Category Archives: News
Springfest planned Saturday in Pickens
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The Market at the Mill will welcome spring this weekend with a special festival.
The second annual Springfest is set to kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Market at the Mill, located at 225 Pumpkintown Highway in Pickens.
Classic car, Jeep and motorcycle owners are encouraged to enter Springfest’s Cruise In.
Cruise-in participants are asked to arrive beginning at 4:30 p.m., as organizers would like entrants to be lined up before the 6 p.m. start. Participants should
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Clemson Park pump track in final stages
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — A pump track designed for all ages and skill levels is in the process of being completed at Clemson Park, part of the city’s effort to make its oldest park more appealing.
Clemson Park has sat mostly vacant since the parks and recreation department relocated its headquarters to Nettles Park more than 15 years ago. A community garden has been the primary usage since, but city officials have long sought ways to make the park located behind Clemson United Methodist Church on Frontage Road more of a destination.
Friends of the Green Crescent Trail helped the city in revitalizing the park. Group member Chad Carson said a pump track can be likened to “a playground for people with bikes.”
“It’s designed for users of all ages and skill levels and meant to be a fun learning tool that allows you to get some exercise,” Carson said. “The idea is to have a series of small asphalt hills, banks and turns that bikers can ride on and around.”
Carson added having a pump track at Clemson Park “will fit in nicely” with the overall Green Crescent Trail.
“This will be a hub and jumping-on point for Phase I of the trail,” Carson said. “Kids and adults will be able to come to Clemson Park to practice and use the pump track. Then, if they want a longer ride, they can keep going on the trail toward Clemson University, Clemson Elementary or other parts of the city as the trail expands.”
Funding and costs
Funding for the pump track, Carson pointed out, will come in part from a $10,000 Duke Energy Powerful Communities Grant, with a larger portion to cover the remaining costs coming from the city of Clemson. City parks and recreation director Jay Bennett said the overall project cost $140,000.
City horticulturist Tony Tidwell said this month the asphalt portion has been completed and 6,000 square feet of sod would be installed. Tidwell said children were already using skateboards at the track.
“You use a pumping motion so you don’t have to pedal on a bike,” Tidwell explained. “You go through a series of undulations and curves, and the better you get at it, the more you can do. You can kind of ride through it as a beginner, and then if you get really advanced, you can do all kinds of fancy tricks and stuff. You can also use a skateboard and a scooter, even though it’s more of a bike usage.”
Tidwell said he believes the pump track can play a huge role in making Clemson Park a destination for youth and adults.
“It will be a big part of it,” he said. “This asphalt pump track is really the first of its kind in South Carolina as far as the asphalt version goes. We feel it’s going to be a pretty good attraction, and judging by the number of folks already coming out and using it, that’s bearing out.”
Carson said he is glad to see the pump track becoming a reality.
“We hope it will be the first of many improvements that will breathe life back into Clemson Park, which has been neglected over the years,” he said.
Easley takes season series against Flame with come-from-behind win
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Falling behind 1-0 to county rival Pickens early on Monday night, the Easley Green Wave baseball team had their work cut out for them as they tried to come back.
However, after escaping multiple jams with runners in scoring position, the Wave finally found their groove in the batter’s box late to pull out a 7-1 win and take the season series 2-1 over the Blue Flame.
“That was an unbelievable effort from those guys,” Easley head coach Gill Payne said. “They’ve been battling all year.”
The Green Wave needed a standout effort on the mound and in the field to stay in the game, but when they got that it was only a matter of time before they got going in the batter’s box. However, it certainly wasn’t easy against Pickens’ Ryan Ford.
Ford held Easley off the board over his first five innings, giving up just three hits and striking out three Green Wave batters.
Easley started to show some fight in the sixth, getting Gavin Harvey into scoring position when freshman first baseman Jonathon Sonderfan went to bat. In heartbreaking fashion for the Blue Flame, Sonderfan reached base on an error after a dropped third strike as Mason Bryant’s throw struck him as he ran to first, allowing Harvey to score and tie the game.
In the seventh inning, errors continued to haunt the Blue Flame as another throwing error on a bunt by Payton Anders scored Alex Mitchem to end Ford’s night and start the Green Wave run.
“He pitched 12 of 21 innings in the series and he saved his best two performances for last,” Pickens head coach Matt Smith said of Ford. “I hate that we couldn’t get the job done for him.”
C.J. Martin came on in relief of Ford and the Blue Flame collapse continued, with four straight batters reaching for Easley before the Blue Flame finally picked up their first out. By inning’s end, the Wave had put up six runs to take an insurmountable 7-1 lead.
