Roper offers update on area roads, SC 183
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Although S.C. Highway 183 is not a county road, local officials cannot “turn a blind eye to it,” Pickens County administrator Ken Roper said last week.
Roper gave an update on area roads during a Facebook Live video recorded last Friday.
Some have called Highway 183 one of the most dangerous roads in the Upstate, if not in all of South Carolina, he said.
“Dangerous highway, crowded highway,” Roper said.
S.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) officials have said they “don’t really have anything in the works for Highway 183,” he said.
“I know they’ve got a lot of problems around the state they’ve got to take care of, but we’ve got to figure out a way to fix this,” Roper said.
Rep. Neal Collins and Pickens United have been trying to find funding solutions to tackle S.C. 183, including applying to the South Carolina State Transportation Infrastructure Bank (STIB), which is meant to fund big projects, he said.
That application was rejected, as STIB officials felt there was not enough “local commitment to
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Cateechee Park has upgrades approved

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CATEECHEE — Pickens County Council members have approved upgrades to Cateechee Park.
Council members discussed the park during their Aug. 7 meeting.
Officials broke ground on the park, located off Norris Highway, in 2016.
The Lake Hartwell Natural Resource Trustee Council, which oversees a settlement fund established to restore habitat in Lake Hartwell and
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Florida man drowns in Pickens County
COUNTY — A Florida man drowned near The Wall at Lake Jocassee on Saturday morning.
Anthony Reno, 50 , of Fleming Island, Fla., became unresponsive following a recreational dive in Lake Jocassee on Saturday.
Reno was transported to Prism Health Oconee Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to a release from Chief Deputy Coroner Andrew P. Wilson, an autopsy is scheduled for a later date.
Reno’s death is being investigated by Pickens County Coroner’s Office, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
SC Attorney General Alan Wilson takes stand on the environment
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s biggest lawman has taken a legal stand on two separate environmental issues.
Attorney General Alan Wilson filed suit August 7 against multiple companies, including 3M and DuPont, holding them accountable for allegedly contaminating knowingly the state’s natural resources and drinking water through per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
“I’m a firm believer in the free market, but when companies knowingly violate the law and harm South Carolinians in the process, there
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Daniel football team practices with Carolina Panthers

By Ian Taylor
Courtesy The Journal
itaylor@upstatetoday.com
CENTRAL — Many high school football players have dreams of playing at the highest level, rubbing shoulders with the best of the best in the
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Local nonprofit collecting warm items for Christmas donations

COUNTY — A local nonprofit is seeking items to give to area senior citizens this Christmas.
Members of Warmth and Comfort for the Elderly in Upstate SC use their crochet skills to provide warm items for nursing home patients,
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Happiness is hitting the snooze button
Sleep is magical. You lay down on a bed and close your eyes and drift away, on a soft fluffy cloud, into a “nothingness.”
When you awaken in the morning, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the coffee pot is perking (or dripping, depending on your coffee machine), and you feel refreshed and energetic. You are ready to conquer the world.
Sleep is rather scary, because when you sleep, you enter into an unconscious state and have
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Not feeling it
So “hip-hop” is 50 years old.
Well, hippity hoppity zippity do-dah-day!
I hope we don’t have to wait another 15 years for its retirement.
Now, don’t write me off as an angry old white man.
I may be old, but I don’t feel it. I’m occasionally a little angry, but never for long.
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Freedom, truth and liberty
In John 8:32, our Lord tells us, “you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
“Truth” in this context is the truth of God’s Word, which is the expression of His will, and stands perfect and without error. It is the light of the Holy Spirit shining resplendent in His Word. Whatever deviates from this, in thought or action, is falsehood (not true) and error; the Word is the standard of all that is true and good and right and beautiful. It is through acceptance of this truth that we are released from the bondage of spiritual death.
We read in Matthew 11:29-30, “Come to me, all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy; and I will give you relief. Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble
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Getting through drug shortages
In the spring of this year, the U.S. saw a larger prescription drug shortage than we’ve seen in 10 years. And we haven’t recovered yet.
Part of the problem is that 78% of our drugs (or at least a crucial ingredient in each one) are made in foreign countries. Chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, mental health
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