Category Archives: News
Pickens student killed in accident
PICKENS — The community is in mourning after a Pickens High School student lost his life in a utility terrain vehicle accident on Sunday.
Pickens County Coroner Andrew Wilson identified the victim as 16-year-old Cruz Evatt Ellenburg of Marietta.
Wilson said he and chief deputy coroner Marsha Alexander responded to the area of 244 Dalton Road for a motor vehicle accident.
“The collision involved a UTV that went off the roadway on private property and rolled over,” Wilson said in a release.
The driver was unrestrained and pronounced dead at the
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This week in the PICKENS COUNTY COURIER’s FOOTBALL FRENZY Sponsored by MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERALS AND CREMATIONS
BLUE RIDGE BEATDOWN
Blue Flame move to 5-0 after big win over tigers, best start since 2008
Also inside:
- Lions head into open week
- Wave fall short against palmetto
- Razors stuns liberty after midnight
- Tigers win ACC opener
All this and more in this week’s FOOTBALL FRENZY, sponsored by Mountain View Funerals and Cremations available only in the Pickens County Courier.
Do not miss a single issue by grabbing a copy at a convenience, grocery or drug store near you. You can also subscribe and have your Pickens County Courier delivered each week right to your mailbox for only $41 per year (in Pickens County).
Call us today at 864-878-6391 and get your subscription started and never miss any of the action in South Carolina’s best sports section!
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Cannon Foundation Invests $35,000 in SBIRT Program
PICKENS — AnMed Cannon is expanding support for individuals affected by alcoholism and drug addiction through a $35,000 contribution from the Cannon Memorial Hospital 
Foundation to support the hospital’s SBIRT program.
SBIRT — Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment — is an evidence-based approach used within AnMed Cannon’s Emergency Department to identify patients who may be struggling with alcohol or drug use, provide timely intervention, and connect them with appropriate treatment and recovery resources.
The $35,000 investment will help AnMed Cannon continue meeting people where they are and connecting them with resources and support that can lead toward treatment and recovery.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Cannon Memorial Hospital Foundation for its continued investment in AnMed Cannon and the people we serve,” said Michael Cunningham, CEO of AnMed Cannon. “This gift helps our team connect with patients at a critical moment and assists them with finding resources that can make a meaningful difference in their lives. This partnership is an investment in the health and well-being of our entire community.”
Kent Crafton, SBIRT Program Coordinator at AnMed Cannon said “Alcoholism and drug addiction affect real people and real families in our community every day. SBIRT gives us an opportunity to meet people where they are, have an honest conversation and help connect them with a path toward treatment and recovery.”
The AnMed Foundation received the contribution on behalf of AnMed Cannon and works with philanthropic partners to connect charitable resources with programs and services that advance AnMed’s mission.
“Alcoholism and drug addiction affect real people and real families in our community every day,” said Kent Crafton, SBIRT Program Coordinator at AnMed Cannon. “SBIRT gives us an opportunity to meet people where they are, have an honest conversation and help connect them with a path toward treatment and recovery.”
For more information on the Cannon Memorial Hospital Foundation, visit anmed.org/cannon-memorial-hospital-foundation
Pumpkintown musician Lilly Anne makes her mark on bluegrass world
PUMPKINTOWN — A talented young Pickens County musician is enjoying her second consecutive week at the top of the bluegrass charts.
Lilly Anne Svrlinga’s single “False Hearted Rose” remains the No. 1 song on David Pugh’s Mountain Bluegrass Top 12 Singles chart for the week of Sept. 14. The recording has spent five weeks on the chart and now holds the top position for a second straight week.
The accomplishment is another milestone in what has already been an impressive musical journey for the 16-year-old singer, songwriter, guitarist and banjo player from Pumpkintown.
Growing up in a small country community, Lilly Anne spends her days working in the garden,
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Soapstone’s Singing on the Rock set for Saturday
PICKENS — Soapstone Baptist Church will host “Singing on the Rock,” a live gospel concert, from 4-8 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 26.
The event will feature performances by Tracy Smith, Maxie Burton, the Henderson Brothers, James Hester, the Long Branch Easley Union Chorus, the Sweet Potato Pie Kids, Church With No Walls, the St. Marks Inspirational Choir and Cliff of Scenic Hill Baptist Church. Praise dancer Tracy Johnson will also perform. Food vendors will be on site throughout the event. A $20 donation is requested.
Soapstone Baptist Church is located at 296 Liberia Road in Pickens. For more, call (864) 607-3493.
Courier Community Calendar 9-23-26
• Semper Fi Barn to hold Sunset event
Semper Fi Barn will hold a Sunset Ceremony at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at 314 Smith Memorial Highway in Central, honoring 20 fallen service members and departed veterans. The event will be free and open to the public. To have someone you wish to remember included, call Tom von Kaenel at (864) 643-9197.
• PHS class of 1965 to hold 61st reunion
Members of the Pickens High School Class of 1965 are planning their 61-year class reunion for
Former Pickens admin files ethics complaint against city councilman
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Former Pickens city administrator Tim O’Briant has filed a 
complaint with the South Carolina Ethics Commission against Pickens County Councilman Cameron Rivers, alleging the councilman asked him to intervene in a legal case involving a relative.
The Courier received a copy of the complaint, which was sworn to and notarized on Sept. 1, several days after O’Briant was terminated as administrator on Aug. 27.
In the complaint, O’Briant alleged that “during approximately the year
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Firefighter honored for more than half a century of service
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — The agenda of Liberty City Council’s Sept. 14 meeting included honoring one of the city’s residents for his dedication to the fire service.
“We have the recognition of Mr. Randy Cartee for his 55 years of dedicated service to the fire service,” Mayor Andrea Wagner said as she welcomed Rep. Davey Hiott to the podium for the presentation.
Members of the fire service stood behind Hiott as he lauded Cartee.
“55 years of doing anything needs to be recognized, right?” Hiott said. “55
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Tyson Steel announces $15M investment in Liberty
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — A producer of pre-engineered metal buildings will be opening its first South Carolina operation in Pickens County, a facility expected to open next spring.
According to a Sept. 9 South Carolina Department of Commerce release, Tyson Steel Building Products officials announced a $15.15 million investment that will create approximately 20 new jobs.
Located at 180 Ann Drive in Liberty, the
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