While the Wave win wouldn’t have been possible without a late scoring outburst, Easley might have been in a much different position if not for some crucial plays in the field in the middle innings.
With starter Levi Recio struggling in the second, Easley second baseman Payton Anders made a jumping grab on a hard-hit liner, catching the Blue Flame off guard before turning a double play.
Then, when Recio was pulled at the start of the third after walking Pickens’ Martin, sophomore pitcher Brayden Bryson did strong work in relief, quickly getting out of the inning and holding the Flame off the board over three innings.
After Bryson came off in the sixth after a leadoff walk, the Green Wave turned to senior USC Sumter commit Carter Morgan, who picked up three outs in two pitches before getting the win in the next inning.
“Levi struggled a little bit early, then BB (Bryson) came in and got us an immediate double play and Carter comes in and does the same,” Payne said. “These pitchers have done it all year, and there were some big defensive plays.”
With the win, the Green Wave managed to secure the second or third seed in Region 1-4A and will take on the Westside Rams for the higher seed on Wednesday. According to Payne, he likes his team’s chances against anybody.
“I feel good about these guys every time I go out,” Payne said. “Every game I expect them to win.”
Meanwhile, the loss eliminated the Blue Flame from playoff contention, as they will finish the season against Seneca on Wednesday.
“I just challenged the boys,” Smith said. “Even though we don’t have anything to play for as far as playoffs go, we have four seniors who have given their all for this program and we’re going to go out and try to win for them.”
Easley 7, Pickens 1
EHS 000 001 6 7 7 1
PHS 100 000 0 1 5 4
WP: Morgan 2 IP, K
LP: Ford 6 IP, 5H, 2R, BB, 5K
EHS: Recio 2-4, R, 2B; Harvey 2-4, R, RBI, BB.
PHS: Lewis 2-3, R, 2B; O’Sullivan 1-3, RBI.
Lions respond with win over Walhalla
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — After a tough region loss to Belton-Honea Path last Tuesday, the Daniel High School baseball team knew it needed to get back on track against
Walhalla the following night.
“We challenged them (Tuesday) night after the game to come out and be the best version of
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Company moving ahead with Liberty landfill plan
No coal ash included; county keeping mum on possible settlement in legal battle
By Ron Barnett
Staff Reporter
rbarnett@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — MRR is taking steps toward building a landfill on its property near Liberty, although not for coal ash, according to the state Department of Health
Courtesy Photo
Local legislators and manufacturers have expressed their opposition to a project that could bring a coal ash dump to Pickens County.
and Environmental Control.
The move is the latest twist in a legal entanglement between the North Carolina-based company and Pickens County that stretches back to 2016.
DHEC has scheduled a virtual public hearing on a request from MRR to dispose of more than twice the
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2 arrested on drug charges after chase
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Two men face multiple charges, including drug trafficking, after a police chase earlier this month that ended in Liberty.
According to a release from the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the Uniform Patrol Division conducted a drug interdiction traffic stop on April 8 that resulted in the arrests of Zachary Adam Morrison and Dakota Shane Williamson.
Deputies initiated the stop after confirming Morrison, the driver, had outstanding arrest warrants for a prior drug offense, the
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Liberty High seniors announced as scholarship award winners
LIBERTY — The Liberty Community Scholarship Board recently announced Liberty High School seniors Gabriela Maria Juan and Kaitlyn Alexis Whitaker as the recipients of the 2022 Liberty Community Scholarship Award.
Juan is a member of the Interact Club and National Beta Club She has worked at Liberty Primary as an afterschool care worker. She also works with the YMCA in Pickens as a camp counselor and afterschool worker. She has played on the Liberty High varsity volleyball team and golf team and served as a scorekeeper
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Easley girls shut out Blue Flame to stay undefeated in region play
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Coming off a huge region win over Travelers Rest, the Easley High School girls’ soccer team seemed sluggish and fell behind early against county 
and region foe Pickens on Friday night.
The Wave didn’t stay that way for long though, as they blasted the Blue Flame 6-2 to
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Local heroes welcomed home on National Vietnam Veterans Day
COUNTY — On National Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29, 14 local Vietnam veterans were officially welcomed home and thanked for their military service.
Two also served in the Korean War. The event was held at Dominion and Everlan Senior Living Center in Clemson for their residents and two additional veterans. Four Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapters came together to continue the work of the Wreaths Across America (WAA) Mobile
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