Category Archives: Local News
Three earn Eagle Scout
On Feb. 6, Easley Presbyterian Church was the location for the presentation of the Eagle Scout award to three local scouts. Receiving the award were Ben Branham, son of Greg and Melanie Branham, Skyler Wood, son of Thomas and Tammy Wood, and Chris Baker, son of Keith and Angie Baker and Ben Branham. Skyler Wood and Chris Baker are members of Troop 37, sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Easley.
Courier Community Calendar 2-16-22
• Fleet Reserve to hold monthly meeting
Fleet Reserve Association Branch 15 will meet Saturday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast followed by a business meeting at 9 a.m. at Chicopee United Methodist Church, 403 S. Catherine St., Walhalla.
The organization is open to all former and active duty enlisted U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard personnel. For more information, email spencer.carol@att.net or call (864) 638-7553.
• PLA plans spring book sale Feb. 23-28
It’s that time again for the spring 2022 book sale to benefit the Pickens Literacy Association. Most books are 50 cents and $1 each. There is a large assortment
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Taking the next step
Under the watchful eye of Lions football coach Jeff Fruster, left, and family members, standout Daniel High School defensive lineman Jahiem Lawson signed a letter of intent on National Signing Day last week to stay home and play football at Clemson University. Lawson — whose brother, Shaq, was also a standout at Daniel before turning a Clemson scholarship into a first-round NFL draft selection — will have plenty of familiar faces on campus with him, as five of his teammates from the Lions’ two-time state champion squad also signed with the Tigers as preferred walk-ons. The six future Tigers were among 14 Daniel seniors who signed to continue their athletic careers on the collegiate level, along with six from Liberty High School and two from Easley High School. To read about all of the local athletes who signed with colleges last week, go deeper into our Website/ Bru Nimmons/Courier
Local men hit, killed on roads
COUNTY — The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating separate incidents that claimed the lives of two Pickens County residents on Monday.
Pickens County deputy coroner Heather Harrison identified the victims as 43-year-old Gregory Crocker of Church Street in Pickens and 64-year-old William Wright of Melrose Drive in Easley.
State troopers said both men were hit by vehicles and died, Wright while riding a motorized scooter and
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Easley discusses ARPA funding
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Easley officials held a special called meeting last month to discuss funding the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Council discussed amending the fiscal year 2021-2022 budget to allow $5 million in ARPA funding to be moved into the general fund.
City administrator Shannon Baldwin said $8.8 billion of ARPA funds were sent to South Carolina, with
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YAM adult music camp planned
PICKENS — The Young Appalachian Musicians (YAM) program will hold its adult weekend music camp for the second time at the Holly Springs Center in Pickens on Saturday, Feb. 26, and Sunday, Feb. 27.
Participants can also register to pick and grin at the Oolenoy Jam
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Federal government set to distribute free N95 masks
By Andrea Kelley
Courtesy The Journal
akelley@upstatetoday.com
WASHINGTON — The federal government launched a program in mid-January to distribute free N95 masks across the U.S. to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study about the effectiveness of different types of face masks in reducing the spread of the virus and found N95s were among the most effective.
The study looked at the mask habits of 1,528 people who tested positive for COVID-19 between Feb. 18-Dec. 1, 2021, and 1,511 people who did not have the virus as a control.
Masks were separated into three categories: cloth, surgical and respirator, which includes both N95 and KN95 masks.
The study found consistently wearing respirators reduced a person’s chance of getting COVID-19 by 83 percent. Surgical masks reduce the risk of infection by 66 percent, and cloth masks brought up the rear with
56 percent.
The government pledged to send out 400 million free N95 masks for residents, which White House spokesman Jeff Zients said was “the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history.”
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DHEC pushing Test to Stay program to help keep students in class
By Andrea Kelley
Courtesy The Journal
akelley@upstatetoday.com
COLUMBIA — The “Test to Stay” program South Carolina launched in January was created to keep students in school without having to wait multiple days for 
COVID-19 test results.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) included the program in its school guidelines when students returned after winter break.
The program allows unvaccinated students who were exposed to COVID-19 but aren’t showing symptoms to use
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Easley departments request Rescue Plan funds
EASLEY — The Easley departments that provide public health and safety services requested city leaders use American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide
them with $623,000 in requested equipment and other needs.
Easley City Council discussed those requests and ARPA funding during a special called meeting on Jan. 24.
The city’s Public Health and Safety Services, which includes fire, police and court, identified needs in the amount of
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Clemson considers infrastructure areas for federal money
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — Clemson engineer Nathan Hinkle said several areas are being considered for infrastructure projects as part of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money the city expects to receive.
“We believe that we should have approximately $6.5 million in ARPA funds for projects,” Hinkle said. “The areas that we are looking to apply those funds are
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