Liberty unveils 150th anniversary logo, announces art exhibition
LIBERTY — The city of Liberty celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026, and officials unveiled a sesquicentennial logo for the More »
Prisma staff encourage early testing for flu
By Jason Evans Staff Reporter jevans@thepccourier.com STATE — Prisma Health staff encourage the public to get tested for the flu More »
Daniel boys beat Pickens for region lead
PICKENS — With leading scorers Jackson Conley and Will Swann forced out of action early due to foul trouble and More »
Ballenger reflects on his career, legacy at Blue Ridge Electric
By Riley Morningstar Special to The Courier PICKENS — After 55 years of dedicated service, Terry Ballenger retired as the More »
Sunset Ceremony honors departed veterans
SIX MILE — As light winter rain fell at 5 p.m. on December 28, families, veterans, and community members gathered More »
Act now to change your Medicare plan
Have you finished making your decisions about your Medicare plan for 2021? If you’re going to make a change, you have only a short time to pick a new one. The deadline is Dec. 7.
There are so many options: Medicare Advantage, a supplemental plan or the traditional Medicare. And there are many things to consider within those options — the drugs we currently take, eye exams, hearing aids, annual preventive tests and more.
The place to start is with your current plan. By now you
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Letters reach out to troubled vets
We’ve been in a stressful period for many long months, and now here come the holidays. It’s going to be different this year: fewer (or no) family get-togethers, no parties, little shopping at stores … in 
other words, a potentially lonely time for many veterans who are sad or anxious or who have PTSD.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has done a randomized evaluation of its Caring Letters Program to test the effects of sending a written letter every month to veterans who have called the Veteran Crisis Line. One result was that when asked, 85 percent of psychiatric patient veterans agreed or
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CU mechanical engineering graduate looks to make a difference with Fulbright award
CLEMSON — McKinnon Reece knows engineers tend to make better-than-average salaries, but when the recent Clemson University graduate thinks about what he might be doing a decade from 
now, he has bigger things on his mind.
“Long term, I want to be able to make a difference in the world,” he said.
Reece plans to head to Taiwan in January to teach English and STEM to elementary- and middle-school children with the help of a grant through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. He expects to remain abroad for
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PRA names challenge semifinalists
PICKENS — The Pickens Revitalization Association has announced the semifinalists for the newly named Pickens Revitalization Challenge, an entrepreneurial startup competition for the purpose of generating additional retail occupancy in Pickens.
Additionally, the challenge will provide a means by which local, area and regional entrepreneurs can advance their desire to
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Courier Community Calendar 11-11-20
• Concert and BBQ cook-off is Nov. 14
The Country Folks Will Survive Concert and BBQ Cook Off in Pickens on Nov. 14 will offer local residents a chance to party, tailgate style.
Gates will open for BBQ competitors at noon Friday, Nov. 13, and attendees at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
Ticket prices start at $3 for kids’ general admission, with multiple add-on opportunities. Tickets are available online at countryfolkswillsurvive.com.The event will take place at Market at the Mill in Pickens. The address is 225 Pumpkintown Highway. Award-winning vendors and food trucks will be
Courier Obituaries 11-11-20
ROBERT ALEC SWAYNGHAM
PICKENS — Robert Alec Swayngham, 54, departed this earthly life for his heavenly home on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He attended The Crossing Church in Chugiak, Alaska.
Alec was born Dec. 31, 1965 to Joel and Wanda Swayngham. Alec is the beloved husband of his devoted wife, Barbara Bebout Swayngham, who cared for him tirelessly throughout his illness. He adored Barbara, his sweetie, and doted on his dogs, EP and Smitty. Alec’s gentle nature and corny sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him. He was a uniquely kind and longsuffering person, who was loved by all.
In addition to his wife and parents, he is survived by his stepson, Brent Riddle of Pickens; two stepdaughters, Tracy Lovelace of Hillsboro, Ore., and Mandy Riddle of Suwanee, Ga.; a granddaughter, Ashlyn Lovelace; his brother, Travis
Pickens has playoff hopes dashed by TR
By Scott Sasser
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The Pickens Blue Flame’s playoff hopes came to an end at the hands of the Travelers Rest Devildogs in a must-win matchup on Friday night.
The Pickens defense was unable to stop the surging TR offense in a 56-13 loss.
In a highly anticipated matchup to determine Region I-4A’s second playoff spot, the Blue Flame struggled to maintain their composure
as the game quickly got out of hand. Once the Devildogs took the lead early in the first quarter, they never looked back, pulling away with seeming ease.
For Travelers Rest, Friday night’s game was a great display of explosive offensive action, accompanied by some lockdown defense. For the Blue Flame, it was a story of one step forward, two steps back throughout the night.
Pickens coach Chad Smith described the game in one
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Panthers shut out Liberty on road
By Clay Counts
Courier Sports
claycounts21@yahoo.com
ABBEVILLE — With the 2020 season winding down, the Liberty Red Devils made a long trip down to region powerhouse Abbeville on 
Friday night.
The Panthers boasted a 6-0 record going into the contest, and their high-powered offense proved too much for the Red Devils in a 63-0 win.
Unseasonably warm weather greeted the two teams on the first
Friday night in November.
Going up against a tough opponent, the Red Devils knew they’d have to pull out all the stops. They did just that on the opening kickoff, sneaking in an onside kick that they recovered.
Shai Jamison broke a 12-yard run into Panther territory, but the drive died out, forcing a Red Devil punt.
Wasting no time, Abbeville pieced together an 86-yard drive, with Tyrell Haddon punching in a six-yard touchdown to take the early
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Green Wave still on the hunt for first win after loss to Mauldin
By Eugene Jolley
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — It would be hard to convince any Easley fan or player that Mauldin had only won two 
games entering Friday night’s game with the Green Wave.
The uber-talented Mavericks, with two junior players ranked in the top 15 for the state in the class of 2022, including the top-ranked player in cornerback Jeadyn Lukus, ran off 42 first-half points in beating Easley, 49-6.
Mauldin’s losses this season have been to archrival Hillcrest, to T.L. Hanna by one point, to Greenville and last week to Ridge View, the team that beat Daniel in the Upper State title game last season.
“That is a good team,” Easley coach Jordan Durrah said of the Mavericks. “We scheduled that for a reason. I told them it’s about being process-oriented, and that’s the best thing for the program. We want to play against real good teams and competitive teams with
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