Discord in Pickens Co.

Dear Editor,

Has anyone noticed how hostile Pickens County has become? In more than 30 years, I’ve never seen so much discord. The county seems to be fighting with everybody right now, suing cities, individuals and even the press. Their actions continue to embarrass

The pansies in the planter were getting pretty scraggly, and their glory days were clearly over.

It was a pleasant afternoon, and I began taking them out of the planter and replacing them with coleus and begonias. The dogs were sprawled, relaxing in sunny spots in the grass around me.

They looked asleep but apparently were just resting their eyes as some noise, too faint for human ears, galvanized them into alertness.

All five sprinted to the nearby dogwood tree and stood at attention beneath it, looking up and barking. Clearly there was something going on. At first I assumed they’d spotted a squirrel, although those nut collectors aren’t often

This year our family reunion was at Stratford Hall in Virginia. My poor brother was charged with driving me and our cousins, Becky and Liz, to the event. On Thursday, I drove up to Winston Salem, where Liz lives, and Matt met us there, driving from Angier, N.C. We were royally fed and entertained, talking around the table and catching up.

Friday morning, we loaded up and drove up to Richmond to pick up Becky, who’d flown in from Miami. We knew about Becky’s legendary suitcase and were all a little concerned about getting it into the trunk as, believe me, we were already pretty fully packed.

But we managed by unpacking the truck and rearranging everything several times. At least Matt did. We stood on the curb and watched with interest,

Last week I was supposed to put something in the Courier to remind people (read: “Let them know”) about the barbecue for the Kentucky Missions Team set for noon this Saturday. The cost of a one-week trip into Middlesboro, Ky., to work at small mountain churches keeps going up, so to make sure it does not lose money this year and to allow the teenagers going on the trip to be able to afford it, this year we are having a barbecue dinner to raise money.

Well, last week was a bad week, with the Azalea Fest and several other “hard news” stories fighting for space, I didn’t feel I could justify cutting something just to fit an announcement into the paper. This week looks tight, too, so I figured the best way to fit such an announcement in would be to put

Bowers did right thing

Dear Editor,

As a legitimate delegate to the Pickens County Republican Party convention, I saw firsthand what went on and who the players were at the GOP convention. The group who caused the problems are the same people who show up regularly at Pickens County School Board meetings and criticize Phillip Bowers and other conservatives on the board for their recent votes to restore prayer and stop tax increases.

This whole issue is about pouring more money into education and slurring Bowers and other conservatives in the GOP who want to restore traditional community values and spend taxes wisely. I know this because among the delegates

As one of the world’s most significant concerns, climate change was a major topic when utility CEOs gathered at this week’s International Electricity Summit in Japan.

I was honored to represent the U.S. and Duke Energy at the summit. We acknowledged that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to address climate change. Each country comes at this issue based on its own unique circumstances that reflect its natural resources, economic profile, market structure and political dynamics.

Duke Energy has made steady progress in meeting this challenge and has reduced carbon

After a long, fitful night of sleep, I awoke Monday morning ready to face the world again from the Courier office.

Outside my window, I heard the sounds of a storm. That meant that unless I was quick, I would be getting wet when I tried to go to work.

I heard my mother leaving to take my nephew, Kevin, to work. Kevin had injured his arm over the weekend. My mother was happy to take him to the doctor, but

This is the time of year that takes me back to childhood. We would all be excited about the approaching “end of school,” and each morning would bring that longed-for day closer.

Early morning began with the sounds of tractors cranking out at the barn. I could stand on the front porch in my cotton pajamas and watch Leroy leave the barnyard on the Super M. Uncle Jack would be out there directing the day.

He’d be wearing one of his khaki shirt and pants that were like a summer time uniform with a tan ballcap and sunglasses. He always had a pack of Lucky Strikes in his

Looking for help finding bracelet

Dear Editor,

A month or so ago, my husband and I and some six other friends went to the Pickens High School fundraiser in the fine arts building at Pickens High School for Blue Flame athletics.

We stopped in Liberty to eat at Nino’s Greek and Italian Restaurant before heading up to listen to some bluegrass music.

I lost a very special yellow gold diamond tennis bracelet. I am just sick over this, and every time

Monday night, after covering a brief Easley City Council meeting, I jumped into my car and found that I was hungry. No problem, I thought. There’s a restaurant less than a stone’s throw from city hall with a drive-thru.

Get something to go, drive home, and eat.

So I get in line. I have to admit, I am a picky eater. Growing up, I never saw the need for such things as mustard, mayonnaise or ketchup on my hamburgers. So I make a special order.

“I would like a bacon cheeseburger, plain. That’s bread, meat and cheese,” I say, though a person who works at a restaurant not knowing what “plain”