Area schools see movement in new SCHSL realignment
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com COUNTY — The South Carolina High School League () announced the classification placement for More »
Liberty leaders receive update on developing water system
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com LIBERTY — Efforts to create a water system “for Pickens County people” remain on More »
Wreaths Across America ceremonies held across county
COUNTY — Multiple ceremonies were held across Pickens County earlier this month in honor of National Wreaths Across America More »
Merry Christmas
Mountain View Funerals and Cremations owner Wes Hiott, along with Santa Greg, delivered Christmas gift baskets last week to the More »
Area legislators discuss priorities
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Members of the Pickens County Legislative Delegation recently shared with constituents some of their priorities ahead of the first 2025 legislative session.
Delegation members discussed the upcoming session at the Dec. 30 meeting of Pickens United.
Both the South Carolina House and South Carolina Senate were slated to begin their session at noon Tuesday, Jan. 14.
“Watch your wallets from that point on, at least for the next five months,” Sen. Rex Rice said,
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YMCA provides Bibles for children’s holiday camp
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — An effort to place Bibles in young hands has proved more successful than YMCA staff originally hoped.
YMCA of Easley, Pickens and Powdersville president and CEO Sid Collins spoke about the effort during the Dec. 30 Pickens United meeting.
Attendees could see the results — the meeting room held stacks of Bibles.
“About a month ago, I emailed out to some of our YMCA family,
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Liberty’s Sutherland to lead 2025 SC Shrine Team
LIBERTY — Liberty High School head football coach Paul Sutherland has been named the head coach of the South 
Carolina team for the 2025 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, according to an announcement last week by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association.
The Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, established in 1937, is the nation’s oldest high school football all-star game, pitting top players from South Carolina against their
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Southeastern Championship Bullriding at T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena
Despite a Friday cancellation due to winter storms in the area, Southeastern Championship Bullriding returned to the area last weekend at Clemson University’s T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena. Saturday. The T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena will be hosting the Clemson Monster Truck Wars on Saturday of this week.
Pickens County Council welcomes new members
By Evan Smoak
Courtesy The Journal
evan@upstatetoday.com
COUNTY — Pickens County Council welcomed two new members to its governing body last week.
Dale Holloway and Scott Lang joined returning members Chris Bowers and Alex Saitta for a swearing-in ceremony prior to the first meeting of 2025.
Holloway succeeds Henry Wilson as the District 6 representative.
Holloway told The Journal on Tuesday that he was excited to begin his tenure.
“I’m looking forward to a new chapter, kind of a new experience on this level,” Holloway said. “I’ve already spoken
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Clemson Music Fest coming in April
By Philip Sikes
Special to the Courier
news@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — Clemson University and Southern Entertainment, with support from the City of Clemson, is set to host the second-annual Clemson Music Fest (CMF). The two-day festival is scheduled to take place on April 11-12 at the Upper
Intramural Field and looks to build on the energy and excitement of last year’s inaugural event — quickly becoming one of the premier music festivals in the region.
Jessie Murph, The All-American Rejects and BigXthaPlug headline a diverse group of artists that will be performing at Clemson Music Fest. Murph will be one of the lead acts at both
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His love is waiting for our love
No matter what the negative naysayers declare about the absence of the love of God, do not allow these dark imaginations to be absorbed into your conscience.
Let us accept the fact that after God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, the Almighty keeps repeating, “And God saw that it was good.” He passionately loved everything He made and still does. Take a moment and read the first chapter of Genesis for yourself. Allow these words to saturate your soul, as you realize He is also talking about you. He created you as one of His finest masterpieces, and for you to not embrace how special and adored you are, means you are refusing to accept spiritual reality.
I want to encourage you today and remind you how highly God thinks of you. Since He is infinite and knows everything that has happened and will happen,
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Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s
In Matthew, 22:15-23, we read how the Pharisees challenge Jesus about the lawfulness of paying taxes to the Roman Emperor.
Though they were asking about a controversial contemporary political question, Jesus responds with a transcendent spiritual Truth, which talks about the relationship between the material and the spiritual.
As we read in Matthew 22:19, “they handed him a silver piece. Jesus asked, “Whose image is this and whose inscription? ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. He said to
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Guard yourself against AI tricks
The year is off to a roaring start when it comes to scams. To hear the experts tell it, we have AI to thank for a lot of it. AI, or 
artificial intelligence, is enhancing some of the scams that were already out there and creating more as the technology increases.
Our goal: to get through 2025 without losing a single dollar to the crooks.
Last month the FBI put out an alert focusing on scams created by artificial intelligence and ways to protect ourselves.
AI-generated text creates fake social media profiles, emails, websites and texts that push financial frauds like investment
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Courier Obituaries 1-15-25
HAROLD PATTEN WELBORN SR.
PICKENS —
Harold Patten Welborn Sr., 90, of Pickens, passed away peacefully at his home on Jan. 11, 2025.
Born on Dec. 4, 1934, in Pickens, Harold was predeceased by his beloved wife of 68 years, Una Kelley Welborn.
A devoted family man, Harold is survived by his two children, Catherine W. Ayers (Wayne) and Harold Patten (Pat) Welborn Jr. (Patti); four grandchildren, Emily Knowles (Jon), Kevin Welborn (Candace), Kaycee Collins and Kelley McGaha (Matthew); and seven great-grandchildren, Taylor Knowles, Alexander Knowles, Tanaleigh Smith, Jackson Welborn, Henry Welborn, Sophie Welborn and Ivy-Claire McGaha.
Harold was a lifelong resident of Pickens, where he worked as an entrepreneur and farmer, carving out a legacy of hard work and perseverance. Although disabled from his time with the South Carolina Health Department, his entrepreneurial spirit never wavered. His life was marked by his deep faith, and he took great pride in being a faithful servant of the Lord, finding joy in living out the teachings of Jesus Christ. He was a proud member of Mountain Grove Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and a Sunday school teacher for many years. Harold was immensely proud of his family, and his love for them was evident in everything he did. His devotion to family, faith and hard work will remain an inspiration to all who knew him. His kind heart, humility and steadfast love will be greatly missed.
Harold was also predeceased by his parents, Henry Welborn and Buna Patten Welborn; and his brothers, John Welborn, Fred Welborn and Henry Welborn.
In addition to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he is survived by his sisters, Sarah Rampey (James), Frances Welborn, Ruth Clark (Larry) and Clova Vaughan (Scooter); sisters-in-law, Barbara Welborn and Clara Anderson; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will take place from 10-11 a.m. Jan. 16 in the chapel of Mountain View Funeral Home, with funeral services following at 11 a.m. Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Pickens.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gideons International of Pickens, P.O. Box 1538, Pickens.
Mountain View Funeral Home – Pickens Chapel is serving the Welborn family.
DANIEL ELLENBURG
LIBERTY — It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Daniel Cleveland Ellenburg, a beloved husband, father, brother and papa, on Jan. 9, 2025, at the age of 69.
Born on April 30, 1955, in Central, he was the widower of Sheila Chapman Ellenburg and a son of the late David “D.C.” and
