Pickens sweeps Bishop England for 18th volleyball championship
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com COLUMBIA — Having dropped just one set on its way to the Class 4A More »
Balance key for state champs
Last season, when the Pickens High School volleyball team overcame a year of adversity to secure the 17th state championship More »
Pickens runoff set for Tuesday
By Bru Nimmons Staff Reporter bnimmons@thepccourier.com PICKENS — Voters from Pickens will return to the polls one final time this More »
TD Bank closing one Easley branch
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com EASLEY — A TD Bank branch in Easley is among the more than 50 More »
This week in the PICKENS COUNTY COURIER’s FOOTBALL FRENZY Sponsored by MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERALS AND CREMATIONS
DROUGHT ENDED Red Devils take down Pelion for first playoff win since 2016 Lions survive Dreher to advance; Easley season More »
Remembering the past, looking to the future
By Steve Townsend Special to the Courier news@thepccourier.com CENTRAL — As the late summer sun set at the at the More »
Projects sought for local Make a Difference Day
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — Organizers are seeking applicants for projects to benefit from a countywide Make a Difference Day this fall.
DJ Laws, Presidential Coordinator for Community Relations in the Office of the President at Clemson University, discussed the effort during the June 30 meeting of Pickens United, which was held on campus at Clemson.
Laws said Pickens County Administrator Ken Roper and
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DEW: County employment remains stagnant in May
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — The unemployment rate in Pickens County remained stagnant during 
the latest jobs report released last week.
The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) reported that unemployment in the county remained at 3.9 percent in May, the same figure the county saw in April. Pickens County
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Summer camp gives Clemson students an up-close view of forest management
By Marlon Morgan
Courtesy Clemson News
news@thepccourier.com
CLEMSON — If Clemson University senior Alex Lewis wasn’t sure he wanted to pursue a career in forestry, he is certain now after participating in the University’s forestry summer camp.
The forestry summer camp is a combination of four summer classes that are mandatory for forest resource management students. The classes, which are designed for rising
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The sounds of freedom
Galatians 5: 1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of bondage.”
Out for my morning hike, I passed by an office building. There was a sloped area along 
the road and it was grown up with grass and small trees. Realizing I was hearing a sound that was unusual, I stopped and looked into the brushy area but saw no sign of life.
It sounded small; possibly like a chipmunk or maybe
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Compromise is the enemy of our faith
The Christian faith believes that God draws people to Himself when they hear the gospel “good news” message about how much He loves the world when He sent His Son 
to shed His blood on the cross as the only sacrifice that could redeem those who believe. This is why evangelism is important to the follower of Christ, as the idea is the more the gospel is presented, the more people might be convicted and respond to this gift of salvation. After a person has made their public profession in the Lord, and vows to love
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Courier Letters to the Editor 7-9-25
State Highway Update
Dear Editor,
As you may have noticed the SCDOT is repaving roads in earnest this summer and I recently called the district office for an update on the state highway repaving schedule.
These four highways are part of the same repaving contract to be finished by Nov 2025.
SC 186 from Greenville to SC 8 in Pickens is finished.
SC 133 starting on North Main Street Six Mile, through the town and south to Clemson
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Planning for aging in place
Are you in your last home and plan to age in place where you are? Or is there at least one more abode in your future?
A recent study concluded that 84% of seniors plan to stay in their home for the rest of their lives. Planning (and hoping) doesn’t make it definite, of course. Of those who plan to stay, only a quarter have moved to a place that’s
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Disability benefits scammers
You know it’s a scam when they want you to pay for their help in filing Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits claims. Then when you receive the benefits, they 
make you give them a percentage of the money.
Ten thieves were recently nailed for defrauding the VA. The grand jury came back with 49 counts of conspiracy and fraud, including wire and mail
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Courier Obituaries 7-9-25
RAYMOND E DAWKINS
PICKENS — Mr. Raymond E Dawkins passed away peacefully in his home on Sunday, 
June 29, 2025, at the age of 99.
Raymond was born in Newberry, on April 15, 1926, to the late Erastus Leroy and Gladys Evelyn Brennan Dawkins. Raymond and his seven siblings grew up in a mill village during the depression, and Raymond thereafter remained thrifty his entire life.
At the age of 18, Raymond enlisted in the United States Army and served in Europe in the 36 Infantry Division during World War II. He was awarded two bronze stars and the French Legion of Honor Medal for his service. In 2022, Raymond had the honor of traveling to Normandy with the Best Defense Foundation to participate in D-Day commemorations.
Taking advantage of the GI bill, Raymond attended Newberry College while working evenings at the cotton mill. He met his future wife, Margaret, at a square dance. After a move to Pickens, Raymond worked as an Industrial Engineer for the Singer/Ryobi Company for 32 years. Raymond was a longtime member of Pickens Presbyterian
