Daily Archives: 01/27/2026
Clunky Phones & Party Lines
In rural Georgia the party line was our lot back in the early 1950s. When the phone 
rang, we counted. Our phone rang two times. Three for another and so forth. Today’s younger set sure missed out on some fun times. Well, that’s okay. Cell phones will teach them a few lessons.
Back in the day, calls didn’t drop, folks dropped; eavesdropped, that is. Phone privacy didn’t exist. Sarah, the switchboard operator on the Andy Griffith
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Climate change is a farm issue
Whereas: As of June 2025 the carbon dioxide level was 430 ppm the highest it’s been in 
3 million years and increasing at a rate of approximately 4 ppm per year…
And whereas: The Happy Berry Inc., is losing about 18 chill hours a year over the past 20 years, dropping from 1100 chill hours plus or minus to 900 chill hours plus or
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
A trip across the desert
Matthew 2: 13 “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
We are told in the scripture (Matthew 2), when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a star appeared to wise men in the east. Those wise men saw the star and followed it to Jerusalem seeking the Christ child.
“In the east” may have been in Israel or it may have been in the country we today know as Jordan or Iran (Persia or Babylon). Considering their gifts, the wise men may possibly have come from Arabia.
Many have attempted to provide natural phenomenon such as a gathering of planets, to 
explain the star. This writer believes the star was a special, supernatural, one-time appearing object to guide the wise men to Jesus.
Matthew 2: 9 states emphatically the star “went before them and stood over the place where the
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Courier Letters to the Editor 1-28-26
Don’t ask what if?
Dear Editor,
An old year is over and gone and a new year is starting with so much ahead. Like the pages of a book we turn over another page to be read one day at a time. What will you write on the pages of the new year? It’s up to you. Believe in yourself!
I’ve seen 71 New Years days but won’t see many more. I may be gone before this one
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Stay ready for the next storm
In many areas of the country it’s been a harsh winter. Snow, ice, wind, flooding … we’ve seen it all, sometimes several of those at the same time. We need to be prepared for 
whatever Mother Nature throws at us.
The first step is to know what’s coming, and when. While the local news and weather can be your trusted source, having other options can’t hurt. I like Wunderground (also known as Weather Underground) for the way it can target my area and
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Upcountry Fiber reports millions of cyber threats blocked
PICKENS — Broadband internet service providers Upcountry Fiber and West Carolina have released their annual cybersecurity trends data, covering the nearly 7.53 million 
intrusions detected, and web threats, viruses, and malware blocked across their 54,000 customers in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, McCormick, Pickens and Oconee counties. Through their Wifi X service, Upcountry Fiber and West Carolina offer network-level security that proactively keeps malicious websites, viruses, and
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
LWVOP receives empowerment grant to expand local voter education efforts
UPSTATE — The League of Women Voters of Oconee and Pickens Counties (LWVOP) is excited to announce that it has been awarded an Empowerment Grant from the League of Women Voters of South Carolina (LWVSC). This grant will provide vital support for Upstate Votes, the organization’s voter education and engagement initiative for 2026.
The grant funding will enable LWVOP to broaden its nonpartisan voter education efforts throughout Oconee and Pickens Counties. With this support, the organization aims to encourage increased participation in both primary and general elections,
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Courier Obituaries 1-28-26
JAMES ‘JIM’ F. STUCKEY
EASLEY — James “Jim” Fountain Stuckey, widower of Barbara Folger Ballentine 
Stuckey, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, one month shy of his 99th birthday, having the sure confidence in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Born on Feb. 10, 1927, he was the son of the late Carson Cleon Stuckey and the late Mary Allene Hanna Stuckey.
Upon graduation from Hartsville High School in 1944, he enlisted in the Army and was discharged when his training program was cancelled. Almost immediately he enlisted in the Navy, trained to be a Navy Pilot, and served for two years. As a veteran, he attended the University of South Carolina before ultimately attending and graduating from Clemson Agricultural College June 1951 with a degree in electrical engineering. Prioritizing family life and his love for Barbara, he chose to work in his father-in-law’s business, Ballentine Hardware, ultimately becoming its owner.
In the progression of years, he was involved in many community groups: He was a
