Pickens County News

The Freedom from Religion Foundation has voiced concern about several religious issues in Pickens County schools and is among many who have weighed in on the recent inclusion of the Lord's Prayer by the Liberty High School valedictorian in his graduation address.

To register, visit easleyfumc.org and click on the link in the left sidebar. You can also register online to volunteer.

Residents are expected to gather for a community meeting Tuesday after the school board changed plans that had called for two middle schools to serve the Easley area.

Greenville County grew by nearly 9,000 people between July 1, 2011 and July 1, 2012, although its rate of growth was outpaced by five coastal counties, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pickens County's fiscal 2013-14 budget has received final approval with no tax increase and additional money for the sheriff's and coroner's offices.

A fifteen-month-old boy died Thursday after he was found face down in a Pickens County swimming pool, said Kandy Kelley, Pickens County coroner.

Liberty High School valedictorian Roy Costner ignored school board rules for Pickens County, South Carolina by saying the Lord's Prayer during his commencement speech.

Environmental safety questions fueled a debate prior to the City of Easley's decision to purchase an eight and a half mile stretch of railway in conjunction with the City of Pickens.

The current Gettys Middle campus will close and Easley will continue to be served by one middle school after Pickens County school trustees voted to change plans that had called for two middle schools.

Both schools will be presented with the Bronze National Recognition Award in the fall of 2013.

An environmental contractor is on scene to do clean up after about 300 gallons of gasoline spilled into a small creek that feeds into Town Creek in Pickens County Monday night, authorities said.

Clean-up crews worked overnight on Monday to contain and clean up a large fuel spill at an Upstate gas station.

More than a year after efforts began to buy a stretch of rail line property known to many as the old Pickens Doodle line, the cities of Easley and Pickens have approved the property's purchase.

A woman who is accused in the shooting deaths of her children and of seriously injuring her husband has been transferred to a different facility.

He didn't think he would give a speech. For quite some time, Roy Costner IV was second among his classmates, and didn't realize an extra class raised his grade point average enough for him to be the valedictorian of Liberty High School's Class of 2013.

While a South Carolina 18-year old stood up for his beliefs by praying during his valedictorian speech recently, the schoolboard which was comprised of adults lacked the courage to stand up to an atheist group from Wisconsin and banned prayer, according to an article in the Christian Post today, Saturday, June 8. Roy Costner dramatically tore up ... (more)

Atheist activists aren't taking too kindly to a former South Carolina high school student's recent graduation speech - an address that invoked God and included a full recitation of the Lord's Prayer.

Staff Reports Reports of a trailer being stolen from Ashton Park led to an Anderson man's arrest Thursday morning.

Dinger is a systems control technician assigned to the 501st Combat Support Wing at Alconbury, United Kingdom.

Meals will be served weekdays June 13-Aug. 9, except for July 4, at Pickens Elementary, 567 Hampton Ave., Pickens; West End Elementary, 314 Pelzer Highway, Easley; and Central Elementary, 608 Johnson Road, Central.