Category Archives: News
‘Long overdue’
Monument to Andrew Pickens to highlight Legacy Square
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Those passing by Legacy Square in Pickens are sure to have noticed work being done where the fountain used to be.
A monument to General Andrew Pickens is being built there, a project that Pickens Historical Society President Wayne Kelley calls “long overdue.”
“There is no proper monument here to General Andrew Pickens, the namesake of our
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Easley thrift store aims to help others
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The operator of DH Tiny Homes Thrift Store hopes his small store can help fulfill a big purpose and assist the currently homeless while preventing others from becoming so in the future.
Dewight Crowley spoke with the Courier on June 25 about his purpose and that of the store, located at 319 Gentry Memorial Highway in Easley.
“I’m a lifelong drifter,” he said. “I started hitchhiking around the country at 14 years old.”
He traversed the country selling souvenirs at events.
“Back in the seventies and eighties we were called drifters,” Crowley said. “Now they’re just called homeless – completely two different things. Part of my ministry is determining the difference between homeless and drifters.”
He drifted again 8 years ago, following a divorce.
“I wanted to find a new life for me,” Crowley said.
That period, before he settled in the area, allowed him to “see the difference between
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America’s top chocolate shop has local roots
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
GREENVILLE — A business owned by a Pickens resident recently received national 
recognition.
Last month, USA Today named LaRue Fine Chocolate “Best Chocolate Shop in America.”
The store was nominated by a panel of experts and then voted upon by the national newspaper’s readers.
Elizabeth Logan McDaniel sat down with the Courier at the business’ location in West Greenville on June 20 to discuss the award.
McDaniel grew up in Easley and now lives in Pickens.
Working in the wine industry for more than 10 years, she began making chocolates with
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Local municipalities plan Fourth of July events
COUNTY — With the nation getting ready to observe its 249th Independence Day, people from around Pickens County will have plenty of places to celebrate over the next few days.
EASLEY
The city of Easley will host the Historic Easley 4th of July Festival for two days of excitement and fun on July 3-4.
The celebration kicks off Thursday, July 3, and continues through Friday, July 4, at Old Market Square. Admission is free, and the event will feature carnival rides, local vendors, food trucks and a fireworks finale.
The July 3 lineup includes performances by Luke Deuce at 4 p.m., Eaglewing at 5:30 p.m., and Jake Crutchfield at 7:30 p.m. Music will run until 9 p.m.
The festivities on July 4 begin at 4 p.m. with Commodore Fox, followed by a joint performance from Joe Lasher and Kaitlyn Baker at 5:30 p.m. Country artist Tyler Farr will headline the evening at 7:30 p.m., with a fireworks display to follow his set.
Th event will also have offerings from food trucks serving various options to satisfy every craving, and visitors are encouraged to check out downtown businesses as they enjoy all the festival has to offer.
LIBERTY
Elsewhere, The City of Liberty is set to host its annual “Love My Liberty” Independence Day celebration on July 4 with an evening of family-friendly festivities, live music, and a fireworks show — all free to the public.
The event will take place at the Liberty Rec stadium, where gates will open to community members for a night of patriotic fun. Admission is free, and complimentary bottled water will be provided courtesy of Liberty Mortuary.
Highlights of the celebration include a kids’ area featuring bounce houses, water slides, inflatable games, a dunk tank and a train ride sponsored by Potters Clay Fellowship. Free games for all ages will be available throughout the venue, including cornhole, bucket golf and Jazzminton.
Live music will be performed by local group Songband, followed by a fireworks show to cap off the evening.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets and money for food and beverage trucks that will be on site.
PICKENS
The City of Pickens will continue the Independence Day the following day with a free, family-friendly event on Saturday, July 5, at the Pickens Amphitheater, featuring live music, food vendors, children’s activities and a fireworks display.
The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at 114 W. Main St., and is open to the public. Residents are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of community entertainment.
The live music lineup includes performances by Whiskey Mountain Band, SongBand and Split Shot. Food vendors will offer a variety of savory and sweet options throughout the event.
Children can enjoy the free Kids Zone, which will feature games, inflatables and other activities from 4 to 9 p.m.
The evening will conclude with a fireworks show, launched from Bruce Field and visible from the amphitheater and throughout downtown Pickens.
SIX MILE
That same night, the town of Six Mile will host its Independence Day celebration from 6-9:30 p.m. at Ponderosa Park.
The event will feature live music, inflatables, food vendors, face painting, balloon artists and fireworks after dark.
Vendors, inflatables, face painting and balloon artists will be available to attendees starting at 6 p.m., and the fun will continue with a kids’ bike parade at 6:30 p.m.
Potato sack races will be open to those in attendance at 7:30 p.m. and The wiffle ball home run derby will begin at 8 p.m., with prizes being presented to winners in four different age groups.
Extra parking for the event will be available at Ridgeland Drive Baptist Church and a free, hayride shuttle is available to and from Ponderosa Park.
Banjo Extravaganza is July18-19
PICKENS — The Banjo Extravaganza Festival returns to the Hagood Mill Historic Site 
on Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19, offering a weekend of toe-tapping tunes, Appalachian heritage and traditional artistry.
The festival begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. with “Early Banjo History with Clifton Hicks.” Hicks, a well-known performer and historian, will lead a musical journey tracing the banjo’s roots from West Africa and the Caribbean to its rise in 19th-century American music.
Saturday, July 19 – A Full Day of Music and Heritage
The celebration continues Saturday with a full lineup of old-time musicians honoring
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It’s how we react to what happens
We hear a lot about how God is at war with Satan, and how the darkness is fighting against the light, as God’s people are constantly waging an intense battle against the 
demons and forces of evil. As Christians, we are accustomed to hearing that we cannot only resist the devil, but in God’s name and power, we can be victorious. Let’s not forget that our free will decides
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Childs named new Pickens County’s emergency management director
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
PICKENS — Pickens County named a new emergency management director earlier this week.
Andy Childs, former deputy emergency management director, was promoted to the top position, according to a county social media post Thursday.
The post said Childs began his career in public service as a volunteer firefighter with Pickens County before moving on to full-time service in Greenville County and later,
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