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 »
Central RR Fest set for later this month
CENTRAL — The Central Railroad Festival will pull into historic downtown Central on Saturday, Oct. 16, with music, food and festivities for all ages.
The festival is set to begin at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m., featuring entertainment, food, music and arts and crafts vendors.
There will be free entertainment for all ages, including oldies, rock, jazz and bluegrass. In
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Clemson extends Clements’ contract
By Riley Morningstar
Courtesy The Journal
rmorningstar@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — Clemson University has done everything in its power to ensure president Jim Clements will be with the school until his retirement.
At the quarterly meeting of the school’s board of trustees on Friday, officials unanimously agreed to extend Clements’ contract through 2026, along with pay
upgrades. Clements and his wife, Beth, have seen their family grow since he joined the university as the school’s 15th president on Dec. 31, 2013.
Their son, Tyler, is heavily involved with Clemson football recruiting, and their daughter, Grace, is now a freshman at the ClemsonLIFE program for disabled young adults.
“The years since Beth and I arrived at Clemson in
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State officials encourage shots with flu season now underway
COUNTY — September heralded the beginning of fall — but it also marked the start of flu season.
Pharmacies, doctors’ offices and vaccine providers are already administering flu shots, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) said recently.
“The quadrivalent flu vaccine that’s currently available this year protects against the four most common different flu viruses that are expected to circulate this flu
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Lady Blue Flame continue march through region
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team defeated region opponents Westside and 
Walhalla last week, remaining undefeated in Region I-4A play.
“The Lady Blue Flame looked clean, precise and focused during our matches against Westside and Walhalla,” Pickens coach Rikki Owens said. “We were able to switch the rotations up with different lineups and play through possible scenarios that we could face during playoffs. We handled the situations and
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possible adjustments with confidence and poise and finished the task as a team.”
Against Westside Sept. 28 in the friendly confines of Coach Peggy Harden Anthony Gymnasium on the Pickens High campus, the Lady Blue Flame defeated the Westside Lady Rams in three straight sets. Playing against the Walhalla Lady Razorbacks Sept. 30, also at home, the result was the same, with the Lady Blue Flame prevailing in straight sets.
The Pickens team’s record stands at 24-3 on the season, with all three losses against Class 5A schools. They are 5-0 in region play.
The Lady Blue Flame are scheduled to play a region match this week against cross-county rival Easley High School. The match will be played Thursday at Easley, with the junior varsity match scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Lady Blue Flame are scheduled to take part in the Woodmont Pink Is Power Tournament at Woodmont High School in Piedmont.
Hagood Mill rocks
Located in the town of Pickens, Hagood Mill knows how to rock. It has rocks that are useful, remarkable and 
mysterious.
Useful rocks have been shaped into huge millstones used to grind grits and cornmeal. Remarkable rocks, like a medicine wheel and a mortar and pestle, have been gathered to form a trail of rock history. There are rocks everywhere. It is the rock that is covered with extraordinary drawings called petroglyphs that is both puzzling and mysterious.
Recently deceased archeologist Tommy Charles, one of the discoverers
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Addressing money matters
Here’s a subject I think all of us can relate to:
Money.
What, exactly, is it?
I hardly ever see any of my money. It exists only as numbers on a computer. When I buy something, the number gets smaller. When some money comes in, the number gets bigger.
Does money — hard cash — ever really move from one place to another?
It would keep a fleet of couriers bigger than the combined forces of Amazon, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service busy to tote money from here to there to account for every transaction, just in Pickens County, I imagine.
So in reality, money doesn’t exist. It’s imaginary.
What got me to thinking about this lately is the wrangling that has been going on in Congress over its idiotic practice of directing the government to spend money it doesn’t have and can’t even borrow without raising the “debt ceiling.”
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Courier Letters to the Editor 10-6-21
Much ado about nothing
Dear Editor,
Here’s something to think about.
According to some, nothing created everything. Makes no sense, since nothing made the seasons to change. Nothing made the sun to rise and set daily. Nothing made love. Nothing made life. Nothing made thought itself. Nothing made nothing, too? Nothing made you. Nothing made me. Nothing wrote this. Nothing is reading it. Nothing pays your bills. Nothing would be owed if bills did not exist. Nothing itself is something, as in it would never be, as in nonexistence, if it didn’t exist. Nothing must not exist then. Which makes no sense. Confused? Me too.
So that’s a lot of nothing for nothing not to have created it, isn’t it? Whew!
Eddie Boggs
Westminster
Golf tournament set to benefit Lakes and Bridges Charter School
EASLEY — Lakes & Bridges Charter School’s second annual fundraising golf tournament is set for Monday, Oct. 18.
The captain’s choice tournament will be held at Southern Oaks Golf Club, located at 105 Southern Oaks Drive in Easley. Check-in will begin at 1 p.m., with play set to get underway with a 2 p.m. shotgun start.
The cost for the tournament will be $400 per team and will include green fees, carts, catering and a gift bag.
Entry forms and fees must be submitted by Monday, Oct. 11.
For more information about playing in the tournament or sponsorship opportunities, contact Debbie Vaughn at (843) 343-7458 or dvaughn@labcharterschool.org.
Courier Community Calendar 10-6-21
•Rummage and bake sale this weekend
Dacusville United Methodist Church, located at 1339 Thomas Mill Road in Easley, will host a huge rummage and bake sale this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 8-9, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be a hot dog sale on Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The sale will happen rain or shine. Masks and social distancing are recommended.
• Scent of Praise to hold event in Easley
Scent of Praise, a Christian music ministry, will be live at Midtown Music in the Easley Fine Arts Center on South
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Courier Obits
CRYSTAL SUE AUSTIN
PICKENS — Crystal Sue Austin, 44, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sept. 28, 2021.
Miss. Austin was born in Nuernberg, Bavaria, Germany, and was the daughter of the late James B. Austin Sr. and 
Sue L. Austin of Six Mile.
Survivors in addition to her mother are brothers Erick Austin (Daniela) of Navarre, Fla., and James B. Austin Jr. of Six Mile. Also surviving are a number of loving nieces and nephews.
Miss Austin worked a majority of her career at Walgreens and was her mother’s caregiver. She furthered her education in early childhood development. She loved her many nieces and nephews and spent most of her time with family. Most of all, she loved her furry friend Ammo. She enjoyed doing puzzles, going to church, going to the lake and crafting jewelry. She loved adventure and travel. Crystal will be truly missed by her family.
The funeral service was held on Oct. 5 at the Dillard Funeral Home chapel. The burial followed the service at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Pickens.
Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Austin family.
Online condolences may be sent to dillardfunerals.com.
EMORY V. JONES
DACUSVILLE — Emory Valentine Jones, 80, husband of Joy Connelly Jones, went to be with his Lord and Savior
