six towering seven‑foot gingerbread costumes.
They chose the latter — and with the help of Pickens Police Chief Randal Beach, they launched a holiday
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Two die after 183 collision
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Two Inman residents died following a two-car collision on S.C. Highway 183 last week.
The wreck happened at 11:19 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the intersection of S.C. 183 and Jameson Road in Easley, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway.
The collision occurred as a 2025 GMC pickup was traveling south on S.C.
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Body found after blaze in Liberty
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Multiple agencies are investigating after a body was found following a fire in Liberty 
Monday.
Pickens County Coroner Andrew Wilson said in a news release that he and deputy coroner Marsha Alexander responded to 316 Spring Valley Road in Liberty at 5:45 p.m. Monday “in reference to a death in a
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Woman headed to prison for deadly shooting
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A Liberty woman has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after fatally 
shooting her boyfriend three years ago.
In a release issued Dec. 9, 13th Circuit Solicitor Cindy Crick said Nicole Michelle Heape, 31, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on Nov. 8, 2025.
Heape was initially charged with murder and possession of a weapon
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SDPC to buy West End Hall from the city of Easley
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Ownership of West End Hall in Easley will be changing hands after school district officials 
requested the building be sold back to the district.
The sale will benefit the continued and future growth of the district’s Adult Learning Center, according to officials.
In November, Mayor Lisa Talbert said the situation is an unusual one. The school district owns the grounds and gave the city the building.
“It was given to us for $1,” she said. “It’s just a part of our town and it belongs to the school.”
School District of Pickens County superintendent
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Clemson alum donates kidney to stranger
By Ken Scar
Clemson News
news@thepccourier.com
Two men spent years as strangers only miles removed from one another. A life-saving medical 
procedure connected them forever. In this season of selfless giving, here is a story about giving of oneself — literally.
When Jim Westerhold ‘97 announced, he was going to donate one of his kidneys to a stranger earlier this year, many of his friends asked him why. Donating a kidney is a serious procedure, and if he didn’t even know who would receive it, what was in it for him? He says it’s hard to pinpoint, because countless meaningful moments accumulated over his lifetime leading up to the decision, but in the end, it all boiled down to one thing:
“I’ve just been overly blessed, and I couldn’t come up with a
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Jones appointed interim Clemson president
CLEMSON — Clemson University’s Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, Dec. 10, to approve the appointment of an interim president, establish the presidential search committee and begin the process 
to hire a national search firm.
As the board formalized next steps in the process to identify Clemson’s 16th president, board chair Kim Wilkerson also recognized and celebrated the retirement of president Jim Clements following 12 years of service.
“Though we will miss Jim’s leadership dearly, Clemson stands in one of its strongest positions ever,” Wilkerson said. “His legacy will serve as a foundation for the next
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Remembering family
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
Hundreds of families gathered at Hillcrest Memorial Park to light candles in honor of their loved ones during Dillard Memorial Funeral Home’s annual Service of Remembrance, held last Friday evening. Pictured here, Samantha Satterfield, Katherine White, Dean White, David Satterfield, Annabelle White and Brianna Satterfield take part in the emotional service..
