Category Archives: Local News
Local men charged with sexual abuse of minors
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Two Pickens County men face charges in unrelated cases connected to 
the sexual exploitation of minors, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Monday.
Logan Tyler Smith, 20, of Central, and Sergio Eduardo Salinas Maradiaga, 20, of Easley, were arrested on 13 total charges, Wilson said in a release.
Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that led them to both Smith and Maradiaga, Wilson said.
Wilson said investigators allege Smith and Maradiaga both possessed files of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these “heinous and abusive crimes.” CSAM is replacing the term “child pornography” globally, as “pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant, he said.
Smith was arrested on Jan. 11 and is charged with three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count, Wilson said.
Maradiaga was arrested the next day and is charged with 10 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, Wilson said.
Wilson said Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office made the arrests. Investigators with his office, which is also an ICAC Task Force member, assisted with the investigations, he said.
Wilson said his office will prosecute both cases and stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. Using the CyberTipline, the public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism and child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names and misleading words or digital images on the internet.
Find the CyberTipline at missingkids.org or report.cybertip.org.
Pickens principal Duncan taking job in SDPC office
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Pickens principal Jeff Duncan is set to move to a new role within the School District of Pickens County after being named the next Assistant Superintendent for Human Resource
Services on Monday by the SDPC Board of Trustees.
“Mr. Duncan brings a tremendous set of knowledge and skills to this position,
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League of Women Voters, Oconee/Pickens Counties discuss election challenges
UPSTATE — A panel of Oconee and Pickens Election Officials discussed 2024 election challenges 
at the January meeting of the League of Women Voters, Oconee and Pickens Counties. Issues included increasing the number of registered voters and turnout on election day and striking the right balance between security and accessibility.
An audience of about 40 people expressed support for election personnel but concern for the underfunding of these functions, especially in Oconee. Election Officials reminded the audience of the need for poll workers and expressed appreciation for those who do the work. For more information about voting or being a poll worker, call 864.898.5948 (Pickens).
Clemson police receive funds for fake ID program
CLEMSON — The city of Clemson authorized its police department to sign an agreement for thousands of dollars in funding at its latest meeting.
At Wednesday’s city council meeting, Clemson Police Chief Jorge Campos announced that his department had secured $20,000 in funding from the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS). The funding, which must be spent during the
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Clemson University student killed in Summerville accident
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — A Clemson University student from Summerville died in a wreck last week.
Pickens County chief deputy coroner Andrew Wilson identified the victim as 20-year-old Jacob Walter Noack.
According to a release from Clemson University Public Safety, a
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Historical Legacy Unveiled for the 150th Anniversary: Easley Area Museum welcomes remarkable oil paintings
Courtesy the Easley Area Museum
news@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — In a momentous occasion, the Easley Area Museum proudly unveiled two exquisite oil paintings generously acquired from the City of Easley. These paintings not only showcase the 
artistic heritage of the region but also commemorate two influential figures integral to the city’s
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Pickens Middle School hosts Amazing Shake competition
PICKENS — Pickens Middle School recently hosted its third annual Amazing Shake competition.
The event is a contest that places an emphasis on teaching students manners, discipline, respect
and professional conduct. Through the 
Amazing Shake, a competition originally created by the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, students are introduced to the nuances of professional human
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Courier Community Calendar 1-24-24
• Easley Health Expo set for January 27
The Easley Health and Fitness Expo 2024 will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at 210 Fern St. Suite K in
Easley. Various local health and fitness businesses will be brought together to showcase the
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Honoring his legacy
Pickens Mayor Isaiah Scipio, pictured right, addresses the audience at the 18th Annual Unity Prayer Breakfast in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The event was jointly organized by the Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church, Pickens Presbyterian Church, and various other community congregations. This year marks the 41st Celebration of
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which celebrates the life and legacy of the acclaimed Civil Rights activist.
King’s legacy as a Civil Rights advocate began in 1955 when he led a boycott of Montgomery’s segregated city bus lines.
In addition to organizing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 and the anti-segregation protest he led in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963, King is best known for his August 1963 March on Washington, during which he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
In the same year, King and the SCLC joined the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. Photo courtesy City of Pickens
SC 183 project gains approval, project manager
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — A couple of key steps toward improving S.C. Highway 183 have been approved or 
announced, according to Pickens County administrator Ken Roper.
In October, the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank approved awarding $44.7 million to Pickens County for safety enhancements on S.C. 183.
To qualify for those funds, Pickens County had to provide a
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