Category Archives: News
SC banning sales of invasive Bradford pear, 3 other species
Courtesy Clemson University
news@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — South Carolina will become only the second state in the United States — and the first in the Southeast — to 
ban the nursery sale of Bradford pear trees and any other pear trees grown on the
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Easley woman charged with murder
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — An Easley woman is charged with murder in the death of an Easley man reported missing last week.
Amber Christine Fernandez Cruz, 33, is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to a release from Anderson County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Stephen Combs.
Deputies were called to a home on Poinsettia Drive in the Anderson County
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Upstate in midst of blood supply, donor shortage
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
UPSTATE — A combination of a high demand for blood and a low number of blood donors is creating a potentially dangerous situation in the Upstate, according to Delisa English, president and CEO of The Blood Connection.
English and officials with regional hospitals held an emergency press conference over the shortage Thursday morning.
“We simply cannot keep pace with the unprecedented need for blood,” English said. “It’s worsened by the fact that we are seeing the lowest donor turnout than we’ve ever seen before. At this moment in time, we need all blood types.”
Hospitals are seeing a higher need for blood, as the number of previously deferred surgeries has increased and trauma cases are climbing, she said.
Tropical Storm Elsa is “a reminder that things can change in
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Thinking Outside the House
What to know about outdoor living spaces
Home trends come and go. What was popular as recently as a decade ago may have lost some luster in the eyes of today’s 
home buyers. Though that’s historically been the case in regard to real estate, outdoor living rooms are one relatively recent home trend that figures to have a longer shelf life, especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic during which people were encouraged to stay home as much as possible.
Real estate professionals and organizations like the National Association of Home Builders note the popularity of outdoor living spaces among prospective home buyers, and how that popularity has grown in recent years. Outdoor living rooms not only appeal to potential buyers, they also serve as a means for current homeowners to get more out of their properties. Homeowners mulling outdoor living space projects should consider various factors before deciding to go ahead with a project.
- Cost: The home renovation resource HomeAdvisor estimates that the average cost of an outdoor living space is around $7,600. That cost can easily go up depending on where homeowners live and the features they want to have in their outdoor living spaces. For example, including a built-in fire pit in an outdoor living space will cost more than purchasing a stand-alone fire pit that can be picked up and moved. But many homeowners feel a built-in fire pit makes an outdoor living space even more special.
- Return on investment: Return on investment is another factor for homeowners to consider as they try to decide if they should install outdoor living spaces and how to design those areas. Much conflicting data about the ROI on outdoor kitchens can be found online, but many trusted real estate organizations report that such additions do not mesmerize prospective buyers. Data from the American Institute of Architects indicates that outdoor kitchens are routinely ranked among the least desirable home features, which means homeowners should not expect substantial ROI when selling their homes. But that built-in fire pit? Estimates from the National Association of Realtors suggest fire features recover around 67 percent of homeowners’ initial investment. In addition, 83 percent of homeowners surveyed by the NAR who had installed fire features said they had a greater desire to be home after completing the project.
- Space: An outdoor living space may only be as relaxing as the space allows. The proximity of neighbors may affect privacy levels, which can make it hard to enjoy movie night outdoors or curl up to quietly read a good book. In addition, landscaping also may need to be addressed if drainage is an issue in the backyard. That can add to the cost, and drainage concerns may limit the materials homeowners can work with.
Outdoor living spaces are popular. Homeowners must consider various factors before deciding if such spaces are for them.
How to keep gardens safe in summer heat waves
Summer is a season to relax and enjoy the warm weather. Basking in the summer sun is a great way to relax, but only when the temperatures are safe. Summer heat waves can compromise the health of human beings as well as their pets. 
Gardening enthusiasts also may need to go the extra mile to keep their plants and gardens from wilting under harsh summer sun.
Extreme heat stress can be very harmful to plants. The online gardening resource Gardening Know How notes that some plants can withstand
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1 killed, 1 injured in Six Mile fire
Sheriff’s office, SLED investigating blaze
SIX MILE — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are investigating after a body was found in a burning home in Six Mile.
PCSO Chief Deputy Chad Brooks said in a release that neighbors reported a structure fire at 191 Duncan Road at
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Road Rehab
Local roads included in SCDOT paving plan
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — A recently implemented state gas tax increase will fund the rehabilitation and resurfacing of nearly 1,000 miles of South Carolina roads, including around 20 miles of roads in Pickens County, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
The two-cent gas tax increase went into effect on Thursday, according to a release from SCDOT.
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Earnhardt named AAU All-American
ORLANDO, Fla. — Pickens High School’s Bailee Earnhardt has been named to the AAU Volleyball All-American team.
She and two other members of the Blue Flame volleyball team achieved high honors at the national AAU championships in Orlando, Fla.
In the 17 and under Premier Division at the Orange County Convention Center from June
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Bagley urges global education mindset
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
EASLEY — Pickens County School Board trustee Betty Bagley, who represents the Clemson area, said recently the district isn’t competing with the neighboring districts of Anderson and Oconee counties when it comes to preparing students for the future.
“Our competition is with the world,” Bagley told fellow trustees and audience members at a special called board meeting last month. “When I think about students in other countries coming out of school, they can speak three or four other languages, and we’re trying to get people to speak proper English.”
Bagley said the school districts do not have foreign language programs in early
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Serving & learning
PICKENS — From June 14-18, 23 cadets from the Pickens High School JROTC program participated in the Junior Cadet Leadership Challenge.
Consistent with the JROTC mission to “motivate young people to be better citizens,” the cadets spent an intensive week
serving the community, improving their physical
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