Monthly Archives: January 2026
Do we have faith in God or the world?
Whatever we are concerned about today, faith and discernment are key components of 
our prayers. Without spiritual sensitivity, we do not understand God’s plans, which is why seeking Him empowers and activates our communication with Him. We believe in miracles because we
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Letters to the Editor
Americans dying for Trump’s vanity
Dear Editor,
On Sunday, Donald Trump sent the following message to the president of Norway: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America…The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
How long is a year?
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Memories of my school years bring back nightmares of boredom. Bored was not a word I would have dared use. Had it been, an immediate task would have been issued to end that awful condition!
The thoughts of the hours that seemed like days, the weeks that seemed like years and the years that
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Thieves don’t always do prison time
The reports from the VA’s Office of Inspector General are mind-boggling outlines of just how low scammers will go to steal money, and just how much they are able to take. 
Not all of them, however, will do prison time.
A recent report indicates that one man was able to scam over $1 billion by creating fake medical drug and device claims. This scheme used telemedicine as well as phone calls, the internet and junk mail to con
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Courier Obituaries 1-21-26
MARIE GOOLEY SMITH MITCHELL
SIX MILE — Marie Gooley Smith Mitchell, 100, joined her Heavenly Father on 
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. She was a resident of Clemson Downs in Clemson.
Marie was born on June 14, 1925, in Avalon, Ga., to the late Clarence Monroe Smith and Minnie Mae Shope Smith Brown.
She married Lloyd Ernest Mitchell in Little Rock, Ark., in 1945, and they shared 76years of marriage. Together they made their home in Six Mile, where they lived for 68 years.
Marie was a woman of great faith and love for the Lord. She demonstrated her Christ like spirit through her warm hugs, radiant smile, joyful laughter, perseverance, caregiving and unconditional love for everyone she met.
A devoted homemaker, Marie was also a gardener, farmer and skilled seamstress. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, macramé and many other crafts.
She attended the Anderson School for Girls and was largely self-educated. Marie
Brotherly love leads to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Pickens County family finds ties to Elvis Presley
PICKENS — It’s amazing sometimes what you might discover when you start a journey researching your family tree with today’s technology.
For Pickens County resident Ray Haskett, that journey started when his late brother Roger Haskett started dealing with a form of heart disease that doctors said would greatly shorten his life.
Haskett and his younger brother Mark decided they would get together with Roger one day a week and do something together. These activities included going out to eat or 
going to football games at Appalachian State, Mars Hill or Newberry College. They decided to try to make day trips outside of Pickens County to cross off some of Roger’s bucket list adventure items.
The brothers reminisced about their childhood days, which included memories of and going to
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
YMCA celebrates National Mentoring Month
EASLEY — January is National Mentoring Month, and the YMCA of Easley, Pickens and Powdersville is shining a light on the life-changing impact mentors have on young 
people while calling on the community to step forward and help close a critical need known as the mentoring gap.
According to the National Mentoring Project, one in three youths between the ages of 8 and 18 grows up
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Duke Energy gives tips to save energy during the winter months
UPSTATE — As winter temperatures hit the Upstate, Duke Energy says it is committed to helping customers manage energy costs during the coldest months of the year.
Historically, January is the peak month for energy use as heating systems work harder to keep homes comfortable. The colder it gets, the more energy is
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Now open in Pickens
Table Rock Key and Lock celebrated its grand opening on Jan. 12, surrounded by friends, family, chamber members and community supporters. The event marked the beginning of a new year for the third-generation locksmith, which serves the Upstate with residential, commercial and automotive services. Table Rock Key and Lock offers lock installation and repair, rekeying, key cutting for most residential and office locks, select older automotive keys, and 24/7 assistance for opening homes, businesses and vehicles. The business is located at 104A Ann St. in Pickens.Table Rock Key and Lock celebrated its grand opening on Jan. 12, surrounded by friends, family, chamber members and community supporters. The event marked the beginning of a new year for the third-generation locksmith, which serves the Upstate with residential, commercial and automotive services. Table Rock Key and Lock offers lock installation and repair, rekeying, key cutting for most residential and office locks, select older automotive keys, and 24/7 assistance for opening homes, businesses and vehicles. The business is located at 104A Ann St. in Pickens.
