Culpepper named PHS principal
Neuner, Plyler named principals of DES, FAE By Bru Nimmons Staff Reporter bnimmons@thepccourier.com COUNTY — The School District of Pickens More »
SCDOT seeking comment on 183-178 intersection
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com PICKENS — Officials are seeking public comment on a proposed “road diet” along portions More »
Cannon Church breaks ground on new building
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com CENTRAL — Construction of a $2 million addition to the grounds of Cannon Church More »
Lady Lions take down county foe Pickens for 18th straight victory
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com CENTRAL — After blowing by county foe Pickens in their first matchup this season, More »
Red Devils go cold against top-ranked High Point
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com LIBERTY — Hosting top-ranked High Point on senior night, the sixth-ranked Liberty High School More »
Deep Winter Blues Festival returns
PICKENS — The soulful sounds of the blues will once again echo through the hills of the Upstate as the More »
Body found after blaze in Liberty
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Multiple agencies are investigating after a body was found following a fire in Liberty 
Monday.
Pickens County Coroner Andrew Wilson said in a news release that he and deputy coroner Marsha Alexander responded to 316 Spring Valley Road in Liberty at 5:45 p.m. Monday “in reference to a death in a
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Woman headed to prison for deadly shooting
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A Liberty woman has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after fatally 
shooting her boyfriend three years ago.
In a release issued Dec. 9, 13th Circuit Solicitor Cindy Crick said Nicole Michelle Heape, 31, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on Nov. 8, 2025.
Heape was initially charged with murder and possession of a weapon
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SDPC to buy West End Hall from the city of Easley
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Ownership of West End Hall in Easley will be changing hands after school district officials 
requested the building be sold back to the district.
The sale will benefit the continued and future growth of the district’s Adult Learning Center, according to officials.
In November, Mayor Lisa Talbert said the situation is an unusual one. The school district owns the grounds and gave the city the building.
“It was given to us for $1,” she said. “It’s just a part of our town and it belongs to the school.”
School District of Pickens County superintendent
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Clemson alum donates kidney to stranger
By Ken Scar
Clemson News
news@thepccourier.com
Two men spent years as strangers only miles removed from one another. A life-saving medical 
procedure connected them forever. In this season of selfless giving, here is a story about giving of oneself — literally.
When Jim Westerhold ‘97 announced, he was going to donate one of his kidneys to a stranger earlier this year, many of his friends asked him why. Donating a kidney is a serious procedure, and if he didn’t even know who would receive it, what was in it for him? He says it’s hard to pinpoint, because countless meaningful moments accumulated over his lifetime leading up to the decision, but in the end, it all boiled down to one thing:
“I’ve just been overly blessed, and I couldn’t come up with a
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Jones appointed interim Clemson president
CLEMSON — Clemson University’s Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, Dec. 10, to approve the appointment of an interim president, establish the presidential search committee and begin the process 
to hire a national search firm.
As the board formalized next steps in the process to identify Clemson’s 16th president, board chair Kim Wilkerson also recognized and celebrated the retirement of president Jim Clements following 12 years of service.
“Though we will miss Jim’s leadership dearly, Clemson stands in one of its strongest positions ever,” Wilkerson said. “His legacy will serve as a foundation for the next
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Remembering family
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier
Hundreds of families gathered at Hillcrest Memorial Park to light candles in honor of their loved ones during Dillard Memorial Funeral Home’s annual Service of Remembrance, held last Friday evening. Pictured here, Samantha Satterfield, Katherine White, Dean White, David Satterfield, Annabelle White and Brianna Satterfield take part in the emotional service..
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Most people have read or at least heard of a man named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). He was a literary giant in his lifetime and is still known today in many circles as “The Children’s Poet” as 
several schools around our nation are named in his honor. You may remember some of His original works, which include Paul Revere’s Ride, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline, and was also the first American to completely translate Dante Alighieri’s Comedy. As one of the fireside writers from New England, he is regarded as the most popular poet of the nineteenth century.
On July 9, 1861, tragedy struck the Longfellow home. His wife,
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Courier Letters to the Editor
Merry Christmas
Dear Editor,
Christmas has something about it that seems like as if for once in the year people have a feeling of joy that no other Holiday brings.
Of course there has been and always will be the haters. The spirit of Scrooge is very much alive and well. These Grinches think they just have to try and ruin it for everyone that celebrates it. Because they don’t believe and want to force others to believe their way! Just got to bring the joy of that great holiday down no doubt this is the reason.
No matter what you believe there will always be the Scrooges and Grinches! Don’t let others ruin your
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Saving lives with Buddy Check
One of the most valuable things you can do in the new year will be to check on your buddies, those you’ve served with and those in your area, and make a regular routine of it. It’s called Buddy Check, and 
you could be saving a life.
A few stats:
— Depending on the source you read, there are 17 to 22 veteran suicides per day. Yes, the numbers have decreased slightly over the years, but even one is too many.
— The rate of male veteran suicides is 60% higher than for
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The dynamics of creation
Genesis 2: 7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
The average human body contains thirty trillion cells. Blood cells, bones, skin, organs and many other body parts, from toenails to hair, are made up of cells.
The average cell contains over one-hundred trillion atoms. An atom is the smallest part of an element that can exist and it retain it’s identity. An atom has a nucleus in which there are protons (positively charged particles) and neutrons, neutral
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