By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — Pickens County voters returned to the polls one last time on Tuesday night for runoff elections in Central, Easley and Pickens.

The biggest change of the night came in Easley, where Lisa Talbert defeat incumbent Mayor Butch Womack.

Talbert received 1,812 votes compared to Womack’s 1,061, unseating the Easley mayor after just one term. Easley had a 17.98 percent voter turnout for its election.

In Pickens, Floyd Rogers and Allie Winter held off Morrell Stokes in the race for two city council seats.

Rogers led the way with 220 votes, and Winter clinched her seat with 160 votes. Stokes had 103 votes in defeat. Pickens had a 16.07 percent voter turnout.

The town of Central had two separate runoffs for council seats.

In the battle between Doug Barry and incumbent Joe Moss, Moss won reelection with 110 votes. Barry received 83 votes.

Meanwhile, Robert Carl Griffin took down Bryan Schaupp in the race to fill L.C. Hayes’ unexpired council term, taking 103 votes compared to Schaupp’s 86. Central had the lowest voter turnout of the three municipalities, with just 8.07 percent of voters returning to the polls for the runoff.

Easley First Baptist Church celebrates 150th anniversary

EASLEY — Even before the City of Easley was granted its charter, First Baptist Church, Easley, has stood as a beacon of faith in Pickens County.

That beacon celebrated a monumental moment earlier this month as constituents gathered for the church’s 150th anniversary service.

While the Church has faced many trials and tribulations over the years, Pastor John Adams stressed that the Church has continued to prosper through faith.

“By the mighty hand of God, First Baptist Church, we’ve stayed the course amidst all these difficulties. We’ve tried to be faithful to what God called the church to be and to do. We have worshipped Him by reading the Word of God, singing the grand songs of the faith, testifying of His faithfulness, praying together, preaching the Word of God, and exhorting all people to come to Jesus Christ,” Adams said.

Adams also highlighted the many accomplishments of the Church over the last 150 years.

“We’ve sought to reach out to others in the name of Jesus beginning in our great city,” Adams said. “We’ve launched new churches. United Christian Ministries was born out of our church. SHINE was birthed in a member’s heart one Sunday night. We’ve joined hands with other churches of various Christian denominations to serve this city through an Arts Camp, an FCA Community Basketball Camp, beds for children through Sleep in Heavenly Peace and a bicycle ride to put shoes on the children’s feet in Pickens County.

We believe that when believers join hearts and hands from churches across denominational line and put feet to their prayers, lives are changed and a community is strengthened”