Category Archives: News
‘When in doubt, throw it out’
Roper lists ways to help save taxpayer money on county recycling program
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Pickens County administrator Ken Roper says the public’s assistance is needed with the county’s recycling program.
Roper discussed recycling during a Facebook Live update video posted Friday.
Plastic items not meant for recycling are being placed at the recycling centers, he
said. Currently there’s not a need on the recycling market for much of this plastic.
“We’re trucking plastics from the recycling centers to the center and then, since nobody will come get it, we ultimately have to make the decision ‘OK, we’ve got to treat this like trash,’” Roper said. “We can’t keep it anymore and we have to truck it again to the ultimate
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South Carolina reaches 50% one-dose COVID vax rate
COLUMBIA — The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced Thursday that 50 percent of eligible residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The latest vaccination data showed that 816,007 South Carolinians had received at least one dose of the Moderna vaccine, and 1,189,885 residents had received at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Another 141,039 residents had received the single-dose Janssen, which means they are already fully vaccinated. Overall, 44 percent of South Carolina residents were fully vaccinated as of
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Take another look at COVID vaccination
One Saturday morning when I was in the second grade, my mom and dad took me and my brother down to Calhoun-Clemson Elementary School for a medical treatment that seemed almost like magic.
The long tables inside the lunchroom, instead of being laden with Mrs. Galloway’s legendary yeast rolls and the other cafeteria fare we were used to seeing, were lined with rows of little paper cups, each one with a sugar cube that had a drop of pink medicine in it.
Somehow, eating one of those sugar cubes, we were told, would keep us from getting polio, a terrible disease that crippled children.
I think that was the first time I ever heard the word “vaccine.”
This was around the same time that John Glenn climbed into a tiny space capsule named Friendship 7 and circled
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Cool off with a simple summer smoothie
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If you’re craving something with a taste of sweet and don’t want to bake, try a smoothie. They are easy to make with readily available ingredients. And best of all, everybody loves them. They are great for breakfast or an after-dinner snack.
The iced mocha smoothie is an adult front-porch star, and you can experiment with ingredients.
I hope this provides your summer with a bang.
Official: Blue Ridge Fest gone for good
PICKENS — After 22 years, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative’s Blue Ridge Fest is no more.
The decision to end the annual festival, which raises money for area charities, came from cooperative employees, according to Blue Ridge spokesman Terry Ballenger.
“We went two years without having anything because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “We decided to find out what our employees’ perspective was about the festival, because they volunteer to support the fest and put in a lot of their personal time and energy to do so. It became a big operation
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Honoring his memory
Race raises money for scholarship named after late Liberty runner
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — After a year off due to COVID-19, the second annual Honor Abe 5K was held on Saturday at Liberty High School.
The event is held in honor of Abraham Balawi, known as Abe, who was a standout 
student-athlete at Liberty High School who earned all-state honors in cross-country and won the Class 2A state championship in the 1600-meter run during the 2014 track season.
Balawi earned both academic and athletic scholarships to attend Mercer University in Macon, Ga., and
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Southern Wesleyan Ed.D. student successfully defends dissertation
CENTRAL — Dr. Sandra McLendon, dean of Southern Wesleyan University’s School of Education, celebrated the success of SWU Ed.D student Jolene Smith recently.
“Congratulations to Amber Jolene Smith, who successfully defended her doctoral dissertation June 28,” McLendon said. “Her dissertation is ‘The Effect of South Carolina’s Initial Mentorship Training on the Self-Efficacy of Mentor Teachers: A Cross-sectional Research Study.’ She defended to a packed
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Courier Obituaries 7-21-21
DONALD CHARLES RAXTER
EASLEY — Donald Charles Raxter, 59, son of the late William Hugh Raxter and Margie Melanie Stewart Raxter, passed away on Sunday, July 11, 2021, at St. Francis Downtown Hospital in Greenville.
Mr. Raxter was a skilled woodworker, and he loved collecting arrowheads.
Don is survived by his sons, Luke Raxter (Julie) of Easley and Nicholas Raxter of Easley; grandchildren, Aaron Raxter, Lillie Raxter and Riley Ann Raxter; a brother, Steve Stephens (Debbie) of Liberty; a sister, Irene Raxter Rigby (H. Cecil)
Potato Salad recipes are summer favorites
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
We’re all familiar with traditional potato salad in the South, and it is delicious. But there are many variations on this delicious dish.
The one thing all of these recipes have is common is the humble potato. There is probably an interpretation of this old friend that will be a welcome addition to your kitchen.
As for the potatoes, some are peeled, some are not. The dressings vary from creamy to light. Some are tangy and some are slightly sweet. And some are hot and others cold.
But they are all recognizable as our old favorite, potato salad. Enjoy.
