Local councils take part in state leadership training
COLUMBIA — City council members from the City of Liberty and the City of Pickens spent last week in Columbia More »
Hot-shooting Hillcrest keeps Easley winless in region play
By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com EASLEY — Holding a 60-57 lead entering the fourth quarter of their matchup against More »
LWVOP receives empowerment grant to expand local voter education efforts
UPSTATE — The League of Women Voters of Oconee and Pickens Counties (LWVOP) is excited to announce that it has More »
PC Native Plant Jubilee returns on May 2
LIBERTY — The Pickens County Native Plant Jubilee will return for its second year Saturday, May 2, bringing together gardeners, More »
Saitta speaks to state committee
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
COLUMBIA — Former Pickens County School Board chairman Alex Saitta told legislators last week the ills of public education 
won’t be resolved by the education reform bill proposed in the state legislature.
Saitta spoke against the version of the bill currently in the state House of Representatives at a meeting of the K-12 subcommittee of the House Education and Public Works Committee. The state Senate is also considering an education bill.
“Despite a million new initiatives and spending billions more, there has been little improvement,” Saitta said. “I think it is
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Legislators: SC ed reform a ‘priority’
By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal
goliver@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — State Sens. Thomas Alexander and Rex Rice said education reform is a priority this year in the senate.
“It’s a priority for us in the Senate this year to have education reform and the right kind, putting emphasis on our teachers and cutting down on the amount of paperwork, as well as other initiatives that will be helpful to our students to enable them to
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District’s work-study program ‘wildly successful’
Program an example of
career center’s partnerships
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — The Pickens County Career and Technology Center is working to provide students with work experience that goes 
beyond the average after-school job and is partnering with area industry and local businesses to do so.
The center is working with Alliance Pickens and the district’s middle and high schools to provide “career discovery and also to keep a viable pipeline for an educated workforce,” CTC director Ken
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Easley annexes 55 acres of ECU property
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The city of Easley will officially grow by more than 50 acres.
During its monthly meeting last week, Easley City Council approved on second reading an ordinance to annex 54.93 acres of property on Rolling Hills Road.
City administrator Stephen Steese said the land is owned by
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More work coming at Mile Creek
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
SIX MILE — A number of improvements are in the works at Mile Creek Park in Six Mile.
County administrator Gerald Wilson talked about the park at county council’s recent planning retreat.
“There’s money out there in our ATAX fund that we could pay to finish some of these projects up,” he said. “It’s something to keep in mind.”
During the retreat, Councilman Wes Hendricks said getting the park “in tip-top shape” is one of his top priorities.
“We have the opportunity to have the best county park in the
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Flame grapplers qualify for state tournament
The Pickens High School wrestling team had a successful run at the individual Upper State wrestling tournament on Feb. 15-16. The event, which was held at Eastside High School, saw four Blue Flame wrestlers place. Jeffrey Hollingsworth came in third place in the 106-pound division, Elijah Holder came in third in the 138-pound division, Garret Kloth came in second in the 145-pound division and Ben Joye came in third place in the 152-pound division. The athletes will now move on to the individual state tournament at the Anderson Civic Center this Friday nad Saturday. Pictured, from left, are Coach Hough, head coach Sean Mansfield, Ben Joye, Elijah Holder, Jeffery Hollingsworth, Garrett Kloth, Coach Breelove and Coach Joye.
New turtle statue installed in Pickens
PICKENS — A new turtle for Pickens Turtles on the Town has been installed.
Hope, a Hawksbill sea turtle, is dedicated specifically to Kileigh Hope, but symbolically to all children who have enjoyed finding bronze turtles around Pickens for the past seven years.
Turtles on the Town was created by Louise Hope and Susan Hilyer in 2012 as a community project with their students. The original 12 bronze turtles were sponsored by local merchants and designed and crafted by Zan Wells. The Turtle Tour begins at Legacy Square and
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Pickens native to conduct All-State Orchestra
PICKENS — Pickens native Amy Mason Sckipp, Ed.D, will 
conduct the Junior All-State Orchestra at the All-State Festival in Lexington this weekend, Feb. 22-24.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Sckipp currently lives in Long Island, N.Y.
She earned her doctorate of education in music and music education from Columbia University in New York. She is an active member of the New York State Schools Music Association, Suffolk County Music Educators Association, Long Island String Festival Association and National Association for
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Courier Obituaries 2-20-19
SUDIE A. AIKEN
EASLEY — Clara “Sudie” Atkins Aiken, 88, of South 9th Street, 
wife of the late Robert L. Aiken, passed away on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at her home.
Born in Pickens County, she was a daughter of the late Charlie “Chick” Atkins and Zora Mae “Tommie” Suddeth Atkins.
Mrs. Aiken was retired from Woodside Mill in Easley and later was manager of the Senior Center in Easley. She loved her family and enjoyed growing flowers, cooking for friends and family and crafting.
Surviving are her daughters, Judy Young (David) and Joy Wilson (Jason), all of Easley; grandsons, Scott Davis and Bryan Young; seven great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; and three granddogs.
Mrs. Aiken was the last surviving member of her immediate family. In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a son, Johnny L. Aiken; a grandson, Corey L. Young; sisters, Thelma Garrick and Edna Atkins; and a brother, Bud Atkins.
Graveside services were held on Feb. 14 at Greenlawn Memorial Park.
Condolences may be expressed online by visiting
Do you feel a spark of joy?
There are two shows I occasionally watch on television. Don’t ask me why.
One, “Hoarders,” is appalling, but something about it makes me want to know if these poor people can be helped.
The other reason I benefit from “Hoarders” is that it is so reassuring. I say to myself, “Well, the house is a little messy, but at least it isn’t as bad as that.”
So, I get to feel righteous for a little while.
But the other show I’ve seen, and I’ve only watched it twice, is called “Tidying Up.”
It features a tiny Japanese lady who is an expert in organizing your home and making it easier to keep that way.
Now this show is a real bummer. If you enjoy feeling inadequate, this is for you.
She comes to the home of some overwhelmed family who are exhausted, overworked and overwhelmed.
They need to get rid of stuff, but are too exhausted to deal with
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